3.0 Supercav!

[himselfunknown]

This is a WIP thread for my 'Supercav' (named tongue-in-cheek by a mate, and it's stuck!).

The car will be all the best 'goodies' from a couple of Cavs I used to own:

My old 2.5 V6 workhorse (this donated its interior, ICE, and some of the creature comforts):





My old 3.0 V6 (this donated engine, box, running gear, exhaust, inspiration!):





...into a cracking donor shell I've picked up, which is currently an N reg 2.5 V6 with only
64k on the clock. It was previously owned by an old guy who must have taken it to the main dealer for everything. It doesn't even have the 'standard' Vauxhall oil leak!

Photos of when I first bought it:


















Old fanblades gone and replaced:



The plan is to turn this pile of bits:



...into something a bit more presentable and get it all onto the car!

So far I've got the engine cleaned up and painted:







and the gearbox also sorted:





Unfortunately I've been distracted from this project for a while, but I'm back on it now and my (slightly ambitious!) plan is to get it done and on the road ready for Billing this year. Place your bets please!

So this evening I prepped the car for a windscreen change:



I'll be having the perfectly serviceable OEM screen taken out and replaced with this (heated windscreen):



Here's a random shot of the interior - the cloth seats/doorcards have been sold and will eventually be replaced with a set of Cav turbo leathers:



Intended spec:

3.0 V6 engine with uprated FPR, lightened flywheek, and Omega inlet system.
F28 Box with LSD.
Lowering springs and adjustable shocks, polybushed suspension.
Manifold back custom stainless steel exhaust.
308mm front brake conversion.
Sequential LPG conversion.
Cav turbo interior.
GSI bodykit.

and lots of other goodies!

[btcctroy]

Look forward to seeing the pics as it progresses

[Cavalier342]

I take it those are the fanblades which I have now? Looking good, interesting project.

[Lowrider Dave]

The heated windscreen sounds interesting! Great project too, good luck and look forwards to more progress pics.

[himselfunknown]

Today's progress was getting the heated windscreen fitted, which is now done:

​​

...thanks to Doktor Glass, a company in the East Midlands who specialise in old cars and the like. Unlike a lot of the other companies I contacted, they were totally unfazed by what I wanted, and got it done great (and were also the cheapest, which is a bonus). They also managed to get the old screen out in one piece, if anybody wants a cheap replacement Cavalier screen?

Made a start on sorting out the LPG tank ready to get fitted. Not the most important job, but I'm sick of tripping up over it, so it kills two birds with one stone to just fit it into the car!

[himselfunknown]

The heated windscreen sounds interesting! Great project too, good luck and look forwards to more progress pics.

Look forward to seeing the pics as it progresses

I had the heated screen in my last Cav, and it is brilliant! Combined with the remote central locking, it was really smug to leave it all warming up in the morning while I finished my coffee, going out to a warm car with no frost on the screen!

Hopefully the photos will be coming thick and fast! I want to drive this car, well, now!!

I take it those are the fanblades which I have now? Looking good, interesting project.

Possibly, as I did have a couple of sets!

[TurboDan]

How much for the old windscreen?

[Lowrider Dave]

I'm really quite interested in a heated screen, sounds most useful!

[himselfunknown]

How much for the old windscreen?

PM sent.

[himselfunknown]

I'm really quite interested in a heated screen, sounds most useful!

The screen is made by a guy called Ricky in Tamworth (I can't remember his business name). He makes heated screens for loads of different cars, and was really helpful when it came to wiring it all in. He does have a few more Cav screens in stock if anyone is interested, his number is 01827283688.

Once you have one, you'll wonder how you managed without. Which is why I've gone to the trouble and expense of removing one from my old cav and swapping it for a perfectly serviceable 'normal' screen!!

[himselfunknown]

Today's progress wasn't earth shattering as I got in from work late. However, the LPG tank has gone from this:



to this:



which is a big improvement! Next trick is to fit it; I've got a busy couple of evenings ahead, but hopefully I'll get chance to fit it before the weekend....

[Lowrider Dave]

The screen is made by a guy called Ricky in Tamworth

Thanks for that, might be a well worth investment!

[5853moore]

I'm really quite interested in a heated screen, sounds most useful!

The screen is made by a guy called Ricky in Tamworth (I can't remember his business name). He makes heated screens for loads of different cars, and was really helpful when it came to wiring it all in. He does have a few more Cav screens in stock if anyone is interested, his number is 01827283688.

Once you have one, you'll wonder how you managed without. Which is why I've gone to the trouble and expense of removing one from my old cav and swapping it for a perfectly serviceable 'normal' screen!!

I know where im going in the week. cheers for that tony how much was it please? The heated screen that is ?

[himselfunknown]

I'm really quite interested in a heated screen, sounds most useful!

The screen is made by a guy called Ricky in Tamworth (I can't remember his business name). He makes heated screens for loads of different cars, and was really helpful when it came to wiring it all in. He does have a few more Cav screens in stock if anyone is interested, his number is 01827283688.

Once you have one, you'll wonder how you managed without. Which is why I've gone to the trouble and expense of removing one from my old cav and swapping it for a perfectly serviceable 'normal' screen!!

I know where im going in the week. cheers for that tony how much was it please? The heated screen that is ?

Not sure exactly as I bought them years ago, but think they were around the £150 mark. Each, that is!

[himselfunknown]

Didn't get a lot done on the car this weekend as I've been distracted by a lot of other stuff, and the carport has been like a greenhouse in the hot weather, but I did manage to get the LPG tank all but fitted. Started off with the standard view:



The floor- pan is in amazing condition with no rust whatsoever:



Now it looks like this:



Before I dropped the tank in, I zinc primered where I removed the spare wheel holder, to stop it going rusty, and put in rubber strips to help reduce noise and also leave a small air gap between the tank and the bodywork as condensation will form on the tank. I also popped out all the bungs to allow condensation to drain out of the spare wheel well.

Before I can secure the tank, I need to make a plate up to go underneath the car, and get a a hand from someone to tighten the bolts up.

The plan for tomorrow is make a start on the engine.

[Envoy CDX]

It's all progress, and any progress is good.

[himselfunknown]

This evening I made a start on the engine, which was a mix of unpacking boxes to sort out the parts of the jigsaw puzzle:







It's a bit of a mess as I've stripped a Vectra V6 engine, Cav V6 engine and hoarded parts, so it's hard to know which bits are from what! I'm sure I'll have a few spares left once I've built it up! I might even do a trial build to make sure it's complete first.

Then I got the engine out. Although I painted it about 6 months ago, it was showing signs of rust bubbling up under the paint so I gave it a once over ready for another coat of paint to tidy it up:

[humbucker]

What paint did you use that failed to prevent the surface rust? Was it straight-to-rust Hammerite?

[himselfunknown]

What paint did you use that failed to prevent the surface rust? Was it straight-to-rust Hammerite?

No, it was 'single coat' specialist engine paint that didn't require primer. I think where I have gone wrong is leaving it so long since painting to get the engine up to temp (the paint isn't fully cured until it reaches operating temp). So I'm hoping that a touch up and getting it on the road ASAP will do the trick!

[himselfunknown]

Gave the engine another coat of paint yesterday evening, now it's looking a lot more repectable!

Didn't get chance to do any more on it this evening, but hope to do more tomorrow

[himselfunknown]

Spent a fair bit of time over the Bank holiday on the car. Tedious job of cleaning and painting!

First had to get all the grime off - all the nuts and bolts soaking in a bucket of vinegar!



Cleaning up the engine parts:





The silicone in the engine mounts had perished and come away from the rubber mountings, so this came out:



cleaned up the mounts then I refilled the gaps with fresh silicone. Not too bothered with the colour as it will all be getting painted anyway:



Most of the parts with a coat of paint:




Next part of the plan is to drop the engine and box out of the car, which will hopefully be happening over the next few days.

[himselfunknown]

Made some massive progress today! The 2.5 V6 engine and box is now out of the car and ready for collection. Managed to get it out without any issues or damage to the car, didn't even bother dropping the rad out (which is a mission on the V6's due to the electric recirc pump). Even had some time to trial fit the Omega inlet on the old engine to see what work needs to be done to make it fit (not a lot really).
Big thanks to my mate Ben for giving me a hand and bringing the donuts!

The pics can do the talking:

[Envoy CDX]

Cracking on there

[himselfunknown]

Made some progress over the past few days, in amongst other stuff. Didn't get too many photos though.

Removed the radiator and PAS pipework as this is knackered in places and I may well be re-routing it where the battery tray is, if I can successfully make the battery tray removable.

Took a load pf bits to the powder coaters, and also an aluminium welder regarding changes to the engine mount, Omega inlet and inlet piping.

Following the chat with the welder, I got cracking on this:



Did what I needed too, then decided that the plenum generally needed a tidy up, as there were some pretty shonky casting joins etc on it. After and hour or so of hearty grinding, sanding, and eating aluminium filings:



...and one of the perks of living on my own:



Hopefully get it to the welders tomorrow for some blanking/mods.

[himselfunknown]

Made some more progress on the Cav tonight. First off I got shot of all the horrible sound deadening off the bulkhead (that holds the water and rots the bulkhead away). Sound deadening is for strange people who don't like a V6 soundtrack! Went from this:



to this:



Having removed all this mess:



Under the bonnet is very tidy, even the crossmember is solid:



However, in their wisdom, Vauxhall decided not to bother finishing painting half of the engine bay, including under the bonnet.



So I'm not sure what to do now. I think I have 4 options:
1) Leave it as it is.
2) Paint it all silver to match the rest of the bodywork
3) Paint it all satin black
4) When underbody shultz the underside of the car, do all of the lower engine bay too.

Options 2 or 3 have the most appeal, although to do it right would really mean removing the steering rack, servo, ABS modulator, and wiring loom, which is a lot of hassle I hadn't banked on. Any suggestions?

Anyway, not to be detered, I decided that as I'm going to the powder coaters to drop more stuff off tomorrow (got a call from the welder earlier saying the plenum and engine mount is done!), and the turn around time for powdercoating is substantial, I decided to remove the rear beam and get that done too. I'm also getting a pair of front wishbones done and some other bits and pieces. The suspension parts will all be polybushed prior to fitting, and new ball joints fitted to the wishbones. End of the day: