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Cavalier mk2 - another blue giffermobile.


4wheeledstool

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Finally got round to finishing the stripping yesterday. 

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And found a bit of time to get some primer splashed on today.

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In other news, I was given these wheel trims the other day.

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They're 14" though - probably off a Carlton. If anyone needs a set, they are available FOC. :)

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A friend of my Dad's had a D reg MK2 Cav 1.8 GLSi hatch with these wheel trims fitted too. 

One day they went to a job and found one had fell off.

But later on that day my Dad borrowed the Cav to go to a nearby cafe. On the way he was flagged down by a utilities worker.

He'd been working down a access hole they had dug, when the missing wheel trim had landed in the hole next to him! 

Bonus was the wheel trim was undamaged.

 

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Last bit of reasonable air temperature for the foreseeable today, so took the opportunity to prime the underside of the bonnet.

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Here ends the "bare metal and epoxy primer" chapter. The "filler, rubbing and dust" chapter will begin when the weather warms up at some point.  :(

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As @4wheeledstoolsuggests these trims are from a Carlton GL circa 84/85.

The only Mk2 Cavalier to have 14” wheels were SRis and the Minilite lookalikes on very late LX run out models. Plus randoms like Commanders and Calibres

GLs from late 83 to 85 had a very similar design in 13””.

GLSes always had alloys , again in 13”.

Thats not to say the memories on this page are inaccurate, just that the wheels and trims involved weren’t standard fitments.

 

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3 hours ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

As @4wheeledstoolsuggests these trims are from a Carlton GL circa 84/85.

The only Mk2 Cavalier to have 14” wheels were SRis and the Minilite lookalikes on very late LX run out models. Plus randoms like Commanders and Calibres

GLs from late 83 to 85 had a very similar design in 13””.

GLSes always had alloys , again in 13”.

Thats not to say the memories on this page are inaccurate, just that the wheels and trims involved weren’t standard fitments.

 

A fine piece of master geekery!! 
That would have been the 9 year old me quoting that to my father from the brochure, but also pointing out that he should be buying the Manta. 
The mk2 was a decent car as was the 1990/1 2.0i GL. Nice spec and a good turn of speed from its gruff 8V engine. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Not been at this for a few weeks for a variety of reasons. The most recent reason was the inability to get to the shed due to flooded roads. 

Got the tyres off - it's still too cold to do any body work stuff, and there  isn't a right lot left to do apart from that.

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I had an exploratory session with power tools to ascertain the general condition, and was pleased by the face of the wheel.

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The back was not quite as pleasing.

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I duly got stuck in with the wire wheel stuff.

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Not too bad at all - they're all very straight too. If I can afford it I'll get them all blasted and Powder coated. :)

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Powder coating is asking for trouble.  They'll look good for a few years, then somewhere the coating will slightly split, letting moisture in.  The first thing you know about it is when the entire coating peels off in great big chunks, leaving absolutely rotten steel behind.

I'd POR15 them.  Far better.  Does POR15 take a primer coat?  If so, a thin layer of sprayed zinc primer maybe?

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Something I've considered before too.  Apparently 2CV wheels are contenders for this, as they can rot really very badly.

I think you'd likely need to dress the wheel quite carefully once it comes back from galv, as the zinc flash that is generally left all over steelwork can be truly awful.   An hour spent with a file and a wire wheel would likely be essential.

The alternative might be a heavy zinc plating and passivating.  That would then also take topcoat paint quite well.  The zinc plating would likely be quite a bit cheaper and a massively better finish.

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I'll second not going down the powder coating route. Once it splits (and especially when there's salty water involved) you'll be peeling off sheets of coating and branflakes. As my work is right next to the sea, every coated tin sheet and air conditioning unit, no matter how old or new, is peeling at the edges or is completely rotten through with only the coating left behind. It's a bit like rubberised underseal for your car: it's brilliant if every single area is coated. Anything exposed will condemn the rest if left long enough.

Would using something like Bilthamber Electrox or other cold galv stuff do what you want? POR15 is definitely a good shout too.

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Got another one cleaned today.

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Costs have dictated that POR15 will be used on these, just got to get the other two done and I can put the wire wheel stuff away. (Hopefully for considerable time!)

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I'll probably have to paint these in the kitchen as it's a bit too cold in the shed!  

:)

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On 2/7/2021 at 5:21 PM, Minimad5 said:

What paint did you use, as that looks like a good finish ?

Its POR15 gloss black chief - looks pretty much like powder coating with very careful application.  :)

All four wheels now painted.

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Looks like the weather is about to get a lot warmer this week, so I might be able to start getting the bodywork ready for paint soon.  :D

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Managed to get a bit done this week, the bonnet has a second layer of primer on it, and has been blocked again. Seen here part way through rubbing through a guide coat.

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Two of the doors have been filled (car park door dings) and blocked. Waiting for it to warm up a bit so I can get another coat of epoxy primer on there to seal it - no idea when the paint job will be done so epoxy will prevent any moisture being absorbed while it all waits.

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Hopefully more rubbing tomorrow.  :)

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Most rubbing happened -drivers door had a couple of door dings addressed.

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Passenger side rear door revealed a bit of damage after a few strokes of the block. I'd not noticed it when I stripped all the paint off, but it looks like its brushed against a gate post at some point. It's pretty superficial, but would have been noticeable once its shiny, so a little filler was applied before calling it a day.

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