Progress thread: Balou#14

[Balou#14]

This is how my Astra 1.7CDTI looked when I first got it. (only changed the antenna)



This is a list of the changes I have made. 


INTERIOR

LED interior lights
sunglassholder
compartiment in glovebox
opel door sills
OPC metal pedals
velours floormats
brodit phoneholder
aluminium doorpins
Door hinge covers
Bi-turbo steering wheel
OPC line gear knob
Second bootlight
Ambient door lights
Footwell lights
Changed color of numbers on gear knob
Motion sensors in roof console


EXTERIOR

short antenna
black number plate holder
whiter headlights to better match LED DRL
LED number plate lights
Window tints
remove astra and ecoflex logo's from boot
winter wheels 17"
Plasti dip winter wheels
Plasti dip opel logo on boot
tinted side repeaters
Heko winddeflectors
stickers boot
exchanged 17" wheels for 19"
Plasti dip grill
locking wheelnuts
Black wheelnut covers


ENGINE

Pipercross air filter
Battery cover


The most recent photo's I've found are almost a year old so I'm going to make some new ones in the weekend when I can find some time

But this is what my car looked like at that point with the 17" wheels



And with the winter wheels

[tucpal]

nice looking motor

[sheppy1]

Damn! I love how far you've come with it since that first photo! Any more photos?? Love to see them!

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Can I ask which bulbs you used for the front lights and we're they a simple replace job or something else? Also did you have to take the wheels off to plasti dip them?

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[Balou#14]

I've made some more photo's yesterday, I will try to upload them in the next couple of days.

I used a bleuvision type bulp I got from the local tuning shop. I believe it was 4200k. I think I may have the packaging laying around somewhere, so if I find it I will let you know what brand it is.

My winter wheels are the 5 spoke steel ones with covers. So I only had to plastidip the covers which was an easy job

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[sheppy1]

Cheers mate! Just not sure what the difference is between those bulbs you will have used and the full Xenon kits which some of the guys use...guessing yours aren't xenons but just whiter bulbs? Which would be fine with me! Ha.

Ahhhhh right okie dokie! I want to spray my alloys you see but not sure if plastidip will hold....

[Balou#14]

Mine are not full xenon kits, just halogen lights that produce 'whiter' light. I can't find a brandname on the packaging of the bulbs, but they are distributed by autostyle.nl according to the box. The guy from the shop said they were the same quality as the bulbs but they were only 1/3 of the price
I have had them for almost 3 years now and I am very happy with them.

My experience with plastidip is that it holds pretty well. If you spray enough layers it is very durable.

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[sheppy1]

Oooo right okay! Well after I've seen some pics of them I'll decide if I wanna get them I do want rid of the yellow bulbs though so I can have matching white ones like the DRLs as you said

Okay, thinking of getting some ya see to make mine glossy black but don't want it peeling off left right and centre lol

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[Balou#14]

I don't have any photo's of the original bulbs but this is with the whiter bulbs, I think they match way better and I paid only 15€ for a set I believe.



And here are the other photo's of how the car looks like today on the 19" wheels. And some detailed photo's of the small mods.

[sheppy1]

wow dude!!! that looks really really good!!! I'm gonna have to steal a few of your ideas I was struggling to think what colour choices for trim would look good with the grey car (no one else here seems to have one) so I never really did much excepy add the chrome trim around the widnows, tinted rear lights, tinted repeaters and chrome fog light trim too...so chrome and standard grey really

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Are these type of bulbs you used mate?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Astra...486fbb6cff

Also how easy is it to take the headlights out? Don't have to take the bumper off do you?

Ta again...looks great your car does!

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Or are these more like it? They're listed as 4200k but not sure which shape I need



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[Balou#14]

The bulbs look the same. The lamps I used were h7 55w. Mine were 4200k, but i've seen other lights and everything between 4000k and 5000k matches good in my opinion.

The bumper doesn't need to come of to change the lights but it is useful to have someone with small hands to help

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[sheppy1]

Nice one! Just wasn't sure if they needed to have the L shaped black bit on them like the 2nd pic. I'll get those when I get paid then

And I'll recruit the mrs then...she loves standing outside in the cold and rain helping with the car hahaha

[sheppy1]

How did you go about doing the glove box shelf mate?

[Balou#14]

The shelf in the glove box is an original GM product, it apparently came standard on the higher spec astra's. I found it browsing in the web and went and got it from the dealer. I think it is very practical to organize the glove box a little bit. I don't know the part number anymore but I remember from doing some research that the part was different for LHD and RHD cars.

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[sheppy1]

Ahhhh right okay! Does it just slot I'm there then or is it a whole new glove box? Cheers!

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Edit: think I found it



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[Balou#14]

Yes it just slides and clicks in there very easy and simple mod that is very practical

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[sheppy1]

I really want one as I have everything jammed in there atm! Ha. But issue with me is that I have an extra cigarette/USB socket in the roof of the glove box so not sure just how much extra space I'd get on the top shelf (if any) because of that

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[Balou#14]

I use the top shelf myself for my car papers and a pair of sunglasses, and I have a little bit of room left. But like I said apparently LHD and RHD has a different size glovebox.

I am also looking for some small and cheap mods to do. Thinking about adding the ambient door lights next...

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[sheppy1]

Cheers mate! I'll probably pick one up then as the wire I have connected to the USB socket in there only drops down about 12 inches so I guess there would be enough clearence for it

Have a look around all the tutorials on this site...they have given me most of the ideas for little odd jobs I ended up doing along with peoples progress threads..like me looking at yours and stealing some of your ideas hehe

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Bought one cheers for the info!

[tucpal]

i must admit i do not like the shelf it makes an already small glove box even smaller

[sheppy1]

Ha yeah can see it being a pain for some but for me I have things piled on top of each other and it's a pain sometimes so hopefully this will help

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[Tonto]

Ah I didn't know shelf was optional, I have one in mine and thought it's a tight squeeze to fit things in with the shelf!


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[Balou#14]

Installed the door lock catch covers I found in the how-to section on this forum. I think it makes the inside of the doors look cleaner. Also ordered some paint for my brake calipers, hopefully I can complete that in the next few weeks.

Before


After


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[tucpal]

I like my ones also they look much better

[sheppy1]

I'll pick some of these up I think. Did you not go for the ones that cover the little hinge/arm thing too:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DOOR-CHECK-ARM...Swv0tVVps8

[Balou#14]

I do have the one with the hinge cover as well but I don't have a picture of that side

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[sheppy1]

Hmmmm I keep debating it but then think that I have never once looked at that part of my car and never would even with these on hahaha. Not saying they don't look good though

[Balou#14]

Ordered a few parts for further upgrades. Hope they arrive this or next week. Next on the list are the ambient door lights and a new steering wheel

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[sheppy1]

Oooo nice! Both will look great mate! Which steering wheel you gone for?

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[Tonto]

Just done my door lights and you'll love them mate, a nice touch definitely! Which steering wheel you went for?


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[Balou#14]

Found a bi-turbo steering wheel online (the one like tucpal has) at a decent price so I couldn't pass on that deal

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[tucpal]

You will love it

[Balou#14]

The leds for the doors arrived yesterday, hopefully I have some time this weekend to install them. I can't wait

The car is also getting a small service on wednesday.

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[Balou#14]

Christmas came early as my new steering wheel arrived today
I do need to change the buttons over from my old steering wheel as I don't have the limiter.



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[tucpal]

You will love it mate

[Tonto]

Very nice mate, they look much better!


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[Balou#14]

I already love it

Now I only need some time to do al the work but it is difficult with my busy shedule for the moment :(

Found a little time today to put in my new air filter. Decided to try a pipercross air filter as I found it with a good discount





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[tucpal]

very good upgrade

[Rusty2009]

Just a heads up the pipe cross filters have been known to sag in the centre for some reason.


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[tucpal]

my one did also but it does no harm at all

[Balou#14]

Thanks for the heads up, I will keep it in mind!

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[Balou#14]

Had time to change the steering wheel today is some plans got changed. I will upload some pictures later.

I absolutely love it!

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[sheppy1]

Glad it went to plan mate! Sure it's amazing too did you have any issues swapping it over? Will be doing mine after Xmas when I get it

[Balou#14]

Swapping the buttons over took a little longer than expected, as I struggled with getting the trim off. But really no big issues.

Here are the pictures:

Before


After


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[Rusty2009]

Looking good.

[tucpal]

that is much better do you like the thicker wheel
and the softer feel of it and well done.

[Balou#14]

I absolutely love the feel of the thicker softer wheel. Definitely a big upgrade.

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[Tonto]

Very nice mate, looks much better


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[Balou#14]

Connectors arrived today, so I can start with the ambient door lights when I have the chance.
Also purchased some smoked taillights today (original ones of a higher spec car), which I think look much better than the stock red ones.
That will probably be the last mod for a while, need to save some money now

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[tucpal]

will look much better for sure

[Balou#14]

My experience with the pipercross filter after 2 weeks is that the engine runs much smoother, especcialy in the lower revs.

Also had some time today to switch back to my winter wheels and install the rear lights. They look much better, really happy with them.

Difference between old and new (inside are the new ones)


After


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