Austarion

My new widey, purchased from JDSTAZ45 is now registered in Vic and looking nice! Here's some pics.

It now has actual WIDEEY plates on it, but I edited them in just for these photos that I took before the plates were on.

Also temporarily have red indicatored US tail lights till I sort something properly.

Widey 1


Widey 2


Widey 3


Very happy with it! Thanks JDSTAZ45 :)

I have a number of plans for it now...
Have to repair a snapped exhaust manifold stud, SO in the process, since I'm taking the head off anyway I'm about to do:

- timing chain kit, and balance shaft removal (any tips for doing on 4G54 appreciated!)
- valve stem seals
- head gasket
- turbo (TD05 with 16G EVO3 upgrade)
- new front KYB inserts (one of the current inserts is now clunking)
- new valve springs
- and any gaskets I come accross in the process!

Ordered parts :D :D just waiting for them to arrive now.
Intending on making it a reliable, good condition machine (if that's possible with a Starion haha, who cares about reliability anyway).

That's all for now. Eventually a re-spray but that's a fair way off!

Oh and yes this means my white GSR-V will be for sale very shortly
Altho I so want to keep it as well, now that I know it's going, I'm LOVING driving it around. But when it comes to deciding between it and the black GSR-VR, I know where my choice is :)

So I'll post it up soon... although JDSTAZ45 (Mal) may have first dibs on it, I just have to check with him first, but by all means ask me if you're interested. I WILL be driving it to Sydney soon to take some work gear up, so a Sydney buyer would work well for me too, cos I could just fly back (work offered to pay flight). Will post in For Sale section once it's ready!

woah, thats mint!!!!!! jelous...........

Wow!! Looks fantastic! There you go people, now there's a widebody!! Conquest lights are sensational... wish I got around to put some on when I had it!!

Hugh, from experience, that the quietest (rattle free) 2.6 motor I've come across, so I advise not to touch it. I've revved it high in 1st and 2nd (auto) and it's sweet. Very sweet!!
Putting a new timing chain doesn't always get a better result acording to some mechanics I've spoken to.

I dont think KYB inserts are a straight forward job on the front as they're SHP struts. Rears should be straight forward esp. from mookeeh with the shortened struts now on offer.

As you are driving to Sydney soon, I'll let you know next Friday whether I'm buying the GSR-V!! I'm 80-90% sure I'm going ahead with it :D :D(I've just had to duck from a flying tea cup LOL )
I'll need the same sort of rego arrangement if you don't mind.

Good stuff!!

Nice pick up.

After owning many, many 2.6 siggy's. It's always a combo of T/chain rattle & Lifters.

Black widebody FTMFW.

-Robert

hey, that car looks familiar :D

Nice buy and looking great/ Glad it has gone to another Starion enthusiast :)

MAL?!? buying ANOTHER GSR-V????


Man, you sure have a Starion disease! lol

Hey Hugh, why cant you fix the broken stud with the head on????? none of them are THAT obscured? just get a 90 degree air drill!

Thanks for the replies everyone! Awesome :)
Yes was certainly happy with those tail lights.

Yeh thanks Mal and Redzone, that's some good advice, I might try and do the exhaust stud still on the car, and if I can't, I know a good engineering place. Only challenge is that it's the very rear stud and it's snapped just recessed into the head. But still could drill it out and helicoil without head coming off. Timing chains always make a bit of noise ay, yeh that doesn't worry me too much. Just thought if I had the head off I may as well freshen everything. But for sure it's easier not to take the head off :)

Yeh the front struts may be interesting. Not sure if there's better rebuild options for the SHP struts than KYB's? Must do some research. I found full coil over kits & camber tops etc but I want to make 100% sure this car won't have any issues if I'm pulled over and inspected.

Yeh Mal, I'm happy either way about the GSR-V so up to you, no pressure :). I understand about tea cups haha. But yeh also more than happy to do an extended ergo arrangement if needed. That would be no issue, even if you need a year on it.

Thanks again everyone :)

I agree with Mal etc, I've drven that car and the engine was great. Astrons will always have a bit of chain noise but its nothing major.

Sweet :D
To be honest I don't know how frequently you do timing chains anyway, I know belts are 100,000kms but chains are higher kms I think?
But yeh it is pretty good and less work is definitely fine with me :)

replacing the chains and guides is a way bigger job than a head gasket change..

i put new chains/guides on mine 18 months ago including a top quality iwis ketten chain, and the F'ING THING is noisy again already. so very very not happy about that! and just when i was starting to warm to the asstron...

you can get the shp shocks rebuilt, pm groupAralliart, he got his done......

Ah right, I'm getting happier and happier with my quiet timig chain the more I hear haha.

I'll pm him about the shocks, that's good, thanks!