Cavalier Capers...the end is coming soon. Sad face.

[M'coli]

Late January/early February, 2007: my mk1 Metro 1.3 HLE,

develops a rattle from the engine. Cue dropping the oil which looks like extremely dark metallic paint

had a 20mm sliver of metal in it

and lots of silvery bits in the drain tray (yes, it is indeed an old icecream tub!).

Despite much hunting around, there doesn't seem to be a replacement 1.3 engine at a non-comedy Mini-scene-taxed price. By the end of February, I'd had enough and sought a stop-gap car - this is it: a 1986 Vauxhall Cavalier 1300L.



I'd bought my first Cavalier in December 1998 for £500 with a full years' MOT, just after my Imp was decreed shagged. What was the deciding factor of buying it over other worthy chod? I already owned the Haynes manual after a successful bout of skip-diving a few years previous.
It was what the mk2Cav.com boys call "mid-spec", i.e. first facelift; a C-reg 1986 1800 GLi in a delightful brown with a shitty re-spray in places, and the fastest thing I had ever driven. It had received a tap up the back sometime prior to my ownership, and needed a wee bit of TLC - but it returned over 35 MPG, and never - NEVER - failed to get me home.

Despite its looks and the fact that it had lost over 60 thousand miles from the odometer - I'm sure it was due to the speedo being replaced twice after the circuitboard breaking on it - it was good. Good enough to win out over the next Cavalier I had - a late-spec 1800GLi!
This one was cheaper - I drove the Kuwaiti owner from Huntingdon to Heathrow end of his training contract with the firm I was working with at the time, and signed the papers. It was an E-reg, with added central locking, and a leaky sunroof. So why did I keep the older one? I'd driven further in it, it drove better, the stereo cables hadn't been butchered, but the newer one was prettier and despite a huge crack in the windscreen had better re-sale chances - so I sold it without MOT to my tame garage in November 1999. 2 months later, I see the garage owner walking towards town at half 7 at night - and a mile up the road was that Cavalier I'd sold him. I found out from him later that the car had given them trouble for ages until they changed the distributor. Good decision to keep the old one!

I did a huge mileage in the C-reg one, including courting the wife who lived near Heathrow. When my father became ill, it had a 3-month spell of never spending the weekend at my house - one weekend seeing the missus, one weekend seeing the folks - doing over 2000 miles a month without any commuting (I always cycled the half-mile to work and back). Rust got it in 2002, when it had done approx 200,000 miles, but I kept it on the front lawn with the intention to restore it to at least working condition.


Back to the stop-gap: I went Hull to view it. Advertised at £100 with 7 months MOT, it would have to be a real minger to knock back - it wasn't, so after a tiny bit of haggling (which I felt guilty for as soon as I started, the vendor wasn't interested in the money but in not scrapping the car) I drove it home £95 lighter.


Amongst the first jobs was to replace the rear quarter glass with one from my brown Cavalier then I needed to work out why it wouldn't start easily - the engine earth strap was buggered.

I ran 3 thick wires from the cam cover to the -ve terminal of the battery, a bodge that lasted 3 years.

Then there were the tyres. Apart from one Pirelli, the tyres were all a bit Jean-Luc - bald. Despite them sitting for over 4 years, the GLi's 185/70s were bolted onto the 1300L: they transformed the handling and on a drive to my mate's in Bingley, I re-discovered what I love about the mk2 Cavalier.

The seat fits my body superbly, supporting my short legs and my shoulders well. The stalks are just where I need them to be so that I don't have to take my hands off the wheel to operate them. The gearstick is in the right place for my reach, indeed, it makes an excellent arm rest in 4th gear. It just FITS me, very well. Next stop, an oil & filter change because the oil in it was ancient - so old that the pressure switch didn't work. What the hell, if it broke, it was only £95, wasn't it?
Oh, and a CV boot:




So: to the Heilans. I fitted the Monroe Gasmatics that I'd bought for the broon one, it made the handling a little better.


I'd replaced the oil again just before we left, and the oil light had started working. All went well, apart from a tyre sidewall failure at Carlisle Tesco - impossible to find a 185/70r13 on a Saturday evening, or a Sunday morning for that matter - we picked up a 175/70r13 & wheel out of a scrapper as a last resort: it wasn't required, luckily, but it's now doing sterling service as a plantpot - and the oil filter popping off in Achmelvich beach carpark.
I'd bought the same type (GFE443) as was on it but it turns out it needed a GFE423 - I had the slightly larger threaded filter on the smaller fitting. My mate had started it up, revved the engine (something I'd never done from cold until I heard the tappets go quiet) and then he asked how long it should take for the oil light to go out! And he says I abuse cars???!!! Lochinver Garage came to our rescue with a Mann filter and some 10w/40.

New wheels beckoned too - I'd been after some Corsa C 15" steels for some time, their 185/55 tyres being of similar height to the 185/70r13s but much more common. Some young guy had fitted alloys to his Corsa, then sold the car and now his Da wanted his garage space back: £40...

September 2007, MOT time - the corrosion tool means the welder has to come out: here's the offside arch -

and in its repaired state:

The nearside sill needed replacing too, and to this day I have a nice supply of cast-off sheet stainless:




There were no real dramas over the next year or so, until MOT 2008. The verdict? Rear spring mount GUBBED!



After a bit of angle grinder action, the chassis leg looked like this:

Then some fabrication: I wondered if the central rib could be replicated from where I'd folded the sheet to get it into the car - I was right!


I can't find the photos of the spring mount when fully repaired, but rest assured it is.

More later!

[HillmanImp]

I can vouch for how nice this car is. Its rare to see a low spec Cav like this these days, it really stands out. When I bought the Saab I spotted this amongst all the other cars on the street as soon as we turned the corner.

 

They are well into classic territory now, definately not just an old car. Did not know you only paid £100 for it. Bargainous, even with all the work you have put into it.

[dollywobbler]

Nice one M'Coli. Rear suspension rot is usually the death of these isn't it? Great to see it saved AND used!

[M'coli]

Rot is usually the death of these isn't it?

EFA, yes it is! Thanks. The next update may be a week or more, exams are looming. I'd been meaning to post this up but finding the photos and getting them hosted took longer than I expected to. It makes you appreciate the effort that some people put into their spotting threads.

[Cavcraft]

More great work.

 

Love the engine shots, it wouldn't be the same seeing an 8V Vauxhall engine not liberally coated in oil due to the rocker cover gasket leaking! Surprising how good it looks on modern steels.trims too, was expecting not to like that but it actually looks great.

 

*Edit: has this got the low end spec dash too, i.e no rev counter?

[eddyramrod]

That's a truly Autoshite story! Minimal spend, on a car that's way obsolete and borderline unloved, and a low-end model to boot. But a bit of work and imagination keeps it going, prolonging its life for some time to come and incidentally delighting millions (well ok, dozens) in the course of a day. Proud of you!

[barrett]

Great story Cam. I love Mk2 Cavs but haven't read much on your one before now, I didn't realize how cheap you'd got it and how much work you'd done on it. I really need to get a decent photo of the one I keep seeing driving about down here.

[M'coli]

More great work.

 

Love the engine shots, it wouldn't be the same seeing an 8V Vauxhall engine not liberally coated in oil due to the rocker cover gasket leaking! Surprising how good it looks on modern steels.trims too, was expecting not to like that but it actually looks great.

 

*Edit: has this got the low end spec dash too, i.e no rev counter?

Thanks! Have a gratuitous interior shot, featuring the dashboard:

[Cavcraft]

Oh, what a treat!

Are they CD/X steas by the way, they look a little plusher than I remember 'L' (or below) spec ones?

Think I still have a radiator for a 1.3 in the depths of my garage by the way, God knows what condition it's in now but it if you want it for nowt just sing out. I had rucks of bits for one exactly the same as your's but just lobbed them out over the years as no-one seemed to want them

[M'coli]

SINGING! Cheers Billy, the radiator has begun to weep from one of the ends. It's only minor, but I'm sure it'll get worse.

 

The seats are probably half-decent varieties as you say - I'll have to see if I can find the history and see if there's anything in there. It is a bit of an anomaly in that it's got the "luxury" bodyshell - i.e., sunroof, the VIN begins with the bodyshell code that usually went into the SRi and CDi - but L trim. I suspect that it was bought to run the kids to school and going to the shops, hence the small engine, but the buyer wanted a sunroof too.

[HillmanImp]

Oh, what a treat!

Are they CD/X steas by the way, they look a little plusher than I remember 'L' (or below) spec ones?

Think I still have a radiator for a 1.3 in the depths of my garage by the way, God knows what condition it's in now but it if you want it for nowt just sing out. I had rucks of bits for one exactly the same as your's but just lobbed them out over the years as no-one seemed to want them

 

I can pick it up when I bob over for that other stuff and Shitely it accross to M'coli. Sorry for being a bit tardy on picking that stuff up too Billy. Will see when I am free this week, or at latest early next week. I am welding my mates Corrola this week one day (in return for some gardening) and have just had an e-mail about someones Fiesta (Now she is married probably in return for nothing )so might be tied up a bit for the next few days. Will let you know.

[Cavcraft]

That'd be great Impster. I'll be about most of the weekend and I work near the M56 (so about 8 miles nearer for you) if we can arrange a time on a working day.

Remind me about the stereo please, I think it's still in the boot of the Audi.

[Guest]

would photo's of the mk3 cav that iv got sat on the garden half built for racing be of intrest to you folk ?

[blakey79]

You can't beat a good Cavalier, I had a 82 Y Reg CD Saloon Automatic in Brown,with the brownest interior known to man. The interior was AUTOSHITE, due to not only the colour, but the brown door pocket holders, sold to the local drunk after trying to sell it for 3 months, and no takers for a minimal amount.

[Pete-M]

I'd forgotten they'd made these as 1300s!

 

Does it have that weird Cav smell? I had an early (X reg, 4 speed) 1.6 SR and it had a weird broken biscuit smell which was always there, in fact it seemed to be in every one of them I ever drove.

[M'coli]

I believe it does have its own peculiar smell - although it is currently overpowered by the huge amount of waxoyl thrown around/in it on Saturday.

[Lord Sterling]

Great story M'Coli! I love theswe mk2 Cavaliers, probably my most favourite along with early mk3s. Have you still got the Brown one you left in your front lawn?

 

I'd dearly love to buy and run a Mk2 Cav. I met an RAC man a few months back who was well into his Mk2/3 Cavaliers, he'd buy them, do them up and sell them on, he's had a handful of Cavalier Calibres too.

 

My Dad had a very early Red A-reg mk2 Cavalier, (Most probably where I get my fondness of them from) The last time I was in a mk2 cav was in my teens. It belonged to the father of my mums then partner (etc...) he'd borrow it when we were car-less. I remember it being a beigey metallic Cavalier CD with CD crosspoke alloys.

[Albert Ross]

I had an Ex-BBC Estate, I paid £1100 for her in 1993. B571VYR, a White 1.6L with a Dark Brown "Tweed" interior, and 165/13s. It was an early 1985 shell, it had the rear view mirror stuck to the window. It took about 2 hours before I found a set of tidy Astra GTE Mk2 "teardrop" alloys and bought NEW 195/60/14 Firestones for it. I drove it up hill, and down dale for a couple of years. I fitted improved stuff when stuff broke. Rear AIR shocks, adjustable with a garage pressure gauge! Front Gas shocks, Vented brakes with diesel calipers, Astramax Rear brakes, GLS interior, CDi gearbox, a 2.0 block with a Carlton/Manta 1800 head and cam carrier with a twin choke Weber. Fuck me it flew. I could empty the float chamber in 3rd. It would wheel it's way to 122 mph.... I painted it a colour similar to Vauxhall Arden Blue, fitted a set of Calibra "5-hole Slab" 15 inch wheels in Metallic White, and added a yellow strip in the door moulding. What a blistering car. I fell ill with a heart problem, and it sat on the drive, everything legal about it slowly expiring due to me not working. I sold it to a neighbour's Brother. Within a month it was stuck at Newport Pagnell Serivces Northbound with a failed rear wheel bearing. He never recovered it, and it got crushed after he never paid the "overstay" fine.

 

[M'coli]

The brown one was knackered, I weighed it in. This is all due in the next update - be patient!

[Craig the Princess]

This thread is pure viagra!

 

I remember my Dad's B-reg Mk2 in blue. Can't quite remember the smell but I wouldn't have said broken biscuits.

He sold it after a note left in the Safeway car park said the car was illegal and dangerous, well it may have smoked a bit.

Got £250 for it despite saying no when the lady asked if it cost more than £200 to fix would he buy it back!

 

B248 AMK where are you know (scrapped I expect )

[ProgRocker]

Mark 2 Cavalier - like the Skoda Estelle, it is one of the cars I wish I could have bought when there were more of them on the roads. I could have afforded the insurance for a 1300cc model but these were very thin on the ground. By the time I had a bit more money, the 1600cc+ models had mostly gone to the great scrapyard in the sky.

[boobydoo]

Yes, this is a good autoshite thread. Newsy. Good pics. Well written. Interesting.

 

I can't compete with stuff like this at all. Mine would read:

 

Got Simca 1100 out of garage. Drove to Morrissons. Bought sliced ham. Drove home. Wiped car over. Put car in garage.

 

My car stories really are that dull.

[barefoot]

I had a couple of Cavalier 2's, UAL 374X was the first, a 1600L 4 door saloon in that strange pastel green, that was a bit dodgy at the time but which time seems to have treated very kindly.

And an E registered 5 door 1300 base in blue.

Both were 4 speed and I remember the green one was my/our first proper car.

Bought at 3 years old & sold 2 years later for about half of what I paid for it - I was livid & swore that I'd never buy a newish vehicle ever again.

The '88 blue one was always just a stop gap when I had no money, it replaced a very tired & unreliable '82 Scirocco (that was tired & unreliable because I had no money or skill) and was in turn replaced in 94 when fiscal things took a bit of an upturn by the '87 944 that I own to this day.

[Cavcraft]

I wonder if all the 1.3 models were in the same blue colour as your's M'Coli? Mine was also a facelift one and also in the same colour as your's. I think it was pretty basic so probably the full on mingebag spec.

I actually scrapped it in the end, I think it cost me £20 all in from the auctions and was pretty knackered. Some parts saved some other Mk2s though so not all bad.

Tell you what though, have you ever tried to remove the strut/hinge 'things' on the saloon model's boot? What a (literally) bleeding nightmare they are. I ended up using a large hammer, a couple of screwdrivers (to be hit by hammers), a crowbar and an axe I kid you not. Lost what seemed like a few pints of blood and completely destroyed the back end of the car.

 

I bet I've still got the V5 for it somewhere as it was collected by some pikie types who didn't seem remotely arsed about log books and what have you.

[barefoot]

I wonder if all the 1.3 models were in the same blue colour as your's M'Coli? Mine was also a facelift one and also in the same colour as your's.

 

No, my old man had a 1300GL in metallic green

& a bloke up the road had a bog spec one in dark brown.

[M'coli]

1300s were available in other colours - this one was on eBay in July:

 

I've never tried to remove a saloon model's boot, as I've only ever had hatchbacks.

[dollywobbler]

There's some great Mk2 action on Ebay at the moment, including an SRi 130 for £1500 and a BROWN 1.6GL with velour interior. HOT!

[tonedepear]

Corking. My dad got one of them as a company car when I was about 3. There is a family-renowned photo of me stood next to it in a snow suit with the snow piled up taller than the car. Ah, childhood Aberdeenshire summers!

[stuboy]

omg i love it...

 

i had a garage full of spares from when i used to strip them as a sideline

[M'coli]

Well, I'm buggered if I can find the photos of the finished spring mount - rest assured it looked ok in its Zinc182 paint and waxoyl garb, and a new MOT was issued in late

September 2008.

 

There's more to the 2008 tale than just this, as it includes the scrapping of the brown one, but that can come later when I've scanned in what meagre photos I have of it when it was on the road.

 

One of the tales of early 2008 was the front wheel imbalance - caused I thought by a dodgy weight on the 'long' driveshaft - which led to the front right tyre wearing out-of-round. I replaced the 2 front tyres with a pair of Continentals, but kept the good one - it had 4mm left - just in case it proved necessary in the future.

 

In October I rushed off to Scotland because Mum had been unexpectantly taken into hospital - she was rarely ill - and this was only the third time in my lifetime that she'd been so unwell as to be incapacitated, once when I was 7, the other time was when Dad was in Gartnavel for cancer treatment. (We reckoned that Mum would just stop one day, rahter than be long and protracted, like Dad who had cancer 3 times in his life, all of them different - Hodgkin's disease in the late 80s, a melanoma in 2001, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2002-3, when he popped his clogs). Mum came out of hospital and I returned home, and she seemed to sort herself out.

 

Christmas proved interesting - I went up to Scotland to see my old Ma, was harsh on her for various reasons, but left as scheduled but with various issues unresolved - the little 1300 engine scurried us the 220 miles from Glasgow to West Yorkshire in 3 hours 10 minutes, such was my haste to 'escape' from there. We spoke for the last time 2 days later (amicably) as she was "going back into hospital for a couple of days" - none of us realised just how ill she really was. The next time the hospital phoned - 3am the next day - it was to say "get your arse up here because she's not got long left" - her body chemistry was all over the place: she had built up a tolerance to CO2 that would kill an healthy person - they gave her more oxygen and the CO2 went up, less and it stabilised - but the "Scottish disease", COPD, was about to claim another victim. We were right - she just stopped. The Cavalier got me to the hospital in time for me to be there. Well done, old thing.

 

Fuck me, New Year 2009 was hard - not because Mum had died, but because I had to spend it with my bloody sister!

 

However, this signalled the time that the Cavlaier had its most intense use in my ownership. It was treated to fully synthetic oil to make the engine's life easier on the routine long haul up to Scotland as we sorted out Mum's house, and new Continentals on the rear wheels too - a £95 car wearing £300 of boots! One weekend - I think it was the weekend we finished scattering my Dad's ashes (this had only taken 6 years - we scatterered him at the big pool on the Falloch where he'd taken us poachi..., sorry fishing, when we were kids. As we poured him in, it would have been apt if a fish had come up and had a bit of a nibble. Considering the success of the fishing trips, it was far more apt that one didn't... My sis and I found the whole thing difficult, as we were not used to doing that trip in broad daylight, sticking to the paths, using the bridges that are there because of the West Highland way - so much has changed in 30 years, but we still felt that hand of illicitness on our shoulder) - we parked at the Green Kettle in Portincaple for some refreshments and had some wide-oh mechanic ask the proprietor about whether he had the keys to that old Cavalier as someone had promised him one for the Oval...GTF!!!!

Around this time I had a look at the rust issues around the body that could be sorted quickly with a bit of paint'n'filler - the front wing, the rear arch, and a little bit of welding on the right sill.

In early July my mate and I headed off for the Highlands for our sort-of yearly walking holiday, including a stag weekend at Grandtully. On the A9 we were caught in traffic, this is the top of a brown CF camper way ahead of us in the queue (on 10x zoom!):

It was this queue that was later to cause problems - I had disconnected the fan switch wiring and forgot to reconnect them, but despite the temperature guage heading up and me wondering when the fan would kick in, it never hit the red. After the stag weekend, we went towards Kinloch Rannoch, saw some stunning pre-war hydro:

 

shot the car at Loch Rannoch

stopped off at Fort Bill for tea where we saw this stunning Austrian registered Jag

And headed towards Strontian, where there was an utterly stunning evening:

 

 

The return to Englan proved eventful when we stopped for a pee at Carlisle and cam out of the supermarket to find out that the Cavlaier had had a pee too - the headgasket had had enough of the heat in the jam on the A9 but couldn't be bothered to fail properly - I eventually replaced it in 2011...