32 replies to this topic

[Brett]

Picked this up today, its a tatty but solid looking 2dr 1300ohv saloon. Same lady owner since 1982!





Im totally new to the Mk1 Cav scene, although Im very much into my Cavaliers, I also own a Mk2 SRi hatch with a Calibra turbo engine and an early Mk3 SRi Hatch which is halfway through a V6 conversion.

The plan for this is use it until the MOT runs out in March and then store it up over summer while I sell the Mk3 and show the Mk2.

Plan for this is to drop in a redtop or V6, and use it for motorclub events such as nav rallies. Long term who knows, Ascona make over and conversion for use in proper rallies? That would be the ultimate outcome. For now the bodywork is not massivly important its more about sorting it mechanically.

I have mates who are into Manta's so should be good for cast off's and so on for now at least. Anyway, Im sure I'll be raiding the parts for sale forum a few times in the coming months!

Cheers
Brett

[MANTAMAN]

Hi Brett, do you relise that is one very rare car you have there? MK 1 Cav 1300 two doors have nearly become extinct.

Your plans for motorsport might be better served with another car, in particular a Manta, i say this because everything on that Cavalier is a lower spek than other Cavs and Manta's so to convert it for motorsport would involve changing almost everything mechanical which would mean robbing another car of all its componants,might as well use the other car.

[garymanc]

hi brett and welcome to the forum

[Brett]

MANTAMAN, on 18 January 2012 - 12:37 AM, said:

Hi Brett, do you relise that is one very rare car you have there? MK 1 Cav 1300 two doors have nearly become extinct.

Your plans for motorsport might be better served with another car, in particular a Manta, i say this because everything on that Cavalier is a lower spek than other Cavs and Manta's so to convert it for motorsport would involve changing almost everything mechanical which would mean robbing another car of all its componants,might as well use the other car.

are we talking things like axle, brakes and suspension or deeper? bodysheel etc? Im not fussed if its mechanics, I would rebuild or replace most of that. Base shells are also lighter, no sunroof to worry about etc!

With regards to rarity, I know but I doubt anyone on here is going to offer me a swap for a Manta/Cav Coupe in a similar state and TBH, I really like this.

Edited by Brett, 18 January 2012 - 09:19 AM.

[plumster]

Hi Brett, welcome, there are a great number of people around who would love to get that, put an Ascona front on it & build an Ascona 400 rep.
That would be a shame as it is a rare beastie, but each to their own, good luck with it.

[opel2000]

Ascona make over ,  preferably with a Scone 400 kit and rothman stripes, I'd lose the Cav identity in a shot.
I had a 2 door Cav back in 1993 as a runaround whilst waiting for an insurance claim to go through on my GTE, I was told that these were rare cars then,  wish to god i still had it as the Ascona make over would give it some real value today.

Edited by opel2000, 18 January 2012 - 05:15 PM.

[Jason b]

That is an absolutely gorgeous cav!! - I'm afraid I probably wouldn't dream of turning it into yet another motorsport car. As someone who has owned/owns club motorsport rally cars (currently peugeot 106 rallye in full spec) for a while I would say that it is worth seeing if you could find someone to part exchange you another manta or cav to turn into a motorsport car. Seriously. Otherwise a rare car will only get battered and fucked up unnecessarily. If your intention is to be competitive then it doesn't matter if you use a 4dr or a 2dr. (and anyone who says that the miniscule weight difference of 50kg really matters is lying imho) In fact most of the road rally guys in wales these days are coming round to liking the 4dr escorts because they are easier to use and clamber in and out of when fitting cages and repairing the car.

This probably hasn't been persuasive at all, just thought you ought to know that your cav is probably one of a literal handful of that type in existence let alone in good condition!

The second option would be an ascona conversion, but I wouldn't rally it... I'd sell it and make more than enough money to build a serious serious weapon.

Either way enjoy it to its fullest!

p.s. if you do end up rallying it yourself, then don't ascona convert it, leave it as a cav front end - it'll look truly unique on the stages then (as someone who marshals a fair few stage rallies in the south I'd much rather see that out than an ascona )

Edited by Jason b, 18 January 2012 - 05:22 PM.

[opeldvd11]

Welcome , You have a really nice car there,

Kev

[opel2000]

Hehe I would absolutely gut that eyesore of a Cav and instantly turn it into an Ascona, looks a right old nail at the mo and if tidied up will simply just look like a tidied up old nail of a Cav "to me".  The Ascona look has a lot more prescence than the sad old "I wish I'd been made into a Cortina, look" of the poor old MKI Cav  

Edit, Can't wait until someone comes on and tells you how to tune up the mighty 1.3 engine in it

Edited by opel2000, 18 January 2012 - 05:41 PM.

[Brett]

Hi All,

Thanks for the comments. I am a Vauxhall nut as I said so I know full well how rare this thing is. Ive only ever seen one other, a Silver Special it was called.

The problem really is I just dont like the Cav front end. The Ascona one looks the nuts and literally Ive always wanted an Ascona rep. The problem will be if I do build an Ascona rep I'll be scared to damage it so theres still much to consider with what direction I go in.

Ive been leaving my Insignia company car at home all day and driving this, its just brilliant. Both the other Cavaliers are of the road for winter just now too!

[Jason b]

Yeah, whatever you do with it you'll enjoy it... but I would worry about ascona repping it and then crashing it on a rally (I know exactly how many tears you shed when 9weeks of solid rebuild get smashed beyond repair into a solid stone wall masquerading as a hedge! )

Funny how tastes differ clive! - I think that a normal (i.e. non 400replica) ascona looks a lot more plain than the mk1 cavalier!! - I wonder what a cavalier 400 would look like? (or should that be manta 400 saloon, lol)

Edited by Jason b, 18 January 2012 - 06:34 PM.

[Brett]

I might manta it. It'll be more affordable! MK1 Cav is a unique look on the front end but I just never have gotten on with it.

It really is battered though! Sunday I will have a good poke around it. Ive got Manta front seats and wheels lined up now so thats good news. I'll keep all the bits I take off though.... although I did hear a story about someone's loft collapsing and I already have an emporium of Mk2 cav spares up there.

This is my Mk2 and Mk3 together in November before the Mk2 went into hibernation for winter. I spent 3 years rebuilding it from scratch and its the second time Ive owned the car - regretted selling it first time! It has a C20LET and F28 fitted and I'll never part with the car now. The Mk3 blew the headgasket at Christmas so I took the oportunity to put a V6 it! Just need to finish it, now though it must be sold because I dont have any use for it!

Edited by Brett, 18 January 2012 - 07:10 PM.

[opel2000]

Jason b, on 18 January 2012 - 06:31 PM, said:

Yeah, whatever you do with it you'll enjoy it... but I would worry about ascona repping it and then crashing it on a rally (I know exactly how many tears you shed when 9weeks of solid rebuild get smashed beyond repair into a solid stone wall masquerading as a hedge! )

Funny how tastes differ clive! - I think that a normal (i.e. non 400replica) ascona looks a lot more plain than the mk1 cavalier!! - I wonder what a cavalier 400 would look like? (or should that be manta 400 saloon, lol)

Jason, I'm only having a bit of fun mate as many know, i enjoy having a dig and trying to wind up the Cav owners on here.

Truth be told any of the Manta desendants/derivatives that are going to be put into use or restored rather than just stood under a tarpaulin for years before being broken due to lack of interest ("It was a good idea at the time" syndrome) then that certainly receives encouragement.

Brett.
some excellent first posts there mate, and here I was just looking at the picce above this post thinking how cool it would actually be to own a MkI MKII and a MKIII.

Edited by opel2000, 18 January 2012 - 07:18 PM.

[MANTAMAN]

If you dont mind using a four door cav i would swop you my Yellow Mk 1, 1600 CIH which i have already converted the transmission tunnel (welded in original Opel pannel) and put in a five speed getrag manta gearbox,it was an automatic which means it has the lower ratio manta size rear axle.



it does need repairs to the passenger side chassie rail and the back of the door sills but this is all, the rest of the car is very solid only having done 45k miles, i rescued this Cav from breaking years ago and as its not a very rare model i'd be glad to see it being used rather than parked in my workshop with no prospect of seeing any use.

Edited by MANTAMAN, 19 January 2012 - 05:43 AM.

[mantasrme]

Welcome to the forum.

As you have a rare model car, there will always be a group of people who get upset if you menion modifying it
My advice is do whaterver you want with YOUR car

I'd much prefer to see any classic car used regularly rather in any form, than tucked away in a heated garage because its too rare to use.
As clive says how many of these rare models have people bought with all good intentions to preserve them only to never get to restoring them and breaking them for parts due to neglect and rot.

When it comes to upgrade time I think it'll have the smaller axle in being a 1.3 so get the larger version from a manta which is stronger all round, i'd go for a 1800 axle (the 1.8 model had a 3.67diff the GT/e had a 3.44)
When you swap the engine also convert to a 5 speed gearbox (tunnel top needs changing)
For engines i'd drop a 16v in it rather than a v6 as it allows more motorsport options (road rallies are now limited to 4 cylinder engines) its also very very easy to drop into a manta/cavalier

As for its looks if you change it i'd go Ascona, you could fit a manta 4 slot nose but it would look odd as they never made a manta with that roof shape

If (or should that be when) you join the club and have access to all the sub forums you will find many useful guides on how to do the 16v install, fit power steering, upgrade to modern vented brakes and loads more.

Whatever you do enjoy driving a proper car with RWD

[Brett]

thanks for the offer manataman, I think to swap this though it would have to be a 2dr/3dr variant of some kind. Im not really looking to get rid in all honesty.

I'll be joining the club in the near future yes and thanks a lot for all that info there mantasrme, didnt know about the gearbox problems nor the 6cyl rule on road rallies. I'll check that with the local motor club as Im sure I have seen V8's etc on the last one we did.

[Jason b]

Club level 12cars and the like will allow you to run whatever car you want as they are run on a "navigational" permit. Whereas most of the national B road rallies run on "road rally" permits which have stricter rules (there is the odd exception though). Best have a gander at the MSA blue book online to avoid falling foul of the regs if you wish to do more than just club level stuff with it. (There are specific rules regarding plenums and things when fitting twin cam engines)

I too would much rather see a rare car like this used than sat in some collectors garage... however I know how easy it is to write off a car on an event and what a shame it would be to smash up what could make you a lot of money if you sold it as an ascona conversion. I think you need to weigh up whether your allegiance lies with getting into rallying, or doing up an awesome vauxhall. As the sensible route at club level would be to ascona convert it and sell it to an irish bloke for loads of money and then have plenty of spare cash to get into the rallying.

[Brett]

What would this be worth with an Ascona conversion on then?

I intend to have a major stab at basically anything and everything over the weekend to see how solid it really is.

[adz the stig]

why not make a cavalier 400?? lol would not only look nothing like anything on here and your keeping the fact its a cav. just think cav front end wide 400 arch's lowerd on some bbs or similer rims mmmmmmmm! then fire a v6 or a c20let in it.  throw in a side exit exaust. i bow down to you my son!!!!

[Rapierdave]

Brett, on 20 January 2012 - 09:59 AM, said:

What would this be worth with an Ascona conversion on then?

A lot more than what you paid for it