ascona-b Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Just joined the club in anticipation of restoring my T-plate Ascona B 2.0 SR. I've loved these cars ever since my dad had one new in 1978 but didn't get my own until 1992 when I bought one with the proceeds of my student loan.Unfortunately the loan didn't stretch to running the car so I didn't have it very long. The present car I bought @2004 in a tatty but useable state. I almost immediately had the brakes, clutch, tyres and shocks renewed and then proceeded to put 4000 miles on it in 4 months, using it as my daily driver. Sadly life (and a money-pit Alfa GTV) got in the way so I 'lent' it to my brother who kept it on the road until 2010 when his job relocated to America. Since then the Ascona has been sitting idle on his drive, until yesterday when I had it trailered down from Manchester to a yard near to my home in Bicester. This very morning I went to look at it for the first time in over six years. To be honest I had thought that she would be beyond hope and had promised myself that I wouldn't be chasing money through her etc. But within about a tenth of a second of catching sight of the old girl I abandoned much of my rationality. To be honest, beneath the lichen and faded paint it's a pretty sound car and it's almost needless to say that the engine fired up with a jump start. A wash is first on the agenda, then an MOT. After that she will be treated to a proper makeover. I have posted an ad for wanted parts on here and hopefully some of you will be able to help me. Regards to all, Richard Lodge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymanc Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 hi richard and welcome to the club Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 pictures!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAbbott Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 This sounds like the sort of project started by a buffon. Frank Abbott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opelnz Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 (edited) These are great cars, Richard. Is yours a coupe or sedan? Provided the chassis is not rotten, you can still get panels on Ebay, and also on TotalOpel in Ireland. Good luck with your refurbishment. Here was my coupe, now dead in Ireland too. Was too far gone to ship over to NZ :-( http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVLzst9'> http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqN547J'> http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVLzxsr'> http://www.postimage.org/'> http://www.postimage.org/'>http://www.postimage.org/'> http://www.postimage.org/'> http://www.postimage.org/'> Edited January 2, 2013 by opelnz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Hi Richard, welcome to the club, i am not that far from, just outside Milton Keynes. We have several Opel/Vauxhall addicts locally and we meet up (first sunday of the month at noon,October to April,first friday of the month,19:30,May to September) at the Caldecote Arms in south Milton Keynes (it's the pub with the fake windmill on top by Caldecote Lake) we also go to various local car shows, dont worry if your Ascona's not back on the road yet, come along and say hello anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo16n Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Hi Richard welcome to club.live near Banbury so fairly close to you.Used to own an Ascona coupe myself,good cars. Now own 2 A series and a Commodore coupe.Hope to see your car on the road sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ascona-b Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 Thanks for the support everyone. Mantaman, I will definitely be along to a meet in Milton Keynes with a good mate of mine. If the Ascona's in pieces I'll be up in one of his collection (Bitter SC, Royale saloon and early Monza). The Ascona resurrection is making decent progress. After a hairy 10-mile trip to the MOT station with sticky brakes and an appalling misfire (and during which I ran into a flood causing the car to cut out having just rounded a blind bend) it only failed on a couple of items! Most of the parts that I require have been sourced, including a second hand bonnet from Drew, but I am gutted to have missed out on the used front panel that was sold on here shortly before I joined the club. Pictures will follow in due course! All the best, Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiney_norman Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 His Bitter's not a blue C reg one bought off ebay recently is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ascona-b Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 No, he's got a silver one. He bought it from someone who purchased it directly from Eric Bitter @1997 after it had stood unfinished for 11 years. Interesting car, but not as enjoyable as an Ascona / Manta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opelnz Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 No, he's got a silver one. He bought it from someone who purchased it directly from Eric Bitter @1997 after it had stood unfinished for 11 years. Interesting car, but not as enjoyable as an Ascona / Manta. Sounds like one of the Paul Griffiths cars after he passed away a few years ago? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ascona-b Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 No, not one of Paul's, although my mate knew Paul and visited him on the IoW. This car belonged to some amusing old character who lived in Farnham Common until he left his partner to move to St Kitts at the age of 72 (about 5 years ago). Apparently he had owned Ferraris and the like in the 70s and 80s but the Bitter took his fancy for its rarity (and because he could buy it cheaply from a cash-hungry Eric Bitter). When my mate bought the car with 18k miles on it he thought it had a sticking valve, but it turned out that the engine was knackered (and he later discovered that the old boy had a reputation for thrashing his cars). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opelnz Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Good to hear there are still some Bitter owners out there. Is he a member of the Bitter Owners Club, Richard? Keep us up to date with your Ascona refurb. Always good to see them being kept on the road where possible! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Parkinson Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 hello and welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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