JMotor

Most survivors I've seen have been in Ireland (still one or two in the UK). Just so happens most of the oily bits from an AE86 Corolla fit.

I do! Owned both a Coupe and a Satria GTI. The coupe was the parts donor for the Satria. Learned very quickly, they rot like fuck, mine was really badly rusted out. But still a strong following for them. So made my money back from breaking it. I'm gonna chuck in another contender. Another Mitsubishi. Remember these were every where. Thanks to Border cars pumping them out, but the cars quickly died off. Hardly see any about now.

Aye. We were. I had one, 1.3 LE (I think). After working on it, I started to wonder if KIA just took a Pride and extended it in bits. Aye, it was the cheapest Focus/Astra sized hatch you could buy. But it also felt cheap and slightly nasty. Can't believe I'm gonna say this, but my Nexia feels better made and is better to drive. Despite Daewoo using a design that first came out in 1984! Give the Rio it's due though, it did amazing burnouts! 😆

Thanks! It would be a waste if I gave up now. Spent a fair bit of effort on it already. This year I hope to have it up and running, with serious thoughts towards getting it painted.

Some folk reckon the VTS ones were better to drive than a 306 GTI-6. Better suspension geometry at the rear. Quicker steering racks and the five speed gearbox suited the XU10J4RS engine better. Plus the steering lock was miles better than the 306 too... Because it didn't have a soddin' lock stopper in the rack to stop the left hand front wheel smacking the gearbox due to the six speeder being a million miles longer! Unfortunately they became cheap throw away parts donors for GTI-6's.

Picked some jobs off on the Corsa. Began with this new tool. You'll see what it's for in this post. Took out the gearbox. As I had used the one I got with a 1.6 8v I had stashed on the 1800 swap. Wanted said 'box back. As the gearbag will go back on said 1600 and eventually into the Nova. Que, an eBay purchased gearbox. From a 2000 Tigra A 1.4 with a supposed 45k on it. This is an F17 C374 (Close ratio with a 3.74 final drive). But I had to change the speedo drive as it's an electrical pick up style. Needed a mechanical gear type. So said tool slots into the toothed cap you see on the diff area. Tada! One diff out pick ups swapped. This picture was taken before I realised I had the blessed thing upside down. These gearboxes are great as they are very easy to take apart. Providing the casing isn't smashed to shit you can swap gear clusters and diffs without actually taking the thing out. Early ones allowed you to swap clutches without even taking the gearbox out. A very service friendly item. Served GM very well. Late 70's to about the 2010's that design lasted for. Had great plans for making a hybrid of clusters and a shorter final drive. However I didn't have the time to be dicking about trying to set the preload on the taper bearings the diff uses. Kept it simple. Marked a point on the diff cap to the casing to help set the bearings back to their original setting. Will bugger about with the gearbox destined for the Nova, as there is play in the diff. I also plan doing a cluster swap on it too for a close ratio set. Last picture is me getting suspension and running gear back on after me and a pal got the replacement 'box in. Hopefully the next update is me cracking on with making the car driveable again.... Well I like to kid myself sometimes 😆.

Yep. Picture taken at Billing Aqua drome back in 2014. My Astra 160iE and a friends 200tS. Who'd of thought they'd be nearly the same. We both still own them too. Both are fairly rusty as well 😆.

Good result that @Datsuncog. Yeah, I'd keep the 'Rolla going for as long as you can. I'll second that! That or Kirin Ichiban 👍.

Thanks. Might of figured it out now. From what I've read, they have an amp in behind the glovebox. I've got to take that out and plug another adapter in that goes to a ISO plugs. Just means i've got to stick my coupon in and look. So, assumption got me good again 😆.

I did a thing. Fitted another hanger to the Nexia. Typical cheap parts, as the last one just rusted and broke. So did the right thing and fitted another cheap hanger. The back box will rot out before that breaks again. I've also pulled the gearbox out of the Corsa. I wanted the g'bag back as it came from a 1600 engine I've got sat. Got a wee plan cooking up for a replacement 'box. Involves much fuckery with swapping gear clusters and playing with gear sets. If it works, then it'll be interesting to see how it goes afterwards. Oh! Would you believe it! JDM spec cars sometimes use different wiring than UKDM shit.... Case in point. The Altezza's radio commited die. So I'll wang in a single din head unit. Easy, got an IS200 face plate and wiring adapter for that plug and play goodness. Same platform right!? Should be easy as. Well turns out the standard plugs are completely different.... Fack! Why do I have to learn that assumption is the mother of all fuck ups on a regular basis. So to the people of AS. Have you come across the same style plugs on their JayDeeeeM whip. So I can stand a chance of finding an adaptor. I'm no choppin' it about to get a ISO plug on just yet.

Good question. Because last year was good. As I owned the following at one time. 306 Rallye Daewoo Nexia Toyota Altezza Opel Astra 160iE Vauxhall Corsa. This year I replaced the 306 with a Nova. So peak time for the fleet for me. Well, or maybe about ten years ago. I had a C20XE swapped Cavalier and a Nova. That was good too.

Not much of an update. Last weekend I took ill. So no car work got done. The rest did me some good. But it didn't do the bank balance any favours though. That is a boot spoiler from an Altezza Qualitat. A special edition model. Mostly a styling and interior job. The kit is a bit how ya goin' for me. But I do like that boot spoiler. It's a subtle looking one. Didn't want a carbon copy of all the other IS200/Altezzas you see on the web. Same TRD Sports kits, same rear spoilers even the SAME TRD stickers on the rear doors! Naw. I want OE plus with period correct parts! Something like what a person in Japan would do. Then saw the same seller had something else too. That is the correct year (or possible first model year) brochure for my Altezza. So had to have that too! So stoked to get this. Above is what my car would of looked like when it was sold by the Toyota Netz dealer in Japan. Also covers the AS200 Altezza, which became the Lexus IS200 here. With a BASE model that had wheel trims!

I already knew. But let's not spoil the moment. That's class. Should be a good little project to chip away at. Doing the bare minimum to make it AN CAR, getting a ticket and then throw money at it to make it look better. The rust not being a major issue is the biggest win.

Good buy that. Nice cars those. That interior is better than the leather imo. Gad! Wish I hadn't flogged my 9-3 now. Same outside and inside colours.

Sounds daft. But I was very happy with this on the Corsa. Couple of areas to touch up. But that's the rails and front inner arches now coated in Gravitex. Used PU18 instead of Tiger seal for the seams. Works well and cheaper too. Four tubes for £20 delivered iirc. Once this is all dry. I can start putting parts back on.

Stingy, yes. But you'd be hard pushed to find a car with a years' ticket (that isn't a raft in aw) for that money locally. Plus no rolling about on a damp floor getting pish wet through trying to fix it.

Takes Daewoo to work yesterday. Starts making a clanging noise on way home. Yep. That be the source of that then. Hanger band bracket thingy has rotted and broken. Nae fence wire to hand. So have got a new bracket coming. Scunnered, as it reminds me I've got a few niggly jobs to fix on it. But I cannie be arsed tae dae them 😂.

Another "Nae Picture" update. Sorry. But I need oan today. Have made a little progress on the Corsa today. Have started scrubbing down the scaldy inner arch tubs. Rust killer acid, Bonda red oxide primer, then seam sealed and soon to be either gravitex or raptor'd... Which ever is cheaper in spray tins. *sigh* Bought four friggin bottles. But it'll be easier and quicker using aerosols. Might give the hubs and associated shite a scrub and paint too. Nearly forgot! Had a visit from @AnnoyingPentium today in all. Much banter had. Though I must apologise as I was wanting to crack on. Had an unexpected bout of enthusiasm today for some weird reason.

Ooofffta! Seen on FB there is a fella bringing a 380i across from SA to the UK soon. Highly prized cars back in their homeland. Delta made some really cool cars and with some interesting specifications. Even my humdrum Astra 160iE is fitted with stuff you would never had got in a European car.

No problem 👍. Glad it got to you safe. Plus it's one less part taking up space in my bit too! 😆

Some insurers won't touch BMW's at all. Think because they are viewed as higher risk now? Was quoted more on my Altezza, because it was my first "high performance" rear wheel drive car. Sucked it up and paid up the extra. Because the company I was using to insure my last hot hatch with wouldn't entertain the replacement for the same reason. Got a refunded the left over policy term and they wavered the cancellation fee because they couldn't insure it.

Yeah it's typical that! Burnt the buggery out of my work trousers in the same way! Oooh ta for the link! Will look into those overalls. Hope the 3xl fits a Bat Fastard like me? 😂

I seriously need to review my PPE! 😅 Hot rocking the dome is nae fun! 😂 Yes a mask make a big difference. Tempted with a air fed/fresh air type one. Know what you mean, it's too easy to not bother.

I admire your progress and feel your pain... Doing spot welds is a PITA regardless. Doing them while you're crawling about a floor just plain sucks. Not to mention the sparks! At the point now, it's starting to not hurt as bad. Although a stray spark in behind your welding helmet is unpleasant surprise! Also get your want to cut stuff back off and redo it. Find it hard to do myself, but ultimately it's the only way to do it to how you want it. Can vouch for the fit of panels on a Midget, great uncle of mine has a unrestored '72 one that he has owned since '77 and the panel gaps are bloody awful 😂!

Sorry for the crap pictures. Lights in the unit are currently fooked due to electrical issues. Had an issue with the car loosing water. Checked to see what the issue was. Finally found the rad was leaking from a bottom corner. So ordered a new one. As expected, this wasn't straight forward. Not because they are hard to get. Just the time waiting for getting these parts. Dingbro coming through for me with one in, didn't have too long of a wait in the end. Price wasn't horrible either. Nissens made. Not bad quality at all. Recommended brand for the 306 GTI-6 crowd in fact. Set about changing this out. Easy job and Daewoo had added a drain tap into the rad which was a surprise.... To find after, I dumped a bit of coolant on the floor! Dang it!! Another important job I wanted to do while the cooling system was drained. Was replacing the thermostat. Was interesting to see the 'stat housing is in two parts that you had to separate. Such a strange set up! Had to scrounge a new seal for the stat. Because it was the original one as fitted by the lads in Korea. Luckily a pal had thermostat kit for a Ford Escort with a suitable (well close enough to work!) seal in it. Little smear of RTV just as a little insurance. Once all built up and filled up with water (for now). Ran it up and was greeted with a nice hot heater and the cooling fan kicked in as it should. Next task is to start finishing more jobs on the Corsa. I want to stonechip the underneath so I can get the fuel pipes clipped back in. Which means I have it running and driving again. Less of a pain in the ass to move!