The 50 quid Omega. To sell, or not to sell. Or break.

[sutty2006]

So I bought this omega in 2015/16 with the intention of doing a banger rally to Benidorm. The engine had a horrible grinding noise and the auto box was lazy. I spent £100 buying it, £50 on oil and filter for the gearbox and sold it for £200. I sold it to a distant mate who put another 2.5 Diesel engine in and put it back on the road. He’s been using it as a daily ever since. He bought a later omega in better condition with the same engine and offered me this one back or scrap it. £50 exchanged palms and the Omega is now back on my driveway. Epic. 

So the plan is this. I’m going to let it sit on my drive for a while, as next year I’m going to do another Banger rally. Cool. Then on return, the engine and Auto gearbox will be transplanted into my diesel Carlton. I hate having a manual gearbox so a diesel auto carlton is a great idea. Whether it happens or not is another thing. But I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. 

[Amishtat]

I haven't seen an Omega that age (or a diesel, now I think about it) for ages. Got fond memories of a trip up the A120 in one of those a few years ago, 300k on the clock, easily 80 stone of passengers and the poor old thing just didn't even notice. 

[RoadworkUK]

I still think those things have a severely fit front end design.

[bunglebus]

Can't go wrong for £50!

[warch]

I had an early Omega 2.5 td auto. Shite interior build quality but really comfy and so relaxing to drive and sit in. The latter was an Important consideration as I used to spend a lot of time on standby (or more precisely sitby) so a nice warm heated seat was just the thing after hours in freezing pissing wet Welsh countryside. You could also travel several hundred miles and get out of the car with nary a twinge or a touch of stiffness. Mine ran on cooking oil, which could be had in huge catering size tins for about half the cost of diesel back in 07.

[Cavcraft]

That engine/box in a Carlton should be brilliant.

[New POD]

Right now my 3.2 petrol mv6 is in for its Mot 

If it fails bad style, I insist you rent it to me and get your mate to fix mine. 

Yes on the ramps right this minute. 

[New POD]

56 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

I still think those things have a severely fit front end design.

Any Vauxhall without the chrome V looks decent, but i do prefer the preface lift. 

 

Mine is a post face lift. 

[New POD]

He's just mentioned a slight blow on the exhaust and did I think that was a pass or not. And was I keeping it? 

[New POD]

It's passed. 

[BorniteIdentity]

Great story. 

I’m right up for contemporising cars in sympathetic ways (engine from correct manufacturer, no “decking” and stock externals). 

As Billeh says, a 21st Century Carlton is a great idea. 

The Sierra bASe will never be a mule, but I would like to Duratec a Sierra. Eminent style without the clatter of Pinto. Sounds divine.

Good luck man. 

[sutty2006]

Cheers. Technically it’s a BMW engine (e34 525tds motor) down rates to 130hp. The AR25 gearbox may get binned fro an AR35 so some sneaky mods can be done... but the way I see it, it’s already bolted into a Vauxhall so the engine mounts, sump etc should all fit and the Carlton’s were designed for a 6 cylinder anyway so the space is there. 

 

Ive put the rear seats back in (as some assembly was required) the interior is different to the original one which is better, as the originals were minging. 

[sutty2006]

I’m getting married tomorrow. So between rain showers and the sun coming out I’ve been measuring up this future project. There is plenty of room for the motor. I roughly measured 28 inches engine length which is plenty. Even the omegas radiator mounts are the right width. The only issue I might have are the engine mounts. The BMW engine mounts sit a lot further forward than the CIH diesel mounts. Won’t be too hard making some adaptations to those. 

[busmansholiday]

22 minutes ago, sutty2006 said:

I’m getting married tomorrow

Good luck for you and your intended one for tomorrow and in the future years.

[rantingYoof]

If I had a two car driveway I'd have a pre-facelift Omega on it alongside the Lexus. I wouldn't really care what engine, I just want to save one. The pre-facelifts just have a far nicer look to them, and the dashboard/heater set up is far better than the weird system they put into the later models.

I really miss the MV6 which is now, thankfully ,with @Brodders. I have actual pangs of sadness sometimes (i.e. when I'm looking over old cases at work and spot it in the background of my site photographs) and I have even dreamt a couple of times I have it again. On a sombre note, I wonder if it's because it was the car I was using when my mum sadly passed away (she passed away less than two weeks after I bought it). I think there's probably some associative memories going on there, but either way, because my mum had a 3.0 CDX Carlton estate when I was a youngster, and because both my parents had use of a pre-facelift Omega estate (2.5 CD) when I was a teenager, I have a serious soft spot for them.

Anyway, not to end the post on a 'downer', I'm incredibly excited for the six cylinder Carlton diesel.  It would certainly do a much better job than the 2.3 diesel Vauxhall deemed worthy for it.

 

 

[New POD]

My only issue, is what happens to an engine less omega ? 

Put it away carefully until it has some value?  Stick a Monaro V8 in it ? Have it crushed. 

[N Dentressangle]

1 hour ago, busmansholiday said:

Good luck for you and your intended one for tomorrow and in the future years.

Absolutely!

Have a great day, and don't talk to her about old Vauxhalls ?

[omegod]

I'm getting more and more tempted to get back into an Omega. I've owned 12 over the years and broke more for spares , prefacelift 3.0 elite on gas was my favourite car ever 

[Andyrew]

I might be wrong  but I seem to remember the omega shared a few parts from the Carlton?

Does the omega subframe etc fit onto the Carlton? 

 

[sutty2006]

11 hours ago, busmansholiday said:

Good luck for you and your intended one for tomorrow and in the future years.

 

10 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

Absolutely!

Have a great day, and don't talk to her about old Vauxhalls ?

Thanks folks. Well it’s nearly 4am, I’ve had 2 hours sleep and I’m wide awake with stomach ache. So I’m trying to take my mind off things. She knows I’m a serial Vauxhall botherer but I’ll do my best not to drag that into the “big day”.

 

im unsure how much of the subframe will fit. I guess I’ll have to get both cars  side by side and see. If the front subframe from the omega offers up to the carlton chassis then we’re clean clear to flag town and cookin on gas. As for the rest of the car, well it’s ropey, sub 200k heavy smoker abused so I doubt there will be any value to it so it’ll be destined for the bridge over scrap river. Bless it’s sole. 

[ProgRocker]

Good luck @sutty2006 . All the very best.

[sierraman]

Good luck with the wedding. If you’ve some time to kill drop the engine out of the Carlton. Take your mind off the nerves. I’m sure the new wife will be understanding when you turn up late, covered in oil, fingers bleeding to the wedding. ?

[N Dentressangle]

18 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Good luck with the wedding. If you’ve some time to kill drop the engine out of the Carlton. Take your mind off the nerves. I’m sure the new wife will be understanding when you turn up late, covered in oil, fingers bleeding to the wedding. ?

Yeah, good plan.

You'll be fine*

[sutty2006]

She has warned me to keep off the spanner’s. We’ve just dropped three cars off at the venue and was very tempted to call in to a local show ?

[rantingYoof]

If I hadn't sold on my 3.0 Elite for a 2.0TD Rover 45 I'd have driven to my own wedding in an Omega.

Ah well.

[dozeydustman]

I wish you well for today @sutty2006

[Bren]

Best wishes

[sutty2006]

Thanks guys. Yesterday went very well. In an autoshite manner I left my speech at home, I’m crap at speaking but ended up winging it anyway. Was a great day. Currently nursing a bad head, not through alcohol, but the bride/groom suite on site has a low slung entrance to the bedroom and I walked straight into it and ended up on the floor............. twice. Have a few pictures, then I promise Normal service will resume! 

[mrbenn]

Lovely pics there Sutty. Congratulations!

[beko1987]

Congratulations! Gonna get the engine swap done before or after the honeymoon?