Ben's Garage & Girls (not work safe)

[Chavtastic]

***THIS THREAD CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE, SEXUAL UNDERTONES, NON-PC HUMOUR AND NON-OPEL VEHICLES. IF ANY OF THESE IS LIKELY TO OFFEND, PLEASE LEAVE NOW AND SLAM YOUR HEAD IN THE NEAREST CAR DOOR. IF NOT... WELCOME TO MY WORLD. GRAB A SEAT***

Right ****ers, it's been a long time coming but now you have one place for all my car-related shizzle. Right, I'll cover some of my car history first, then get on to the present.

It all started back when I was 16. I was driving my first car before I had passed my test, but that didn't matter because I already had my A-international licence on Gran Turismo which was good enough, right?

Here it is, the beast


It was a Capri Laser, with most of what I'm told was an X-pack kit, 90-spec Recaro seats, 1.6 litres of power, a 4 speed manual box, RWD and a powerflow exhaust and a whole load of attitude.

It was pretty badass, but I felt right from the start that I wanted something exotic and fast. Sadly though at 16/17 I wasn't able to insure anything remotely supercar-ish.

A few months later I bought a Toyota Celica GT4, which was epic. A few weeks into my ownership I let my girlfriend at the time drive it round the car park. When she finished, she thought letting go of all the pedals would make it stop. But instead we kangaroo'd into a ditch, meaning only one headlight flipped up after that, and she got it up the wrong 'un, dry.

Insurance was just shy of £4k for the year but totally worth it as my mates were all driving Novas and Fiestas at the time.

Next up was my first Calibra, an absolutely mint early standard 16v C20XE model


In fact it didn't have a mark on it anywhere except a tiny mark on the front bumper rub strip. I loved this. I also noticed almost instantly that lots of teenage girls wanted to have sex with me.

By the time I turned 18 I had my first Calibra Turbo, a 1992 spectral blue model with black leather. Insurance was an absolute killer with it being a group 18. I was instantly hooked on the car, it just felt so right. Sitting so low to the ground, wrapped in leather, with 6 gears, 4 wheel drive and enough power for 160mph. And the looks!

Crappy 1st generation camera phone picture.


This was the first car I really modified. I went for a hybrid turbo, standalone ECU, lots of ICE, Koni adjustables, 18" Team Dynamics alloys and a few other goodies.

Ended up putting a conrod through the block, so that was the end of that. However I did start working on my own cars at this point, after realising how much garages charge for labour. I started off with nothing but my parent's tool set, which was mainly imperial spanners and allen keys.

I then strayed a little bit from Vauxhalls, trying out a 106 GTi and a couple of Renault 5 GT Turbos. I found the R5 to be a lot of fun when working, it's just they didn't tend to stay working for very long.



Purple one with K-tec engine, Clio Williams wheels and cadbury's paint job


The 106 GTi was pretty modified, this was 10 years ago mind. I bought it totally standard with 24k on the clock and ended up looking like this...


I'd done a fair bit to the engine, chassis and body and managed to start doing most of the work myself.

More in a sec...

[Chavtastic]

It was around the age of 21 I decided I wanted to move on to supercars as soon as possible. It runs in the family, my uncle has an Aston Martin Vantage which I've always loved, and another uncle has a mint, low mileage NSX.

My next Calibra was another Turbo, a 1996 N-reg in North Cape Metallic

It started out pretty standard, I soon added a Renault Espace splitter, some League alloys and lowering kit...


I also bought 2 cream leather interiors to make one good one from them. Cream leather is for winners!


Then for some reason the bottom end started knocking, so rebuild time it was.

I sourced a rebuilt Blydenstein spec head


The crank came out for a polish and balance


Rods were upgraded to steels, along with a head stud conversion




This was all put back together with new rings, seals, gaskets etc... thought I'd do a proper job and do it once.














And a shot of nitrous


To make sure it stopped I upgraded to Monster brakes. I didn't really rate them in all honesty!


This meant upgrading to 18" BK299 alloys to clear the calipers.


Whilst i was at it I overhauled and upgraded the suspension and 4WD.

Power wise it has phase 2 chips, lightweight crank/pulleys, hybrid turbo, front mount intercooler and of course the nitrous.

I also added some shiny bits including a Promotasport header tank and Samco hoses




On the inside, I got a Momo wheel and a pretty hefty Kicker ICE install including a Pioneer motorised touch screen satnav (£1600 for the headunit alone, but I kept that across several cars)




The ICE was custom made around a series of MDF false floors. The Kicker gear is awesome and I've loved the brand ever since! Although their speakers aren't great.


By this stage it had set me back around £20k. It was worth it though as when it was up and running again on phase 2 software it was the quickest thing on the scene in Nottingham. I remember a street race in front of hundreds of people where i demolished a Cosworth and a Celica GT4. Hard work paid off.

[Chavtastic]

Next up I managed to get my hands on a Calibra Turbo limited edition


These were the last Calibra Turbos off the line in 1997/1998, finished in jet black with all the toys and gadgets inside including a unique build number on a plaque on the ashtray and a retrimmed leather steering wheel.

On the outside they got colour coded plastics, BBS RX alloys, small Irmscher spoiler and Irmscher "flying chip" badges to set off the unique colour not found on any other Calibra Turbo.

Chassis wise they are also factory lowered on Irmscher springs and Bilstein shocks, with stiffer Irmscher camber bushes on the rear independant trailing arms. They also had the 288mm brakes and closer-ratio steering from a late Calibra Turbo making them one of the best spec'd, rarest and fastest of the 90's Vauxhalls.

Got plenty of action in this!


It's must be mainly down to the Calibra that's led to me sleeping with so many girls (I once listed 70, must be closer to 100 now). Even if you prefer quality to quantity, you can still aim for a higher league of girls when you've got the car to back it up! Sadly most of the hottest ones will judge you by your car. And what sort of a message are you sending out to them if you step out of a Ford, or one of the less-than-sexy Vauxhalls?

I say it's down to the Calibra, because I'm no oil painting lol.


Anyway, for my next project I took this standard Calibra Turbo


And this model, which sat on my desk for a while.


And combined the two into this


It started as a Glacier white 1995 Calibra 4x4 Turbo, galvanised

Engine
Coscast head ported/polished to SBD spec
Oversize stainless steel valves
Kent double valve springs
Steel caps
Solid lifters
Bronze valve guides
16x new hydraulic lifters
XE inlet cam
Enlarged throttle body + inlet manifold
Kent adjustable vernier pulleys
New rotor arm and distributor cap
Magnecore KV85 8.5mm ignition leads
Cometic multilayer steel headgasket
ARP head stud kit
AE 86.5mm pistons (+.5) with new KS rings
Steel rods with ARP bolts
Polished crank with new bearings
Alloy sump with C20NE single-piece baffle/gasket
Genuine garrett turbo (unsure of exact spec) on a cometic gasket
Custom braided turbo oil lines
Custom high-grade stainless manifold (ex Chip)
External 38mm wastegate
Screamer pipe
Custom 2.5 system from downpipe back, no silencing and no cat, mandrel bent, TIG welded with argon shield
Scorpion twin backbox
Silicone and aluminium intercooler pipes, 2.5", swaged and mandrel bent
Custom 14 litre FMIC, 3" end tanks
Brand new rad
3" stainless steel inlet plenum
Bailey DV26 twin-piston dump valve
Silicone vacuum piping throughout
Roose motorsport coolant hoses (full set)
Standard thermostat, thankyou
Spal slimline 12" radiator fan
Walbro 255 in-line fuel pump
Walbro in tank pump
Aeroquip stainless fuel hoses throughout all with compression fittings
Aeroquip stainless PAS hose
Wet fuel pressure gauge
Z20LET injectors
Nesso racing fuel rail with built in FPR
JBI motorsport oil sandwich plate
Astra DTi oil filter
Mocal oil cooler

Powdercoated cam cover
Powedercoated spark plug cover, Opel vinyl
Painted engine block, distributor housing and gearbox
Powdercoated strut tops
Powdercoated strut brace
Powdercoated inlet manifold
Powdercoated subframe

Transmission:
F28 6-speed gearbox
Polybushed gear linkage
Steel linkage bar
Steel linkage pin
VTS locked permanent 4WD
Pot flywheel
Black diamond fast-road clutch

Suspension:
Gmax -35mm springs and dampers
Sparco steel front strut brace
New wishbones with poly bushes
New balljoints
New poly bushed ARB droplinks
Thicker ARB
Polybushed rear trailing arms, camber adjustable

Wheels and tyres:
17" Compomotive CX alloys
BBS centrecaps (lol)
Hankook RSII semi slicks

Brakes:
308mm grooved and drilled, Vectra GSi calipers
Grooved and drilled rear discs
Braided flexi hoses
New copper hard lines
Mintex shoes
Mintex pads

Bodywork:
Genuine Lumma front bumper, part painted yellow
Genuine Lumma rear numberplate recess
Genuine Reiger side skirts (ABS not fibreglass)
Storm single wiper conversion with smooth cover
Beesting aerial
Full DTM race car graphics
Genuine DTM white roof rails
Colour coded door handles
Alloy rear spoiler, powdercoated black with Opel vinyl
Powdercoated propshaft brackets
Painted rear differential, trailing arms, prop
HID conversion

Interior parts removed:
Standard heated seats and seatbelts
Door cards
Headlining and pillar trim
Carpets
Sound deadening
Speakers
Airbags
Excess wiring
Boot lining/parcel shelf
Sunroof mechanism
Standard dash
Floor repainted in smooth white hammerite

Interior added:
Skeleton dashboard, 160mph black speedo
Stack water temp gauge
Stack oil temp gauge
Stack boost gauge
Stack voltmeter
Stack oil pressure gauge
Momo steering wheel with custom snap-off boss
BTCC style wrap-around fibreglass seats retrimmed partly in black leather with DTM emblems
Sparco harnesses with FIA approved eyelets



Here's some pics of the build...

Vinyls going on...













All the work was supervised closely by Mr Miaw


Engine being put together...












Gearbox rebuilt and painted...


Handmade exhaust




Turbo




Suspension and powdercoated/painted bits


















Interior






Wheels


Finished item



And here's a photoshoot with Boxxy.






See those eyes? Heartbreaker eyes.


Anorexic, promiscuous, nasty brunette. Just my type!

[Chavtastic]

By this point we're in 2010/2011, and here's the fleet. Calibra DTM project, Vectra C 3.2 GSi (absolute MINTER, not even a single stone chip on it) and a Corsa C20LET I built. What started as an X-reg 1.0 got the GSi kit, 5-stud conversion, C20LET, F28 and plenty of goodies.











I painted the engine bits in Rover Anthracite and went for red Roose hoses


Interior wise I went for Calibra black leathers with rear seats trimmed to match, along with genuine Vauxhall mats for the OEM feel




Wheels were 17" BBS RX (factory fit on the Astra Edition 100) powdercoated in bright silver and wrapped in Proxes all round






At this point I'd spent a huge amount of money on Vauxhalls, that STILL leaked oil lol. For the same money I could have had a Lamborghini. So they all got sold.

Before they went, I did a quick photoshoot with the Vectra GSi and my mate's Astra Coupe Turbo








Happy days

More soon...

[Chavtastic]

Next up after the mad Vauxhall rush was something that REALLY impressed me


These things are AWESOME. The way the suspension, steering and engine come together is unreal. You can just chuck them about all over the place and they never let you down.

This was the 30th Anniversary Type-R. That means privacy glass, Momo wheel, JDM style Recaro seats, red carpets and aircon.










It's one of the best cars I've ever driven (and that's a very long list, as it's cars I've borrowed / stole etc...)

One of my tips for these is get good tyres. I bought it on some s****Y Wolfrace wheels with "Diamondback" tyres. The difference swapping to Proxes was like night and day. It gained a whole shedload of grip and poise!

That was my only real mod, going back to standard wheels.







What next? w**** in latex? Yeah go on then








I want to impregnate her.

[Chavtastic]

Next up was a toss-up between...

-Monaro (TERRIBLE CAR DO NOT BUY ONE)
-Nissan GTR (sort of good, but still a ****ing Nissan)
-M3 (lovely, lovely, lovely)

...and a Porsche 911 (newer water cooled ones)

After driving the newer model 911, (the 997), I decided to go for the 996 as it was pretty much the same car underneath, but with better looks (none of that Beetle-headlight crap, these are the ones with the proper headlights! I ended up choosing a Carrera 4 (**** rear engine RWD, what do you think I am, stupid?), a silver coupe with black leather and the GT3 kit.

***SPEC***

Engine:
3400cc 6 cylinder boxer engine, quad cam 24 valve, naturally aspirated.
Integrated dry sump
Variable valve timing
Silicone hoses
Eurocup GT exhaust (adds 30bhp and saves 20kg in weight) + standard exhaust included
Estimated 330bhp @ 6800rpm

Transmission
6-speed manual gearbox
4WD (95% RWD in normal conditions)

Chassis:
Front: Independant with aluminium lower control arms, gas-charged twin tube shock absorbers, negative steering roll radius.
Rear: Independant 5-link with single tube shock absorbers and self-stabilising toe control
Switchable PSM (Porsche Stability Managment)
Forged aluminium 4-pots all round, vented / grooved discs (318mm x 28mm front, 299mm diameter x 24mm rear)

Interior
Digital climate control
Factory cost option electric sunroof
Electrically adjustable black leather with factory cost option hard seat backs with Porsche crest
Extra double stitching on speedo surround / door cards
Factory cost option 3-spoke wheel
Electric windows/mirrors
Original Porsche headunit and 6 CD changer
Amplified premium sound system
Genuine Porsche floor mats
175mph analogue speedo plus digital
CAT 1 Alarm / immobiliser
Professionally flocked black dashboard, steering wheel, handles and pillar trims

Body
GT3 front bumper
GT3 skirts
GT3 rear spoiler
GT3 rear corner diffusers
Amber indicator lenses removed
Full respray
Aero wipers
HID upgrade kit for headlights (standard bulbs included if you wish to revert)
Private reg

Here's what the motoring press said about the car

"As a driving experience, this is second to none. Superb handling, steering that just feels as you want it to feel, brilliant brakes, a slick 6 speed gearbox and 7500 revs to play with. This is a use it everyday supercar" - Tiff needell

"Compared with the previous 993 model, the 996 represented a virtual redesign. Cosmetically, it moved Porsche on in many significant yet subtle ways: the lines were smoothed out, the windscreen was raked right back, the cabin was roomier and the facia finally looked like it had been styled, though some preferred the classic Porsche look. The structure managed the neat trick of being 45 per cent stiffer yet lighter than the older model. And the early 911 handling quirks were further ironed out" - Evo magazine

The drive home from Scotland was a lot of fun. I raced a train

Here's some pictures. First off the ****ing thing would only just fit up the drive to the side of the house. I was ready to punch Mr Porsche in the c**k if it didn't.


The wheels are off the 911 Carrera 4s (Porsche name them like i-phones). Tyres were 305/30/19 or something stupid.


First photoshoot


















Mods wise I fitted black leather to it, a flocked dashboard/steering wheel, a multimedia/Satnav headunit, Kicker subs, Focal polyglass components and some HIDs

Here's some of the ICE




Had to make these baffles myself to clear the magnets on the speakers. Took about 2 hours each side with all the trial fitting.
#

Subwoofer box being built. I glued and screwed it for good measure. I love MDF.




Headunit all working:


To fit that you need to move the climate control panel. Porsche make a new fascia to allow this, and it actually works pretty well. On the topic of parts, it's a lottery with them. Something like the panel was £2.40 odd, and I had a few odds and sods that were all cheap enough. A set of the brake discs (which were huge in fairness) were £130. Not bad. Yet some things like oil filters were £20! Oh and £800+ for one headlight.

Speaking of which, here's the HIDs fitted


I also did a few carbon bits here and there...


Here's a video of the exhaust, check this out :lmao:
Porsche 911 Euro Cup GT exhaust drive-by - YouTube

And obligatory ho












Porsche made a lot of military hardware for Nazi Germany by the way. Just saying :lmao:

Here's a pic from a trip to the greatest MIG meet ever




In the end, as much as I loved the looks and the way it makes you feel.... it wasn't as quick A to B as the Type-R. And for that reason I couldn't really love it as much as I should. So I ended up selling that, with the plan being to get a 911 turbo or Ferrari next, with a Civic Type-R in the interim to keep me happy!

This brings us up to mid 2012.

More soon

[Chavtastic]

Since the Porsche I've just been buying stopgap cars to see me through till my next proper car!

I got this Civic Type-R cheap. 2003, 80k ish, fairly good nick minus some dents and scuffs.


Now when you sign a logbook over on a Honda, there's a legal requirement to paint your wheels a lairy colour. So I did mine for the scene points.

Out came the chemical metal, filler primer etc... to get them up to scratch






Then Rover Tara green!!!! Rears of wheels first


Then building up


All done and refitted with 4x new Goodyear Eagle F1's


Lowering was next on the agenda, with Eibach springs on a 30mm drop


All done




And tracked


It's amazing what a difference it makes when you have wheels pointing in the correct direction at the right angle!

Seriously though, if you've never driven one (hard) - buy or borrow an EP3 CTR, you will LOVE it!

Next up I got the centre console and door handles flocked by Alan @ Flocking Fantastic



Can't recommend him enough TBH, he's quick, very reasonably priced and drives a Calibra. Flock feels a bit like suede if it's a short fibre. It's hard wearing and can be used on external parts and even engine parts!

See his advert here
http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/items-sale/505962-flocking-service-notts.html

Other mods / tidying up included mint low mileage front seats to replace my ripped ones


A powerflex engine mount is always good to reduce engine movement


Brembo OEM brakes to replace the crappy motor factors ones! CTR brakes are actually pretty crap if I'm honest. Well... adequate I suppose.


Sadly it died not long after that! A rarity for a Honda I'll get another one I think, maybe for track use. See how much better it is when on a diet.

[Chavtastic]

As for the near future, I spend most of my days masterbating over Porsches. Here's the current w*** bank


Yellow makes so much sense






911 (996) turbos are so appealing. 25-30k for a good one, 411bhp, 190mph...


As for the next decade it's going to be Italian flavoured. I will own a Ferrari, either a 348 or 355. All that hype has to be from somewhere?


But, if I'm in the market for a 355, I could add another 20k and make the jump to Lamborghini, which is my dream car (being realistic about what I can afford, ie no Veyrons). So in reality it will probably be 911 Turbo > 348 > Lambo

My heart says Diablo, for sheer ability to scare people. It's about 8 foot wide.


Head says a newer Audi-era Lambo, like the Gallardo. These have the bonus of coming in truly obscene colours like bogey green.


Either way I'll still be working on them myself, cleaning them myself and servicing them myself. You'd actually be surprised at how sound some of the owners are, and how much they get their hands dirty and modify like Vauxhall folk!

I think the bottom line will be my dream garage of 3 cars

Daily hack - Ceramic blue Calibra, Irmscher kit, BBS 19s, lpg powered
Fun car - 911 turbo to upgrade to Lamborghini
Track car - Civic Type-R, to upgrade to E36 M3

[Chavtastic]

September 2013 Update

Firstly I've been to the Nurburgring, in my new Type-R

It was an experience that's for sure. Me and the Mrs drove down to Kent and stayed overnight, before driving on to an early Channel Tunnel train to Calais. We spent a couple of days in Paris then headed over to Germany. It really isn't as far as you'd think, I don't know why more people don't do it?

(2014 update - going twice again this year!)

Anyway the track is just something else. You can't see from videos or Forza just how much camber and altitude change the track has. The first time you drop a hundred meters in a few seconds you really feel it in the pit of your stomach. It's terrifying but exciting. I was a bit miffed as to all the people saying "go slow until you find your feet" as in all honesty there was more than enough grip available at all times. I was able to overtake a fair few Porsches, BMW M3/M5 etc after a few laps and never really felt near the limit of the car.

My advice would be to ignore what others are saying and forge your own path

Anyhoo here's part of the track





And a couple of me on it...




And the underground garage in the hotel we stayed




Some of the cars waiting to take to the track...








It was quite a mixed bunch!

A brief spec of my current Civic is:

2002 Civic Type-R in nighthawk black
Stage 1 weight reduction (rear seats/carpets/speakers/seatbelts removed)
Gruppe-M carbon fibre forced intake with bonnet scoop
2.5" exhaust with 5" tailpipe
Remap to raise rev limit (approx 220-230bhp)

Eibach pro suspension
Poly bushed front wishbones for increased castor
300mm vented, grooved and dimpled discs with EBC redstuff pads
Tegiwa brake stopper
Tegiwa duracon gear shifter
Refurbished OEM 17" alloys with Toyo proxes all round

Some pics of the car and mods









I've got another trackday booked next week

More updates in a sec...

[Chavtastic]

I've also finished the initial build of my Calibra 3.2 V6. The engine is in and running, and it's had a bit of bodywork done











I'm now actually swapping the engine to a 2.0 8v, for better fuel economy and to make it easier to work on. The LPG install is progressing too, with the tank and lines now in place.


Next steps are:

- Fit 8v engine (from a one owner, 74k from new vehicle!)
- ICE install (with Vectra GSi steering wheel + steering wheel controls)
- Remote central locking
- Recaro front seats

[Chavtastic]

-November 2013-

More work on the Type-R to prepare it for the trackday at Oulton Park

Limited slip differential (brilliant mod) and fresh Exedy clutch






And some suspension goodies to enable camber and caster adjustment as part of a full geometry setup by Grinspeed Motorsport in Leyland.






This was followed by a track day at Oulton Park








The car was really competitive! And in fairness, I don't lose much sleep over being passed by a non-road legal time attack Subaru and a sodding Radical!

[Chavtastic]

-January 2014-

Cadwell Park with a handful of mates
















... and I've bought another 911 Details on that once it's tidied up!

[Chavtastic]

Video of one of my laps of Cadwell Park, terrorising the place along with an M3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlkD4DRpJNU

[Chavtastic]

-Feb 2014-

Just a little update from today, I rolled the Calibra out and fitted my Focal Polyglass speakers to the front doors, with some Dynamat


and fitted some undamaged door cards (the vinyl tends to lift) I'd sourced a while back


Up front the engine is in and running, and I built the front end back up with the best headlights I could make from 8 different pairs :lmao:




These have been checked and function properly, and have now been fitted with HIDs. I've also fitted a removeable towbar, an auto-dimming rear view mirror and began building the boot install.

So that brings us up to the day I posted this thread

Current state of play is

911 - Awaiting bodywork, MOT and it's first track outing next month
Civic - In storage following a brake problem at Cadwell Park
Calibra - Running and driveable, awaiting MOT work and the work I have planned for it

Today:


I have also booked the first of 2 Nurburgring trips I've got planned for this year for the end of April! Not sure what I'm taking yet, could be any of the above

I'll keep this thread updates with progress on these 3 cars.

[DanSE4]

I got caught by the Police having sex in my first car (Mk1 Astra 1300S in Jamaica Yellow - Beast!).

A: It was embarrassing.

B: My request for another minute or so to finish off (I was very close) was declined.

C: Bastards.