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Old 22-03-2015, 10:05 PM   #1
Brij
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Location: Vic
Car: BA Astina,
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Looong time lurker

Hi all.

Grew up lusting after small, guttsy European hot numbers, especially Italian Lancias. Of course fairly hard to find good, "economically" priced ones in Australia suitable for use as a daily driver.
Enter the Astina. Whilst it might not have as much "character" (is that a word we use to justify inperfections?), at least it was different to the more common Jap hatches.

Went looking for a BG SP back in about 2005 but could only find city cars with over 250k km on them for what I considered big dollars. Ended up settling for a KF Laser S, with the "big block" 1.8l donk and only 110k km on it for half the price of a BG SP.
In 10 years the wife has managed to clock up another 220k km on it with remarkably little maintenance. A clutch, a couple of brake pads, an elcheapo ebay radiator because it was cheaper than getting a tank put on the old one. Even got 8 years and 200k km out of the battery I put in it when we got it.

But.....it is now getting very smokey and the paint has gone "2 tone" courtesy of the Australian sun. So I have been looking around for a BA V6.

And thanks to White V6 on here we now have a fairly rugged '94 model that cost us $300.

Trailered it home from Melbourne due to no drive. Just finished putting a clutch in it today and it goes quite well.

Now time to fix all the rest of the stuff - slight misalignment of the front panels (RHS headlight doesn't fit properly, fenders tight on the bonnet), radiator looks like the right one but looks to be about 20mm to wide, including the fans that almost bolt up, clear coat is peeling on most of the panels, every panel has managed to have some minor damage to it, airconditioning condensor is missing, air filter box has been replaced by a pod (assume box was damaged from what ever crash has caused the condensor to be removed and radiator to be replaced), plastic cam covers broken (same crash?), all the vacuum lines on the engine are brittle as and need replacing, lots of plastic under body splash guards etc are broken or missing, drivers seat as torn fabric on a side bolster.........

But all in all I can't complain for a $300 car.

Now that I have it mobile I need to get it in for a roadworthy inspection to see if it is worth spending money on!!

Peter
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Old 23-03-2015, 08:49 AM   #2
ghetto3
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Location: north coast nsw
Car: 97 ba 1.8 323
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Hi mate. Sounds like you have some fun ahead of you.
Welcome and keep us posted on the project.
BA love.
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Old 23-03-2015, 06:09 PM   #3
Rupewrecht
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Welcome!

I have a BA hardtop that would be a good donor for you car
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Old 02-06-2015, 04:55 PM   #4
whitev6
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Car: 98 V6 hatch white manual
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brij View Post
Hi all.

Grew up lusting after small, guttsy European hot numbers, especially Italian Lancias. Of course fairly hard to find good, "economically" priced ones in Australia suitable for use as a daily driver.
Enter the Astina. Whilst it might not have as much "character" (is that a word we use to justify inperfections?), at least it was different to the more common Jap hatches.

Went looking for a BG SP back in about 2005 but could only find city cars with over 250k km on them for what I considered big dollars. Ended up settling for a KF Laser S, with the "big block" 1.8l donk and only 110k km on it for half the price of a BG SP.
In 10 years the wife has managed to clock up another 220k km on it with remarkably little maintenance. A clutch, a couple of brake pads, an elcheapo ebay radiator because it was cheaper than getting a tank put on the old one. Even got 8 years and 200k km out of the battery I put in it when we got it.

But.....it is now getting very smokey and the paint has gone "2 tone" courtesy of the Australian sun. So I have been looking around for a BA V6.

And thanks to White V6 on here we now have a fairly rugged '94 model that cost us $300.

Trailered it home from Melbourne due to no drive. Just finished putting a clutch in it today and it goes quite well.

Now time to fix all the rest of the stuff - slight misalignment of the front panels (RHS headlight doesn't fit properly, fenders tight on the bonnet), radiator looks like the right one but looks to be about 20mm to wide, including the fans that almost bolt up, clear coat is peeling on most of the panels, every panel has managed to have some minor damage to it, airconditioning condensor is missing, air filter box has been replaced by a pod (assume box was damaged from what ever crash has caused the condensor to be removed and radiator to be replaced), plastic cam covers broken (same crash?), all the vacuum lines on the engine are brittle as and need replacing, lots of plastic under body splash guards etc are broken or missing, drivers seat as torn fabric on a side bolster.........

But all in all I can't complain for a $300 car.

Now that I have it mobile I need to get it in for a roadworthy inspection to see if it is worth spending money on!!

Peter
Hi peter,
I'm glad you are happy with the Astina . I'm glad you are fixing it as manual V6 hatches are pretty rare .

I may be able to help you with bits and pieces ... I have just got a donor 4 cylinder 96 BA White hatch manual. Motor dead ....

Except for LHS doors all the other panels are dead straight.

Not sure if the a/c condensers are the same between a 4 and a 6 but I have one of those as well as cooling fans..

Complete Set of seats in beautiful condition.. Not the same as those in the V6 but maybe worth a thought.. biggest problem is distance..in reality not practical but they're there your removal and for the taking. Maybe worth a day trip with a trailer.??
The car will be cubed very shortly and these bits will go to waste.

PM me ...
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Old 24-09-2015, 06:21 PM   #5
Brij
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Car: BA Astina,
Posts: 8
Well after lots of procrastinating over the slightly smokey motor (that an oil change and a good thrashing seemed to fix), and working from before daylight to after dusk, and trying to build a house ......I finally got around to taking "Tina" in for a roadworthy check.

No good.

Pointed out a crease in the lhs floor rail where it looks like someone has tried to jack it up in the wrong place.

Bugger.

He also said they are a world of trouble. Lots of water hoses to fail. Crack heads. Break camshafts. Said i would be much better of getting a slightly newer 4 cylinder one.

He nearly convinced me. Nearly!

Oh well. Off i go in search of another one.

Peter
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Old 03-10-2015, 02:36 PM   #6
Demanius
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Sydney
Car: 323 Astina Hardtop V6
Posts: 407
Welcome buddy
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CAR IS SOLD !!!
323 Astina Hardtop Sedan V6 Sports Pack
KFZE - 130 kilowatt Screamer
MAZDA V6's ROCK!!!!!

CURRENT CAR :
Rolla Sportivo/T Sport/RunX
2ZZGE - nutter of an engine lol
2.75 inch CAI with Red Pod Filter
Stock Exhaust

Future Plans :
Slowly will see.
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Old 05-10-2015, 06:50 PM   #7
project.r.racing
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brij View Post
He also said they are a world of trouble. true
Lots of water hoses to fail. normal for age of car, any car
Crack heads. false
Break camshafts. false
Said i would be much better of getting a slightly newer 4 cylinder one. so true, don't kid yourself thinking differently
.....
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Old 16-02-2020, 07:13 PM   #8
Brij
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Join Date: Mar 2015
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Car: BA Astina,
Posts: 8
Well, finally progressing this project......nearly 5 years later......by buying another car

Had resigned myself to not having enough enthusiasm to fix all the items on the white Astina.

Time had come where I could justify another runaround car for the wife so she didn't wear the Pajero touring wagon out before doing much actual touring.

Decided manual V6 Astinas were to hard to find, and if they did show up for sale they were to far away for me to contemplate looking at, so I started looking at Mazda 6 MPSs. About the closest car to a Lancia Delta Intergrale I could afford.

Had one lined up to look at last Saturday when I had to go to Melbourne, but it sold the night before. I decided I couldn't be bothered trying to travel all over Melbourne looking for the right one, so back to the drawing board of just buying another bland Jap car of some other description

Was down in Melbourne that weekend helping son renovate a house and during a coffee break found an auto V6 Astina only 5km away. Slipped around to have a look and it was a heap of crap. Oil leaks everywhere, drove sluggish, brakes were hard, tyres were worn out, front RHS guard was pushed in, big clunk in rear suspension, pulled badly to left, over 300,000km, a bonnet that had been resprayed with a pressure can. The 60 year female owner was very happy with her workwomanship.

I had virtually decided that it was as good as I was going to get, but got home that Sunday night and another one had popped up on Gumtree.

250,000km, manual, looked neat as in pictures. Drove back to Melbourne and had a look Monday night. Purchased. Drove the 150km home, smooth as. Took for roadworthy Tuesday. Passed without a drama. Tranferred rego Wednesday.

Slight damage to base of rear hatch due to a light rear ender, smell of an engine oil leak somewhere but no drips, good tyres, reasonably good paint, but still showing the first signs of clearcoat lifting, and some parking lot scrapes. Clunk in front end somewhere.

In last 6 months previous owner had replaced tyres, springs, shocks, strut mounts, both drive shafts, timing belt, water pump, new rear muffler and a few other odds and ends. Said he bought car for $400 and spent nearly $4,000. Including labour that would be pretty right.

All in all pretty stoked.

Now, to see if there is anyone left on this forum except spammers to help me with any oddities as they occur. ☺

Last edited by Brij; 16-02-2020 at 07:18 PM.
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Old 17-02-2020, 12:35 PM   #9
Rupewrecht
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The facebook group is where it all happens these days.
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Old 17-02-2020, 10:01 PM   #10
Brij
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Oh. The modern world. Prefer forum's, but just joined what I assume is the Facebook group.
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Old 18-02-2020, 08:42 AM   #11
Rupewrecht
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So do I, but there's rarely anyone on here as you noticed!
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Old 04-06-2020, 08:37 AM   #12
Nevin Crawford
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Welcome aboard! It's great to have you with us.
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