Corsa B - The repair diary

[AndrewD]

Sorry for the long intro, and I know I have touched on some of this before, but here it all is, the story so far, and the start of what I hope will become an interesting read.

This is my wife’s once much loved, but now in need of much loving, Corsa B Sting. Due to the current economic climate, which all started to kick off almost 10 years ago now,  I had to quickly learn how to fix and maintain a car (or two). Being smaller, older and simpler than my French diesel cars, this was the more enjoyable to work on, and so is the car which give me the bug. Then came the day it would cost more to have fixed than it was worth. Along with a couple of easy to fix issues on the MOT, was one chassis leg rusted through and the other corroded, a fault I could not fix. The decision to get rid of the car was made and a replacement was found in the shape of a Clio. All that was left to do was drive the Corsa a couple of miles to the scrap yard before the old MOT expired, so we could claim our £50 (estimated).

But then, with days to go, I was given a welder. My research quickly indicated that the old 140A stick welder (if it worked) was probably not the best tool for the job. What did I need? How much would it cost? Amazinging less than I had seen similar cars sell for in the area over the previous few months (at least both cars had vanished from their respective driveways after a couple of weeks). Previous Post http://autoshite.com/topic/21254-corsa-b-welder-and-welding-advice/

The original plan was to fix the issues, MOT the car and sell it. With some funny bookkeeping I would get a free welder, as a 130A MIG and an auto darkening mask on a Machine Mart VAT free day was less than the estimated sale price of £300 or over for the car. Unfortunately time has so far prevented me from learning to weld to a high enough standard (at least I am not confident enough yet) and both money and time prevent me from rushing out and getting everything else I need for the other jobs, and doing them.

So there she has sat, other than the occasional shuffle around on the drive, for the last year and a bit. The idea now is to go a bit more to town on it, for interest's sake. First I want to preserve it, stop it getting worse, then fix what I can. The amount of time it takes will clearly make no business sense, but that is not why I am doing it. She still fires up on the button with the old unleaded, moves and stops without a problem, so it is fundamentally a working car. I have brought it back from the dead with a crank shaft sensor and I am sure following the odd slip with a spanner, my blood is literally underneath. How can I break a bond like that?

I am amazed at what people achieve restoring old vehicles, and would love the opportunity, knowledge and ability to do it myself. While I currently can not afford to go out and buy an older or classic car, in the hope that I am lucky enough to have something I really fancy in the future (something from my childhood perhaps), with zero financial risk if I stuff it up, this is an excellent precursor and an amazing learning tool. A lot of the jobs I will never have done before, so this will raise some interesting questions, like ‘how much can you get away with doing to a Corsa B in your mid thirties?’ or ‘is it ever acceptable to paint your calipers and drums?’. I am sure there will be 1001 serious questions as well, on subjects like reproofing / waxoyling the underside of the car and fixing the window that does not wind down all the way.

Despite it’s lack of use, the only obvious effect the standing around has had on the car, is the now very noisy cooling fan. I am though conscious that a lot of service items should be done. I have no idea how far I will get with this, or how long it will take. With a family of my own, a house, two cars in service, work and and Open University degree, I find little time for other things like beer festivals and hobbies. One suggestion was that it could be my little boy's first car, and with just under 14 ¼ years until his 17th birthday, it might just be achievable! Do you think they were taking the micky?

To be continued…..

[vulgalour]

This is how it starts and this is a good thing!  The now venerable Corsa B is an excellent place to start from with still plentiful parts including all important service items.  Interestingly, the way you're getting into car tinkering with this one is precisely how lots of people got into more traditional classic car ownership so while some may mock now just remember how fondly Austin A30s and the like are seen now compared to in the 1970s.

[sierraman]

Rear Spring hangers would be my first visit. Once they are gone it's a tremendously difficult job to replace them.

[Cavcraft]

Rear Spring hangers would be my first visit. Once they are gone it's a tremendously difficult job to replace them.

 

+1, get the worst jobs out of the way first. Service items are really easy on these cars and parts are cheap, too. Although you don't see quite as many as you you used to, these cars are still quite big in numbers because they're so reliable and dare I say it popular.

[Split_Pin]

I can completely understand everything you are saying. I was at that point with my Corsa B about 5 years ago, fix now or scrap later.

 

Glad I kept it now, it gets a lot of interest from folk in their thirties who had one as their first car.

 

Thousands of tatty ones survive which is good for your cause but genuinely good examples are now almost UNOBTAINUM, being in the hands of the preservers and restorers who will usually upgrade the drivetrain.

 

Before you spend any more money, it's worth giving the chassis a thorough inspection for rot. They can rust in very weird places, some of which are noted below. You already know about the chassis rails.

 

Rear valance- new panel £60 from eBay or an easy repair ( mine has been done here)

 

Rear axle- they can rot and collapse. A Corsa C item is the best replacement, cheap, 95% direct fit and newer and less rusty, again, I have done this on mine.

 

As said, rear Spring seats on the chassis rail.

 

Spare wheel well

 

Fuel filler recess

 

Rear inner wheelarches

 

Rear inner sills just ahead of the axle mount.

 

Sills

 

Front outriggers can disappear.

 

B pillars can crack, earlier models are worst affected

 

Bulkhead under the brake servo.

 

Inner wings where the splash panels fasten

 

Front crossmember ( new Hadrian one is about £50 from eBay, I have done this.)

 

The chain driven engines are pretty tough, just sensors which can go. Do not buy cheap pattern parts, go OEM quality. I have made this mistake so many times, causing months of running issues.

 

The chains should last a long time with regular oil changes and normally get noisy well before they slip or break. Usually it's the tensioner which gets slack and causes the chain to flail about.

 

Don't be put off by the haters, every other sod had one back in the day and whilst they're not the greatest car ever made, like Fiesta MK1s everyone will want one in 20 years.

 

Enjoy your project.

[fordperv]

I think your boy will have the fanny flocking around him in this, by the time he is old enough to drive these will be retro cool and good ones sought after just like it's older brother the nova

[sierraman]

In fact the Spring hangers are such a bad repair, my tame welder says he wouldn't attempt it if they've gone bad.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Time to find a better welder then- the spring hanger repair is simple if you know what you're doing.  Cut the cup off completely, repair the 'chassis' box section underneath and either re-weld the cup back on or make a new one- it's a dished bit of metal.

Sure it's more challenging than a flat plate on a sill, but it's hardly impossible.

[Split_Pin]

Aye I've had mine tickled nae bother 😀

[sierraman]

I think he was getting at by the time you are welding at this level it's past economically saving...

[Split_Pin]

"Past economically saving", is in the first page of the Autoshite Profanasaurus, please donate 20p to the swear box 😜😀ðŸ¤

[AndrewD]

Despite the advice of fixing the bottom first, I am throwing caution to the wind and starting at the top. The car has a leak, which I think I have tracked down to the top near side corner of the windscreen. The windscreen was replaced a few years ago, but as it only shows up in heavy rain or after pressure washing, it went unnoticed for a while. There is now a small green patch on the head lining in that corner.

 

Quick trip to the motor factors for oil and filter for my wife's car, and I also came back with the sealant they recommend for the job. I have cut away some of the existing seal both inside and out, so I can seal over it and get trims back properly. Any marks to the paint have been touched up and I will seal it when the paint is dry, and test for the leak when the sealant is dry.

 

Here is the bad area, the sealant (probably of no interest but opinions of it might be interesting) and something else I spotted while in the area. Poor paint finish? Crazed paint from I don't know what (not age surely?) or something far worse? Removing the roof / gutter trims and both sides are like it in the same place. Any thoughts or advice?

[stripped fred]

I would agree with others, check out it's rusty bits first. No point fixing all the mechanicals and trim if it needs loads of welding doing. Better to start there first. Enjoying your updates though!

[AndrewD]

being in the hands of the preservers and restorers who will usually upgrade the drivetrain.

 

Rear axle- they can rot and collapse. A Corsa C item is the best replacement, cheap, 95% direct fit and newer and less rusty, again, I have done this on mine.

 

 

All points noted, as this is amazing info, but one thing that sticks out is the beam axle. 95% compatible with a Corsa C, what is needed to get one to fit? And this car will be staying 1l 3cyl for now, at leat, though I have heard you can fit a V6 in?

[AndrewD]

I would agree with others, check out it's rusty bits first. No point fixing all the mechanicals and trim if it needs loads of welding doing. Better to start there first. Enjoying your updates though!

I did that first as I can watch it getting worse, but I do plan next to start having a look at the other potential problem areas next, I am hoping it is quite sound though.

 

I am also quite pleased the advice has been to fix all the areas, and not to simply get rid of it, as it is clearly technically beyond economical repair, and is only being done for the challenge / interest / enjoyment of doing it.

[Split_Pin]

Roof guttering is fine, that's just seam sealer, Vauxhall build quality at it's finest*

 

The 4% of the Corsa C axle that isn't compatible is the brake line mountings that sit on top. They are slightly too small for the B brake lines so you have 2 options, zip off the old brackets and weld them to the new one or file out the ones one the new axle. The other 1% is that it is wider by a few mm unless you use the B stub axles. This is of no issue unless you are running with very low suspension and wide wheels. Mine is lowered 40mm with 16 inch wheels and 195 tyres with no problems at all.

 

I was hoping you had bought tigerseal or Sikaflex, you'll need that with Vauxhall ownership too. Should be added to the list of useful things along with gaffer tape and wd40!

[AMC Rebel]

Ex GF had one of these - the 3 pot 1.0 - hoot to drive and sound ace - I loved it.

[fordperv]

Ex GF had one of these - the 3 pot 1.0 - hoot to drive and sound ace - I loved it.

did you think it sounded like half a v6?

[Split_Pin]

It does with a knackered exhaust, more specifically a Granada 2.3 GL that a work colleague had back in the day, fitted with a Peco exhaust.

[AndrewD]

did you think it sounded like half a v6?

 

 

It does with a knackered exhaust, more specifically a Granada 2.3 GL that a work colleague had back in the day, fitted with a Peco exhaust.

 

I am not the only one who thinks it sounds good with a hole in the exhaust then