Corsa-B.uk - Vauxhall, Opel and Holden Corsa B Owners Club

Well i have just picked up this little beauty. Most of you will know it as Paul W's Gsi An N-reg Corsa GSi with a hybrid X16XE engine and in good condition. Got big plans for this...hopefully to be done in time for PVS '08. Engine is a recent rebuild that has had the head replaced with the wrong head bolts, so when its cold it sounds like an ill lawnmower. Once warm it runs fine!







Am putting an Astra GTe ex-rally C20seh in it, and run on R1 carbs. Am getting an Ashley exhaust manifold and then maybe get tweeks to make a cat-bypass pipe to mate the Corsa system to the exhaust manifold.
Tidy up the exterior, theres a few knocks that need sorting, but nothing major. Then get slam panel and front cross-member ground back, etched and painted.
I am changing the suspension set-up from coilovers to Bilstein B8 shocks and Spax SSX 50mm springs and have got some Pro-Race 1.2's to put on it in the winter, and getting Cesarios for the track days and summer days.
Interior will need to be played with, but again i have some big ideas. I will be putting Fiesta RST Recaro's in it, leaving the interior stripped.

Some pics of the R1 carbs i have to go on it!





As it came with various parts that i dont want/need, i started stripping it down.

First off, was the suspension. Spax RSX coilovers to be replaced with Bilstein B8 dampers and Spax SSX 50mm springs.
Was goin well until i took one of the front coilovers off. I went to put the new shock and spring on and of course there was no spring seat on the top mount. So i have had to just leave the front c'overs on and change the rears until the ordered parts come in from vauxhall
Oh...and i took the ARB off it too!

Spax off...


And Bilstein on ...


How she now sits...


Next i cracked on with taking the harnesses and one of the seats out (need drivers seat to move it to and from in front of the garage).





That was it really, all i could do for the day. Will try and keep updates coming as will be working on it everyday this week to get as much done as poss b4 goin bk to work on sat. Next think is to give it a clean in and out and paint rear drums with black hammerite. Once the vauxhall parts come, i can get the front shocks and springs on and the newly painted 2ltr callipers and red-dot 6 grooves on it!

Wed 13th Feb

Well i had a couple of little jobs to do today. Still waiting on the spring seats from vauxhall so had to find other things.

I decided to take the opportunity to wirebrush and paint the drums with black hammerite.
Once the paint was dry, i thought i'd see how the back end looked with the Pro Race's on.





Hoping that after a week or so of use, that back end will drop, but also realised that there isnt an interior or anything, so it will sit slightly lower once its on the road.
Was made up to see that you can see the Bilsteins through the wheel...so i'm able to show off the quality suspension system!



Apart from that i took the front bumper off, and gave the interior a quick brush!

Once darkness fell i concentated on repairing one of my alloys that an ARB bracket on the car im driving gauged a 'diamond cut' ridge into them when i had them on it for a week





It's on the inside rim so you cant see it but thought i'd sort it to protect it anyways, so i managed to repaint it gloss black and re-laquer it and is all protected and looking ok now. Forgot to get pics tho so will put some up tomorrow.

Feb 14th and 15th
Well last two days off work so i HAD to get everything done. The jobs remaining for these 2 days were to take the front coilovers off and get the parts that i was expecting from vauxhall to complete the new suspension set-up.

Thursday - So...up the front end went on axle stands and i cracked on with getting the coilovers off...which didnt take long, although cracking the two bottom bolts free was a bugger, it all came off pretty easy!





So, once they'd gone, i decided to sort the brakes whilst i waited on the suspension parts. As is a common problem, the bolt for the brake discs was goosed...so i just drilled the head off it and off it all came!









And the pleasant discovery that the car has got braided brake hoses, which will save me some money!




The bad news arrived about half 1 when i rang vauxhall and they told me it was gonna be friday morning b4 the parts were in now. Annoying as the car was on axle on my mates drive with his dads car in the garage behind. Logistical problems were to be worked around but was still a pain.

How thursday ended:


Friday Well i went absolutely steaming into it today...out before 9 to get cracking. Day started well, with vauxhall ringing me at quarter past 9 telling me my parts were in. So down i trundled to get em. When i got there, i found that i had missed a part i needed on the order!:o So went round the corner to a scrappy and managed to buy 2 front set-ups off a sport for £30. Then back home to try and take em apart for the spring seat.



Once i started to try taking them apart, the nut on the top would not budge. Adam-D attempted it and still nothing, managed to break a socket and hurt hands without getting anywhere as it was really rusted on!



I was all but ready to quit on it for the day:( but decided to take them to a welding and bodywork shop around corner where the owner kindly cracked the nut loose wit his air gun! back in buisness!

Got them bk, compressed the sping and shouted victory abuse at it!
Sat the standards alongside the Bilsteins, ever amazed by the huge size of the B8's piston!





So...undersealed the turrets, and prepped them for the new shocks and springs.


Built up the new shock and spring unit, with the help of my ever present and highly useful girlfriend! :look: Having a second pair of hands is always useful, and she was able put the top nut on whilst i pushed down on the top mount assembly to compress the spring just enough.
Was extremely pleased to see it all finally together.


At this point my phone ran out of power so i couldnt get anymore photos...however i will get pics and put em in here asap.

Once the suspension was on i changed over the callipers, putting a 2litre set-up on with red-dot pads and 6 Groove Discs.

With the wheel off now, it looks the dogs danglies. Red-dot, Bilstien and spax.
I ended the day, and the week happy that i'd done everything i wanted to do! Weekend in work and then will try and get more done on Monday, with the one day off!

nice suspension!! looking good bet it will be quick!

I sure hope so! Am aiming for about 130/140bhp...but an equal amount of torque...which makes all the difference. Whilst being reliable, easy to manage and handle well!

nice man im hoping to get 100 bhp by adding a boost controller and increasing the fuel lol just to give it a try hehe but your car is looking nice!

Sat 23rd Feb

Well i managed to get a bit more work done today...tho no pics.

With the engine coming out this time next week, i spent the day trying to get the ancillaries off. Exhaust is all loosened just needs pulling off now.

The main bugger was the starter motor. It just will not come off!! Dont know if anybody knows whether theres more than the one bolt and one nut i took off...but its still solid.
Took a look at my mate adam-d's C16 which he has out in his garage and it is only the 2 bolts on the starter, so im assuming the X16 is the same?? Pain in the arse. Just the alternator to do once thats off, oh...and drain fluids out.

Sun 24th Feb

Well, although the day started off rainy, by 2pm it had dried off and i decided work had to be done on the GSi. So i drafted in some help (my mate Jimmy) and cracked on wit some more preparation for the engine drop.

First job on the list was the alternator, which following the removal of every bolt related to it, came out eventually. Although it was a task, we got there in the end.
The starter was not coming off. and i just couldnt find the bolt that was holding it on, so i decided to jib and leave for adam to have a look at when he got back.

So the exhaust came off. I'd loosened everything yesterday and just needed a second pair of hands to help me pull it apart.



At this point adam got back from work (early i may add), so we managed to start getting some of the bigger jobs sorted. He had the starter off in about 5 mins - as is usually the case!



Next was to drain the coolant and take the radiator off!



Following this the main loom was unplugged from the ECU and pulled through the bulkhead. And then disconnected from the relevant engine plugs.



I then had a 15 min chat with a gent who had bought my ARB, and when i got bk, i was greeted by a pretty empty engine bay. Adam had managed to strip most of the neccesary parts off it in that time, and i was amazed.





Power steering pulley off, and the bracket for the fluid container was disconnected as well, so the PAS system is ready to be taken off once the engine is out.



So with everything sorted, i bunged most of my engine parts into the boot, and moved it bk to its parking place.





Managed to get everything that needed doing done, yet again. Which means we stay on schedule for the engine coming out on saturday 1st march.
Woo! Progress is good, not too many hitches so far, and i certainly hope it stays that way for the moment.

Thanks to Adam-D and my mate jimmy for the help today! Was invaluable. (oh and my girlfriend Louise for the cups of tea!)

Next update should be Saturday...the engine removal!

Sat 1st March

Well, another weekend came along and the next big step has been taken. Although i had my fears the weather would prevent it, the engine removal went ahead as planned.

Pretty much everything was ready for it to be taken out, so once the driveshafts and engine mounts were released...out it all came. Only took us about an hour to do the lot, and i was mightily impressed.

As there was just the 2 of us doing it, i didnt have the opportunity to take progressive photos, so they all from once the block was out.









So its all out and ready for the eventually rebuilt c20ne to be popped in.

This x16xe is now for sale...so gimme a shout if you're interested...i really need both the money and the room!

Sun 2nd March

Although there was no work done on the car, i picked up the engine today. Appears to be in good condition. Adam has the photos of it as my phone ran out of power again...seems to be a thing when i need to take pics!

Just need to get it stripped and find out what its all like inside. Then get required replacement bits and bearings, new gaskets on...back together and running on the carbs ready to get into the car!


Thanks for reading again! Keep you posted on further progress this week!

Tues 11th March

Well its been a while since i've done anything sincere before today. Last few days iv been trying to find a way to get the recaro's to sit on the corsa frame but am gonna have to have them welded.

Strengthening plates arrived the other day so im gonna have the car collected and then sent to get everything done as soon as i can afford it.

So today started with cracking some 2litre brakes off the hubs i got with the engine. These hubs also have 2ltr shafts so am gonna use them along with the GSi outer CV's...happy days!



Once that was done i went to vauxhall and collected a huge amount of nuts and bolts (£50 worth) for various parts of the car. (will update with photo 2moz)

So once i got back, i cracked on with taking the engine apart. I've always wanted to do this so was pretty excited. Was a bugger getting everything off, but eventually, the rocker cover, and the valves, springs and lifter head came off. Was a very satisfying occasion. First big step to getting it all sorted and ready to go again.















So all i need now is an engine stand and i can get the sump off and then the bottom end can come apart and i can renew shells, rings and arp the rod bolts. Need my x16xe gone 1st though, need both the space and the cash.

Thats all i did for the day. All i can do for now. Short on money and room, i cant do anything else until the old engine has sold and been collected so i have room to play with in the garage.

Thats all for now folks!

Thurs 13th March

Well i managed to get the rest of the bottom end pulled apart today.

First off was the clutch flywheel and sump. Getting the flywheel off proved a bit difficult but with some help we were able to get it all off.





Once i had these parts off, the next challenge was the water and oil pumps, which...following some swearing and smacking, came off. The main problem with the oil pump was gettin off the crank timing belt pulley. In the end a 3-leg puller and a hammer sorted that problem.

I was quickly making progress and the next job was to get the crank out the block.



So these main bearings were removed following some more swearing and some leverage wit a wooden hammer handle. And then soon after i undid the big-end bearing bolts and everything was then off the crank, allowing me to lift it off!



And once the crank was all out, i was able to (gently) knock the pistons through!



And heres some pics of the bore





So heres the mess i'd made by the end of the day! Was definitely pleased with what i've done, always wanted to do this so i was made up with myself!

Hopefully i can get it all cleaned up, parts renewed and back together ready to run as soon as possible, but am not going to rush...i want a proper job!







Just need to get some diesel and get these parts degreased now...and find a way to jet-wash the block clean.

Fri 14th & Sat 15th March

Well i've spent two days cleaning up the pistons. Degreasing them using 3-in-1 degreaser and WD-40. Works a treat mixed with some pan scouring pads. Managed to get most of the surface rubbish and carbon.

The idea now is to soak them in a degreasant tub overnight, get them completely shiney, then soak the block itself and the crank, just so its all clean and shiney. I can then make sure its all in good condition and begin putting it all back together.

Heres some pics of the cleaned up pistons anyways!











until next time folks!

quick update in terms of prices i got as im back at work now so practical stuff is limited to weekends off!

Went to vauxhall to price up the bearing shells for main and big end bearings. I expected to get maybe £5-10 a piece...tops. I almost passed out when he said £45...and thats EACH btw!! This was followed by an abrupt "F*** That!!"

An engine rebuild place in birkenhead quoted me £48+vat for the lot (main and big end shells) which seems much better, forgot to ask bout the piston rings but im hoping the same sort of price tag on them...not the £42 each for the top compression ring vaux gave me.

Have managed to draw up a list of what i need...and iv realised this rebuild is gonna take more spending than i thought. ah well, i hope its worth it in the end!

Well i just realised i havent put a picture of the recaros i got earlier this month on here yet...so here they are. Fiesta RS Turbo Recaro Recliners. Ford seats i know...but im having a frame welded to make them fit in. They're completely different, superbly comfortable and immaculate for the price! so am really pleased with them!



happy days!

Well due to financial constraints, the project is being put on hold. Iv got an inlet coming for the carbs that i ordered last month and have to pay for...and thats it till i can get a sum together to pay for a wad of bits.

Am gutted but its the only thing to do atm.