1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

[Lowrider Dave]

Getting there. I may be after a set of dust shield for my c20ne - I'll see if they've survived.

[Robsey]

I got my larger C20NE shields from Autodoc.co.uk.
They are Klokkerholme parts. But then 95% of the Cavalier parts seem to be from that Dutch brand.

I shall modify my dodgy disc shield this week - between clinics, visits and service improvement meetings.

I was going to have my radio surround fabricated in plastic by my friend John... but after a bit of head scratching, I have decided that it would be just as easy to make up the radio surround from mdf or ply panels. Then fashion them so that they will attach to the remainder of the original plastic surround. A bit of filler and black wrinkle paint should make the desired effect - or I could cover the completed surround in black or dark grey vinyl fabric.

Regarding more new parts - I have just taken delivery of 50 acme bolts, 50 j nuts and 100 plastic wheel-arch liner clips.

For anyone considering a full resto -
Even with Troy's generously inexpensive labour charges, his mates rates prices arranged with the paint-shop lads...
This resto is still costing close to £6000.

Way more than the car will ever be worth.

And this is without anything being spent on the interior trims or upholstery.

Next item on the shopping list.
I have just bought 10 sheets of sound deadening material like they use on metal sink units to reduce noise and vibration.

It closely resembles the original stuff bonded onto the interior of the boot floor sides and the floor pans. It is self adhesive and forms to the profile of the floor using a hot air gun.

[Envoy CDX]

Seems a shame to cover that lovely truck bed liner and paint.

[Lowrider Dave]

I got my larger C20NE shields from Autodoc.co.uk.

Cheers!

[Robsey]

Seems a shame to cover that lovely truck bed liner and paint.

That is how it leaves the factory

Besides - everything is covered in carpets, so not visible to the average person. But I will know they are there dampening road noise and vibration.

[Envoy CDX]

[Robsey]

Shields now dressed and drilled ready for action.



just need cleaning (sticker glue residue) and sending for powder coating

[Envoy CDX]

Got some cold galv spray for them afterwards?

[Robsey]

Haven't got any yet...

Got marine clean and metal prep solutions here.

I can get some cold galv on my travels tomorrow or Wednesday morning.

Other than that, I will leave the rest up to Chicago coating company

[humbucker]

Nice work, Rob. Enjoyed catching up on your thread.

[Robsey]

Thanks - just a waiting game now.

The paint shop still have it - it is in a queue for paint and prep.



Ah well looks like another deadline is about to pass.

The Cav will be 22 years old since first registration on Monday 1st of August.


Just got to remind myself to have patience...

[Envoy CDX]

The waiting game is not fun.

[Robsey]

It is a strange roller-coaster of emotions.

In the beginning I had resigned myself to scrapping the car. It was VERY poorly.

Then when Troy agreed to fix it up, I got quite excited again.

Then as the months rolled by, I got used to not having the car about...so by the end of winter I was no longer bothered either way.

The ever increasing cost of parts eventually caused me to regret throwing money I didn't really have, at a car that I no longer missed.

Then as the end of the welding was reached and the refitting of running gear was carried out, I slowly started to re-ignite that spark of interest in the car again.

So at this point, we are so tantalizingly close but still just out of reach.

Add to that, the fact that I have been driving a totally different pocket rocket for 6 weeks and my interest has been peaked into wanting to play with that instead.

[Envoy CDX]

Won't be your problem by Saturday though

[Robsey]

Won't be your problem by Saturday though

Nope - be sad to see it go, but I know the Yaris will get well looked after.

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15616

[Envoy CDX]

Won't be your problem by Saturday though

Nope - be sad to see it go, but I know the Yaris will get well looked after.

[Robsey]

In response to a recent Blowfelt thread.
This is the only thing that I have done in the past month.

As most of the rest of my car has original new parts fitted - or "soon to be fitted".

I bought a pair of hatch cover straps from GPS . £13 for two - With free postage - woohoo.



I love retail therapy

With regard to the resto...
I understand that the paint shop is in the process of relocating..
So no idea yet when I can give the next update...


Oh and a possible resto feature.
An original cassette radio thanks to DaveP.



Just awaiting the code for the unit.

Although the agency that I approached is taking forever to supply it... 10 days for something guaranteed to be provided within 48 hours.

I presume Dave's radio is an old version of the SC303, as my original 1994 radio had speed dependent volume control.
This radio does not have the pin fitted.

Cannot decide whether to revert to original look, or to fit my Sat Nav unit with colour display again.


UPDATE -
Looks like the decision has been made for me again. I got the code for the radio from a second company. I got the feeling that the first company were not really interested.
So the second company emailed the original factory / car pass code - and it is the wrong one - so just a pretty brick.
A real shame as it is otherwise in perfect condition.

It will probably be too expensive to justify getting Vauxhall to reset the code. Normal diagnostic stuff costs about £80 a pop, unless part of another servicing, SPS or ECU update job.

Back to the original plan then - CD70 Navigation unit and colour display it will be.

[Dimitar]

Where you afford the blue leds ?

[Robsey]

There are a lot of suppliers on ebay.

I usually get mine from places like CrazyLEDs.

As a further update - I paid Vauxhall for a new pass based on the donor vehicle of the SC303. It turns out that it is the same code as the agency provided. It was also only a few quid dearer.

I asked the dealer about resetting the radio code.
They report that they used to use an external company called RDS, but that the company closed 10 years ago.

I am putting that on ice then, as I cannot be faffed to get an Eeprom reader like PonyProg or UltraProg for one job.
(To read a Motorola MCU -
which also requires lifting three of the 42 pins clear of the pcb,
then read the code,
then reattach the legs again.)

[Lowrider Dave]

Nice to see something happening, even if it is a radio saga!

[Robsey]

Aye indeed...
I have various radio plans on the boil at the moment.

Apologies for lack of car progress...

The Cavalier is somewhere in limbo-land waiting for paint.

It is 12 weeks since the old girl was carted off into the darkness on the back of a recovery truck. (8th July 2016).

I know that Troy was chasing up the work from the paint shop lads... I am sure it will be worth the wait.

Just a waiting game until the old girl can come home again.

[Robsey]

The radio choices are: -

1 - Revert the whole dash to standard.
Analogue speedo, heater panel and ash tray back in their correct locations and fit the SC303 after further faffing.

2 - Revert the heater panel and ash tray to their original locations, fit a single din radio with the same colour back lighting and keep digi dash.

3 - carry on the techno-geek theme complete with fully modified dash panel and double din Vectra-C CANbus sat nav or dab audio system.

No matter what else - it will still have bluetooth.

[James McGrath]

I have a fully working SC303 radio with the correct code. You can have it if you like Rob.
Only I don't have a screen for it, but you can use the one from your radio.

[Robsey]

Thanks for the offer...
Sounds like a plan.

[Robsey]

Met up with James today, in Crewe of all places. He hadn't driven 4 1/2 hours from his home especially to drop off his radio.
He was in Crewe for another task.
I travelled an hour south from my home to combine my usual Saturday shopping trip and collection of the radio.

It was only a brief meeting due to cold rainy weather and a pesky prowling parking attendant.

Anyway - Many thanks to James, I now have an original radio cassette for the car.
It will be about 10 years since I last played a cassette in the old girl.

Here is the test run with James' radio and Dave P's display



Still to decide whether to revert to analogue clocks and install Calibra volt and oil pressure gauges
Or
To stick with the Digi dash and sell-on the gauges. (Or fit the gauges to my Camper van project).

Strange to think that it is nearly 2 years since I last drove a road legal Cavalier.