MY 93 L CAV 1.8 LS

[GLC]

Hi everbody, having a little trouble posting my first message, so hope ive got it right as my computer skills are poor!
I brought in june last year my l reg cavalier 1.8 ls hatch for 250quid so i thought i'd bagged myself a bit of a bargain. For my money i got a car that was an ex builders chariot So it was dirty inside as it was outside.It had no radio, two battered wheel trims [wots the point of that? ]on the rear wheels. Towbar with no hook an a cracked rear bumper, an some rust on the rear arches and sills.
Oh an after i brought it the oil light came on in traffic an stayed on, turn's out the bottom end was shot due to a lack of clean oil. My guess it had proberbly been in their the last three years ie as long as the preivous owner had owned it, not such a bargain then.
Did think about getting rid but decided to get it sorted, so i drove round in it till september when i purchased a secondhand engine an box just 80quid at a scrap yard i know, bargain! So i brought a basic service kit as i couldn't afford the rest, oil an filter plus antifreeze. Oh an gearbox oil.
Had a garage i know do the work in a weekend, used a tralier to pick up my new engine an scrap my old one as i reinstated the towbar by then. Bounus.

I've done so far the following,
New wheeltrims.
Fitted new numberplates.
Clear side repeaters.
Sony single cd player with remote.[This is a big deal to me because i usually can't afford a stereo for my cars.]
Had cambelt kit an new waterpump fitted.
New radiator.
New petrol tank.[Expensive.]
Changed oil again after 5,000miles.
Airfilter.
New pair of wishbones.[They were completley knackered.]
New pair of rear springs[One broke last month!]
One partworn tyre[over xmas cause i was skint]
Just brought and fitted yesterday a replacement secondhand rear bumper in the correct colour.

Thats my cav uptill now, hope to do some more improvements as money allows. Maybe some alloys, and a better interior as mines kackared with age and neglect.
Did pick up at the weekend from the same scrap yard as i got my rear bumper from, a sri spoiler that will need repainting to match my colour but not sure if i should fit it?

[Greig Sri]

Another cav saved from the scrap man, good on you.

Greig

[GLC]

Thanks greig. Just getting this far has been a struggle on my wages! When i brought the car last year scrap prices were at their height. The guy i brought it from said if he didn't sell it soon he would weigh it in Couldn't let that happen and i always wanted to own one so i thought it was now or never kind of moment. So i paid up and despite the setbacks haven't regreted it for a minuite. I've seen the pictures of your sri on here and im really impressed with the amount of hard work you have put in. Am gonna have to replace my rear arches when i get the cash too.Sadly i can't weld so will have to pay a bodyshop for the work.So might be a while yet. All the best with your sri .Cheers for your comments.

[Colorado]

Another 1.8 on the site good stuff. I think you have done great so far. It must have been well neglected for the engine to go. Guess it hadnt had much polish either! Keep us updated on your project.

[Envoy CDX]

great news lets see some pictures then

[Adamw5433]

Weldone for saving anopther 1.8 Fella, i'm guessing its single point (none-ecotec)

Your story sounds like mine, bought my on a L reg for £250.
Previous owner was planning to run it into the ground and scrap it.
I managed to save it from the scrap man.

But later found out the oil hadn't been checked for 7 months, let alone topped up.
Almost 2 grand later, its getting to the point where i've got it the way i want it.
I'm already planning to get a Cavalier Saloon when its practicle.... A nice CDX comes to mind.

Mine so far: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=970

Where abouts are you in the country, if your not too far away i can always lend a hand or 2.

Again weldone for saving the Cavalier.

Adam

[Greig Sri]

I've seen the pictures of your sri on here and im really impressed with the amount of hard work you have put in. Am gonna have to replace my rear arches when i get the cash too.Sadly i can't weld so will have to pay a bodyshop for the work.So might be a while yet. All the best with your sri .Cheers for your comments.

Thanks for that mate. I found the thought of replacing the arches wos worse than actuly doing them. Just need to think ahead of yourself and plan it.

Greig

[GLC]

Thanks for everbodys comments Will keep you posted on any progress i make. To answer everbodys questions so far. When i brought this car it would be safe to say it hadn't been polished for many years. But ive been making up for it's years of neglate by washing it nearly ever weekend since i brought it!
My car is a ohc single point injection model, its the pre revised model so hasen't got abs, alloys etc. I live in aldridge near walsal at the moment. But im origially from tamworth where i still work. Have been trying last night to put up pictures from my brothers phone but it won't load up Will try and get it sorted this week.
Cheers. Michael aka GLC.

[Envoy CDX]

Upload the pictures to somewhere like Photobucket

[GLC]

Pictures of my cavalier at last! This is how it looks now. These were taken last weekend, after i had washed it.
Don't have any pictures of it when i first bought it sadly to show the diffrence.

[GLC]

[GLC]

[Envoy CDX]

looking smart

[Colorado]

Nice looking Cav.

[GLC]

Thanks.

looking smart

Nice looking Cav.

It's looking a lot better now than when i first brought it.
Pictures don't show up the rust or scratches on the bodywork though but it's all things that i will try an get sorted as an when i have the money.
The car will need sum welding underneath before the m.o.t in may though! Just a repair to the driver's side inner front wing behind the road wheel and underneath the rear of the car close to the rear bumper both have holes already visable so need doing asap. Will get it done as soon as ive got the money and at the same time get the underneath rustproofed as theirs quiet a few rust scabs that need removing when ive seen it up on a ramp an i can't have that.
Then hopefully i can get the rear arches replaced as a hole has already appeared on the drivers side and the passanger side is catching up Will have to check the state of the sills too as their is afew rust scabs so might be better off replacing them. It sounds worse than it is but with rust if you expect the worse then anything less is a bounus in my experince.
Oh nearly forgot to mention. Yesterday i changed the spark plugs as they were pass their best. Glad i did as i noticed the diffrence stright away. Should have done it sooner really. Must change the leads too when i have the cash and fit a new rocker cover gasket. Have a new GM gasket just not sure if i should repaint my rocker cover red or not?

[Greig Sri]

The rust will be a lot worse when you start cutting it out, all ways is.I wos expecting to find a fair bit of rust when I stared ,but found a load more. I wos glad I wos not paying someone to sort it as I think I would have had a fair size of bill to sort it.

Greig

[Colorado]

This is what it was like under the Rear bumper of my Colorado before i got it done last year. My inner wing was rusty in the same place as well.

[GLC]

This is what it was like under the Rear bumper of my Colorado before i got it done last year. My inner wing was rusty in the same place as well.[/quote]
The inner front wing holling seams to be a common problem as im sure alot of you already know. Also mk3 astras sufer the same too. I know of a m8 who had to weld both his mk3 p reg astra 2.0 sports in the same place! Hoping this same m8 will do mine as he will make a good job and he only want beer money to do it. But will have to wait and see might have to pay a garage for the privlage of doing it. Want a proper repair not a bodge up job.

[Envoy CDX]

My cav went in the same place on the front arch.
Patched up for the time being.

[Colorado]

I think there must be a drainage hole somewhere around there? because the other side is fine

[GLC]

[quote="Colorado"]I think there must be a drainage hole somewhere around there? because the other side is fine[/quote
Mine has some rust coming through on the passanger side Oh well.
Hopefully i can grind this back and repaint it. Rear inner arches have sum rust too along the lower edges due to the having mud stuck up behind them on the other side if you follow, were i coundn't see. Which is annoying because i allways clean underneath the arches and sills when i wash my car. Hope to get it all sorted soon. I'll keep you posted.

[Colorado]

Hopefully it will be fairly straightforward to do. Bit of a mudtrap the rear wheel arch

[GLC]

Hopefully it will be fairly straightforward to do. Bit of a mudtrap the rear wheel arch

Thanks. Yer me too! No point me stressing bout it like ive done in the past with my motors. If it need's welding i'll just have to get it sorted as soon as i have the money.
Seen your cavalier colorado pictures on the showroom page. Your car look's in excellent condition m8. Im sure your turbo is gonna look as good when it's finshed too.

[Colorado]

Thanks. Thats the advantage of owning it for 9 years and looking after it it hasnt ever been neglected by anyone . I was a bit shocked when i got the Turbo at how much i would need to do but its getting there.. But on both of them welding has needed to be done.

[GLC]

Just thought id up date you all with the latest. Sum good, sum bad. Last weekend i decided to finally change my leads and replace my leaking rocker gasket. Also their was a split on the hose that joins between the airbox and the injection cover. So i brought a replacement from a scrap yard for 3 quid.
Degreased the front of the engine where it had been leaking and fitted the leads plus the replacement hose no problem.
Then it went pete tong! Removed the rocker cover an spent ages cleaning it till it looked tidy. Not as good as sum other peoples efforts on here. But i was happy. Put it in place with a new GM gasket. Threaded the bolts hand tight. Then tightend them up gently with my trusty mini socket set, till fully tightend. Last bolt then all of a sudden it won't tighten up. Undone the bolt and the last three loops of the thread came out on the bolt. Really pi**ed off. On the up side my m8 phoned stright after it happend told him an he has sorted it by using a bolt with a longer thread instead. Isn' t leaking so don't know if i should live with it or not ? Oh and my gearbox is sounding noisy. Fantastic