1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

[Envoy CDX]

It'll sort out without too much of an issue no doubt.

[Robsey]

That is the plan -
I whole-heartedly hope to have the Cavalier back on the road in June - fingers crossed.

Less procrastinating, and more proactive tlc every weekend should get it done.

1st job is to get it running.

2nd is to get all the electrics working

3rd is to get the welding done.

And after that... well, hopefully it should get it's MOT, and turn into a rolling project again.

Then we can try to finish my long overdue projects...

[Robsey]

the side repeaters earth to the same point as the loom / ecu from memory (see how reliable my aging brain is.. )

I have no idea...
I don't recall disturbing any other earth points when removing the C18NZ loom and retro-installing the C20NE loom.

I am sure it will be a long session of revising and reviewing the stuff I took for granted ten or more years ago. I am very rusty after three years of neglecting my duties.

UPDATE -
I repaired the parcel shelf this evening.
I had to lift the fabric covering from the top of the shelf.
Drilled through the layers - hardboard, thin sheet steel and hardboard again.
And then bolted it all together.
Button-head bolt heads hidden by the fabric.

I just need to re-bond the fabric back onto the upper hardboard layer.

My brush-on Evostik has gone off, so I will need to buy some more.

[Envoy CDX]

Sounds promising to me! Hope to see it in the metal again some day.

[Robsey]

Indeed - it has been a very long time since you saw the cav last... probably about 2013 or there abouts.
I remember driving over the tops (Woodhead Pass) towards Sheffield in the snow...to meet at the butty wagon for a coffee and bacon butty.
And it hasn't snowed properly down here since then.

The last time you visited to pick up the Yaris in 2016, the Cav was away for paint.

As long as I keep focussed it will get done.
You know how easy it is for me to make up excuses to do nothing... I am an expert of doing nothing.

[Envoy CDX]

Oh most certainly, I am very good at doing similar.

[Robsey]

A few minor bits...
Glued the parcel shelf covering fabric back in place.

I had peeled it from the hardboard, so that I could repair the drooping shelf, caused by delaminated layers.

8 fixture bolts and four double-hole catch plates.
Bizarre 1/4" UNC bolts and plates from the U S of A.

You can see the bolt heads here.



Glued down...



And the grab recess.





All fitted - not perfect if you are O.C.D about the bolt heads pushing the fabric up.



Another inspection of the footwell, and another dose of Vactan.



I did try smearing sealant around the plastic blower motor shroud.- to keep the rain out.
Made a right mess, as there is no room for a caulking gun and nozzle to get in there.
I will have to pull it all out and try again during one of the May bank-holiday weekends.

[3cav3]

I'll have to do the same with my parcel shelf, its starting to bow badly. I'd never thought of repairing it like that.

[Robsey]

Assuming you have a shelf with headrests.
It is three layers sandwiched together.

The non-headrest shelf is just thin and flimsy.
One layer of hardboard probably.

Shelf is probably the wrong name for it, as they are not really that strong. So not suitable for putting much weight on there.

Ideally, I would have used 16swg sheet steel with short M6 studs welded on - to give a flatter top surface.

Standard nuts and load spreading washers underneath would not be visible unless you open the hatch.

But yes - from this....



To this...



Is a big improvement.

[ilovedmymantas]

Sorry that it's too late, a three inch wide strip of quarter inch foam would disguise the bolt heads.

Good to see the old girl's getting attention

[cavalier1990]

Good to see some recomissioning work going on there, plenty to keep you going. The plastic shield around the motor, was yours broken? i know mine has a broken collar for the clamp screw, one of them protrudes higher than the other one, and I couldn't fully tighten it, but I plastered it with sealant last time it was out.

[Robsey]

The shelf is much better than it was.
The car was never intended as a show car.
Just tidy and road legal.

But collapsing down like it did, just made it very annoying to get in and out of the hatch.
Having to place boot contents in such a way to hold the damn thing up.

The plastic moulding and the fixtures were all fine as far as I could tell - so far.
But I guess some of the sealant has failed, or maybe just way too much heavy rain in conjunction with a blocked elephants trunk.
Just allowed the water level in the scuttle to rise so high that it overflowed past the fan motor shroud moulding.

[cavalier1990]

I've got a hatch parcel shelf spare, it's practically mint. I stripped it off that cavy I got wind of a few years back because it was mint.

[Robsey]

Ah yes Andrew,
I remember you saying about the shelf.

To be honest the plain shelf fits much better than the headrest version.
The headrests bars press into the top of the backrests

[Envoy CDX]

Ah, missed these updates, looking good though

[Robsey]

I have been looking at my Cav recently, and thinking how sorry it looked...

dull paintwork, covered in dust, and on the front and right side, covered in slimy green moss.
There is no direct sun on those two locations, so it stays damper for longer. Whereas the rear and left side were virtually free of any green stuff.

I had been watching the interior during the wet weather over the past few months, but it does seem that cleaning out the elephants trunk has kept the rain out of the car.

So, a couple of pictures after a good scrub down.
The bristles from a plastic brush from a dustpan set works a treat at getting the green goo out of all the seams and gaps.



I did see two patches of rust forming on the offside rear sill.



and offside middle sill.



Not bad for seven years since the welding was done.
And after being stood out in the elements for three years.

I do like the colour of the paint from this angle.



Now that it is clean temporarily, I need to start getting it ready for the real work.
Welding,
New catalytic converter,
Refurbished gear linkage,
And sort all those electrical niggles (side repeaters, dash warning lights...)
I presume the recent non-start is simply due to having an empty tank.

[Envoy CDX]

Start as you mean to go on, hopefully those bubbles are easily dealt with once the MOT is done.

[Robsey]

As Troy will be welding the jacking point, I can always seek his opinion on the sill rust patches.

I am sure he will be keen to review his previous handywork.

It needs rubbing back to clean metal, rust treating and then the usual milarkey.

I have some dark blue Rustoleum direct to rust paint, that might not look too bad and to give some protection looking ahead.

I have pencilled in early July for the work to be done, and Troy has agreed this verbally.

Despite all the politics and hoo-har about VBOA, I plan to take the Cav there, rather than the Vectra, which is long overdue a rest.

[Envoy CDX]

True enough, cover the bases.

[3cav3]

Got to admit that in the sunlight, the colour and those wheels look a stunning combination. With the minor rust I'd be tempted to cover them in colour magic polish, then just monitor them and enjoy using the car.

[Robsey]

I will give the rust patches a gentle tap and see how solid they are.

I have got my Vactan here, which is pretty good at converting rust and then seals it from the elements in a pva coating.

And then a nice blow-over with dark blue rustoleum.

I can always plaster in wax polish a week after the final coat of paint.

[ilovedmymantas]

Still looking really nice, it's scrubbed up well

It looks as good as it did when it went into semi retirement, it'll definitely stand out at VBOA.

[Robsey]

Thanks.
I need to "find the love" for the car, and the focus to get it sorted.
After three years of retirement, it has got to the stage that I say good morning to the car, and then drive off in the Vectra.... without a second thought for the rest of the day.

It definitely needs a good wax polish all over.
In the first photo it almost looks dull and sun bleached.
But then it is never a good idea to wash the car on a warm / hot early spring morning.

[Envoy CDX]

Just drop it off here Rob, I'll look after the Cav

[Robsey]

If I thought that Mandy wouldn't skin me alive after what I spent on it, it would have been with you a couple of years ago - lol.