Astra Mk1 in glorious poo-brown. SOLD

[Parky]

Cleaning up old cars can be sooooo satisfying cant it! Wish I spent my Saturday doing stuff like that

[Louise2cv]

O/T

This is what I had to remove to get to the headlight:

 

 

Ridiculous, but no where near as difficult as the owners handbook and interwebz made out. Took quarter of an hour.

[Richard]

You have to take the battery out to change the C5's N/S headlamp bulb. You can reach the bulb ok with the battery in but the retaining clip always falls off and you can't really put it back on by feel alone.

 

I think having to remove a bit of the engine to change a bulb beats that though.

[dollywobbler]

To be fair, Citroen are past masters at making cars impossible to work on. Try speaking to anyone who's worked on and SM or even an H van! On the H, you can get at everything, but you can't get at 100% of everything...

 

As for disposing of old coolant, flushing is ok but only if you're on mains sewerage. Not a good idea for septic tanks like us country folk have! I think I bunged the last lot in the oil recycling down the local tip. I'm low on options around here, especially as there are so many cats... (including our own!)

[pompei]

When you buy a bulb at Halfords they offer to fit it for you for a couple of quid. I bet the staff get really hacked off if something like that comes in.

[myglaren]

You have to take the battery out to change the C5's N/S headlamp bulb. You can reach the bulb ok with the battery in but the retaining clip always falls off and you can't really put it back on by feel alone.

 

I think having to remove a bit of the engine to change a bulb beats that though.

 

I can manage it now with some practice but the first time I lost the clip. never taken the batter out (until recently, a different story altogether

Stuck the bulb in and it was OK until a couple of days before the MOT then saw it was pointing two feet in front of the car.

Forgot to fix it, failed MOT. Had to buy a couple from a scrapyard and remove the bumper & headlamp to see how to fit it.

Only took ten minutes though.

 

Been OK since.

[myglaren]

When you buy a bulb at Halfords they offer to fit it for you for a couple of quid. I bet the staff get really hacked off if something like that comes in.

 

They do refuse some makes now.

I had heard of that and had them do the first one that failed for me on the offside.

When I saw how quick and simple it was (when I reminded them that they had sent me round the back to have it done - half an hour later. Out of sight, out of mind )I thought, "I can do that"

And I could, it only took me ten times as long

 

£13 though.

[Pillock]

Full marks for cleaning grotty car parts in your bathroom

[Louise2cv]

Got the doors back together. Unfortunatly I've had to butcher the passenger lock to make the drivers lock work, but I've now got the car secure and usable, just unable to unlock it with a key from the passenger side. Have put the word out I'm after a new lock for it, so it might be back in action one day!

 

I reckon that's it for this weekend, OH went to halfords and didn't buy Antifreeze so the 'stat'll have to wait.

[dollywobbler]

Make sure OH doesn't get the wrong antifreeze. You don't want any of that fancy OAT stuff. Got any decent motor factors? I've found Halfrauds horribly expensive for coolant.

[Louise2cv]

Got some of bits from a "bangerracer" > on ebay, really helpful chap, sent a complete passenger door lock and key, and the quarter glass plus rubber and chrome trim, so I hope to fit all those tomorrow. He sold me a wiper switch and that has fixed me wipers!! Wooo

 

Earlier in the week I meet up with a lad from Mk1OC and bought a steering column surround and interior light, so we've nearly done all the little bits that'll tidy it up.

 

Also stocked up on loads of bits for a service, only thing I couldn't find in town was the spark plugs so I need to order those online.

 

On the downside I think the steering column is slightly bent

 

I'm sure it was nicked once Or someone tried to nick it at least.

[TagoraGL]

Did you spot this recent AROnline item?

 

Unsung heroes : Vauxhall Astra Mk1

 

http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/2012/02/28/unsung-heroes-vauxhall-astra-mk1/

[Louise2cv]

Yep read it a bit earlier!

 

Thanks!

[Vin]

Can't believe I've missed a 9 page thread So, a belated well done on the purchase. That looks very nice and very brown Personally I would like an estate version, but like many shiters, there's a lot of things I'd like.

 

Around about 82/83 an Aunt and Uncle had a red Opel Kadett version. Me and my sisters used to call it the 'Opal Fruit'...you do silly things like that when your nippers though...

 

Glad your having success sorting all the 'niggles' out too. Always a very rewarding exercise.

[retrogeezer]

poundland have ready mixed coolant for.......£1 a litre.

[vulgalour]

Feel the grimy love with the interior cleaning, I've just been doing that myself. As my brother likes to put it "scraping the bumhole and nose gold off the vinyl of an old Austin is character building". Much the same can be said for an old Vauxhall and yours will look and feel so much better inside now you've given it a good scrub.

 

Glad to see you're keeping up the enthusiasm with it and just plodding away at the jobs, before you know it you'll have nothing left to do!

[Louise2cv]

Well I planned to do all sorts this weekend, but yesterday ended up taking far longer to do my chore for the day: jet washing the yard, path and front walls, and the food waste wheelie bin

 

Today,Megan fell asleep on my arm so I was late starting and it was so cold that I gave up after fitting the new passenger door lock and refitting the radio.

 

I wanted to put what I guess is the original radio back in, but OH doesn't understand such things and thinks functionality is more important so I had to put the newer one that picks up FM back in instead

 

Might put the new glass in tomorrow and I'll service it whenever it gets warmer out there

[dollywobbler]

What you want is one of those fake AM radio covers that you used to be able to get, to stop thieves knicking your fancy stereo cassette player! Not seen them for years. I wonder if anyone actually bought one?

[Louise2cv]

The last cosmetic job was to replace the perspex with the rear quarter glass I'd got from ebay. As it only took a swift whack with the back of my hand to get the perspex out the day before I decided to put the glass in 10 minutes before OH needed the car for work yesterday

 

Luckily it only took 15/20 mins so he wasn't that late.

 

So the only thing left for now (touch wood), and probably WAY more important than the other jobs is a service. Why does it have to be so flipping cold out there???

[dollywobbler]

You'd be welcome to use to my garage, but it's 2hrs away and barely any warmer than outside...

 

Sounds like you're rattling through the To Do list though!

[Louise2cv]

Stick a whole union and a fuel tanker up your arse...

 

The Astra is broken, I'm still ill (minor scale not death bed like) and I'm in a proper moody.

 

The ignition barrel jammed (top marks for Pete any idea about lottery numbers please?). We took your advice about the keys Pete, but I guess previous owners didn't, or maybe its just age.

 

So the AA man (OH had the car) has ripped all the gubbins off and jammed the key in the switch itself, I can't get the key out (and don't want to, as OH can just plug the switch in and not claim to only be able to use the Audi, which I want for day trips and other important shit) so now locking and unlocking the doors it a bit like Krypton Factor. Only one set of keys and a different key for each lock.

 

I'm on the look out for a steering column, how hard can it be? My only worry is the shear bolt, I've heard you can knock em round with a cold chisel or summat? True? also can I replace it with just a normal bolt.

 

Still haven't serviced it either so I guess it's some sort of justice from the car gods.

 

Someone tried to break in to our neighbours Corsa the other night... WHY didn't they nick the Astra. WHY?

[dollywobbler]

What a pain. If it makes you feel better, my 2CV's barrel has also locked up. Must be the season or something? (I just plugged in a spare Dyane barrel - might not be an option for you I'm guessing. Sorry).

[Albert Ross]

I will try to source shear bolts for you.... watch this space.

[Louise2cv]

Ooo Ta!

[ruffgeezer]

I had to change a column on a Nova once, it was a chocolate coated bastard to get the steering wheel off, and I doubt the astra is much different.

 

You will probably end up removing the whole column and issuing some weapons grade swear words at it in the process.

[Louise2cv]

The steering wheel removal does look very complicated in the Haynes manual.

[Pete-M]

Stick a whole union and a fuel tanker up your arse...

 

The Astra is broken, I'm still ill (minor scale not death bed like) and I'm in a proper moody.

 

The ignition barrel jammed (top marks for Pete any idea about lottery numbers please?). We took your advice about the keys Pete, but I guess previous owners didn't, or maybe its just age.

 

So the AA man (OH had the car) has ripped all the gubbins off and jammed the key in the switch itself, I can't get the key out (and don't want to, as OH can just plug the switch in and not claim to only be able to use the Audi, which I want for day trips and other important shit) so now locking and unlocking the doors it a bit like Krypton Factor. Only one set of keys and a different key for each lock.

 

I may just have a spare ignition barrel here. I replaced all the locks on the Senator, but the ignition barrel I took out was fine.

 

Remove all the shroud from around the column and you'll see a little hole (about 3mm) at the top edge of the barrel housing. You'll need something like Mig wire with a 40° bend about 10mm from the end. You will need to get the key to turn to just before the I position when you'll hear a quiet click. Then you need to fiddle with the bit of mig wire (or a bent coat hanger will do) because there's a spring loaded gubbin at the end of the barrel that locks it in place. It's a bloody palaver to do it, but should just be possible provided there's a little bit of movement with the key.

 

If I was in Wales I'd sort it for ya. I'm due a trip to Llanberis soon if that helps?

[Louise2cv]

Cheers Pete, the AA man actually took the ignition barrel unit off the car, so it's drivable, just could do with putting it right, and as the column seems slighty bent it might be worth trying to sort it all in one go, if I can find a new column

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I wouldn’t bother using shear bolts if fitting a new ign switch, just use ordinary bolts or allen bolts if theres no room for a hex head job. You might want to take it off again in the future!

[Louise2cv]

Yeah I guess.

 

If the column is bent, will it just be the column itself? I'm not wasting my time fitting a new column?

 

I think I've found one!