Invalid carriage blue Mk1 Cavalier

[derskine]

Superb work as always.

[Pillock]

That's brilliant, it's one of the threads on here I just go back and read from the start when there's been an update as it's so detailed.

[4wheeledstool]

Superb work as always.

That's brilliant, it's one of the threads on here I just go back and read from the start when there's been an update as it's so detailed.

Cheers!

 

I got the front suspension stripped pretty quickly - after struggling to make a spring compressor, I ended up doing it "gypsy" style. (Undoing the lower wisbone pivot bolt, withdrawing the pivot bolt at arms length, and boioioing!) This gives me time to find the correct tool, as there is absolutely no way it can be assembled without one.

 

 

All the ball joints were pressed out/unbolted pretty quickly, but the rubber bushes - it took two hours of cutting and hammering to get just one out without damaging the wishbone!

 

 

Theres 9 more to remove

[danthecapriman]

This will be one of the, if not the best one in existence by the time it's finished! Looks like it's really getting the treatment.

Great work!

[4wheeledstool]

This will be one of the, if not the best one in existence by the time it's finished! Looks like it's really getting the treatment.

Great work!

Cheers! I do want it to look good, but mainly want it to last.

Only just got around to reading this thread!

You truly must be dedicated to this car, you are doing excellent work so far and it will be nice to see the finished product

 

You will have no need to ever buy another car if you carry on the way you are doing now! I guess it would be cheaper buying a new one by the time you're done though.

 

I look forward to future updates on this it all looks very interesting!

 

I don't know about dedication, I see it more like chod based OCD! I'd love to use it as my daily, but would be paranoid about it being ruined by some nob end. I do intend to get some use out of it, just no Supermarket car parks or leaving it out in the crappy weather!

 

Another 7 of the suspension bushes were freed today. The four upper wishbone bushes were wound out with washers, threaded bar, and a large socket. The rear subframe to body bushes came out in a similar fashion. The lower wishbone bushes are a different story though - about 2 hours required to cut, hammer, chisel and smash the fuckers out. Got one of these done today, leaving two more of the swines for another day.

[purplebargeken]

I would love to do something like this but I neither have the:

 

Time, skill/ability, space, resources, equipment or the money.

 

Please do my Amazon for me when you have finished

[4wheeledstool]

I would love to do something like this but I neither have the:

 

Time, skill/ability, space, resources, equipment or the money.

 

Please do my Amazon for me when you have finished

I fully expect to have exhausted my supply of many of those things by the time this is finished. Next up will definitely be my longest serving Lambretta - a veritable piece of piss in comparison!

 

[4wheeledstool]

Got the last two out in a little over two hours - I must be getting more proficient

 

 

The rear two were by far the hardest, but not likely to be a problem for me any more - a full set of polyurethane bushes will be fitted when it goes back together.

[AnthonyG]

Don't be too annoyed at all that oil that pissed out of the engine - looks like it acted as a rust preventative!

 

It's almost like the car got self aware at some point and decided it needed to extend its life by any means necessary.

[trigger]

Inspirational stuff. I wish I had the skillz and patience to do something like this.

[purplebargeken]

^^ I do believe you already have

[Spottedlaurel]

I would love to do something like this but I neither have the:

 

Time, skill/ability, space, resources, equipment or the money.

 

Ditto (with the exception of space). This Cavalier will be fantastic when finished.

 

This thread is inspiring and frightening in almost equal measure. Ostensibly my Laurel is a pretty decent thing, but I bet if I started to look properly it would need just as much work as this.

[Cavcraft]

I'm sort of sad but glad you didn't mention the Lammy when you came for the Cavalier, I'd have tried to set up a deal I couldn't afford!

[4wheeledstool]

I'm sort of sad but glad you didn't mention the Lammy when you came for the Cavalier, I'd have tried to set up a deal I couldn't afford!

I'd have to be flat on my arse to sell any of my Lambrettas - especially this one, as its my first ever. Been with me since 1989!

[Cavcraft]

If you come across a cheap one (ha!) next year sometime, let me know please. I realise they still fetch stupid money, but I'd love an Li or Indian GP200 or something.

[4wheeledstool]

If you come across a cheap one (ha!) next year sometime, let me know please. I realise they still fetch stupid money, but I'd love an Li or Indian GP200 or something.

No probs - I had no idea you're into a bit of scooterchod!

 

Back to the Cavalier - I was hoping to re use the hard brake lines as they're in really good condition. Imagine my joy when the ends of both hard lines to the front callipers twisted with the unions and broke off! The ragged end of one of them can be seen attached to the left hand hose. Bugger.

 

[Felly Magic]

This will be eleventy billionty twelve times better than when it left the factory brand new when you get done with it

[lincolndanny]

How have I missed this?!?!

[4wheeledstool]

Took out the servo and brake lines today, was cold as a penguin's chuff!

 

 

I then took a wire wheel to the Swan neck areas of the chassis. Both sides of the passenger side were spot on.

 

 

 

The driver's side wasn't so good.

 

 

 

Arse cake! The list of stuff for my main welder bloke to do just got bigger! (He's gonna do it all over Christmas due to being super busy.)

 

Made myself busy with some more stripping now that theres nothing in the way any more.

 

 

Made a start on the engine bay.

 

 

On the way out there was some kind of aviation based witchcraft going on in the sky!

 

[purplebargeken]

Crikey, it's not exactly a rust pig is it. I reckon it won't take him long to sort out the rusty bits

[4wheeledstool]

Crikey, it's not exactly a rust pig is it. I reckon it won't take him long to sort out the rusty bits

I was hoping that it could all be done in a day, but now it doesn't seem likely.

[sloth]

mine was far worse. every seam had rusted. i check in on this every day. please keep going.

[4wheeledstool]

Found another couple of hours to spend on this today - I brought a borrowed engine stand to the unit, then got stuck in cleaning the engine bay back.

 

 

 

I hope to have the whole engine bay done over the weekend

[danthecapriman]

I still just can't believe how good this thing is.

You should strip it to bare metal all over then just lacquer it and run it like that! Maybe not, but it's easily good enough to.

[4wheeledstool]

It is in surprisingly good nick as far as chod that's nearly 40 years old goes!

 

Been cleaning the engine bay for most of the weekend, but got started with finishing the inner wings and front chassis rails first.

 

 

After a good few hours, just the front valance and front panel left to do.

 

 

 

 

 

I vacuumed the unit floor when I'd done for the day - Henry was as full as a fat bird's shoe!

[4wheeledstool]

I got the chance to make a start on the front panels this evening.

 

 

I need to do a load of overtime at work for the next couple of weeks, so may not get another go at it for a while.

[4wheeledstool]

Well, I did get another shot at this over the weekend after all. The majority of the front end is done, just the back of the front valance, back of the slam panel and a few fiddly bits still to do

 

 

 

 

I've got ten days to play with over Christmas, so should make some decent progress soon! The welding will be done over Christmas too.

[vulgalour]

Are you sure it's a Vauxhall?  Don't they have this reputation for dissolving almost at the rate of an Alfa?  Absolutely incredible to see the amount of steel still there.

[Skizzer]

Brilliant stuff.  When you said you were going to clean the engine bay, I wasn't expecting it to be that clean...

 

One of my shed neighbours has in the back of his shed a red Cavalier mk1 1600L of the same vintage as yours.  It used to be his father's, and has been off the road for a while but does run.  It looks to be in very good order, with no visible rust - it's some way down his list of projects but he'll get to it eventually.  It's got the reddest interior OF EVAH, and has me quite jealous.

[Asimo]

Stripped bare looks lovely, but doesn't it start rusting immediately? When all is welded and clean how will it be painted to last? New cars are plunged into tanks of primer and whatnot. Going to take more than a few aerosols for sure to keep it free for another 40 years.