Car SOS s04e08: Vauxhall Astra GTE Mk I

[pd-xc-72464118]

Hey all

Not too sure if this is relevant but if you enjoy the series Car SOS and Opel/Vauxhall history, you might enjoy episode 8 of the current 4th season which features a rebuild of a Vauxhall Astra GTE from the early 1980s.

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http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/tv/car-sos/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZOK0GYhA5M


General Motors was a late entrant to the hot hatch market - but when it did turn up to the party, it did so with an amazingly effective offering.

[Silver Surfer]

cheers mate good show

[pd-xc-72464118]

cheers mate good show

No worries. Yeah it's a great show. The premise of helping out struggling car nuts deserving of a boost by restoring their classic cars is just brilliant. Fuzz Pop Will Eat Itself Townshend really seems like a genuinely decent guy who just happens to also be a great mechanic.

[nadg63]

I used to own a black Mk1 Vauxhall Astra GTE - last car I owned in England before I headed over here in 1990. Had lowered springs/struts, extractors and a loud'ish exhaust system, went well. Great car in it's time. Did once look in to it's current status but reckon it must have been wrecked/scrapped as it didn't show up on any searches the Mk1 Owners Club over there carried out :(

Just like this one, though mine was A232MEX

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[pd-xc-72464118]

Wow nadg63! Never thought a former owner would see this thread :)

To be honest the styling to me is quite mediocre, even for it's day, but a good package in a car is hard to find. Not always possible to have a very good car with equally inspiring styling. I must admit i did enjoy ... nuts I better not write much about this Car SOS episode or I might spoil it for others.

On that note, I'll skip the actual number they quote in the show, but the number remaining on road in the UK is quite low so I guess not surprising even an owner's club couldn't find your former pride and joy. The state of the one they repair in the show is far from healthy! Lots of 'classic' cars don't age well but there's some that are worse than others! Regardless, it's great to see them rescue one!

[nadg63]

Wow nadg63! Never thought a former owner would see this thread :)

To be honest the styling to me is quite mediocre, even for it's day, but a good package in a car is hard to find. Not always possible to have a very good car with equally inspiring styling. I must admit i did enjoy ... nuts I better not write much about this Car SOS episode or I might spoil it for others.

On that note, I'll skip the actual number they quote in the show, but the number remaining on road in the UK is quite low so I guess not surprising even an owner's club couldn't find your former pride and joy. The state of the one they repair in the show is far from healthy! Lots of 'classic' cars don't age well but there's some that are worse than others! Regardless, it's great to see them rescue one!

In it's day I thought the styling was pretty good, bit boxy but OK - actually liked it better than the 'blob' version that followed! (in 8-valve and then 16-valve variants) Things I remember about it is the 1.8L engine was quite happy to be revved, great seats, short throw gear shift that could be a bit mushy and not always find it's slot, good space in the hatch, (plenty big enough for our Chow Chow dog at the time), the aftermarket exhaust sounded great and the lowered/upgraded shocks and springs made the car handle superbly - sat really flat in the corners speeding around the country roads where I lived.

At the time it's competition would have been whatever variant of Golf, Ford's Escort XR3, (crap!), and various Renaults etc. The Pug 205 GTI came along after and re-wrote the book concerning hot hatches, especially the 1.9L version.

Unusually for a Vauxhall/Opel I cannot remember it giving me any problems!?

[pd-xc-72464118]

In it's day I thought the styling was pretty good, bit boxy but OK - actually liked it better than the 'blob' version that followed!

Yeah I think I'd agree with that. Hardly ugly but not all that svelte either. The front seems to have some vague similarities to a Gemini I had around the turn of the century.

Amazing how much difference a good seat can make. Mine's starting to creak because I like to drive sporty, such that it's (not) allowed anymore.


Unusually for a Vauxhall/Opel I cannot remember it giving me any problems!?

Sounds like a gem! Can't beat room for the dog. Nice to hear your good memories as well. Wish I had similar.

Strange thing about Car SOS this season is it seems to have stopped on 9 episodes. Weird to finish on an odd number.