The gte list

wormo · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 12:32 am Post subject: Gte list

I have just been reading a very interesting forum on the net regarding V33TRA's GTE rally car and it suggests that his car was the first ever Astra GTE to rally and there is proof to back this up!
So if the rally car came first march / April 1983 and the launch of the GTE to the public was June / July 1983 Y reg - August 1983 A reg - August 1984 B reg the car was only made for 18 months until the mk2 was launched October 17th 1984. This information is available to us all on the internet "so the 1982 GTE can't be a genuine car can it" ?

wormo · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 12:47 am Post subject: Interesting

http://s17.photobucket.com/user/v33tra/media/DSCF2090.jpg.html

warphi1970 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 9:14 am Post subject: Re: Gte list

DeadEye · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 11:43 am Post subject: Re: Gte list

Mark1GTE · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 4:10 pm Post subject:

Here is my take on things as many know I have been very interested in MK1 history and it`s timeline for many years and I have gathered quite alot of information and Press items along the way

Astra GTE timeline

21st March to April 11th 1983 first Astra GTE`s registered to Vauxhall Motors LTD all GTM numbered GTE`s no model declared on all their V5 Log Books and all classed as a Coupe body style not Hatch, This was possibly done to conceal the ASTRA GTE name and identity for corporate reasons before launch while Vauxhall prepared it for sale however I do not know the exact reason why

18.4.1983 Astra GTE officially announced by Vauxhall here is an extract from my GTE Press Pack

Read 2nd paragraph

Press photos show same date

Therefore general sales of the Astra GTE can only have took place after 18.4.1983 with initial cars being built by Opel in West Germany until tooling was in place at Ellesmere Port which I think was from June 1983 onwards, Alot of Y reg GTE`s and even some A reg ones have a made in West Germany VIN plate once Ellesmere came online it became United Kingdom on VIN

Now onto the use of the GTM GTE`s

GTM 90Y is not the correct registration for the GTE in the press photo that belonged to a Gold Opel Monza registered on 16.2.1983 that still shows on DVLA records

GTM`s were termed as Primary cars and carried out Press / Test duties by Vauxhall and were loaned to various Motoring journalists etc for road tests and the like to promote the sales of the GTE, after this they later became in house Company Cars at the Luton Head Office this was confirmed by Andrew Duerden now a Vauxhall Archivist but back then he was some sort of Rally boss at GMDS and widely regarded as the creator of the Nova Sport and has also written this book

He also ran the Astra Challenge for Vauxhall and recently built and uses this Challenge replica MK1 so i am sure he knows what he is talking about regards Vauxhall history and MK1 Astra`s

GTM 290Y was his own personal company car but still used for various corporate duties when needed, eventually a few GTM`s ended up at the GMDS section of Vauxhall of which some were converted into Rally Cars or Race Cars or were used as Rally Course Cars and the like but none of them started out as purpose built Motorsport cars GMDS just used what was available in the company fleet and converted them from there usually done inhouse at a specific Vauxhall Dealer backing or running the car

GMDS Rally Course Car on the Ulster Rally

The above information I got from Andrew during conversations in his Caravan at Billing and emails back and forth since but this was all quite a few years ago so hopefully i am recalling what he told me correctly

GTM 420Y like the others started life as a road car and part of the company fleet and was not converted into a rally car until it was at least 4 or 5 months old by a man called Michael Gedge who has since helped me with information and scans of newspaper articles and according to this article was the first Astra GTE to go Rallying on the 1983 RAC Rally 19 - 23 Nov 1983 as a development exercise

I have the homologation papers somewhere on file from the FIA for the GMDS Astra GTE Rally Cars and they are dated January 1984 so GTM 420Y was not FIA homolagated at the time of the 1983 RAC Rally

A perfect example of a Press Road Car being converted after press duties to a Rally Car is A532 LTM seen here

Vauxhall TV Advert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVAomnpZXRc

Then Rally Car

Hope this clears a few things up and as for 1982 GTE`s existing then I find that entirely impossible at least as registered from new on V5 as a GTE going by the above Vauxhall information, Opel released the Kadett GTE around the same time as Vauxhall

DeadEye · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 4:48 pm Post subject:

I knew you'd have the info! big grin

Andrew Duerden was the chap I spoke to who took my chassis number and confirmed it was one of the first Ellesmere GTE.

Know-one has managed to explain why my car has DE rather than DD or EE.

I think it was you V33TRA who suggested it might be a German shell but built in Ellesmere?

Mark1GTE · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 4:54 pm Post subject:

Think I got that info from the chassis number codes on my Mk1 Microfiches as the first letters are build plant location codes if i remember right

was a while ago now but something along those lines

D being Germany
E being Ellesmere

DeadEye · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 4:57 pm Post subject:

Mine was registered in May but I suppose it could have been hanging about for a bit. It is Silver and has a metal Sunroof which are both factory options...

wormo · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:27 pm Post subject: The gte list

Back to the GTE list still 6 taxed and 26 sorn 1983's out there!

fumare · Astra Newbie Joined: 21 Mar 2013 Posts: 8

fumare A***JAY 1984 red tax an mot
brother A***OKN ? white sorned in his garage

DeadEye · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2014 7:15 pm Post subject:

What does it say when you do a DVLA lookup on a Sorned car!

Gilfy comes up as unlicensed.

steviemac74 · Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2014 11:35 am Post subject:

1. Tuffty. Axxx DPN 1984 black tax and mot
2. Mark1. Axxx WOH 1984 red tax and mot
3. Mark1. Axxx GLO 1984 Gold (silver) tax and mot
4. Karlitop. Axxx CPH 1983 red tax and mot
5. Wormo. Axxx JCW 1983 black tax and mot
6. Brianm. Axxx LEY 1984 silver tax and mot
7 Dave AxxxGSA Sorn
8. Voldemort Axxx CTV red tax and mot
9. Andy BxxxHRM 1984 (frozen grey)Sorn
10. Scott Axx PEO 1984 red sorn in the garage m
11. Glenn Axxx 0NK 1984 white sorn in friends garage
12. Glenn Bxxx SNF 1984 orange sorn in my garage
13. Needle B*** GSX white sorn stripped and in progress of rebuilt
14. Findlay. B*** AUS 1984 black tax and mot
15. Warphi B***VBH 1984 Red Sorn
16. Warphi A***WRP 1984 Black Sorn
17.Steviemac BXXX TFR 1984 Black Sorn almost ready!

andyc · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 7:05 pm Post subject:

1. Tuffty. Axxx DPN 1984 black tax and mot
2. Mark1. Axxx WOH 1984 red tax and mot
3. Mark1. Axxx GLO 1984 Gold (silver) tax and mot
4. Karlitop. Axxx CPH 1983 red tax and mot
5. Wormo. Axxx JCW 1983 black tax and mot
6. Brianm. Axxx LEY 1984 silver tax and mot
7 Dave AxxxGSA Sorn
8. Voldemort Axxx CTV red tax and mot
9. Andy BxxxHRM 1984 (frozen grey)Sorn
10. Scott Axx PEO 1984 red sorn in the garage m
11. Glenn Axxx 0NK 1984 white sorn in friends garage
12. Glenn Bxxx SNF 1984 orange sorn in my garage
13. Needle B*** GSX white sorn stripped and in progress of rebuilt
14. Findlay. B*** AUS 1984 black tax and mot
15. Warphi B***VBH 1984 Red Sorn
16. Warphi A***WRP 1984 Black Sorn
17.Steviemac BXXX TFR 1984 Black Sorn almost ready!
18. Andyc A***RYC 1984 Black Sorn and rebuild stated last month.