Invalid carriage blue Mk1 Cavalier

[Felly Magic]

This thread is more winning than Charlie Sheen on a coke addled rant. I bet you enjoyed your pootle round the yard

[trigger]

Everything about this thread and build is perfection. It's a real credit to you this.

[4wheeledstool]

The seats look very plush indeed. For some reason I was expecting vinyl.

Aye - good old blue velour. I'm still looking for some similar material so I can get them re covered.

Absolutely lovely and a credit to your restoration skills. I can only echo what others are saying about security but I assume it will have a garage to live in?

Fairly sure the panel gaps etc are better now that when it was new!

Cheers! It will have a garage to sit in - just need to turf some junk out! The gaps aren't too horrible, but I'll try to make that wing better.

This thread is more winning than Charlie Sheen on a coke addled rant. I bet you enjoyed your pootle round the yard

Cheers! I certainly did!

Everything about this thread and build is perfection. It's a real credit to you this.

Thank you kindly! It's by no means perfect, but its turned out very reasonably so far.

[Cavcraft]

It bloody well is perfect. I'll have to cover myself in clingfilm as I think I'll explode when I see it.

[4wheeledstool]

I cleaned up my sill trims while the bodywork was being polished. They have a little pitting, but they look a lot better than when I started!

 

 

The bodywork will have do be polished again though, it looks ok in bright sunlight, but once it was back in my unit, I could see sanding spirals all over it.

[purplebargeken]

 

 

I could see sanding spirals all over it.   

 

Nooooooooooo

oooooooooooo

oooooooooooo

[4wheeledstool]

That's pretty much what I thought. Gutted.

[anonymous user]

The like is for the sill trims, not the sanding spirals, that's a bit of a bugger.

[danthecapriman]

The like is for the sill trims, not the sanding spirals, that's a bit of a bugger.

Same here!

The sill trims look great. I'm sure the swirls will go with a bit more polishing.

 

On the bright side the cars really getting there now, and it really does look the biz!

[dollywobbler]

Amazing as ever. Loving this.

[4wheeledstool]

Sill trims went on early this morning.

 

 

I used the original clips on the underside, but with self tapping screws instead of the plastic pegs used originally. Should be easier to remove now.

 

 

The VIN plate was next.

 

 

Then the wipers.

 

 

And then the Ariel - Matsui Radio works a treat now!

 

[Ghosty]

is it done yet?

[4wheeledstool]

is it done yet?

getting there -

 

The front end was built back up next, I still have a problem with one of the headlights, but I haven't tested any earths or changed any bulbs yet.

 

 

I then flatted and polished the rear facing part of the boot lid, and then the trim and badges were added.

 

 

I intended to fit the hockey stick trims to the front valance next, but I'd left them at home. I did have the number plates with me though.

 

 

I had to mount the front one slightly off centre, as the characters were in the way if done centrally , it doesn't look too bad though.

 

 

I can always make a couple of brackets to move it a little to the left, keeping the screws where they are.

[tooSavvy]

^^ I'm getting 'ally stamped' plates for the Toyota and will calculate the hole spacing carefully - can be a right downer & so many brand new dealer cars are just... Lobbed On

 

Grrrrrrr

 

 

TS

[purplebargeken]

So stunning!

 

What's left to do?

[4wheeledstool]

So stunning!

 

What's left to do?

Cheers Ken! Rear bumper to go on, side trims + wheel arch trims to fit (some drilling required for new/non original to the car panels) but first of all the polishing is getting sorted today/tomorrow. Need to make one of the headlights work too.

Not a lot - almost ready to MOT.

[purplebargeken]

Wow! That is a minimal to do list. 

 

Bloody hell

[dollywobbler]

Superb.

[danthecapriman]

You must be getting really excited that it's nearly ready. I know I would be with a car like that.

Good timing too, hopefully you'll get at least a couple of months of use out of it before the dreaded road salt starts coming out! Are you going to use it through winter?

[4wheeledstool]

Wow! That is a minimal to do list.

 

Bloody hell

Aye - not much left. I do intend to get the seats re-covered and dye the carpets over the winter though.

Superb.

Many thanks!

You must be getting really excited that it's nearly ready. I know I would be with a car like that.

Good timing too, hopefully you'll get at least a couple of months of use out of it before the dreaded road salt starts coming out! Are you going to use it through winter?

Cheers! I'm not overly excited because miserable bastard. I don't know why, I just don't get properly excited about anything. I am looking forward to getting out and about in it again - puddles and cow shit will be driven round though!

It'll be put away when the roads are salted, only coming out on those rare winter days when it's dry and salt free.

 

Hockey stick trims went on today - this is the first time I've used the special rivets I bought that replicate the "pegs" welded on at the factory to facilitate trim attachment. All non original panels (drivers door, drivers wing and front valance) need these to avoid glueing the trim back on. Just a 3mm hole is required in the correct places and...

 

 

A "peg" to attach the trim clip to^^^

 

Trim clip slid onto the peg...

 

 

Repeat a few times and then clip on the trim pieces...

 

 

Number plate now centralised after knocking up a couple of little brackets to move the plate a little to the left...

 

 

The car then went back to have the polishing sorted out. I hope there's not a lot of cleaning up to do like last time. He said he'd mask everything, so fingers crossed!

[John F]

This is one of the GOOD threads on Autoshite at the moment

 

(although it is making me feel bad about my rate of proress on my own projects)

[anonymous user]

It just looks so good, if you struggle with getting the polishing redone can I suggest that you just apply the polish to the car and give a shout, I'm sure there will be a queue of us willing to lick it off.

[oldcars]

Lovely, stunning car. Are the swirls caused from the sanding or the polishing? Depends on the polish used some heavy compounds used to remove colour sanding marks leave swirls and a fine polish is needed to finish the finish as it were.

[vulgalour]

Just phenominal work.  I didn't know these even had those front chrome trims, I don't recall ever seeing a Cav with them fitted.

[4wheeledstool]

It just looks so good, if you struggle with getting the polishing redone can I suggest that you just apply the polish to the car and give a shout, I'm sure there will be a queue of us willing to lick it off.

Many thanks! The polishing is mostly done, there are a few bits that still need sorting out, but I'll do it myself a bit at a time once the car is back in use.

Lovely, stunning car. Are the swirls caused from the sanding or the polishing? Depends on the polish used some heavy compounds used to remove colour sanding marks leave swirls and a fine polish is needed to finish the finish as it were.

Cheers! It's sanding spirals, they will need blocking with 2000 paper, then 3000 sanding pad, then polishing with G3. It's pretty tedious when done by hand, but not too bad when detailing one panel at a time. The boot lid and a couple of patches of the roof are going to need the most work, the rest of the car very little.

Just phenominal work. I didn't know these even had those front chrome trims, I don't recall ever seeing a Cav with them fitted.

Thank you kindly! The front trims were fitted to all GL and GLS models. I suppose in many cases they probably don't get re fitted/replaced after accident/rust repair.

 

Rear bumper went back on this afternoon, didn't have a great deal of time to spend on it today.

 

 

Side trims and arch trims will go on tomorrow, then MOT on Friday.

[Dippy]

Would probably be best to buy a cheap rotary polisher, I got one for around £40 and you won't get into trouble if you use it on a slow speed. It's certainly a lot quicker than a hand job

[Pillock]

You've not met the lasses from the Sheffield alleyways.

[4wheeledstool]

Would probably be best to buy a cheap rotary polisher, I got one for around £40 and you won't get into trouble if you use it on a slow speed. It's certainly a lot quicker than a hand job

I have one on loan.

 

Arch trims went on first today - three out of the four needed holes drilling due to repairs and the replacement wing.

 

 

 

The side trims were next, just the drivers door and o/s/f wing needed holes drilling and rivets putting in. A couple of the trims needed straightening, the nearside rear quarter trim was the worst of the lot, but ended up pretty reasonable.

 

 

 

The roof gutter trims went on next, I thought that these were going to be a pig to do, but they were relatively straightforward.

 

 

Finally, the washer jets and lines were fitted and tested. I still need to sort out the dim offside headlight, but should be good for MOT tomorrow.

[agw9262]

I've said it before but I'll say it again - what a fantastic piece of work and the speed and care you've taken have made it *this* good - good job sir and good luck for tomorrow's MOT!!

[purplebargeken]

That looks absolutely fucking amazing! If there is no MOT pass forthcoming then there is something badly wrong in the world.