Todd100
Club Member
Love the colour of this, just a word of warning, my Gsi had rust in that exact spot, check the inside of the wheel arch as mine had to have about 3" square cutout as it was way worse on the underside
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Astra mk3 Arctic 3.0 V6 + F28 with Quaife
- Thread starter harvey
- Start date
harvey
Club Member
Thanks for the heads up but I've already checked the underside to be sure it's okay.
love this car, good to see it getting the love and passion it deserves!
Keep an eye on that sealer mate, that whole section will be rusty, trust me, doing a bare shell resto i know how bad it all is, and where all the rust spots are lol
Keep an eye on that sealer mate, that whole section will be rusty, trust me, doing a bare shell resto i know how bad it all is, and where all the rust spots are lol
harvey
Club Member
Having been warned about possible rust gremlins I double checked the front underneath of the nearside strut after removing the arch liner as I had previously only peeled it back a little to check with a torch. I’m pleased to say all is solid as a rock under there which is what I expected but it’s pleasing to have it confirmed after a good old prod and poke, thanks for the warning guys.
yea this was mine lol
drivers turrent in the corner, under sealer. the only reason i went digging was the sealer had a crack in it! I checked all cracked sealer and found rust under it. that was a proper rot hole, the welder blew through!
drivers turrent in the corner, under sealer. the only reason i went digging was the sealer had a crack in it! I checked all cracked sealer and found rust under it. that was a proper rot hole, the welder blew through!
harvey
Club Member
Rewind to November 2015 in this diary and you’ll have noted I started a project but never finished it which isn’t at all like me. I’ll recap to save you trawling through my old posts.
I have a few spare Astra mk2 LCD dashes and decided I’d make a properly converted hybrid version that fits and plugs straight into the mk3.
I started with adapting the odometer so it could have the trip reset in the centre as the mk2 is offset. This was easy as a longer bar was added from a donor mk3 dash with plunger moved accordingly.
I then stripped both dashes to be left with this.
The rear was cut from both so they could overlay.
That’s as far as I got in 2015 and it’s just been sat on my shelf collecting dust until a couple of weeks ago, this is when the fun stuff began so if you’re still with me read on.
The dash fronts had previously been cut like this to give maximum visibility of the full LCD panels.
Next was to glue it all together to make a single unit.
The front panel was then masked to protect the bits I didn’t want painting and primed.
The final coat painted using the only matt black I had black VHT exhaust paint. Original mk3 front for comparison, it looks good even if I do say so myself.
Added the LCD panels to the front facia & rear covers which look like this.
Sorting wiring so I could use the correct colours. Donated from an old Vectra B V6 main harness loom.
I have a few spare Astra mk2 LCD dashes and decided I’d make a properly converted hybrid version that fits and plugs straight into the mk3.
I started with adapting the odometer so it could have the trip reset in the centre as the mk2 is offset. This was easy as a longer bar was added from a donor mk3 dash with plunger moved accordingly.
I then stripped both dashes to be left with this.
The rear was cut from both so they could overlay.
That’s as far as I got in 2015 and it’s just been sat on my shelf collecting dust until a couple of weeks ago, this is when the fun stuff began so if you’re still with me read on.
The dash fronts had previously been cut like this to give maximum visibility of the full LCD panels.
Next was to glue it all together to make a single unit.
The front panel was then masked to protect the bits I didn’t want painting and primed.
The final coat painted using the only matt black I had black VHT exhaust paint. Original mk3 front for comparison, it looks good even if I do say so myself.
Added the LCD panels to the front facia & rear covers which look like this.
Sorting wiring so I could use the correct colours. Donated from an old Vectra B V6 main harness loom.
harvey
Club Member
Next was to cut the rear lower warning light panels & solder upper mk2 to the lower mk3.
I made an adaptor loom so I could plug the new hybrid dash into the existing mk3 dash plugs without having to cut anything. I added two extra pins into the existing mk3 dash plugs using spare locations for the oil pressure gauge (blue/yellow) & lights on (grey/green) so the dimmer works correctly with the LCD backlight. Speedo feed (blue/red) comes from the Vectra ABS I installed when the V6 went in.
I bought an A3 size sheet of grey tinted polycarbonate so I could make my own front.
The dash front & polycarb were drilled around the edge using a 1.5mm bit with the odometer reset plunger hole drilled at an angle using a 7.5mm bit.
Here you can see the tint comparison, mk2 LCD original on the left, my grey tinted polycarb creation & stock clear mk3 on the right.
The grey tint polycarb is attached using the metal inner from garden twine & twisted to hold it in place. I did heat the polycarb in an attempt to add a curve but it only added a slight curve being enough to get the shape I wanted.
To stop dust ingress the edges were covered with insulation tape & being cut slightly oversize meant the tape isn’t seen when installed in the car.
This is the lower warning light circuit finished & taped for protection. I’ve made the whole dash so it can be fully disassembled should there be any issues with LCD panels or the rear circuit board require placement.
The original dash looked like this, dull, boring & standard.
My new hybrid creation pictured with & without flash for better clarity. I know it won’t be to everyone’s taste but the wife & I love it as it’s added that little extra uniqueness to an otherwise stockish interior. I’ve duplicated the battery & oil pressure warning lights by design so they appear as they should on both the LCD panel (top left) & mk3 lower warning light section. There’s not excuse you didn’t see them if the worse should happen that’s for sure.
I made an adaptor loom so I could plug the new hybrid dash into the existing mk3 dash plugs without having to cut anything. I added two extra pins into the existing mk3 dash plugs using spare locations for the oil pressure gauge (blue/yellow) & lights on (grey/green) so the dimmer works correctly with the LCD backlight. Speedo feed (blue/red) comes from the Vectra ABS I installed when the V6 went in.
I bought an A3 size sheet of grey tinted polycarbonate so I could make my own front.
The dash front & polycarb were drilled around the edge using a 1.5mm bit with the odometer reset plunger hole drilled at an angle using a 7.5mm bit.
Here you can see the tint comparison, mk2 LCD original on the left, my grey tinted polycarb creation & stock clear mk3 on the right.
The grey tint polycarb is attached using the metal inner from garden twine & twisted to hold it in place. I did heat the polycarb in an attempt to add a curve but it only added a slight curve being enough to get the shape I wanted.
To stop dust ingress the edges were covered with insulation tape & being cut slightly oversize meant the tape isn’t seen when installed in the car.
This is the lower warning light circuit finished & taped for protection. I’ve made the whole dash so it can be fully disassembled should there be any issues with LCD panels or the rear circuit board require placement.
The original dash looked like this, dull, boring & standard.
My new hybrid creation pictured with & without flash for better clarity. I know it won’t be to everyone’s taste but the wife & I love it as it’s added that little extra uniqueness to an otherwise stockish interior. I’ve duplicated the battery & oil pressure warning lights by design so they appear as they should on both the LCD panel (top left) & mk3 lower warning light section. There’s not excuse you didn’t see them if the worse should happen that’s for sure.
That looks fantastic. Nice work there!
harvey
Club Member
After fitting the LCD dash I noted the oil pressure gauge wasn’t right as it should display empty until the car is started & was showing full. I traced this to the sensor which has two feeds, one for the oil pressure warning light (plug socket) and one for the oil pressure gauge (threaded stud). Both feeds should give continuity to ground when the engine isn’t running but the stud was open circuit at the sensor and thus faulty. The new replacement arrived yesterday.
Slightly different to the OE sensor but still does exactly the same job.
My 5 minute sensor swap turned into an hours job as the oil warning light feed plug wasn’t long enough & needed extending by 15mm. So out came the cutters and plug disassembly tools.
I then cut the original wire off and soldered a new longer one on using the correct wire colour blue/green & the job was done.
LCD oil pressure gauge (top) now reading correctly with the ignition on & engine not running i.e. no oil pressure.
Slightly different to the OE sensor but still does exactly the same job.
My 5 minute sensor swap turned into an hours job as the oil warning light feed plug wasn’t long enough & needed extending by 15mm. So out came the cutters and plug disassembly tools.
I then cut the original wire off and soldered a new longer one on using the correct wire colour blue/green & the job was done.
LCD oil pressure gauge (top) now reading correctly with the ignition on & engine not running i.e. no oil pressure.
harvey
Club Member
While having a look around the mk3 I noticed the F28 gearbox fill level plug had damp around it, nothing bad but it shouldn’t be there. The plugs don’t have any sealer or washers and just done up darn tight to 50Nm. I cleaned it up using brake cleaner and even with the car unused the oil dampness came back and yet it’s not over filled. Action plan to resolve the issue, fit an M18 copper crush washer so that’s what I did and that’s resolved it. Pictured from the underside looking up, lovely and dry so I’ll class that as a win.
harvey
Club Member
After dropping the exhaust tips off for ceramic coating earlier this year COVID struck so things got delayed a little. We initially wanted grey with a gloss lacquer finish but for whatever reason the lacquer wouldn’t take and kept going blotchy. The company I used contacted their suppliers who said they should be compatible but try as they might the tips just wouldn’t gloss up. After having a chat they applied the grey with no lacquer and sent it for me to try. It looked pants and just didn’t go with the car at all so they were sent back for a strip and recoat.
After further discussions and being sent a sample we decided to opt for a ceramic satin black. I can happily say they are finally complete and installed and at some angles actually look grey. It’s not the gloss finish we wanted but ten times better than the original stainless tips which didn’t work at all with the car.
Huge thanks to B&B Precision Engineering for their perseverance with the lacquer. It was the first time they had tried such a thing and there was no reason why it shouldn’t work and wasn’t for their lack of trying. They were very easy to deal with and bent over backwards to help.
After further discussions and being sent a sample we decided to opt for a ceramic satin black. I can happily say they are finally complete and installed and at some angles actually look grey. It’s not the gloss finish we wanted but ten times better than the original stainless tips which didn’t work at all with the car.
Huge thanks to B&B Precision Engineering for their perseverance with the lacquer. It was the first time they had tried such a thing and there was no reason why it shouldn’t work and wasn’t for their lack of trying. They were very easy to deal with and bent over backwards to help.
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great updates!
harvey
Club Member
Last month was project exhaust tone down for the mk3 so it was booked in with Wayne at JAC Exhausts for a wee tickle. It’s always been loud and was just too boomy, at 50mph it rattled your head/bones/soul.
Loaded up and ready for drop off at JAC Exhausts.
The plan was to squeeze in an additional silencer at the front, moving the flexie and cat forward as far as possible. The silencer would be plugged and not free flowing with a cavity at the front to force the gases through a perforated plate and thus through the wadding. The rest of the system would be left as it was as it already had a triple flow rear silencer to cut the raw noise and free flowing centre silencer. To gain as much space as possible the centre band clamp was removed and a posh V-Band clamp fitted.
This is what it now looks like with the additional front box installed.
The results are no more boomy noise but it’s retained a sporty deep exhaust note. At 50mph you no longer bleed from all your orifices and can hold a conversation in the car without having to shout at each other using megaphones. No idea if it’s lost any performance but I can’t feel it under my right foot. I’ll get it on a rolling road at some point but honestly, I’m not bother if it has as its more pleasurable while driving on the ear. It still has it’s lush V6 grumble from 2,500rpm upwards under hard acceleration which keeps me smiling from ear to ear.
Took it for a short drive for its annual MOT this week and you guessed it, a pass for another year.
Loaded up and ready for drop off at JAC Exhausts.
The plan was to squeeze in an additional silencer at the front, moving the flexie and cat forward as far as possible. The silencer would be plugged and not free flowing with a cavity at the front to force the gases through a perforated plate and thus through the wadding. The rest of the system would be left as it was as it already had a triple flow rear silencer to cut the raw noise and free flowing centre silencer. To gain as much space as possible the centre band clamp was removed and a posh V-Band clamp fitted.
This is what it now looks like with the additional front box installed.
The results are no more boomy noise but it’s retained a sporty deep exhaust note. At 50mph you no longer bleed from all your orifices and can hold a conversation in the car without having to shout at each other using megaphones. No idea if it’s lost any performance but I can’t feel it under my right foot. I’ll get it on a rolling road at some point but honestly, I’m not bother if it has as its more pleasurable while driving on the ear. It still has it’s lush V6 grumble from 2,500rpm upwards under hard acceleration which keeps me smiling from ear to ear.
Took it for a short drive for its annual MOT this week and you guessed it, a pass for another year.
harvey
Club Member
Hell yeah it'll be at some shows next year. Been with the show itch all year but alas it wasn't too be for 2020.
Got a couple of small paint jobs that need sorting but nothing major so they can wait until it's back on the road next year.
harvey
Club Member
Glad you enjoyed the read. The mk3 is now safely tucked away for Winter hibernation & will be coming out to play next Spring.
harvey
Club Member
Thought I’d give the old girl some loving as I bought replacement leather handbrake & gear gators early last year but never got round to fitting until now.
The original handbrake gator looked fine but wouldn’t have matched the replacement leather texture so changed it anyway.
The original gear gator was beginning to look terrible which would never do.
Off they came without a fight & little effort.
The replacement handbrake gator installed on the plastic frame after a touch of cutting & careful fitting as it was a little larger than the original.
I removed the staples from the original gear gator so I could reuse the plastic frame.
With careful 1.5mm drilling I was able to use steel garden twine with the plastic coating stripped to hold both replacement gators in position.
A job done well & well done, pat on the back for me & a happy wife so a win win all round.
The original handbrake gator looked fine but wouldn’t have matched the replacement leather texture so changed it anyway.
The original gear gator was beginning to look terrible which would never do.
Off they came without a fight & little effort.
The replacement handbrake gator installed on the plastic frame after a touch of cutting & careful fitting as it was a little larger than the original.
I removed the staples from the original gear gator so I could reuse the plastic frame.
With careful 1.5mm drilling I was able to use steel garden twine with the plastic coating stripped to hold both replacement gators in position.
A job done well & well done, pat on the back for me & a happy wife so a win win all round.