Cavalier mk2 - another blue giffermobile.

[4wheeledstool]

Not started on this yet, the Lambretta project has been put on hold after another project jumped the queue. Still getting out and about in it up until everywhere got salty recently.

 

[Skizzer]

Seeing your lovely mk1 reminds me, I’ve been offered a low mileage mk1 for a reasonable price by a friend. He inherited it from his father who bought it new. It’s a 1600L in resale red, which means the interior is bright red too - a late pre-facelift car on an S plate, so 1978.

 

It’s been off the road a few years (dry stored) but runs and drives.

 

I don’t really want any more cars, in fact I want fewer, so I’m in two minds. Yours is very handsome though.

 

I do like mk2s as well. Wanted my father to get one, and was quite grumpy (spoiled brat) when he got a very early 1.3L Maestro instead.

[Felly Magic]

Oh god there is a Nottingham Standard decker in the background

[Talbot]

I'll take numbers 1 thru 59.

[4wheeledstool]

I'll take numbers 1 thru 59.

I can't guarantee that it could never happen, but I've not moved on any of my chod since the last scooter I sold in 1996!

[uk_senator]

Having seen the demise of these 2 local Mk2 Cavs in the last few years, its great to see this ones getting some time lavished upon it. Keep it up!

[4wheeledstool]

I ran this up in the garage for an hour or so this evening. *Whilst stood there in the dark in front of the engine bay, I noticed teeny tiny arcs going from the terminals of the coil to the rubber collar where the king lead meets the coil. It doesn't do it when given more rpms, just when idling. The leads are new,(cheapo brand though)so unless the new leads are a bit pony, I suspect that the coil is about to cark it?

 

*Never stood in front of a running engine in the dark before? You're probably not missing much.

[Squire_Dawson]

Coil would either work or not. Personally if its an old one I would leave it well alone as modern replacements are no good. Evidently current is leaking, you need to nip this in the bud before tracking takes place on the coil terminal moulding. Check the connections are secure, the king lead insulation is effective, and clean the coil terminal moulding to help prevent tracking.

[4wheeledstool]

The MOT and insurance runs out on this over the weekend, so it got one last ride out before being laid up today.

 

 

Done about 3500 miles in it over the course of the year, and behaved impeccably other than one random conking out incident a while back. Once the current scooter related fettling is done, I hope to make a start on this in the Autumn.

[danthecapriman]

Hurry up with the scooter then! I can’t wait to see the rebuild of this Cav.

If it’s anything like your mk1 build it’s going to be a seriously nice mk2.

[Cavcraft]

It's brill to see this being used as it should be.

[Pillock]

What, screeching to a halt in a London residential street before DCI Frank Burnside and DC Jim Carver pile out and kick someone's door in? 

[4wheeledstool]

This has been sitting in my unit, patiently waiting for me to get stuck into it. I've been running it up and having a trundle around the farm every 2-3 weeks. It always starts up instantly, and theres no sign of the brakes rusting up yet, but it's filthy dusty in there! I had my car cleaning head on today, so decided that now was the time to remove 3 months worth of yard dust.

 

Before

 

 

 

After

 

 

 

It still looks pretty reasonable, but I'm not going to go for another MOT until it's been fettled. (still dragging my heels on the scooter resto!)

[4wheeledstool]

I finally got hold of a fully functional interior light unit for this today.

 

 

Obviously not got my arse in gear and made a start fettling this yet, but I promise its not been forgotten about.

[richardthestag]

Loved my Cav, 1.6L one of the last Mk2 cars, started out as a company car, I racked up 95k in 3 years and then bought it from the lease company for just over a bag if my memory serves me correct.

 

Traded it in for a 1 year old M reg Mk1 Mondo 1.8LX, by which time the faithful old Cav had done a 180k

 

Rear valance was rotted out at 3 years, by the time I had sold it on it had rotted out again plus the rear arches were starting to go.

 

Epic fun I had in that car

 

interestingly been scanning old 35mm negatives into my computer and found a couple of pics

 

 

 

 

 

[Cavcraft]

I finally got hold of a fully functional interior light unit for this today.

 

IMG_20180811_150522.jpg

 

Obviously not got my arse in gear and made a start fettling this yet, but I promise its not been forgotten about.

 

Don't forget to take the bulb out of the one in the boot. They were notorious for switching themselves on and flattening the battery.

[Ohdearme]

When all my mates were saving up for Nova SRs, XR2s and what not, whilst driving around in Merits and other shite. I bored of my Pop plus and ta four speeds and forever icing up carb and went and bought a Mk2 1.8GLi hatch Cavalier.

 

Went like shit off a shovel relative to their poky little things and only cost me £1700 at the time, this was back when insurance on such an engine for an 18 year old wasn’t as ridiculous as it is today.

 

That interior shot of yours also reminded me it had a proper tilt/slide sunroof, none of that crappy pop up only perspex crap in lesser cars

[Matty]

Lateral thinking on insurance got me a zx volcane at 20 cos ax gt insurance was too dear. Imagine a zx volcane at that age coming from a diesel astramax. Wtf was direct line thinking??

[4wheeledstool]

Sparkly stick has arrived! Loads of odds and ends of sheet metal have been sourced to have a play with - just need to get some gas and I can get some practice in.

[andy18s]

Lateral thinking on insurance got me a zx volcane at 20 cos ax gt insurance was too dear. Imagine a zx volcane at that age coming from a diesel astramax. Wtf was direct line thinking??

Friend of mine bought a brand new 2.0 Volcane as a works promotion present to himself

1st winter it froze solid,enough to crack the block

Turned put to only have had plain water in it from new.....

[Mr Bump]

Loved my Cav, 1.6L one of the last Mk2 cars, started out as a company car, I racked up 95k in 3 years and then bought it from the lease company for just over a bag if my memory serves

 

 

Think I spot a Lance Owen sticker in the back? Vauxhall dealer in Kingston?

[richardthestag]

Think I spot a Lance Owen sticker in the back? Vauxhall dealer in Kingston?

 

yep

[4wheeledstool]

Welding gear now operational - as I was promised, it is easier to weld to thin metal sheet than the transformer based MIG that I've borrowed in the past.

 

[4wheeledstool]

Had a bit of a pick at the O/S rear arch this afternoon - as expected, its far from pretty! Its just as it looked - repair panels tacked on followed by lashings of filler. Where the inner arch met the outer lip, a good inch of filler was used to stick the two together.

 

 

 

Just this one small scale excavation has instantly made me appreciate the fantastic condition my MK1 came to me in!

The interior and carpets will be stripped out soon to hopefully ensure that I won't be pissing into the wind by repairing the arches, rear valence and sills.

[Cavboy80]

Looking forward to seeing this being rebuilt. Your Mk1 is a beauty, this'll be the same.

[Ohdearme]

Looking forward to seeing this being rebuilt. Your Mk1 is a beauty, this'll be the same.

 

You probably don't need it but I have this in good condition, my dad had a Mk1 many years ago.

 

[drivewaymyway]

My Dad had a 86 D plate 1.6 estate in 'Trade white', it was his company car as an electrician and the back seats were always down.. He went self employed and bought it from the Company, it was a reliable bus, ate tyres because it was always loaded but the rear seats were brand new even when it got bridged with 240k on the clock and rusted arches not to forget the drivers seat had almost no foam left in it. The only two issues I can remember were a borked starter motor and the amount of smoke it pumped out when it was cold was military grade but this was sorted by having the bores deglazed by a friendly mechanic and a honing tool.. I recon my Dad never took it over 2k revs he drove so slow it was painful and embarrassing to be in the car, perhaps one of those drivers that thinks going slow is the best for fuel economy !!??

 

 It was massively roomy and smelt perfect, my Mum hated it but to me it was the first car that smelt like a car. MY mum had a mk1 2.0 auto in white with the red plastic interior and that car stank of damp / PVC and spilt oil.. 

 

 Worst car for smells was the first car I remember but also holds the affectionate corner on my thoughts, the King of Crap a Hillman Hunter !!.. didn't take the keys out of the ignition for 2 years, couldn't even give it away !!

[4wheeledstool]

Had a bit of spare time this afternoon, so made a start on removing the interior.

Spare wheel hasn't seen much action, Jack and wheelbrace present, but tools missing.

Spare wheel well is pretty good - a couple of rusty bung holes, but good and solid, and will clean up nicely.

Near side wheel house looks pretty good now the rear interior trim is out.

Theres a little bit of rust peeking out between the boot floor and the off side wheel house, it doesn't appear to be soft, and withstood a good stabbing with a sharp screwdriver. This will be properly investigated at some point.

So far, so reasonable!

[Skizzer]

Really looking forward to following this

[Lankytim]

Anyone else looking up Cavaliers on eBay after reading this thread?