VX Cavalier Pervert Self Help Group...

[CreepingJesus]

Further to flat4's comment in the Autoshite Lexicon, why don't we Cavalier lickers get it right off our chests?

 

I'll start.

 

Hi, I'm Neil, and I like Vauxhall Cavaliers.

My first one was F466TSX, a 1.6L hatch which was christened 'Sparky' after it insisted on inflicting shocks on everyone who touched it, after I fitted a large Bosch Silver battery to it, that I had lying around.

Sparky was actually a birthday present from my other half, costing a whole £40 because it wouldn't start. I spent most of the afternoon of my thirtieth birthday trying to get it to go. No chance. A former neighbour, who has absolutely no mechanical sympathy or nous whatsoever, started it first time by the simple expedient of pulling the choke out a bit. I hadn't thought of it, and I'm not even sure why it happened that way, but it did. Cheers Sparky, cheers Brian.

Barring a radiator leak that cost £5 to fix, it needed nothing for the year I ran it, until the rear brakes failed spectacularly on the A92 by Kirkcaldy at 70-odd mph. It limped home, then got sent over the bridge.

 

Some time after that was an L reg 1.8GL in metallic gold. Can't mind the reg, but it went over the bridge too, after amusing the kids when the exhaust came off near Cowdenbeath. We went home with it in the boot, as I'd intended to bodge it back on, but the rust underneath rendered that exercise pointless.

It also had the very odd fault that the left indicators didn't work at all, and if I put the hazards on, it blew most of the fuse board. Cost £250 from a used car lot in Blairhall that mysteriously vanished shortly after I'd bought it. I'd actually gone to buy a nicer one they had advertised, but GL and £250 less than the nice one were too much to resist.

 

So...that's my confession. What's yours?

[motorpunk]

A confession? I had a couple of leggy old ones, back in the day, and my boss had new ones as company cars at the same time. I used to nick bits off his car to repair mine. I hope he isn't reading this.

 

I'd like a mk3 Turbo 4x4 saloon in that burgundy they did, but if I were to express my like in number of pounds I'd actually be prepared to spend, it would only be about 400.

[hairnet]

snortle.

[hairnet]

hi my name is mark and after booking a holiday to new zealand

 

ive been looking at buying holden commodores with v8s in them

 

im doomed

[CreepingJesus]

But a Commodore is an Omega with a fuck off big engine in it. Nice, but too bargey and too rear drivey. (Mk1 Cavs are allowed though.)

 

A confession? I had a couple of leggy old ones, back in the day, and my boss had new ones as company cars at the same time. I used to nick bits off his car to repair mine. I hope he isn't reading this.

 

I'd like a mk3 Turbo 4x4 saloon in that burgundy they did, but if I were to express my like in number of pounds I'd actually be prepared to spend, it would only be about 400.

Quality! The turbos were very nice indeed. I reckoned the saloon drove better on the limit than the Calibra, it seemed less flexible and more predictable.

My how we laughed, when it turned out BBS hadn't a figment for their unique PCD/offset combo. Almost the first thing the boss man did was fit BBS cross spokes. TSW were first off the block to offer something, with Borbet close behind, iirc.

 

The boss man's previous GSi 4x4 we tried to get all four tyres to light up at once. While he was on holiday of course. Nobody managed it, his favoured Pirellis just wouldn't give it up on the concrete. We did find out that, hooked up, you can bounce the valves in a Red Top remarkably quickly in first. When you sidestep the clutch with 6,000 rpm up...

[hairnet]

closest to a cav was a nova

 

would like a mk1 cav tho

 

the holden isnt the blobby 90s one

[83C]

First one was G955 ONH - a 1.6 L saloon in burgundy. Did 11,500 miles in 6 months with it when I was 17, crashed it into some armco on the way to Bala. It was replaced by....

 

G706 BEH - a 1.6 GL hatchback in JRG. The fuse for the heated rear window was just a melted hole in the fuse board but the screen still worked. It was ok but it got traded quickly.

 

I also had F495 AKB (I think!) - a 1.4 L saloon in burgundy. Dog slow and useless.

 

I'd like a nice 2.0 SRi, preferably a saloon.

[CreepingJesus]

Mk3 2.0iL 4x4...now that's a sleeper. 130bhp tune engine, and if you took the pointless spoiler off, there was very little to give it away.

 

Mk2 estates were a fixture of my teen years: dad had 3 in succession as company cars. All 1.6L's and all from Tricentrol in Dunstable (office was in MK). The last one was nice, it was Midnight Blue and had the green tinted glass. Surprisingly plush for a fleet L spec workhorse.

[sierraman]

Never owned one but my dad used to borrow them from work a lot, invariably a 1.4 fleet special L. Then some years later a mate was looking for a car and I’d seen a lovely 2.0 GLS on an L plate for a couple of hundred, really nice car inside but like an idiot he thrashed the fuck out of it so it was bolloksed in 6 month.

[Des]

Never had a Cavvy but they earned my respect, had an impressive top speed for their day and are the best car ever for working on. Used to do clutches and cv boots in the carpark, no jack needed, only downside was the waterpump / belt tensioner was a bit faffy and the rear brakes could lock up on bends if set up wrong. Carbs weren't idiot proof either.

Good cars from a time when a new model was an improvement on the old. Just a shame that Vauxhall were determined not to lose the 'who can get away with the least rust protection' bet that they made with Ford.

[RobT]

I've only had two Mk3s, but would like to try a Mk2 before they all disappear (twats trading them in on scrappage doesn't help the cause).

 

Can't see me without one now, as my current Mk3 keeps being reliable and is perfect for long motorway journeys. Tall gearing, comfortable driving position, and quiet 2.0 8v means I can drive for hours without feeling the effects too much. I know that's what they were designed for after all, but to still be capable 25 years on (and 136,000 miles in my case) is not bad going. It's just a shame the rear arches are utter shite and the handling isn't a patch on its contemporaries.

 

Nostalgia played a part in this purchase, as my uncle had a satin red CD back in the day and I wanted one ever since! This is when I bought it in March 2015. It looks a bit rougher these days.

 

[Ghosty]

I always remember mk3 Cav CDs for being silky smooth and feeling well put together. Whether any of that’s true at least 14 or so years after I’ve been in one, I’m not too sure.

V6, hmmmm.

[M'coli]

"NewPOD to the beige telephone please..."

[Tickman]

I had a D reg 1.8 LX that I found quite local which had been a company car then bought from the company as a second car. It was ace, fast (relative term) comfortable and would eat up the miles happily sitting at 100 on the M6.

 

When it was time for it to go my Mum wanted it so it stayed a few more years before someone needed a tow car and it headed off to Ireland no doubt run into the ground.

[0ldCh0d]

in 1998, I went from running about in a Black, G Reg, 1.6L MK3 cavalier, to a champagne gold, mk3 2.0i 8v SRi Hatchback, G497 SBU.....

 

Bought from the salvage auction as a stolen/recovered, Vauxhall's were the car of choice amongst the thieving/joyriding fraternity back then,

Anyway, a trip to the scrapyard later, full set of locks aquired, then fitted (Surprisingly easy to replace, including the steering lock once you know how)

 

I then got a Toad (Remember them?) CAT 1 alarm & immobiliser professionally fitted to it, to make sure it did not go missing again.

 

I felt like the dogs danglies when I had that car, Keep in mind, I was 18 back then, had a well paid job then for an 18 year old (Driving Articulated Dump Trucks, Volvo A25's), No responsibilities, was young & care free...lol.

 

I even paid the insurance in one go, & smoked about in it for about 2 years. It never once missed a beat.

 

 

I do have pictures of it, but they are in the attic....so will try look them out,

 

Here is an example picture, other than the colour, it was identical to the one pictured above. 

[0ldCh0d]

I always remember mk3 Cav CDs for being silky smooth and feeling well put together. Whether any of that’s true at least 14 or so years after I’ve been in one, I’m not too sure.

V6, hmmmm.

 

V6 Cavalier.......In Diplomat Spec very nice.. The Turbo 4x4 also..

[0ldCh0d]

[John F]

Cavaliers are ace.

 

I had a '94 2.0 SRi Ecotec back in the early 2000s, and would probably have it still except I ended up buying a low-mileage V6 Calibra in approx. 2005 - which I still have.

 

The Calibra's basically just a Cav in a posh frock.

 

Which isn't a bad thing.

[hairnet]

when i first started work one of the rep gadgees was nearing retirement

 

so they took him off the road and put him under a desk

 

they still gave him a car tho

 

1.4L mk3 in blue

 

we used to borrow it and the other managers 1.4lx orion saloon 91 ftw to run errands or go for the lunch

 

i passed my test while i worked there and borrowed the orion for FIRST DRYVE

[AlabamaShrimp]

I had a mk2 1600 F reg in a lovely red in about 2000. Drove really well but then like shit after I changed the leads for some new ones.

 

As we had a garage at the time I just gave it back. Can't remember if it was sold or not.

 

Was a good car with a giant boot and I'd have had another. Now I've seen there's a two door though I'd have one of those if money were no object.

[CreepingJesus]

Yeah, Cally's definitely make it in. They were a weird experience when they first came out: from the driver's seat they always felt like a Cav that had been stretched out a bit. To me at least.

Bet the misery spec 8 valves with the trims in OldCh0d's SRi pic on, are rare as can be now. Will inevitably have been Barry'd to extinction.

 

I remember the Toad alarms, they were well flash. Those and the ones with the microchip key that Ford favoured. Although by then, the upgrade GM microwave system was pretty good, it didn't stop tea leaves simply pulling the barrel out with a screwdriver. Not as bad as the Mk2s, but not that much better. We used to stock a lot of lock sets at the time, one or two of our regular bodyshops would keep a set too.

[primeradoner]

First one was G955 ONH - a 1.6 L saloon in burgundy. Did 11,500 miles in 6 months with it when I was 17, crashed it into some armco on the way to Bala. It was replaced by....

 

 

Ive had loads of these and this was the fate of most of them

[Hertz]

I had a 2.0 GLI in about 1997 which was superb. It was a 91 H with about 160,000 miles up it. Sold that and got a 1990 Burgundy Sri Saloon, looked good but didn't ride half as nice as the GLI. Sold that after a few weeks. Then got married and we needed a cheap runaround, found a J plate GLI with one owner from new, passenger door was bashed in but apart from that was a peach. £350 paid back in 2003/4 which was a bargain. Ran it for a year and got £450 for it.

 

Great cars, comfortable, economical and that 2.0 8V engine is bomb proof.

 

Drove a 4x4 ex police Turbo but was disappointed with the performance compared to my 21 Turbo at the time. I would love a V6 Manual if i could find a nice one and had some space.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Bought loads of mk3s at auction to sell on. There was never much wrong with them and they sold straight away. Easy to clock too. You could lose 100k no problem, they didn't show their miles badly at all

 

The last Cav I encountered was a Mk2 saloon. Back when scrap was £200 a ton. It had been stood in a garden for a decade. I attached a tow rope and pulled it out. It grew about half a foot in length, the rear chassis and d post snapped. The boot was full of magazines. Women's mags and tv guides mostly. I joked to the owner that I had found his porn stash. He got very agitated and started blaming his son and wouldn't listen when I told him I was joking

[mercrocker]

Got a job aged 18 with a company R4 van.  Boss had a brand new 1900 Mk1 Cav saloon and was just married, doing up a house etc... 

 

Naturally he needed the van at weekends and let me loose in the Cav.    Blimey, I cut my teeth on that thing - wet roundabout drift (shit myself but got it back!), unmentionable evenings with Mk2 girlfriend, shameless clutch-dumps outside the pub on full lock and experiencing the plush new velour and utter blue-ness of interior. 

 

The 1600 pool car we got later on was a pale relation but later on I changed jobs (more than a few times) and ended up very briefly on the road doing customer visits.   The sales manager had totalled his Mk2 SRi 130 saloon and was given a Sterling as a reward.   We owned the cars back then and the Cav duly came back with a new bodyshell and became a spare for the sales team.    Whether or not the car benefited from being virtually hand-built I don't know but it drove so much better than all the other (admittedly cooking) Mk2s we had.   I seriously considered buying it off the company on a pay packet deduction basis but as I only had about 65 pence left each month I thought better of it.    

 

I considered both these cars better than the average family saloon car rival of their times and the Mk2 felt much more than six or so years newer than the RWD cars - I am not really a fan of FWD but would rock a Cav today no problem.    

 

Years later I bought a fairly leggy Ascona 2.0S in DRFTYO flavour and could not believe how wheezy it felt in those 20 years that had elapsed since the 1900 Cavalier days but it still handled really nicely and I wish I had kept it.

[CreepingJesus]

Drove a 4x4 ex police Turbo but was disappointed with the performance compared to my 21 Turbo at the time. I would love a V6 Manual if i could find a nice one and had some space.

Rumour at the time the Turbo was in development, was that it was intended to have 250bhp, so it would be pretty much top dog in that class. But, it turned out the torque steer in that tune was horrendous, to the point where one of the Cally prototypes crashed, putting the test driver in hospital. They were progressively detuned until they didn't torque steer any more...

So the story goes!

[r.welfare]

I had a Mk2 and Mk3 at the same time about 10 years ago.

 

Mk2 was an A reg 1.6GL saloon in green. Inside and out, those colour keyed interiors were something else. Went well. Paid £100 for it I think, didn't drive it much but got it MOTd and sold it. It's still on the road unlike pretty much every other car I've owned.

 

Mk3 was a bit of a touch, in the parts section of eBay so won for £57. Seller not happy but honoured it. Had something like 10 months MOT. Very early 1.6 LS hatch facelift without an airbag. Drove OK, slower and softer than the Mk2. Went through three rocker cover gaskets before I got the torques on the bolts right and cured the oil leak.

 

Never owned a Mk1 but loved the plaid interiors on the lower spec ones. Did own two Opel Rekords with the 2-litre cam-in-head engine, I think a Cav or Ascona so equipped would be a smashing conveyance. I thought the Rekords better than the early Mk2 (2.3) Granada I owned later.

 

My dad had a couple of company Cavs. Firstly a runout Mk2 1.8iGL. Fast car for the time, prodigious wheelspinner. Replaced with a Mk3 1.8GL auto. Better looking and more equipment but the engine was a dog and stalled a lot. That was replaced by a 405 estate.

[New POD]

But a Commodore is an Omega with a fuck off big engine in it. Nice, but too bargey and too rear drivey. (Mk1 Cavs are allowed though.)

 

 

 

The maloo seems to have omega front doors but the monaro has longer one's as coupe.

 

"NewPOD to the beige telephone please..."

 

I am here.

I am no longer a member at mk2cav.com  mk3cav.com mk3astra.com. or mk4astra.com. 

 

I do frequent OOF and autobaunstormers and Mx5nutz

 

One has owned a few* cavaliers and astras but now I'm testing my ability with rear wheel drive.  

*Highlights

D Reg 1.6 GL Took from 27K to 110K

Cdi auto 1.8e cost One bottle of very cheap scotch - sold to rasta from Toxteth

SRi 1.8e cost cost £40 owned it for year took it from 70K to 125K

CalibrE cost an arm an a leg. exploded engine on Runcorn bridge, sold to someone with more patience

Mk3 1.8GL wife given it with 29K and over 13 year took it to 130K Px'd it for  Bini

Mk3 astras 1.4 lsi 8V saloon 1.4lsi 8v hatch 1.6 mpi hatch all written off by me.

Mk4 astra 1.6 16V owned it a whole year and sold to buy a car that didn't make me cry

Mk4 astra 1.6 16V Father in Law bought it new in 2000 gave to my son with 19K on the clock in 2014 now has 50K on clock and I keep telling him it'll need a cam belt before too long. son learnt to drive in the mk3 cavalier and says it's JUST a mk3 cavalier facelift - I actually think he's right. with that rear beam.

[CreepingJesus]

Bonus points for the Calibre. 130bhp in that shell was plenty to have some fun times. The 8 valves were nicely torquey too.

 

That's one thing I don't miss, Mr Welfare: those cam cover gaskets are surprisingly fragile. And leaky. If over torqued or under torqued. The merest smear of Hermeshite and my calibrated* spanner usually did the trick.

 

I also don't miss Pierburg 2E3's either...awful carbs when they had some wear on them. Look at them the wrong way and they'd flood. Sparky had one, it occasionally cut out if I turned left too hard. But then it would vapour lock (or something like that) and take a good ten minutes to settle down.

[fordperv]

I do like a nice cav, the 8v Sri was a burnout machine a mate of mine who used to be a naughty lad (drove without a licence even though he was perfectly capable to drive and passed his test 1st time when he came off his ban) had a succession of them, back in the day the funniest one was a white 8v sri hatch which he ended up in a custodial sentence for, I was around his having a brew and a chin wag he was having a bad day, a police officer who used to target him saw the car outside his house and stopped looking at it before driving away (he often had cars out there as he bought and sold cheap motors) my mate jumped out of his seat grabbed his keys and ran to the car, revved the nuts off it and did a burnout in the middle of the road, shouting write this down you bastard the road filled with smoke and he calmly locked the car and walked back to the door, as we heard a car speedily reversing it was the police, 4 cops jumped out and instantly flicked the batons and came running towards him and I won't go into full details, but a scuffle commenced and there was me, his brother and him, 2 officers ended up on the floor from an accident, him and his brother were having a wrestle with the remaining 2 they both ended up 6 months at her majestys bed and breakfast, if the police in question hadn't of had their batons out he wouldve gone quietly. Those were the days