Post: #1

Is anybody building a car as a hobby? I have one older Open Corsa which is not needed and I was thinking that instead of just scrapping it or selling it for couple of hundred bucks I would do some modifications on it and maybe drive it around for fun.

I have no experience in building cars so it would be good opportunity to build up some manly car skills.

First thing I would probably need to find some places where to actually execute my hacks on the car. After finding the place I would swap the engine from 1.2->1.6 and see where to go from there.

Anybody else got some 67 Mustang or Opel Corsa sitting in the garage for some Sunday man fun?

Post: #2

I've been doing most of my own car maintenance since i started driving. It's fulfilling to keep your machine in peak operating condition and saves you money. I've been over my head a few times but always got the job done. Plus nothing beats drinking beers and tinkering in the garage with some buddies on a Saturday afternoon.

Invest in a decent set of tools, Haynes/Chilton manual, and don't forget that Google is your friend. I always dig through car forums before I start a new job I'm unfamiliar with.

Post: #3

It's a great hobby to get into as long as you don't decide to buy a dozen junker cars with the idea that you're going to flip them and make a profit until you're already very good at fixing cars.

There is no substitute for a mentor. I'm lucky because I have my dad and two uncles who are all very good at fixing cars and engines of all kinds, as well as tools, sheds, hydraulic lifts, and hoists.

In my experience, car mechanics have a tendency to be assholes. This is probably because everyone and their step mother wants to leverage their relationship with the guy to get their shitty cars fixed for free.

Don't be a parasite and disrespect the man's time. At the very, very least bring a case of beer and an open mind, there is nothing more frustrating than a guy asking you for help and then he tells you his idea of how to fix the problem.

Post: #4

(03-11-2016 01:48 PM)evilhei Wrote:  Is anybody building a car as a hobby? I have one older Open Corsa which is not needed and I was thinking that instead of just scrapping it or selling it for couple of hundred bucks I would do some modifications on it and maybe drive it around for fun.

I have no experience in building cars so it would be good opportunity to build up some manly car skills.

First thing I would probably need to find some places where to actually execute my hacks on the car. After finding the place I would swap the engine from 1.2->1.6 and see where to go from there.

Anybody else got some 67 Mustang or Opel Corsa sitting in the garage for some Sunday man fun?

I buy cars, build cars, drift cars, track cars, sell cars, scrap cars, and when I feel down I just stand at busy intersections and look at all the cars. I can therefore safely say that I'm a car guy. Here's a few pointers;

- It's hard to find other car guys in Europe because Europeans are fucking boring.
- Being a single car guy and living in a European metropolitan city (seeing the flag I assume you're living in a European metro) is hard because you have to pick between living in the suburbs to have a house and garage vs. living downtown to have good logistics.
- If you don't have a garage, and when you do find other car guys, you can pool up and rent a garage somewhere in the sticks and do all your car shit there.
- If you do have a place to do mods at, but it's not owned by you, assume that something will go horribly wrong and your car won't be able to make it out of there on its own power, and make sure that it's not a problem that it stays there for a while (until you get parts or tools to fix your fuck up)
- If you have literally no experience in building cars, just sell that 1.2 Corsa and buy a 1.6 Corsa if that's what you want or something else if it isn't, and save yourself the headache and swear words because an engine swap is not the best first mod.
- If the Corsa you have is destined for the scrap yard, instead of starting an engine swap which you almost certainly won't be able to finish, just rip out the interior, do a tune up (oil, oil filter, spark plugs, air filter, run a can of Seafoam through a vacuum line) then start with a battery relocation (which is indeed a good first project) and just smash it around the nearest race track.
- If you instead decide to sell it, get a miata or an E30 both of which are very fun vehicles.

Tool pointers:
- First of all get a Haynes manual for whatever car you have.
- Get a good socket wrench. Don't cheap out on the wrench, get a good one or cry later. Get 3/8" and/or 1/2" drives and you may also get a smaller one with a 1/4" drive in case you need to do electrical work in cramped areas like the footwell etc.
- Get a metric socket set and make sure you have multiple 8, 10 and 13 mm sockets as these are the most commonly used and you'll most certainly drop a couple in your engine bay.
- You don't need an imperial socket set
- Get a spark plug socket
- Get a wrench set, those with one open end and one box end, again metric. You may get a ratcheting wrench set if you're feeling extravagant.
- Get an oil filter tool
- Screwdriver set
- Hammer, mallet, pliers etc. the usual suspects
- Can of WD-40, penetrating fluid, degreaser, rust remover etc
- Jack and jack stands (Please use jack stands!) or a set of ramps
- Bricks or old wheels are not jack stands
- These are pretty much the basics, I have a duffel bag full of tools that I carry out most of my shit with and it pretty much consists of these and a bunch more stuff that you probably won't need in the beginning.

Overall:
- Automotive work is very easy when someone else does it.
- I think I already covered how you shouldn't assume that your car will be able to make it out of the garage, last sockets get dropped in the engine bay, bolts break when you don't have extractors, wiring shorts out and electrical parts get damaged, you realize you don't have the right tool at the end of a 3-hour job and you can't put the thing back together, do your thing carefully but keep in mind that anything can happen.
- When buying junkers to fix and flip I personally try to avoid ones with electrical issues because of how quickly it becomes a shit show considering pretty much everything is electronic (and proprietary) in modern cars.
- Try to buy something with easy fixes such as "needs new exhaust" "clicking CV joint" "blown shocks" etc.
- Make sure you have another means of transportation while your car's out of order, to be able to go to the store and blow more cash on tools and parts.

Ping el mech so he also drops his $0.02

Godspeed OP and welcome to the club.

Post: #5

Thats some good points. I have experience with cars but just not really modifying them. I have owned E30 and loved that car but that was ages ago, now to to find good E30 thats not rusted til death would probably cost millions probably.

I was also thinking of trying to find some guys who I can share the garage with, I would be happy to pay monthly rent to keep my wrack there. Now that I think of it I did try to swap engine on VW Golf when I was 18 together with some friends. That didn't end well, the new engine never got installed and I took that car to crap yard.

I would get another car and that Opel would be as a project car only. I already did some research and it seems that I can easily swap the 1.2 engine with 1.6, all the mounts should fit without any problems.

Well well see how it goes but it sounds fun to have a small fast car to go to track from time to time and in the winter to drive on the ice rings.

Post: #6

(03-11-2016 05:50 PM)evilhei Wrote:  I already did some research and it seems that I can easily swap the 1.2 engine with 1.6, all the mounts should fit without any problems.

I don't know man, just the ECU and wiring loom made me shiver.

I've seen some guy drop a 200+ hp Saab turbo in an Astra. That shit was amazing. If the mounts are the same why don't you jump in a ferry to Sweden and buy a complete Saab in working condition for $300 bucks.

Edit: I actually found a video of one Saab red top having been dropped in a Corsa. It looks very interesting.

Post: #7

I need Opel c24ne engines and getrag 240 trans.

Where are they???

Post: #8

Some advice..

Choose your projects wisely meaning when you're done you can recover what you spent or come close.

If you want to win? Buy parts cars if the project you're working on is popular and sell parts to pay for the good stuff.

I'm restoring a car now myself it's a 1972 I looked it over and I buy the stuff I think I want or need online when it shows up.

Post: #9

(03-11-2016 06:19 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  I need Opel c24ne engines and getrag 240 trans.

Where are they???

If it's the 2.4L cam in head I have no idea, that engine wasn't even available in the Swedish market, the few ones that exist here are German imports.

getrag 240, that's the tranny in the E30 318i right? Those aren't uncommon at all, even I had one.

Also why do I feel like this thread's gonna end with me giving advice on another saab swap.

Edit, I found 6 pages of Getrag straight out of scrapped E30s and they're like $100 a pop, PM if interested

Post: #10

It's a great hobby to have and you may make some good friends through it. I'm currently rebuilding the top end of the engine in my P38 Range Rover.

Getting Started

If you're a complete newbie to working on cars, then the best place to start is the internet. There are lots of car forums out there. One of the best for drawing inspiration from is Retro Rides as it's non-marque specific and there's a huge variety of cars on there. There's a section of the forum for people to post threads of their builds/restorations. You'll also want to find a Opel/Vauxhall or Corsa specific forum as well as there you'll find people much more knowledgeable about your car. An Opel or Corsa forum will also be a prime place to look for any parts you may need for your car. You'll meet some good people through the forums and with luck you may find someone close by with more experience working on cars and who is willing to give you a helping hand.

Another great internet resource is Youtube. If you're about to do a job for the first time, you'll probably find a video or three on Youtube showing you how to do it step by step.


Workspace

Before you start doing any work on the car you're going to need a place to work on it and tools to work on it with. Now, since we're coming into spring and summer and the days are getting longer, for the next six months, you don't really need an enclosed workshop. A carport or even outside on a private drive will be more than sufficient for your purposes. If you do plan on getting an indoor place to work, then make sure it's got electricity and plenty of room for storage. There's nothing worse than trying to work in a dark space with barely enough room for the car.


Tools

Before working on the car you're going to need to put together a basic tool kit. You'll absolutely need the following.
1. A set of ratchets, sockets, and wrenches/spanners. It doesn't need to be professional grade but you still need to make sure that it's decent quality. Cheap tools can end up rounding off the heads of nuts and bolts, or they break. Make sure that your tool set has all three sizes of ratchets - 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" and that it has a selection of both long and short sockets between 8mm and 21mm in size.
A good set may also have a selection of specialist bits such as torx, allen keys, and the like. For modern cars you'll find that these are essential.
2. A good screwdriver set. Again, try and get decent quality tools so that you don't damage either the tools or the screws you are trying to remove.
3. A floor jack and 2-4 jack stands. These are absolutely essential if you're working under the car. I know of one person on the retro rides forum who was killed when the car he was working on fell on him.
4. It's worthwhile having the following items on hand when working on cars. Rags/towels and paraffin are essential to cleaning caked on oil and grease off bits. A paint scraper would come in handy as well. Penetrating fluid is an essential if you're going to be undoing rusty bolts.
5. A work bench with a vice is nice to have but not essential. Likewise more specialist tools such as snap ring pliers, or hose clamp pliers can save you a great deal of time and agravation. My advice though isn't to rush and and purchase these at the start. If you find you have a need for them, then purchase them.
6. Lastly, don't forget to grab yourself a set of coveralls/boiler and some disposable gloves to keep you sort of clean.


Good luck with it. Maintaining, repairing, and modifying your car can give you a great deal of satisfaction, especially as so many modern men would be hard pressed to change a tyre or boost a flat battery. It can also save you money, and some chicas may be impressed by it.

Post: #11

(03-11-2016 05:50 PM)evilhei Wrote:  Thats some good points. I have experience with cars but just not really modifying them. I have owned E30 and loved that car but that was ages ago, now to to find good E30 thats not rusted til death would probably cost millions probably.

I was also thinking of trying to find some guys who I can share the garage with, I would be happy to pay monthly rent to keep my wrack there. Now that I think of it I did try to swap engine on VW Golf when I was 18 together with some friends. That didn't end well, the new engine never got installed and I took that car to crap yard.

I would get another car and that Opel would be as a project car only. I already did some research and it seems that I can easily swap the 1.2 engine with 1.6, all the mounts should fit without any problems.

Well well see how it goes but it sounds fun to have a small fast car to go to track from time to time and in the winter to drive on the ice rings.

Here in the UK E30 prices have gone through the roof in the last year or so. My current daily beater is an E30 estate that I paid £410 for four years ago. In the condition I bought it in (it's getting pretty manky looking now) which was by no means mint and with rust starting to show, it would probably fetch £1200.

A great alternative to the E30 is a Mercedes 190e. They don't tend to rust as much, and they're far better screwed together with better quality interiors. Try to find one with the sportline suspension.

Post: #12

(03-11-2016 06:56 PM)da_zeb Wrote:  

(03-11-2016 05:50 PM)evilhei Wrote:  Thats some good points. I have experience with cars but just not really modifying them. I have owned E30 and loved that car but that was ages ago, now to to find good E30 thats not rusted til death would probably cost millions probably.

I was also thinking of trying to find some guys who I can share the garage with, I would be happy to pay monthly rent to keep my wrack there. Now that I think of it I did try to swap engine on VW Golf when I was 18 together with some friends. That didn't end well, the new engine never got installed and I took that car to crap yard.

I would get another car and that Opel would be as a project car only. I already did some research and it seems that I can easily swap the 1.2 engine with 1.6, all the mounts should fit without any problems.

Well well see how it goes but it sounds fun to have a small fast car to go to track from time to time and in the winter to drive on the ice rings.

Here in the UK E30 prices have gone through the roof in the last year or so. My current daily beater is an E30 estate that I paid £410 for four years ago. In the condition I bought it in (it's getting pretty manky looking now) which was by no means mint and with rust starting to show, it would probably fetch £1200. An unmolested, rust free four door 318 or 320 is probably £2500 now.

A great alternative to the E30 is a Mercedes 190e. They don't tend to rust as much, and they're far better screwed together with better quality interiors. Try to find one with the sportline suspension.

Post: #13

Ive restored and raced vintage Mustangs for more than 20 years. I'm out of the racing game, but still restore. Hit me up on PM if you have specific questions.

Post: #14

Any of you guys ever do any auto crossing with those modded cars?

Post: #15

(03-11-2016 06:30 PM)the Thing Wrote:  

(03-11-2016 06:19 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  I need Opel c24ne engines and getrag 240 trans.

Where are they???

If it's the 2.4L cam in head I have no idea, that engine wasn't even available in the Swedish market, the few ones that exist here are German imports.

getrag 240, that's the tranny in the E30 318i right? Those aren't uncommon at all, even I had one.

Also why do I feel like this thread's gonna end with me giving advice on another saab swap.

Edit, I found 6 pages of Getrag straight out of scrapped E30s and they're like $100 a pop, PM if interested

Opel / vauxall frontera you didn't get those? The trans (240) should be able to bolt up the cih engines and yeah they're cheap barley worth a pallet to send here unless they're perfect. Like my perfect not some person in Europe telling me it shifts fine..

Post: #16

^ Thats a Chevy!

Those where sold by Chevrolet in Latin America under the name "Chevy". I used to had an old one. A very lightweight car, You could fly down to the border and buy one for peanuts if you are willing to drive it back to Florida, or just yard it at the border and ship the engine back.

Post: #17

(03-11-2016 09:19 PM)germanico Wrote:  ^ Thats a Chevy!

Those where sold by Chevrolet in Latin America under the name "Chevy". I used to had an old one. A very lightweight car, You could fly down to the border and buy one for peanuts if you are willing to drive it back to Florida, or just yard it at the border and ship the engine back.

Ok find 20 I'll buy them.

Post: #18

(03-11-2016 07:39 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  

(03-11-2016 06:30 PM)the Thing Wrote:  

(03-11-2016 06:19 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  I need Opel c24ne engines and getrag 240 trans.

Where are they???

If it's the 2.4L cam in head I have no idea, that engine wasn't even available in the Swedish market, the few ones that exist here are German imports.

getrag 240, that's the tranny in the E30 318i right? Those aren't uncommon at all, even I had one.

Also why do I feel like this thread's gonna end with me giving advice on another saab swap.

Edit, I found 6 pages of Getrag straight out of scrapped E30s and they're like $100 a pop, PM if interested

Opel / vauxall frontera you didn't get those? The trans (240) should be able to bolt up the cih engines and yeah they're cheap barley worth a pallet to send here unless they're perfect. Like my perfect not some person in Europe telling me it shifts fine..

Frontera was sold in Sweden with the 2.0L CIH and 2.2 as an option if I recall correctly. Never the 2.4

Post: #19

(03-12-2016 06:47 AM)the Thing Wrote:  

(03-11-2016 07:39 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  

(03-11-2016 06:30 PM)the Thing Wrote:  

(03-11-2016 06:19 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  I need Opel c24ne engines and getrag 240 trans.

Where are they???

If it's the 2.4L cam in head I have no idea, that engine wasn't even available in the Swedish market, the few ones that exist here are German imports.

getrag 240, that's the tranny in the E30 318i right? Those aren't uncommon at all, even I had one.

Also why do I feel like this thread's gonna end with me giving advice on another saab swap.

Edit, I found 6 pages of Getrag straight out of scrapped E30s and they're like $100 a pop, PM if interested

Opel / vauxall frontera you didn't get those? The trans (240) should be able to bolt up the cih engines and yeah they're cheap barley worth a pallet to send here unless they're perfect. Like my perfect not some person in Europe telling me it shifts fine..

Frontera was sold in Sweden with the 2.0L CIH and 2.2 as an option if I recall correctly. Never the 2.4

I guess that explains why I couldn't find any there.

Post: #20

Good advice here so far. I bought a work van and due to needing to try and save money I started watching youtube videos on how to fix things that went wrong. Eric the Car Guy, and Scotty Kilmer are two popular youtubers who have a lot of good free stuff.

For tools I bought most from Harbor Freight which is a big chain here in USA. Its mostly made in China cheaply made tools, but for the DIY hobbyist it seems to work and they are by far the cheapest.