Carlton GSi 3000 - Any On Here - How Many Survive ?

Carlton GSi 3000 - Any On Here - How Many Survive ?

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neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,504 posts

177 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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Found a 24 Valve manual one today that needs rescuing and I'm very tempted. I had a Grey 12 Valve in 2001 that I paid £180 for and ran for about 9 months and then a Red 24 Valve auto in circa 2006.

I can't find any of the road tests and brochures that I had for them, so does anyone know the power and performance figures and also the weight of them ?

Are spares still available ? Particularly body work, as this one has the usual rear outer sill end rot. I'm thinking along the lines of a Lotus Carlton replica as it needs paintwork anyway.

NotNormal

2,370 posts

221 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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neutral 3 said:
...I'm thinking along the lines of a Lotus Carlton replica...
redcard

Winky151

1,270 posts

148 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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Have to agree with Dave & say don't go the LC rep path. I know you may want the kudos of people looking at with the 'thats an LC' but it won't be so pointless really. If you check the how many left website I'm sure you'll probably find there are actually fewer manual GSIs left than real LCs & whilst it may not command the value of an LC neither will a rep so IMHO a sympathetic restoration back to original would be much better. If you really want to go for it I'd suggest joining the Autobahnstormers for help, advice & spare parts. It'd be the best £25 spent on the resto which I'm sure within the build you'd easily recoup.

HTH

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,504 posts

177 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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Imperial Green all the way......

RB CV8

373 posts

208 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
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I have in my care a 1987 12-valve GSi3000 in Black Starmist. I bought it when it was a year old, sold it to my Dad in 1991 and he gave it back, to be shared by my brother and I, in 2003.

It is rot-free, though has been treated to some paintwork over the years to keep it in fine fettle, and must be one of the better and most original remaining cars, not that there are many left in any case.

I am with the "don't turn a GSi into a Lotus replica" camp.

I have plenty of brochures and road test material; I shall look up some figures and post again when I get home.

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,504 posts

177 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
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Hello RB, sounds a nice one ! But those sill ends will be rotting ! And yes, I gave all my brochures etc to the buyer of my one, but if you can find the weight, power and torque output ( of both ) and performance figures, that would be of interest !

RB CV8

373 posts

208 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
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neutral 3 said:
Hello RB, sounds a nice one ! But those sill ends will be rotting ! And yes, I gave all my brochures etc to the buyer of my one, but if you can find the weight, power and torque output ( of both ) and performance figures, that would be of interest !
I'll post a photo when I have a bit more time; sorry to disappoint, but the sills are fine! I shall have to sort out my literature tomorrow evening and let you have the figs then; train delays have robbed me of valuable time tonight!


MrMoonyMan

2,584 posts

218 months

NotNormal

2,370 posts

221 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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neutral 3 said:
... but if you can find the weight, power and torque output ( of both ) and performance figures, that would be of interest !
Hopefully of some help - http://www.autobahnstormers.org.uk/index.php/site-...

RB CV8

373 posts

208 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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Some figs for the 12V manual from the Motor road test (some minor discrepancies from the brochure):

177bhp @ 5600rpm, 183 lb ft @ 4800rpm. Unladen weight 1398kg, as tested 1600kg.
137mph, 0-60mph in 8.1secs, standing quarter 16.2secs.

I recall that Vauxhall got into a spat with Porsche and Car magazine when the GSi advertising stated that the 944 was slower from 0-60 than the Carlton, based on Car's figures which were apparently misprinted. From experience, the two were pretty well matched.....

I have this:


neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,504 posts

177 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
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Nice looking GSi R8 ! Rare color as well, all I seem to remember were Grey Metalic GSis.

I seem to recall an advert saying that the Carlton was quicker than a 944. I had also imagined the VX to be quicker to 60 than 8.1, my 12 V certainly felt faster than that.

The 24 V from memory had over 200 Bhp ?

RB CV8

373 posts

208 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
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neutral 3 said:
Nice looking GSi R8 ! Rare color as well, all I seem to remember were Grey Metalic GSis.

I seem to recall an advert saying that the Carlton was quicker than a 944. I had also imagined the VX to be quicker to 60 than 8.1, my 12 V certainly felt faster than that.

The 24 V from memory had over 200 Bhp ?
Thanks. It has been garage-kept since 1989, which helps. Actually, the Black Starmist was pretty common for the earliest cars as only that and Silver were available. Mistral Grey (if memory serves correctly) and Glacier White came later.

I still have a copy of that GSi v 944 advert in my collection of Vauxhall literature, as well as road test reports and brochures.

From standstill the manual cars are not the most pleasant things to get moving and there is an art to it; the box is agricultural and 1st and 2nd are quite short. That said, I don't get too wrapped up in 0-60 times; on the move the 12V car was pretty brisk in its day, though obviously times have changed.

My car gets driven swiftly when conditions allow but it isn't thrashed. It is a comfy and relaxing cruiser.

The 24v was 204bhp.

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,504 posts

177 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Anyone have a workshop manual for a GSi ?

Edited by neutral 3 on Tuesday 27th January 02:05

clintthrust

33 posts

226 months

Saturday 27th January 2018
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NotNormal said:
redcard
HA!