Regular readers will remember that the first MV6 project update outlined my intention to source every item listed in the facelift Omega/MV6 Irmscher parts catalogue. This is easier said than done; not even Vauxhall’s official press vehicle featured a full complement of the German styling firm’s products!
Irmscher sold the last of their Omega-specific components a long time ago (let’s not forget that the newest example of the model is a decade old), which means that there aren’t any off-the-shelf parts to take advantage of. Ultimately, finding these cool cosmetic updates requires a beady eye, plenty of patience and a constant scan of auction and owners club websites.
That said, there are long-forgotten hidden treasures to be found buried deep within the store rooms of the nation’s Vauxhall dealerships – parts that have been collecting dust for years and that are often available at knockdown prices due to their classification as obsolete spares. As if to prove the point, I’ve managed to acquire a ‘brand new old stock’ Irmscher grille that was hiding within the murky depths of a Griffin sales centre in Wales. It set me back the princely sum of £35, which is less than half of what a used equivalent in average condition tends to fetch on eBay. Top banana!
The version that I’ve bought features a detachable and paintable outer surround to enable colour coding with the host vehicle (the vast majority of genuine Irmscher grilles sold in period feature a solid black plastic outer trim or chrome effect detailing). I’ve sent it to the paint shop for a lick of OE Z20C Black II. It wasn’t finished by the time that we went to press, but I’ve just taken delivery of a stack of additional exterior styling parts that I chose to offload at the same time.
Among this black bounty sits a replacement set of Irmscher side skirts, matching end caps and a rare Irmscher rear spoiler. The latter features a much deeper lip surface area than the Prodrive item that was fitted at the factory when the MV6 rolled off the production line. I’ve also had the car’s special edition rear bumper painted because it was exhibiting a number of unsightly scratches and a couple of annoying stone chips.
Another former dealer-fit optional extra that I’ve managed to get hold of comes in the form of a seldom-seen Irmscher raised rear wing. Back in the day, this was offered as an alternative to the aforementioned lip spoiler, but I’m determined to get both sitting comfortably alongside one another. It means that I’m going to have to attack the boot lid with my power drill, although the impending modification to the tail end of the car that will allow for the application of rear end components that I’ve sourced from America – items that were originally found on the Omega’s stateside sibling (the Cadillac Catera) – means that this is the least of my worries. More on that in my next update, when I also hope to have the freshly painted parts firmly attached to the MV6.
THANKSThe Body Shop
01945 475444
Irmscher raised wing and extended lip spoiler:
Irmscher side skirts:
Irmscher side skirt end caps (plus a spare):
The car's Irmscher rear bumper had a few stone chips that needed sorting:
Oh, and the previous owner appears to have nudged it into a wall at some point! It's nothing that The Body Shop can't fix:
Wahey! A brand new Irmscher front grille...
...which should transform the front end of the car:
Everything back from The Body Shop and covered in a fresh lick of Z20C Black II:
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Topic: humbucker's 2004 Irmscher MV6 #irmscherMV6 (Read 119387 times)