1994 SRi 16v saved from scrap!

[SRiGUY93]

Hey all, hope everybody's keeping well during this madness! I joined here a couple years back and made a post regarding a GSi my dad used to own. I love Cavaliers and have for years, my dad''s had loads of GSi's, SRi's and just lots of Cavs in general. I'm only 17 and just recently passed my test a couple months back so I won't be able to insure this for a good year or two, so I thought I'd share some photos of my 1994 Cavalier SRi I saved from a scrapyard last September.












That's how I found her, shameful what people are willing to scrap! Also hope these images are working, new to posting photos here.












Back at the yard safe and sound!

Those are the photos I've got on my computer, if you want to see more photos of it just let me know and I'll get them off my phone and upload them!

As far as I'm concerned there's a fair bit wrong with this car, it's nowhere near being on the road.

To list a few:
- There's no key with it, I'll have to find a specialist who can cut a new one for me or contact Vauxhall themselves
- I don't know whether or not it starts as I haven't got the key. Its last MOT was in 2010 so it must of come off the road
for something
-There's a massive dent as you can see in the photos, will need to tap away at this or source a new panel, I reckon this damage was done at the scrapyard
- Some plonker ripped the driver's door handle off so you cannot open it, you have to go through the passenger door
and open the driver's one from the inside of the car
-Driver's seat has bolster wear and wear at the bottom, apart from being a bit dirty it's in tidy condition
-Car needs a clean (I'll get round to this )
-Worn leather wheel and gaiters (Got spare leather wheel and gaiters)

That's what I can think of off the top of my head. Overall it's a solid car and there is no rust on it at all, and considering how rare they've gotten I just had to save this one, it's a saloon too so ever rarer.

When this pandemic blows over I'm planning on getting the car fixed, I should have an apprenticeship soon allowing me the money to do so. So when I progress I'll post pictures on this thread if you all would like to see that?

Anyways, thanks for reading

[Robsey]

Sounds like an exciting project.
That rear quarter dent looks pretty bad, but rear quarters are still available.

Sure is the most peculiar MOT history that I have ever seen.

MOT'd up until 2007.
Then tested in 2010...
then sorned in 2011.

Mainly clean MOT passes with no advisories since about 2005.

[SRiGUY93]

Yeah, it hasn’t had an M.O.T in a while but mechanically I think the car’s been looked after. It’s only got about 86,000 miles on the clock too.

I’m probably worried about the rear wing as much as all the other problems. I should be able to source one if I cannot repair the one that’s already on there.

Sorry to ask too but I also have a grey ‘94 Cavalier GLS 1.8 Hatchback my dad gave to me. It won’t start and I don’t know whether or not to scrap it, my dad saved it from the scrapyard he used to work at back in 2009 and it’s been parked up ever since. I’ve tried to start it but it won’t start, I think the wiring may be gone or the ECU, as I’ve changed the fuel pump and spark plugs and still get no start. Do you have any ideas as it would break my heart to scrap it? Thanks.

[3cav3]

It looks overall a tidy car, before replacing the quarter as there appears to be no rust I would personally try using a slide hammer and some self tapping screws to reverse the main of the dent then a light skin of filler. I have recently found out just how much work there is in replacing quarter panels on my Astra
I remember being under 25, insurance was a right pain, about the only positive to getting older is that you can buy the car you want, then insure it rather than having to buy a car that doesn't cost the national debt to insure.Being 40, I've now got 4 cars together insured for less than it cost me to insure just a diesel Peugeot 405 when I was 21.

[Robsey]

Sorry to ask too but I also have a grey ‘94 Cavalier GLS 1.8 Hatchback my dad gave to me. It won’t start and I don’t know whether or not to scrap it, my dad saved it from the scrapyard he used to work at back in 2009 and it’s been parked up ever since. I’ve tried to start it but it won’t start, I think the wiring may be gone or the ECU, as I’ve changed the fuel pump and spark plugs and still get no start. Do you have any ideas as it would break my heart to scrap it? Thanks.

As the saying goes - it is hard to assess the car from a distance, but overall the set-up is quite simple.
Open up a separate thread, about the 1.8 and we can go on from there.

Otherwise, discussing two cars on the same thread will get very confusing for an old bugger like me.

The obvious question overall is - do you have a Haynes manual or some other form of workshop book - autodata, porter etc.?

[SRiGUY93]

It looks overall a tidy car, before replacing the quarter as there appears to be no rust I would personally try using a slide hammer and some self tapping screws to reverse the main of the dent then a light skin of filler. I have recently found out just how much work there is in replacing quarter panels on my Astra
I remember being under 25, insurance was a right pain, about the only positive to getting older is that you can buy the car you want, then insure it rather than having to buy a car that doesn't cost the national debt to insure.Being 40, I've now got 4 cars together insured for less than it cost me to insure just a diesel Peugeot 405 when I was 21.

Yeah it is tidy car, and thanks I will try that as I guessed changing the panel would be a nightmare. The cruel thing is that the dent must of happened in the scrapyard I rescued it from, guess I can't complain too much as it is a project car.

[SRiGUY93]

Sorry to ask too but I also have a grey ‘94 Cavalier GLS 1.8 Hatchback my dad gave to me. It won’t start and I don’t know whether or not to scrap it, my dad saved it from the scrapyard he used to work at back in 2009 and it’s been parked up ever since. I’ve tried to start it but it won’t start, I think the wiring may be gone or the ECU, as I’ve changed the fuel pump and spark plugs and still get no start. Do you have any ideas as it would break my heart to scrap it? Thanks.

As the saying goes - it is hard to assess the car from a distance, but overall the set-up is quite simple.
Open up a separate thread, about the 1.8 and we can go on from there.

Otherwise, discussing two cars on the same thread will get very confusing for an old bugger like me.

The obvious question overall is - do you have a Haynes manual or some other form of workshop book - autodata, porter etc.?

I do have a Haynes manual, I'll have to dig it out I've got a few actually. And sorry I need to get used to how this website works, so it would be a good idea to make a new thread regarding the GLS, where could I start this thread?

[Robsey]

You could make a Work In Progress thread.

Assuming it will be a long term thread about the car,
not just a standard thread about something not working.

Start a new topic here.

viewforum.php?f=21

And I will move this thread to the same section for you.

If it is just a request for a fix assist, then it would be this section.

viewforum.php?f=76

[3cav3]

It looks overall a tidy car, before replacing the quarter as there appears to be no rust I would personally try using a slide hammer and some self tapping screws to reverse the main of the dent then a light skin of filler. I have recently found out just how much work there is in replacing quarter panels on my Astra
I remember being under 25, insurance was a right pain, about the only positive to getting older is that you can buy the car you want, then insure it rather than having to buy a car that doesn't cost the national debt to insure.Being 40, I've now got 4 cars together insured for less than it cost me to insure just a diesel Peugeot 405 when I was 21.

Yeah it is tidy car, and thanks I will try that as I guessed changing the panel would be a nightmare. The cruel thing is that the dent must of happened in the scrapyard I rescued it from, guess I can't complain too much as it is a project car.

If you do decide to go down the replacement route, try watching a few videos on YouTube. I had to really change the whole quarters due to having to cut so much away to access the sevear rot.
It is annoying that a couple of seconds carelessness in the scrapyard will create days of work for you, but at least you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you've done the work yourself.

[SRiGUY93]

It looks overall a tidy car, before replacing the quarter as there appears to be no rust I would personally try using a slide hammer and some self tapping screws to reverse the main of the dent then a light skin of filler. I have recently found out just how much work there is in replacing quarter panels on my Astra
I remember being under 25, insurance was a right pain, about the only positive to getting older is that you can buy the car you want, then insure it rather than having to buy a car that doesn't cost the national debt to insure.Being 40, I've now got 4 cars together insured for less than it cost me to insure just a diesel Peugeot 405 when I was 21.

Yeah it is tidy car, and thanks I will try that as I guessed changing the panel would be a nightmare. The cruel thing is that the dent must of happened in the scrapyard I rescued it from, guess I can't complain too much as it is a project car.

If you do decide to go down the replacement route, try watching a few videos on YouTube. I had to really change the whole quarters due to having to cut so much away to access the sevear rot.
It is annoying that a couple of seconds carelessness in the scrapyard will create days of work for you, but at least you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you've done the work yourself.

Thank you, I'll be sure to check some videos out. I'm also gonna try and tap it and see if filler will do the job first but if worst comes to worse I shall have to change it, there's also no rot on the car at all, very solid.

[3cav3]

Make sure you reverse the worst of the dents before filling. If you load it full of filler then it will lead to cracking.

[cavalier1990]

I changed the rear N/S quarter on my senator, and will be doing the other side soon, due to rust through. It's not a difficult job in itself, although I would say if you've no experience doing metalwork/fabrication/welding, spot welding give it a body swerve - excuse the pun - until you feel more confident in your bodywork skills.

From what I can see I think the dent could be pulled out and filled, to save replacing it, probably a good bit of work needed with that as well. Juat take it a step at a time, all these things can be fixed/replaced and you'll gain skills along the way.

All in all looks like a good motor, well worth saving. Good move saving it, I wish more people done this.

P.S. regarding the seat wear, you can change the bottom bit over with the passenger side to effectively give you a new seat cushion with minimal wear etc. Then put seat covers over it to hide the bolster wear. I've never tried changing over the whole backrest, it might be do-able, but certainly the bottom seat section swaps straight over.

[SRiGUY93]

I changed the rear N/S quarter on my senator, and will be doing the other side soon, due to rust through. It's not a difficult job in itself, although I would say if you've no experience doing metalwork/fabrication/welding, spot welding give it a body swerve - excuse the pun - until you feel more confident in your bodywork skills.

From what I can see I think the dent could be pulled out and filled, to save replacing it, probably a good bit of work needed with that as well. Juat take it a step at a time, all these things can be fixed/replaced and you'll gain skills along the way.

All in all looks like a good motor, well worth saving. Good move saving it, I wish more people done this.

P.S. regarding the seat wear, you can change the bottom bit over with the passenger side to effectively give you a new seat cushion with minimal wear etc. Then put seat covers over it to hide the bolster wear. I've never tried changing over the whole backrest, it might be do-able, but certainly the bottom seat section swaps straight over.

Yeah I am dreading the rear panel as I wouldn't like to replace it. I am inexperienced with bodywork and that whole realm in general , so I doubt it will be an easy task but it certainly needs to be done. And thanks, it was an amazing save, even though it's an Ecotec any MK3 SRi is as rare as hen's teeth these days.

As for the seat my mate swapped interiors in his '93 SRi Redtop a few years back, he still had the driver's seat laying about and I swapped him a parcel shelf for it, but it's the lighter beige colour, whilst the one's in my car are a darker grey colour. Typical because the seat is mint, no wear and exceptionally clean. I'll either have to get my one repaired or source a new seat that's the right colour.

[SRiGUY93]

Thought I'd show some additional photos:



I was surprised at how clean and tidy the engine bay was to be honest.



It's also spotless underneath, hardly any rust at all!





Since I'm posting photos I might as well share a photo of my dad's lovely 1989 GSi 2000 16v in Mistral Grey with Speedline Alessio alloys.



Currently off the road, needs welding

[Robsey]

Your car is an absolute peach - lovely.

That battery tray needs a bit of rust treatment and a repaint.
A very common site for corrosion.

The XEV is a very good engine.
As long as it gets a regular service, and the crank angle / camshaft position sensor (not sure which) is in good condition, it will give good lively performance.

At 136 bhp, it is the third most powerful straight-four engine in the Cavalier.

The XE and the LET being the other two, are often thrashed by boy racer / track day types.

Your dad's GSi looks nice in the photo.
But then, I am biased towards all things Cavalier.

[SRiGUY93]

Your car is an absolute peach - lovely.

That battery tray needs a bit of rust treatment and a repaint.
A very common site for corrosion.

The XEV is a very good engine.
As long as it gets a regular service, and the crank angle / camshaft position sensor (not sure which) is in good condition, it will give good lively performance.

At 136 bhp, it is the third most powerful straight-four engine in the Cavalier.

The XE and the LET being the other two, are often thrashed by boy racer / track day types.

Your dad's GSi looks nice in the photo.
But then, I am biased towards all things Cavalier.

Thanks! And yeah I did notice the battery tray , like most Cavaliers it's easy for it to go there so I'll definitely have to get a better look at it after all this.

I don't get all the hate the XEV got to be honest, they're good solid engines and if you treat them right they'll look after you, also quite tune-able engines.

My dad had a CDX 2.0 Ecotec and the acceleration on it was nuts, you could swear it was like a Redtop, and the car was well looked after, had low mileage which proves they can still go fast when looked after.

It is a nice GSi, needs painting and welding though, been sat for a few months

[Tobias_CDX]

To avoid rust holes you have to remove the battery tray. There will be lots of rust underneath. And if you're a lucky guy you can see this rust also from the underside of the wheelhouse.

Refix it with some set/rivet nuts and screws.