Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
DanSE4 wrote:I guess the half dozen unconnected wires with masking tape on (labelled but only glanced at them) & the bank of fuses that are only half connected can be ignored then!
I'll post a pic up when mine arrives, I'm assured it won't be like that!
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
Would be interested to see it. James is on hols now so can't ask him how Nige described it to him before he got it.
I can see the "plug & play" factor with where it connects to the Saab engine loom but that leaves the 3 smaller connectors in the Calibra footwell redundant & not much to go on with the loom adapter itself other than the masked up wires & 6 or so fuses in it that only have one blade each connected (there are crimp ends in with the adapter that suggest they need to attach to the ends of something & then go in the connector block to the other ends of the fuses).
As already said though, I haven't actually read anything that Nige sent with it yet so for all I know it could say "ignore everything other than live, ignition switch live & speed rpm signal"!
Other thing I'm curious about is that circular block connector you need to separate when removing the Calibra engine (engine loom to the car loom by the battery tray). On the Calibra car loom we're left with the starter, alternator & oil pressure switch feeds to connect to the Saab engine but on the Saab engine loom that round connector doesn't exist.
Perhaps I'm thinking ahead to far & it'll become clear when the Saab engine is in & I can see what's what.
I can see the "plug & play" factor with where it connects to the Saab engine loom but that leaves the 3 smaller connectors in the Calibra footwell redundant & not much to go on with the loom adapter itself other than the masked up wires & 6 or so fuses in it that only have one blade each connected (there are crimp ends in with the adapter that suggest they need to attach to the ends of something & then go in the connector block to the other ends of the fuses).
As already said though, I haven't actually read anything that Nige sent with it yet so for all I know it could say "ignore everything other than live, ignition switch live & speed rpm signal"!
Other thing I'm curious about is that circular block connector you need to separate when removing the Calibra engine (engine loom to the car loom by the battery tray). On the Calibra car loom we're left with the starter, alternator & oil pressure switch feeds to connect to the Saab engine but on the Saab engine loom that round connector doesn't exist.
Perhaps I'm thinking ahead to far & it'll become clear when the Saab engine is in & I can see what's what.
Calibra SE4 3.2 V6 + F28
A Couple of German Cars!
A Couple of German Cars!
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
Ok I'll give you that new to .net new to callys? Nope! Look buddy wish you luck with the build will be interesting w just have 2 different views.
I'm gonna find me a reckless woman,
Razor blades and dice in her eyes,
Just a touch of sadness in her fingers,
Thunder and lightening in her thighs.
Terry
Razor blades and dice in her eyes,
Just a touch of sadness in her fingers,
Thunder and lightening in her thighs.
Terry
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
Back on topic... a little photoshoot from today of my daily Calibra
I used MS paint to try and hide a few blemishes on the surroundings, not the car, ie chewing gum patches, double yellow lines etc
She's done around 10,000 trouble free miles since I built it from a rolling shell. She needs a few jobs doing before winter, mainly a service and sorting out a few minor niggles.
I used MS paint to try and hide a few blemishes on the surroundings, not the car, ie chewing gum patches, double yellow lines etc
She's done around 10,000 trouble free miles since I built it from a rolling shell. She needs a few jobs doing before winter, mainly a service and sorting out a few minor niggles.
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
The accumulation of parts for "Hypercalibra" continues. Yes that's the official name... as it's going to be better than my daily driver Supercalibra!
I found £900 I'd forgotten about a few days ago, so splashed out on one of these, as it's probably one of the dearest single part left I have to buy.
I'm going to use it in a Vectra B F23 gearbox. Why? Well in a nutshell it fulfills my requirements for a gearbox. It's cheap to buy and replace (£50), reasonably new, very strong, has a wide variety of ratios available for it (see http://www.opel-infos.de/getriebe/f23.html for full info) and allows me to upgrade to a cable shifter. I've heard the Astra Mk4 cable shifter bolts straight to the floorpan of the Calibra which is nice. Furthermore a 9-3 pedal box may also fit, which lets you run the hydraulic clutch the F23 needs. Beware though, Astra Mk4 F23 are different (top mount engine mount) and therefore harder to use. Ditto any F23 off a 2.2 from any car is useless as the starter motor is in the wrong place. The only hurdles I can see are getting the mounts fabricated. That in itself doesn't look too difficult at all.
Moving on, inside the car will be fairly bare. So far I know I'm having a lightened dashboard, small non-airbag steering wheel, standard clocks, the Recaro seat, harnesses and these:
That's an AEM wideband lambda to ensure the engine is running the right AFR, a Mk2 Astra hazard switch and a boost gauge. I've opted for a Stage 5 setup on the B204 so will need a few extra parts like injectors and a 3bar map sensor but should yield somewhere between 300 and 350bhp... which with lots of grip and traction should be pretty quick! Can't wait to set some lap times at various tracks.
I'm also very happy to have picked up a cheap set of Speedline Alessios in 5x110, ET49. They are reasonably light at 10kg each, and look strong enough to ride some kerbs with.
s****Y gold finish will soon be blasted off and replaced with a neon coloured powdercoat, new decals and centre caps!
And all importantly they clear the 4-pot brakes with 7mm to spare
Caliper to spoke clearance is fine
I'm thinking of some new centre caps as well as these are tatty.
Finally I picked up an offcut of Perspex from a local supplier. They tried offering me Polycarbonate at half the price but I thought I'd pay the extra and get the proper stuff.
This should be enough for my rear quarters, I'll then be looking at replacing the tailgate glass with some.
More soon. I expect to continue accumulating parts for a couple more weeks then begin with stripping the ecotec engine and running gear off Hypercalibra as it stands.
I found £900 I'd forgotten about a few days ago, so splashed out on one of these, as it's probably one of the dearest single part left I have to buy.
I'm going to use it in a Vectra B F23 gearbox. Why? Well in a nutshell it fulfills my requirements for a gearbox. It's cheap to buy and replace (£50), reasonably new, very strong, has a wide variety of ratios available for it (see http://www.opel-infos.de/getriebe/f23.html for full info) and allows me to upgrade to a cable shifter. I've heard the Astra Mk4 cable shifter bolts straight to the floorpan of the Calibra which is nice. Furthermore a 9-3 pedal box may also fit, which lets you run the hydraulic clutch the F23 needs. Beware though, Astra Mk4 F23 are different (top mount engine mount) and therefore harder to use. Ditto any F23 off a 2.2 from any car is useless as the starter motor is in the wrong place. The only hurdles I can see are getting the mounts fabricated. That in itself doesn't look too difficult at all.
Moving on, inside the car will be fairly bare. So far I know I'm having a lightened dashboard, small non-airbag steering wheel, standard clocks, the Recaro seat, harnesses and these:
That's an AEM wideband lambda to ensure the engine is running the right AFR, a Mk2 Astra hazard switch and a boost gauge. I've opted for a Stage 5 setup on the B204 so will need a few extra parts like injectors and a 3bar map sensor but should yield somewhere between 300 and 350bhp... which with lots of grip and traction should be pretty quick! Can't wait to set some lap times at various tracks.
I'm also very happy to have picked up a cheap set of Speedline Alessios in 5x110, ET49. They are reasonably light at 10kg each, and look strong enough to ride some kerbs with.
s****Y gold finish will soon be blasted off and replaced with a neon coloured powdercoat, new decals and centre caps!
And all importantly they clear the 4-pot brakes with 7mm to spare
Caliper to spoke clearance is fine
I'm thinking of some new centre caps as well as these are tatty.
Finally I picked up an offcut of Perspex from a local supplier. They tried offering me Polycarbonate at half the price but I thought I'd pay the extra and get the proper stuff.
This should be enough for my rear quarters, I'll then be looking at replacing the tailgate glass with some.
More soon. I expect to continue accumulating parts for a couple more weeks then begin with stripping the ecotec engine and running gear off Hypercalibra as it stands.
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
There will be unsafe content
Update time:
I've stripped a Saab 9-3 for various bits for the build. Here's the engine on the deck...
I'm only using a few ancillaries off it, for the B204 core I bought a few weeks ago
I've carefully and methodically labelled up all the hoses, wiring plugs etc for reference
While this little c*nt watched on...
Also off the 9-3 came the subframe, which is nicely galvanised (nice upgrade from the s****Y pig iron standard Vauxhall ones)
Lightweight aluminium lower arms (need a clean!)
Seriously beefy (26mm) front anti-roll bar. Gonna get this powdercoated and polybushed.
I've also liberated this pedal box, which has a hydraulic clutch pedal. Useful for my F23 I'm gonna use
I picked up a low mileage Vectra B F23 gearbox from Middlesborough last week
Casing opened up
Gear clusters were carefully inspected for damage. No missing teeth or signs of damage.
Box semi stripped, old diff vs Quaife diff
Box fully stripped, and casing cleaned and rinsed
Heating up the crown wheel to fit over the new diff
Going back together...
It's an F23CR, which depending on the exact variant is 4%, 9% or 14% shorter than a Z20LET F23 (which is short already). Figures are from memory from when I worked them out last week, I'll find out the definite ratios when I've checked the codes on the box. This should allow me to get close to max speed on the Nurburgring The downside is it should be horrendously noisy and bad on fuel driving it on the road!
Next up was a trip to City Powdercoaters. Here you can see my tatty gold Speedlines in the foreground, plus a wall of decisions!
And the result...
With centrecaps and black Speedline decals...
Not to everyones' taste, but
a) It's a track car
b) I don't care
It's going to be a matt black car, and I'll run with the pink for the wheels and wing mirrors just as a highlight.
Update time:
I've stripped a Saab 9-3 for various bits for the build. Here's the engine on the deck...
I'm only using a few ancillaries off it, for the B204 core I bought a few weeks ago
I've carefully and methodically labelled up all the hoses, wiring plugs etc for reference
While this little c*nt watched on...
Also off the 9-3 came the subframe, which is nicely galvanised (nice upgrade from the s****Y pig iron standard Vauxhall ones)
Lightweight aluminium lower arms (need a clean!)
Seriously beefy (26mm) front anti-roll bar. Gonna get this powdercoated and polybushed.
I've also liberated this pedal box, which has a hydraulic clutch pedal. Useful for my F23 I'm gonna use
I picked up a low mileage Vectra B F23 gearbox from Middlesborough last week
Casing opened up
Gear clusters were carefully inspected for damage. No missing teeth or signs of damage.
Box semi stripped, old diff vs Quaife diff
Box fully stripped, and casing cleaned and rinsed
Heating up the crown wheel to fit over the new diff
Going back together...
It's an F23CR, which depending on the exact variant is 4%, 9% or 14% shorter than a Z20LET F23 (which is short already). Figures are from memory from when I worked them out last week, I'll find out the definite ratios when I've checked the codes on the box. This should allow me to get close to max speed on the Nurburgring The downside is it should be horrendously noisy and bad on fuel driving it on the road!
Next up was a trip to City Powdercoaters. Here you can see my tatty gold Speedlines in the foreground, plus a wall of decisions!
And the result...
With centrecaps and black Speedline decals...
Not to everyones' taste, but
a) It's a track car
b) I don't care
It's going to be a matt black car, and I'll run with the pink for the wheels and wing mirrors just as a highlight.
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
An Evo of a similar or even younger age to this Calibra has AYC in it's 4WD etc... not to mention the torque split front/rear is much more favourable. Look at the 60ft times achieved by them in drag racing for a hint of that!
Update time, I was not looking forward to fabricating a rear mount for the F23 box, but as luck has it, a Saab 9-3 B205 rear mount will fit without any mods
The front gearbox mount is another matter. Calibra F20 one won't fit, nor will the Vectra B mount as that mounts to the subframe. I'm going to try an F28 mount in the next couple of days.
Back inside the car, I finished stripping out the seats and carpets. Easy enough.
The laborious part is stripping off the sound deadening; a tar-like sheet that has to be heated and scraped off by hand from the floor, rear quarters, boot and roof
The residue is then attacked with Tectane brake cleaner and rubbed off ready for paint
After about 3 hours, I'm half done with the sound deadening. I do this between other jobs to break up the mechanical work.
Here's a quick glimpse of the aluminium sheet I'm using to plate over the spare wheel well, which I've been drilling the pop rivets out of. The sheet will sit nicely on the 1" wide lip that runs around the wheel well, and be bonded and riveted into place.
I've also fitted a new pair of track rod ends onto the Saab steering arms I'm using, and greased up the adjusters nicely
And taken delivery of some Superflex inner bushes (well worth it @ £25)
Bushes pressed in
I've also sourced a steering rack brace to further tighten the steering up. Anyone who's driven the Hatzenbach corners at Nurburgring will know it's all about steering feel and feedback!
Next up was some R&D work on the bootlid. I can't exaggerate how heavy these things are!
Bits I'm removing
- Glass
- Wiper & motor
- Wiring loom
- Plastics
Glass carefully removed with a lump hammer
The remnants can then be peeled away with the rubber seal
There's a lip to grind off too, to leave a flat area that I can bond / rivet perspex to
Bare bootlid ready for painting
Matt black paint going on...
You wouldn't believe how much lighter this is!!! I'll add the perspex and it'll be ready to fit.
#1000kg_challenge
Update time, I was not looking forward to fabricating a rear mount for the F23 box, but as luck has it, a Saab 9-3 B205 rear mount will fit without any mods
The front gearbox mount is another matter. Calibra F20 one won't fit, nor will the Vectra B mount as that mounts to the subframe. I'm going to try an F28 mount in the next couple of days.
Back inside the car, I finished stripping out the seats and carpets. Easy enough.
The laborious part is stripping off the sound deadening; a tar-like sheet that has to be heated and scraped off by hand from the floor, rear quarters, boot and roof
The residue is then attacked with Tectane brake cleaner and rubbed off ready for paint
After about 3 hours, I'm half done with the sound deadening. I do this between other jobs to break up the mechanical work.
Here's a quick glimpse of the aluminium sheet I'm using to plate over the spare wheel well, which I've been drilling the pop rivets out of. The sheet will sit nicely on the 1" wide lip that runs around the wheel well, and be bonded and riveted into place.
I've also fitted a new pair of track rod ends onto the Saab steering arms I'm using, and greased up the adjusters nicely
And taken delivery of some Superflex inner bushes (well worth it @ £25)
Bushes pressed in
I've also sourced a steering rack brace to further tighten the steering up. Anyone who's driven the Hatzenbach corners at Nurburgring will know it's all about steering feel and feedback!
Next up was some R&D work on the bootlid. I can't exaggerate how heavy these things are!
Bits I'm removing
- Glass
- Wiper & motor
- Wiring loom
- Plastics
Glass carefully removed with a lump hammer
The remnants can then be peeled away with the rubber seal
There's a lip to grind off too, to leave a flat area that I can bond / rivet perspex to
Bare bootlid ready for painting
Matt black paint going on...
You wouldn't believe how much lighter this is!!! I'll add the perspex and it'll be ready to fit.
#1000kg_challenge
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
More parts arriving today
Genuine Saab oil to get me going and put 500 miles of testing on the car, prior to the first track event (Spring 2015!!!)
Also got some sealant so I can drop and clean the sump and a new filter etc... and new gaskets for the turbo, manifolds etc... engine will have a bit of a refresh before it goes in!
Saab Viggen clutch kit, it's £230 but apparently fine for 500bhp
My wiring adapter loom from Nige. Only two wires to connect, other than that it's plug and play!
And my ECU! Unlocked and mapped to stage 5! Just reading that label makes me mega excited
I have also found somewhere to get a 3" bore exhaust system fabricated in 304 stainless. The plan is to have one silencer box plus the silencing in the backbox. Then, as an additional trick up my sleeve, a decibel insert (for noise restrictions on track). I just need to buy a 3" downpipe prior to this, and that is the exhaust system sorted.
On the chassis front... this showed up too, a steering rack brace to tighten everything up!
And anti-roll bar mounts for the 26mm Saab ARB.
I have also sourced some 17x7.5J wheels (genuine BBS), so the pink compomotives (7J) are up for sale. And just to be even more indecisive, I'm contemplating just getting a set of 8J rims to allow me to run 245 profile semi slicks. Cannot wait to throw this thing round a track
Body wise I have found some headlights with plastic lenses in (lighter than glass) and also fitted some lightweight mirrors (no pics of these just yet)
More soon
Genuine Saab oil to get me going and put 500 miles of testing on the car, prior to the first track event (Spring 2015!!!)
Also got some sealant so I can drop and clean the sump and a new filter etc... and new gaskets for the turbo, manifolds etc... engine will have a bit of a refresh before it goes in!
Saab Viggen clutch kit, it's £230 but apparently fine for 500bhp
My wiring adapter loom from Nige. Only two wires to connect, other than that it's plug and play!
And my ECU! Unlocked and mapped to stage 5! Just reading that label makes me mega excited
I have also found somewhere to get a 3" bore exhaust system fabricated in 304 stainless. The plan is to have one silencer box plus the silencing in the backbox. Then, as an additional trick up my sleeve, a decibel insert (for noise restrictions on track). I just need to buy a 3" downpipe prior to this, and that is the exhaust system sorted.
On the chassis front... this showed up too, a steering rack brace to tighten everything up!
And anti-roll bar mounts for the 26mm Saab ARB.
I have also sourced some 17x7.5J wheels (genuine BBS), so the pink compomotives (7J) are up for sale. And just to be even more indecisive, I'm contemplating just getting a set of 8J rims to allow me to run 245 profile semi slicks. Cannot wait to throw this thing round a track
Body wise I have found some headlights with plastic lenses in (lighter than glass) and also fitted some lightweight mirrors (no pics of these just yet)
More soon
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
Chavtastic wrote:My wiring adapter loom from Nige. Only two wires to connect, other than that it's plug and play!
I think James needs to be having words with Nige considering what he got from him & what I'm left to work with!!
Calibra SE4 3.2 V6 + F28
A Couple of German Cars!
A Couple of German Cars!
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
To be fair I sent Nige the Calibra footwell plugs for that purpose, to make it plug and play.
Go easy on him, he's in hospital today for bowel surgery.
He's a good guy too. Not as good as Tim. But better than Shifty.
Go easy on him, he's in hospital today for bowel surgery.
He's a good guy too. Not as good as Tim. But better than Shifty.
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
Fair enough.
Don't suppose you have any of those 3 small connectors going spare do you? I could do with some but I don't want to chop James old Calibra loom as he's wanting to sell the engine, loom & ECU complete.
Don't suppose you have any of those 3 small connectors going spare do you? I could do with some but I don't want to chop James old Calibra loom as he's wanting to sell the engine, loom & ECU complete.
Calibra SE4 3.2 V6 + F28
A Couple of German Cars!
A Couple of German Cars!
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
what s a trick,you have double garage?????
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
Dan - No sorry but any Cavalier petrol or Calibra will have them. Maybe even Mk3 Astra
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
Yes buddy double garage with upstairs
Re: Bens Garage - Work safe edition!
Haah lol!1!1!1 this is fun, he meant "TWO FORUM THREADS" hahha noobs!1!1!
A Collector Never Stops Collecting!1!1
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