2004 Astra Coupe

[ace275]

This thread has taken me back nearly 15 years. I had a hatch, and got pictures with my friends SE2 coupe in pretty much that exact same place

We had the angel eye headlights fitted from your first post, but I found them absolute pants. The work you have done is much better

I always regretted not getting the coupe. Just didn't know about them at the time when I bought my hatch, They're aged really well.

 

[Chris100]

I had the edition 100 version of the coupe, fairly rare.

 

[Sonny]

I had an Edition 100 many years back, bought it new from Townparks.

To this day, I've never seen another one on the road.

View attachment 312836

I had the edition 100 version of the coupe, fairly rare.

View attachment 373000

 

[ace275]

A memory like my own

 

[Chris100]

A memory like my own

It’s even worse, @roverspeed is my brother. So fully aware what cars I have/had

 

[roverspeed]

It’s even worse, @roverspeed is my brother. So fully aware what cars I have/had

Might be doing a modification that you did to yours by accident (or rather Leanne did), I am thinking of removing the spoiler.

I'll remove mine whilst stationary though.

 

[Blackie]

Might be doing a modification that you did to yours by accident (or rather Leanne did), I am thinking of removing the spoiler.

I'll remove mine whilst stationary though.

Sounds like a there’s a story to be told there…….

 

[Chris100]

Sounds like a there’s a story to be told there…….

Spoiler cracked around the fixing points on mine, came flying off as I was driving down the Sydenham bypass. Pure luck it didn’t hit anything behind me. Had to pull over and pick it up, lucky enough it landed on the hard shoulder

 

[roverspeed]

Took the opportunity of the long bank holiday weekend to get my custom headlights fitted.

I fixed the aperture and shutter speed in the pictures to below.


No lights on

Sidelights

Dipped beam

Dipped beam with Fog lights

Full Beams - BILED projector, LED Aux main beam projector (same unit as fogs) and dual 40 watt light bars. They are all aimed to compliment each other. Biled provides normal high beam duties, Aux main beam has a broader diffuse that helps brighten gutters, hedges etc without being too bright and overbearing, lightbars provide additional distance.

 

[Blackie]

I need to learn photography because these pics are class! Good work on the lights!

 

[roverspeed]

Fairly productive 2 days after Xmas (I don't drink )

Yesterday I changed my cam cover gasket, it had developed a slight leak. The fact it was only slight was amazing, because the old gasket was like hard plastic and snapped to pieces.

Good news, cams etc all look spot on for 94k miles

This morning, I fitted the Whiteline adjustable rear anti-roll bar that I bought in black Friday sales, which was really straight forward. I put it on the 2nd hardest setting.

Have only done some fairly sedate driving and can certainly feel it working, I have pushed on a bit in a few roundabouts and it corners very flat. Also delays the nose pushing wide.

I'm not yet feeling the light and day difference all the forums said it was, but it feels good. (Maybe because I already have H&R with new dampers all round (earlier this year) of the Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres were already giving fantastic grip.

I will push it a little further over the next few weeks and maybe bump it up to the hardest setting if I feel it's warranted (they said even this setting can make the car twitchy, I'm not feeling that at all thankfully it feels planted)

 

[roverspeed]

Latest being done to the car is, another upgrade it rather than replace it.

The bushes in the rear arm are getting a little past their best, a popular upgrade/mod is an Astra VXR rear arm, that allegedly does the following.

Increase in torsional stiffness 260nm/mm to 465nm/mm (combined with the whiteline arb even more of course)

Reduction in toe-in

Reduction in negative camber.

So those all in theory should -

Shift the balance away from understeer
Improve initial turn in
Improve lateral grip

It was in surprisingly good condition, but I thought it would be silly not to wire brush it and give it 3 coats of hammerite. (I'll give the torsion beam a coat of stoneguard too as it's getting bashed down there.

I didn't want to be arsed trying to remove the hubs from the old beam, so new rear hubs will be going on.

Question for more knowledgeable folks:

Should I mark the position of the Bush carriers from the old ones and put the new ones in the same position. Or do I assume variance in the axles and centre the new one by measuring once fitted?

Finally, would a tyre place adjust a rear beam position if asked or is that out of their scope?

 

[roverspeed]

Was doing rear engine/gearbox yesterday, and as it was surprisingly easy, whilst the car was on guy ramps I fitted my 3D printed brake ducts. Was really pleased as they fitted perfectly.

The flexible ducting is too big and cumbersome to get it right at the disc, so for now they are just pointing close to the discs. I ordered 308mm Brembo max slotted discs and carriers, when I am replacing the discs I'll look to make backing plates and reducers to bring the ducting down to 50 mm (they are currently 65mm)

 

[Blackie]

Class!! I’m loving the work going into this!

 

[roverspeed]

Finally pulled my finger out and got the vxr axle fitted yesterday.

Surprising, no broken or seized bolts. Old axle is in good condition.

Only parts carried over the caliper carriers from the old axle.

My bro got me a bench grinder for Xmas, I have a wire wheel fitted. So satisfying cleaning up bolts and small parts up with it.

I must say I'm really pleased, it already feels improved, so little body roll.

I'm just in the driving carefully and making sure everything is as it should be before going nuts!!

To all the Vauxhall geeks, anyone know someone in NI breaking a car with the 308mm front discs?

I'm looking for the caliper carriers, I have Brembo max discs to go on. Mainland Ebay sellers are a bunch of nobs.

Cars that have the correct carriers

Astra h cdti 150
Astra g gsi
Astra coupe turbo
Saab 9-3 (the sportier models)

Anyone know anyone that's breaking any of the following?

 

[carmad.]

guy up beside me breaking gsi zafira i’ll try and get you his number

 

[roverspeed]

guy up beside me breaking gsi zafira i’ll try and get you his number

Thanks, that would be great

 

[TheDaniel]

Never seen this thread before. A mate of mine had a blue one and I thought it was a lovely looking thing. Don't see too many about now days. Good to see it getting maintained

 

[roverspeed]

Finally managed to get a set of the 308 caliper carriers, he would only sell them complete with the calipers. So instead of refitting mine. I stripped them, wire wheeled them and painted them.

Ordered and fired a service kit including new pistons, seals, sliding pins....the full Monty.

Fitted with 308mm Brembo max discs (that I got stupidly cheap) and black diamond predator pads. Flushed all the brake fluid too.

Whilst I had all the brakes off, it seemed like a good time to fit the polybushed front arms with the meyle HD ball joints. A job I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

But wow, the steering feels great after fitting these, so pleased with the change!! Not really any more harsh and no squeaking at all.