Mk1 Astra GTE

[Mark1GTE]

Hello

My name is Mark and I have been to several TT events over the past year or two but never joined the forum until now so here is my first post

I have three Mk1 Astra's, a road spec GTE, an ex GM Dealer Sport GpN rally spec GTE and one currently stripped to a shell for restoration, my daily is a 2016 BMW X5 but the one some of you will know is the road spec GTE A641 SPO, I bought this car in 2015 and set about getting it fully road worthy again as it had been unused and in storage since the 1990's

I have had a fantastic 2016 show season with it winning eight show trophies in it's first year back on the road and have attended many Scottish shows including being invited to display it at the Ignition Festival of Motoring, The Manchester Classic Car Show and the NEC Classic Motor Show where it was on the Top 20 Pride of Ownership stand and won 3rd place as voted for by the 71,000 show visitors

I have attended several TT breakfasts with it and had a play with the Gumball 3000 cars as they passed through Scotland earlier this year

It has also been featured in a few motoring magazines, so 2016 has been quite a year, here are some of the photos from this fantastic year






















And the most recent one from the Milano breakfast meet

[Andrew[MG]]

Nice to hear a bit more about the car(s)! When do you plan on finishing the restoration?

Lots of cool pictures there but this one looks like everyone is out just to see you.

[Mark1GTE]

Nice to hear a bit more about the car(s)! When do you plan on finishing the restoration?

Lots of cool pictures there but this one looks like everyone is out just to see you.

They were out to see the Gumball Rally but it does kind of look like that

The restoration has been stalled for quite a few years due to lack of motivation and interest but since buying A641 SPO and getting back in to the car scene I have been re-energised and plans are in place for some fresh work to be carried out in 2017

These are my other two

GTM 420Y is a pre production Astra GTE originally owned by Vauxhall and was used as a press / test road car, later in 1983 it was converted in to a GpN rally car for use by Brian Wiggins as part of the GM Dealer Sport team, it won it's class in the 1984 British Rally Championship and the Lombard RAC Rally ( WRC ) in the same year, I have owned this car for nearly 12 years



1984 Rally Sport Magazine featured with World Champion Hannu Mikkola's Audi Quattro





The 1984 GMDS Team with Jimmy McRae as lead car




1984 Scottish Rally



1984 RAC Rally



After changing hands a few times since the 80's this is how it currently looks




And my other that is stripped to a shell, also owned for 12 years



And the daily that will be at some Winter breakfast's as the GTE don't like salty roads

[Angelus]

Love seeing the car, it looks brilliant and glad you got rewarded for the hard work. Understand putting it away in the winter and hope it comes back out early next year though.

[OlberJ]

Fantastic collection.

Loveit on the speedlines but understand why you put original wheels on.

[Mark1GTE]

Fantastic collection.

Loveit on the speedlines but understand why you put original wheels on.

Thanks

I will swap between the Compomotives and original alloys depending on what type of event or show it is at as I also love it on them, for the NEC Classic Show I felt original wheels suited better so it is currently on them at the moment

[Mark1GTE]

Love seeing the car, it looks brilliant and glad you got rewarded for the hard work. Understand putting it away in the winter and hope it comes back out early next year though.

Thanks

Still a bit more work to do over the Winter but it will be back out quite soon in 2017 maybe even as early as the Monte Carlo Rally start in Paisley but that really is weather dependant and maybe wishful thinking, rain I don't mind but salty roads I do

[OlberJ]

Had actually typed Compomotives then thought, no speedlines. Still, nice look.

How do they drive? I've got a similar era 205 and that, although a hoot, feels pretty old school now.

[Mark1GTE]

Had actually typed Compomotives then thought, no speedlines. Still, nice look.

How do they drive? I've got a similar era 205 and that, although a hoot, feels pretty old school now.

Have driven many old school hot hatches and it drives very well considering it's age but can easily under steer under power in the wet but that can be said for most FWD cars good tyre choice helps relieve this, in the dry on a B road it is fantastic fun but by modern standards a good Tdi family hatch will keep up with it on A roads and motorways

Took this Mk2 GTE on a road trip to the Nurburgring last year thinking it would not handle as well but it surprised me on the Nordschleife and the GP track, just chucked it in to a corner and it held on, little bit more civilised over the Mk1 having power steering and electric pack

[highlander]

Even though these do not rock my boat, your passion for them shines through. Nicely done

[Mark1GTE]

Even though these do not rock my boat, your passion for them shines through. Nicely done

Thank you

I guess 22 years of Mk1 ownership has made me so passionate about them

This was my first one back in 1994

[Angelus]

How much would that reg number be worth now?

[highlander]

How much would that reg number be worth now?

Lol. Would not like to even guess at a price!

[Mark1GTE]

How much would that reg number be worth now?

Unfortunately that was not it's real reg, I was taking part in the Scottish Autotest Championship in that photo and my sponsor who took that photo owned an A1 Motor Store in Kilmarnock called The Lay By

Although the car is long gone I still have the number plates

[Mark1GTE]

My Astra GTE made Classic Car Weekly's Top 52 Cars of 2016 list in the Xmas Special