Vauxhall Senator 24V Auto Resto/Repair

[bstardchild]

OK not a Carlton but neither was my Monza - think of it as the Carltons better looking younger sister 

Anyway I have to finish this one before I can start the carlton project so i might as well bring the project up to date 

It got interupted by the Monza 24V conversion which turned out to be more than just an engine change and it needed garage space more than this one which wintered under a car cover!!!

L690 HKX - brief history snapped chain picked up off ebay for a few hundred quid two years ago - engine was slowly being rebuilt - head was mullered 23/24 valves bent and pistons hit so hard they'd trapped the top compression rings



I had at one stage two dead Senators on my drive - both without engines but now the old one is stripped and gone - all I have to do is swap all the bits I now have stored.

So remaining parts to swap

- Total interior including dash, Pillar trims, door cards, heater matrix etc....
- Drilled discs
- Full Stainless Exhaust
- AVO lowering springs and Poly bushes all round
- AC Parts as required

Then I need to get rid of the towbar - fit the irmscher kit - replace a couple of doors and get it all painted

- Bottom end now all rebuilt and painted
- spare head I had from J905 HAB (ported and skimmed and now fully rebuilt with new stem seals etc)

It all looked a bit smart seemed a shame to put fluffy alloy parts back on the engine so I went a bit mad  :roll: and had just a few bit bead blasted and powder coated *coughs* Only a few was the original intention - lapsed into if it moves powder coat it if it doesn't move powder coat it anyway as it might be sleeping!!!!







What do you think?

PS The next thing is to paint all the lettering

"3.0 24V" on the rocker cover
the was red - now stripped to bare alloy - spark plug cover
And all the lettering on the dual ram cover plate

In Rioja - to match the car

Well assembly underway

Pics











Head is now on - It's bloody hard to angle tighten the head bolts when the engine stand has wheels - my old home made one didn't have wheels and it was easy - mind you it was huge!!! - thats progress  :wink:

All the timing chains are fitted and correctly set - I reckon about 4 hrs work should have it ready to go back in the car - yipee!!!





OK - nearly finished and getting bloody bored

- cleaning cleaning cleaning
- bolt one thing on
- cleaning cleaning cleaning
- ooops paint a bit
- Sort out the wiring so it's neat
- cleaning cleaning cleaning

Anyway still to do

- compressor
- Alternator
- Belts and pulleys
- detail work on the dual ram cover plate
- Rocker cover lettering
- Loads of other shite

Anyway latest pics







Damn thing is finally finished

I know I haben't done the lettering on the rocker cover......









Wall of shame - cars broken to save others just in view  :roll:



Well it's plugged



Now we are up to date - just the interior and all the other jobs to do now - target is 2 mths time have a Senny back on the road with out spending any more money - all ready got all the bits I need or want purchased last year when I started it (exception being painting it cos I have to change a couple of doors cos they are bent and rusty)

[Pedro]

My god - do you ever give up?

Fookin awesome colour on a Senny matey!

IMHO, the cover looks better without the "3.0 24V" numbers done a different colour.
Mine's the same colour as the car, but it's painted and lacquered, so it kind of "shadows" the numbers. Looks less gay.........

[bstardchild]

My god - do you ever give up?

Nope....... I want all three on the road together next year so now the Monza is nearly finished time to get back to sorting this one out

Fookin awesome colour on a Senny matey!

Yep - 2nd one this colour I've had - hated it when i got it loved it after I sold it - so got another

IMHO, the cover looks better without the "3.0 24V" numbers done a different colour.
Mine's the same colour as the car, but it's painted and lacquered, so it kind of "shadows" the numbers. Looks less gay.........

Hmmm - I'll think about it 

This has a big list but end target is

24V Senator Auto
 
- Fully rebuilt engine (usual tuning mods balh blah blah 240 bhp)
- Full Irmscher kit (Except the shitty grill Modifing the Irmscher bumper to take full senny grill and the alternative boot spoiler)
- De-bumped or colour coded door bump strips
- Irmscher 16 inch Cross spokes on 225/55 Pilots
- Irmscher wood rimed steering wheel
- Lotus Carlton Anthracite Seats F&R
- Lowered 40mm all round
- Poly Donuts
- Camber adjuster poly bushes rear
- Gay Dash
- Working AC
- Smidge of ICE
- Car related plate I have had on retention for 2 years plus "A 3.0 CD"

Guess what I'm short of......... nowt  (cept paint!!!)

[Big Rod]

I love the look of that engine Ian.

Good luck with it.

Just a thought about the '3.0 24V' lettering on the cambox cover...............

How about outlining them in black rather than painting them solid? PITA to do I reckon and you'd need a steady hand, but I think it'd look quite nice.

[Pedro]

Mine kinda look outined, but it's just a slight build up of lacquer around the digits - difficult to describe, TBH.

[Diplo-Matt]

I love to see your garage that looks great! I painted the letters on my black. Looked crap though so going back to red instead.