Kiltox’s 1994 Vauxhall Astra Cabriolet! 09/06 - notDITCHFINDERS

[Kiltox]

1 hour ago, Rusty_Rocket said:

Wow! I thought the Astra-F convertible was extinct now!

2.0 and a black dash, a nice spec one! 

Me too!

im sure it’s going to get the “bUt tHaT’S Not uNEXCEptIONAL EnOuGH” bellends frothing at FOTU but I don’t think anyone could agree that an Astra F of any form is exceptional, least of all a cabriolet!

[Crackers]

1 hour ago, Kiltox said:

bUt tHaT’S Not uNEXCEptIONAL EnOuGH

This reminded me of this one in the posh parking last month at Goodwood. Where else would a Blower Bentley and a caaaaancil estate Astra end up parked next to each other? 

[Kiltox]

How Many Left isn’t exactly an exact science however this car is registered as “VAUXHALL ASTRA 2.0I BERTONE”

There was a peak of 682 licensed in 1995 Q4 which has declined ever since. As of 2021 Q3, 11 licensed and 49 SORN. I think it’s safe to assume a fair number of the SORN ones are actually dead, just not scrapped properly. 

I’ve checked the other “Bertone” variants on HML and they all refer to the later Astra G. 

There were some of these with 1.6 engines though, not sure what they’re registered as. 

[beko1987]

That's the best shape of Astra in my opinion, lovely interiors too, when Vauxhalls used to be comfy. nice car Mistah! 

I'd happily run a 1.7d one of those about but I guess finding one that doesn't need welding is becoming harder nowadays? 

[AnnoyingPentium]

3 hours ago, beko1987 said:

That's the best shape of Astra in my opinion, lovely interiors too, when Vauxhalls used to be comfy. nice car Mistah! 

I'd happily run a 1.7d one of those about but I guess finding one that doesn't need welding is becoming harder nowadays? 

I can source you a P-reg 1.4 pez that's not had an MOT since 2014, if that's any use? 🤣

[grogee]

It's funny how the MK2 Astra GTE was OMGHOWFAST 136mph but then the MK3 with (presumably similar) 2.0i engine was 'meh' unless it was the (16v?) GSI OMGINSURANCERISK.

Not that your convertible needs more power to pull itself apart. 

I bet it's ace, that steering wheel is gopping - early airbag style. What a smart purchase. 

[HMC]

Guilty secret time - id really like a fiat 500c (the sort of convertible body) twin air.

Sort of a 2cv but less needy?

 

[fatharris]

Man, these just aren't anywhere these days, what a peach!

[red5]

Glad to be of service. 

😁

[Kiltox]

Took it for a proper shake down run tonight. Still think it’s pretty well sorted. 

Could do with tyres I think, they’re a bit meh/tired/could use balancing anyway. Imagine they’re cheap, if it behaves I might throw a set at it 

Has a smell of fuel that’s a bit of a worry. Not in the engine bay and couldn’t smell it when I stuck my head under near where the fuel filler is (which the last one had an issue with). Suspect the seal on the sender under the rear bench? Not sure. 

That’s about it! It’s fab. 

[JMotor]

Nicely bought.

Looks you've got the best of both worlds, not rotten and the trim is in good fettle.

The fuel smell. I'd check the seam on the fuel tank.

Common for them to go there (rust blows out the seam on it) and give a smell of fuel. Might see some staining from fuel weeping out.

Also a heads up. Although it's a C20NE, just watch the intake system is different to ones on a Cavalier. These use a hot wire AFM, Not the flapper box on the airbox like a Cav. 

If you already knew this. then my apologies if I sounded like a know it all 🙁. 

[RoverFolkUs]

15 hours ago, HMC said:

Guilty secret time - id really like a fiat 500c (the sort of convertible body) twin air.

Sort of a 2cv but less needy?

 

If you get a dualogic (robot automatic) be prepared to cry many tears...

Their electrics are shit enough without a computer/hydraulic controlled gearbox

Id say give them a swerve. No joke a vintage 2CV would probably be more reliable.

The twin air isn't brilliant, the roof electrics shit themselves, the 'boot' lids snap off (literally) 

Yeah, avoid

[BeEP]

20 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

If you get a dualogic (robot automatic) be prepared to cry many tears...

Their electrics are shit enough without a computer/hydraulic controlled gearbox

Id say give them a swerve. No joke a vintage 2CV would probably be more reliable.

The twin air isn't brilliant, the roof electrics shit themselves, the 'boot' lids snap off (literally) 

Yeah, avoid

But surely all that is part of the appeal.  This place is getting far too logical!

[Zelandeth]

13 hours ago, Kiltox said:

Took it for a proper shake down run tonight. Still think it’s pretty well sorted. 

Could do with tyres I think, they’re a bit meh/tired/could use balancing anyway. Imagine they’re cheap, if it behaves I might throw a set at it 

Has a smell of fuel that’s a bit of a worry. Not in the engine bay and couldn’t smell it when I stuck my head under near where the fuel filler is (which the last one had an issue with). Suspect the seal on the sender under the rear bench? Not sure. 

That’s about it! It’s fab. 

Fuel filter is inline just forward of the OSR wheel, and often get overlooked until they rust through.  I'd check that for the fuel smell before worrying too much.

I really rate that generation of Astra.  Not a hugely exciting car dynamically, but thoroughly competent.  Also the last of the era where normal cars were apparently allowed to be comfortable and the trend for seats harder than a park bench and solid shock absorbers became the norm.

[Crackers]

30 minutes ago, BeEP said:

But surely all that is part of the appeal.  This place is getting far too logical!

As I have said before on other threads, there's a significant difference between a shite car and a shit car.

[Dave_Q]

Injected and equipped with ABS in a time when both were considered fancy enough to put on the boot, ya posh bastard

[RoverFolkUs]

1 hour ago, BeEP said:

But surely all that is part of the appeal.  This place is getting far too logical!

On a modern? I thought all moderns are shit. Especially the ones that are actually shit

 

[bangernomics]

Peak Vauxhall this era.

[sierraman]

On 5/11/2022 at 11:18 AM, beko1987 said:

That's the best shape of Astra in my opinion, lovely interiors too, when Vauxhalls used to be comfy. nice car Mistah! 

I'd happily run a 1.7d one of those about but I guess finding one that doesn't need welding is becoming harder nowadays? 

Would you though? The 1.7 non turbo diesel was awful. The gear lever shaking like a shitting dog and the noise and coarseness would drive you insane after a short period of time.

[sierraman]

56 minutes ago, Dave_Q said:

Injected and equipped with ABS in a time when both were considered fancy enough to put on the boot, ya posh bastard

From when you dropped it in that it was ‘the injection m8’. Got an Astra injection!

[beko1987]

52 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Would you though? The 1.7 non turbo diesel was awful. The gear lever shaking like a shitting dog and the noise and coarseness would drive you insane after a short period of time.

Probably not, no... I like the idea of one then, but a 1.4pez would probably do me fine! 

[RobT]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

Would you though? The 1.7 non turbo diesel was awful. The gear lever shaking like a shitting dog and the noise and coarseness would drive you insane after a short period of time.

Try doing a trip to The Netherlands in one.  Painful!  Overtakes were in single figures.

[sierraman]

1 hour ago, beko1987 said:

Probably not, no... I like the idea of one then, but a 1.4pez would probably do me fine! 

No that’s even worse! The hi-torq was anything but high torque!

You really wanted the 1.6 or the 1.8/2.0 the later Sport ones weren’t that bad. If the GTE was a pint of 5.2% Stella with a White Lightning chaser then the Sport was probably a Budweiser, ok on a summers day and you could comfortably return home without a row. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

No that’s even worse! The hi-torq was anything but high torque!

Aye, that's the one I mentioned on another thread, that I think @beko1987 is referring to. Belongs to a farmer, CS reg, never left Ayrshire. He's a lazy bastard so it's been left to rot. Might see if he'll take scrap* value for it.

[Spottedlaurel]

I assume they owe more to the saloon's underpinnings than the hatchback?

I saw one on a local driveway recently, been unused for several years:

Just a 1.6, and a distinct lack of badges....

[Kiltox]

Yeah it’s the saloon underneath - @red5 said he bought a saloon back box for it and it fitted perfectly. 

[Kiltox]

15 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

I assume they owe more to the saloon's underpinnings than the hatchback?

I saw one on a local driveway recently, been unused for several years:

Just a 1.6, and a distinct lack of badges....

Registered as a “VAUXHALL ASTRA CONVERTIBLE” 

 

21 licensed and 132 SORN down from a heady 2926!

[Kiltox]

Seems there were a handful of automatics too - although I’m not 100% sure of that

[Kiltox]

Some bit of gear 💪 

220 mile round trip commute today. Roof down at 0530 was a bit chilly   nearly made it home before the rain too. 
 

First time it’s been rained on in ages I bet 

[stuboy]

Free Of Headroom