humbucker's 2004 Irmscher MV6 #irmscherMV6

[Lowrider Dave]

I think this has been asked before, but are the rear lights LED?

[Robsey]

From our early discussions - (PMs).
I recall Dan saying that they were indeed Catera LED lights.

definitely look funky monkeys

[humbucker]

I think this has been asked before, but are the rear lights LED?

From our early discussions - (PMs). I recall Dan saying that they were indeed Catera LED lights. definitely look funky monkeys

Yup, as mentioned in the last update, the indicator portion of each light unit is made up of LEDs. I will have to take some nighttime photos when I (eventually) have the car up and running.

[planetc]

They are in fact 'cheese free' wotsits. You can even eat them too. I found this out after a series of panic phone calls tracing the details of them following the consumption of a whole box (roughly 3 gallons) by one of the dogs.

[humbucker]

They are in fact 'cheese free' wotsits. You can even eat them too. I found this out after a series of panic phone calls tracing the details of them following the consumption of a whole box (roughly 3 gallons) by one of the dogs.

Following your remarks, I picked a couple out of the box and had a sniff. Amazingly, they really are cheese-free Wotsits. Incredible!

[humbucker]

New toys from Autobrite Direct! I can't wait to get stuck in with my new DA-21 dual action polishing machine. The cars (and their paintwork) won't know what's hit 'em! Get yours here: http://www.autobritedirect.co.uk

[Envoy CDX]

Niiiiiiiiice!

[humbucker]

The brand spankin' new issue of Total Vauxhall has hit newsstands, and with it comes the latest ‪#‎irmscherMV6‬ project update. Hoorah! As ever, the magazine is filled with cracking motors and brilliant builds (this month, we're treated to a 3.8-litre Opel Commodore, a slammed Vectra B, an XE'd Nova and a fantastic Mk4 Astra GSi on banded steelies). Visit http://is.gd/D1zItq to download/subscribe etc., or pop along to your local newsagent. Well, go on then!

[joe cavalier sri]

The brand spankin' new issue of Total Vauxhall has hit newsstands, and with it comes the latest ‪#‎irmscherMV6‬ project update. Hoorah! As ever, the magazine is filled with cracking motors and brilliant builds (this month, we're treated to a 3.8-litre Opel Commodore, a slammed Vectra B, an XE'd Nova and a fantastic Mk4 Astra GSi on banded steelies). Visit http://is.gd/D1zItq to download/subscribe etc., or pop along to your local newsagent. Well, go on then!

Any chance of seeing a nice mk3 cavalier sri in total Vauxhall ?

[humbucker]

The brand spankin' new issue of Total Vauxhall has hit newsstands, and with it comes the latest ‪#‎irmscherMV6‬ project update. Hoorah! As ever, the magazine is filled with cracking motors and brilliant builds (this month, we're treated to a 3.8-litre Opel Commodore, a slammed Vectra B, an XE'd Nova and a fantastic Mk4 Astra GSi on banded steelies). Visit http://is.gd/D1zItq to download/subscribe etc., or pop along to your local newsagent. Well, go on then!

Any chance of seeing a nice mk3 cavalier sri in total Vauxhall ?

There's no reason why not (providing that it's a tidy motor, modified and has a good story to tell).

[Robsey]

Modified tastefully I would hope. - lol

[joe cavalier sri]

The brand spankin' new issue of Total Vauxhall has hit newsstands, and with it comes the latest ‪#‎irmscherMV6‬ project update. Hoorah! As ever, the magazine is filled with cracking motors and brilliant builds (this month, we're treated to a 3.8-litre Opel Commodore, a slammed Vectra B, an XE'd Nova and a fantastic Mk4 Astra GSi on banded steelies). Visit http://is.gd/D1zItq to download/subscribe etc., or pop along to your local newsagent. Well, go on then!

Any chance of seeing a nice mk3 cavalier sri in total Vauxhall ?

There's no reason why not (providing that it's a tidy motor, modified and has a good story to tell).

Mine will be done by end of this year

[Lowrider Dave]

(providing that it's a tidy motor, modified and has a good story to tell).

I say this with slight sarcasm but mainly devils advocate, very few (on this forum) have extensive modifications, interesting back story or spent ££££ which would warrant the kind of article that appears in TV. But then again, run-of-the-mill cars I suppose don't make interesting articles...

[humbucker]

Powerflex is the first name in performance bushes, and it was with that in mind that I grabbed some of the firm’s purple polyurethane parts in a bid to improve the MV6’s suspension.

I’d already equipped the rear of the car with a trio of the company’s exhaust mounts (see last month’s project update), but it was the Vauxhall’s front end that became the focus of my attention following the purchase of a pair of new old-stock genuine GM lower control arms.

The factory wishbone bushes were reluctant to shift, but a trip to Cambridgeshire’s number one independent Vauxhall specialist, SOS Automotive, saw them squeezed out before they knew what had hit ‘em! I returned home to install the Powerflex parts a short while later, and those of you who are thinking of treating your own Griffin to this worthwhile upgrade will be pleased to know that the job was an absolute doddle.

With the wishbones taken care of, I decided to apply the same treatment to the car’s anti-roll bar. Regular readers will recall that I removed the MV6’s 3.2-litre engine and its accompanying automatic gearbox in advance of a planned manual transmission conversion. The resulting under-bonnet cavity provided easy access to the anti-roll bar, and it didn’t take long to replace the tired old bushes with the premium quality purple products.

Both sets of Powerflex bushes should improve the car’s road holding and handling characteristics by controlling the amount of flex in the suspension. Tyre wear should also be reduced, especially now that each corner is kitted-out with a Bilstein B8 damper and an Eibach Pro-Kit lowering spring.

In other news, I finally decorated the nose of the MV6 with my new Irmscher grille. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the straightforward fit that I was expecting, and the rear of the paintable outer surround required heavy modification before it would sit pretty. Nevertheless, it’s transformed the look of the front end for the better. It’s just a shame that the car is in need of a bloody good clean... again!

THANKS

Powerflex
01895 460033
http://www.powerflex.co.uk

SOS Automotive
01480 700655
http://www.sos-automotive.com

Brand spankin' new genuine GM wishbones:



Powerflex wishbone bushes:









Powerflex anti-roll bar bushes:



New and old alongside one another:



Purple reign:



The car's paintable Irmscher grille surround was an astonishingly bad fit. It required a lot of plastic welding, but the finished part has made a big difference to the front end of the ol' bus:

[humbucker]

"Hey, Sharon! I'm just nipping out to get some milk..." VrooOOOooom!

[Envoy CDX]

Hurrah! Looking good.

[humbucker]

Hurrah! Looking good.

Thanks Gary!

[humbucker]

The brand spankin' new issue of Total Vauxhall has hit newsstands, and with it comes the...

Oh, you know the drill. The latest ‪#‎irmscherMV6‬ project update is now sitting on newsstands. Hoorah! Pop along to your newsagent and buy a copy of the magazine. Feeling lazy? If so, click your way to MV6 joy by visiting the following link: http://is.gd/8uB1lH

[humbucker]

Have you ever wondered what happens to your pride and joy after you've allowed it to be swallowed into the belly of an automated car park? Wonder no more:


Link

[humbucker]

After much in the way of procrastination, I finally grabbed my power drill and attacked the MV6’s already heavily modified boot lid in an attempt to fit the rare Irmscher wing that I’d managed to source. My intention was to position the freshly-painted part alongside the car’s rear lip spoiler, although whether or not it would sit pretty remained to be seen (dealer fit options at the MV6’s original point of sale allowed for one spoiler or the other, but never both!).

Fortunately, my caffeine-fuelled calculations were bang on the money, and I’m really pleased with how the rear end of the car looks now that the work is complete. That said, the nearside Cadillac Catera inner taillight lens was beyond filthy, and with no sure-fire way of removing dirt from the sealed unit, I was forced to import a replacement from the good ol’ US of A. Yeehaw!

In other news, I removed the car’s 18-inch staggered Ronal Irmscher Sport Star wheels in order to protect them while tinkering continues. This reminded me that ‘wrapping each rim in new rubber’ has been an item on my to-do list for a while, yet an online search proved that few tyre manufacturers produce a matching set of boots in the required 235/40 (front) and 265/35 (rear) profiles.

Thankfully, Japanese tyre giant, Falken, came to the rescue with its Azenis FK453 offering. Ideally suited to staggered applications, this fast-road rubber is claimed to be among the best tyre designs that the company has ever produced thanks to a silica-enriched compound and an asymmetrical variable tread pattern that has been influenced by the firm’s experience in competitive motorsport. For the MV6, that equates to excellent performance in all weather conditions, high-speed stability and a quiet ride – attributes that are perfect for my planned European road trip.

Needless to say, I popped down to my local tyre fitters without hesitation! Before long, the chunky five-spokes were being clothed in fresh FK453s, and I can’t wait to put them through their paces. In the meantime, however, I’ve opted to preserve them in a set of Richbrook wheel and tyre bags. Often seen at the nation’s racing circuits, this convenient wheel storage and transportation solution features a handy labelling system, carrying handles, tightening pull-cords and useful wheel nut storage pouches. Each bag is a super-snug fit and ideal for taking care of my Sport Stars.

Lastly, I was recently chatting with Total Vauxhall feature car owner (and all-round good egg), Carl Evans, regarding the benefits of using Mk4 Astra GSi brake cooling ducts. By the end of our conversation, I’d ordered a pair in the hope of being able to modify each part so that they would bolt to the bottom of the MV6’s wishbones without complaint. As you can imagine, a process of trial and error followed, but I’m confident that they’re in the right place and that they will channel cool air to the car’s front brake discs. Only time will tell!

THANKS

Falken
01962 794801
http://www.falkentyres-uk.com

Richbrook
01328 862387
http://www.richbrook.co.uk

Bang tidy:



New rear taillight in place:



My trusty Swedish workhorse hauled the new Falkens home:





A tower of Falken's finest!



Wrapping the Sport Stars in new rubber:



Richbrook wheel and tyre bags should keep the rims out of harm's way:



Modified Mk4 Astra GSi brake cooling ducts applied to my Powerflex-equipped new genuine GM wishbones:

[Envoy CDX]

Nice work, interesting spoiler mod. Certainly new and different.

[humbucker]

Nice work, interesting spoiler mod. Certainly new and different.

Cheers Gary. I like the way that the back end of the car looks now that everything is in place.

[humbucker]

The wheels are currently being stripped, dipped, blasted and powdercoated at the refurbishers. I can't wait to see the end results

[humbucker]

As you may or many not be aware, Total Vauxhall has recently been reborn as 'Performance Vauxhall' magazine. The first-ever issue of the new title is sitting on newsstands right now, and it includes the latest #irmscherMV6 project update. Click here to download/subscribe etc.: http://is.gd/TlASEF

[Envoy CDX]

Yeah, I was a bit thrown by the rename at first.