So after 7 years of owning my Combo 1.7 dti (with a whopping 75hp, it has an intercooler don't you know) i thought give it a bit of loving...😂
Id like a newer van, a VW Caddy maxi would be nice but i just don't have the funds or can i really justify it. I use the van as my daily and if it wasn't for the fact that ive been using it to go to customers houses to valet there cars then i would have sold it and bought a old Volvo estate the same as @leeds_182 has, tbh its Jim's fault that ive started messing with the Combo.
As i said i don't have alot of funds so i wanted to do bits that didn't cost alot of money, one of the first things was a good machine polish as the old paint was proper flat. Ive made a start by polishing the rear doors and the drivers side 1/4 panel.
I removed the rear badges as well to try and give it a cleaner look (if that's possible with a stupid looking box van)
The old bus.
20160926_173219 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
Rear door's polished.
20160922_173204 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
Still loads more polishing to do and ill just do it a panel at a time. I did a silly thing and started looking at lowered vans on Google and came across this. :hearteyes:😂
After seeing that picture i was now on the hut for a set of wheels, my van is running a 175/70/14 so i wanted to go to a 15" steel.
I found the Corsa SXI used a 185/55/15 and i started finding the odd new steel wheel on Ebay with new Pirelli P6000 tyre, maybe not the best tyres but its only for my van and they are new.
I have 4 now + a spare wheel.
20160930_165735 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
20160930_165724 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
The van is up for a big service, service parts + ball joints + front brakes so i thought i would buy a pair of bigger calipers as i need to replace the discs and pads. The calipers came from a Meriva which ive cleaned up ready for a coat of paint. Im going from a 260mm disc to a 280mm disc, didnt need to as i only do 65mph in the thing, but in my mind i didnt want smaller brakes behind a larger wheel...😂
I sent the pad carriers to the powder coaters along with the spare wheel (i just can't help myself) :fearscream:
20161008_110514 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
20161008_110845 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
20161008_110910 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
Before i had the carriers powder coated i trial fitted them to the van, quite a bit of difference tbh.
Standard
20161001_143357 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
Meriva
20161001_144352 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
260 mm disc with the 280mm pads. :tonguewink:
20161001_144804 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
Bought all of the service parts from ECP along with the brakes, only the best for my van. :laughing:
20161003_132619 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
Back to the suspension, i know that the front of the van is the same as the Corsa C so sorting out the lowering of that wasn't a problem but i didn't know what the rear set up was. After a bit of research i found out that it was the same as a MK4 Astra, now this became a problem as no one would do a lowering kit for Corsa C front and MK4 Astra rear. 😞
Im lucky enough to have Gaz about 20 minutes away from my house so after a call to them i had the van booked in for them to have a look at it on there ramp.
20161003_095005 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
After a quick look they said they could do my a full kit but it was more than i wanted to spend so i left it at that.
A bit more googling and i found that standard MK4 Astra springs can be used so i bought a pair for the grand sum of £20 delivered, yes they are alot shorter but they are also made of thinner wire (14mm vs 11mm) as it was such a small cost it was worth chucking them in.
20161029_142239 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
I was thinking they would be fine as i dont carry anything in the van, this is the height with the standard springs.
20161029_103708 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
With me being such a big kid i fitted the Astra springs and the 15" wheels and this is how it looked.
20161029_154139 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
20161029_154301 by Scott Raven, on Flickr
Ill up date some more tomo. :up:
Id like a newer van, a VW Caddy maxi would be nice but i just don't have the funds or can i really justify it. I use the van as my daily and if it wasn't for the fact that ive been using it to go to customers houses to valet there cars then i would have sold it and bought a old Volvo estate the same as @leeds_182 has, tbh its Jim's fault that ive started messing with the Combo.
As i said i don't have alot of funds so i wanted to do bits that didn't cost alot of money, one of the first things was a good machine polish as the old paint was proper flat. Ive made a start by polishing the rear doors and the drivers side 1/4 panel.
I removed the rear badges as well to try and give it a cleaner look (if that's possible with a stupid looking box van)
The old bus.
Rear door's polished.
Still loads more polishing to do and ill just do it a panel at a time. I did a silly thing and started looking at lowered vans on Google and came across this. :hearteyes:😂
After seeing that picture i was now on the hut for a set of wheels, my van is running a 175/70/14 so i wanted to go to a 15" steel.
I found the Corsa SXI used a 185/55/15 and i started finding the odd new steel wheel on Ebay with new Pirelli P6000 tyre, maybe not the best tyres but its only for my van and they are new.
I have 4 now + a spare wheel.
The van is up for a big service, service parts + ball joints + front brakes so i thought i would buy a pair of bigger calipers as i need to replace the discs and pads. The calipers came from a Meriva which ive cleaned up ready for a coat of paint. Im going from a 260mm disc to a 280mm disc, didnt need to as i only do 65mph in the thing, but in my mind i didnt want smaller brakes behind a larger wheel...😂
I sent the pad carriers to the powder coaters along with the spare wheel (i just can't help myself) :fearscream:
Before i had the carriers powder coated i trial fitted them to the van, quite a bit of difference tbh.
Standard
Meriva
260 mm disc with the 280mm pads. :tonguewink:
Bought all of the service parts from ECP along with the brakes, only the best for my van. :laughing:
Back to the suspension, i know that the front of the van is the same as the Corsa C so sorting out the lowering of that wasn't a problem but i didn't know what the rear set up was. After a bit of research i found out that it was the same as a MK4 Astra, now this became a problem as no one would do a lowering kit for Corsa C front and MK4 Astra rear. 😞
Im lucky enough to have Gaz about 20 minutes away from my house so after a call to them i had the van booked in for them to have a look at it on there ramp.
After a quick look they said they could do my a full kit but it was more than i wanted to spend so i left it at that.
A bit more googling and i found that standard MK4 Astra springs can be used so i bought a pair for the grand sum of £20 delivered, yes they are alot shorter but they are also made of thinner wire (14mm vs 11mm) as it was such a small cost it was worth chucking them in.
I was thinking they would be fine as i dont carry anything in the van, this is the height with the standard springs.
With me being such a big kid i fitted the Astra springs and the 15" wheels and this is how it looked.
Ill up date some more tomo. :up:
