VAUXHALL ASTRA GTE MK1 CAR PERFORMANCE SPORTS TURBO
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Matts Van

 
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matt
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:13 pm    Post subject: Matts Van Reply with quote

Matt’s MK1 Bedford Astra Van

Well where do I start, the reason for a van well this all belongs to a certain ex MK1 owners under the name of Stig or Hux. He had a gold MK1 van and after seeng that and having a drive in it with an XE I had to get me one.

So some two years or so later I found one on Pistonheads and had seen it previously and new that I need it in my life. My MK1 GTE at the time had no engine and was beginning to get me down.

So a few emails and phone calls later late July 07, I was on a flight up to Edinburgh from Birmingham to collect it, then drove all the way home in my newly aquired MK1.

This is what it looked like when I got it





There where already plans afoot to change the look of the van so got a new grille, pressed german plates and strutbrace from German Ebay



Then just drove it round enjoying my new purcahse, went to Trax and the Classic Car Show in 07.

It does requrie some work (don’t they all). Mainly a hole in the passenger footwell and the engine needs a rebuild. Also want to weld the engine bay for strength and some other little touchs that I have to make it more my van

So thats is so far watch out for more updates as I start to strip and then put back together my van......

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Last edited by matt on Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:09 pm; edited 4 times in total
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matt
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Made a start on getting the van ready for its strip down. It hasn’t really moved since the Classic Car Show in November.

First thing was to sort out my garage so I could actually work around the van.



Then I needed to swap over the steel wheels that it was sat on for the new ones I got so that I can run it round and move it about
From this


To this


Then of with both bumpers ready for there new skins. Also found that the front panel is more damaged than I thought. So look like a new one of them


Then put it back into the garage ready to be dismantled in the next couple of weeks


Pic of both my motors, the toy and the work horse

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matt
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PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2008 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So on with the dismantling. It was time to remove the engine so started by getting all the bits that could be removed off, inlet/exhaust manifold etc etc







Then it was time for engine out with some help from some freindly MK1’ers





Thats all for now, just need to get cracking with the engine bay and practice my welding skills

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matt
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PostPosted: Sun May 25, 2008 12:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So got some more work done on the van got most of the bits of that I want to know, so on with the repair and getting how I want it.







Mostly surface rust apart from the passenger footwell that will need to be fixed but got a new floor pan so this will be ok



The rest is mint and nothing to worry about so will need a clean and underseal and some new paint



The problems with a lowered car two broken CV’s



Inner wings are fine though no holes or rust




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matt
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Long long time since an update.

Well what can I say not alot at the moment as I'm still in shock about what I have seen on my van. Its in the right hands now and is currently ahving a hell of alot of work doing to it. I might get some pics up but might keep you all in suspense.

All I will say at the moment is we are amazed that the car is still on the road and it still in one piece. It was shockingly bad Shocked eek Shocked

It probably should be in a scrap yard but then that ould just be another one gone to waste.

So watch this space I might get some pics up soon

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matt
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thought I'd update this thread nothing new though

So fast forward to September 2009 and a very close friend has started his own business www.huxleymotorsport.co.uk. He was always going to do the work for me but this was the perfect time to help out a mate with some business and get the van sort out once and for all.

I was not expecting what was to come but hey ho
Van was fully stripped and it was not a good sight.

Why did I bother how completely and utterly pee'd off and annoyed with my van was I for a few weeks back.

Well it was "repaired" "rebuilt" whatever you want to call it , before I got it???? But to say that is a small lie is an understatement. How it ever passed an MOT we are unsure. But hey.

I very nearly made it a small cube like alot of other MK1's, but after a very very good friend said he would fix it then its back on its way to being all in one piece again.

I'll let the pic's do the talking



Nice suspension mount. NOT


Some more shots of the missing metal and all the root








Then it was time to put some metal back on it














As it stands at the mo. Not revealing to much as want to wait until its finished....

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