Jump to content

Centaur pics, info, owners etc


FlanFlinger
 Share

Recommended Posts

On 09/09/2017 at 22:20, Kevin Abbott said:

Looking at the car it was originally green.  Then painted red and the manta parts added. We have the original reg at the unit. I will check. 

The hood is brand new and checked by Robbie Stintson at the vboa. It does not have any fittings but does come with a letter regarding how difficult it was to find a certain part that is included separately. 

It has a 2.0s engine and 5 speed box 

IMG_7523.JPG

I have found the reg

VVH 944V and it is a cav gls coupe on the log book, originally green

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, KAA said:

Yep, Colorado Beige. Original colour showing under the flaking paint on the chin spoiler and around the wiper spindles. No idea what the current blue is called.

Car will go back to original shade when restored.

 

Ah right, made a note of the colour change

3 hours ago, Kevin Abbott said:

I have found the reg

VVH 944V and it is a cav gls coupe on the log book, originally green

That's only a month older then my car :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of other minor labels when you are having bits and pieces remade.

Original Magraw/KJ Motors front number plate and fitting on 083. They used the original rear below-bumper backing plate, rather than discarding it when the rear plate was relocated above the bumper.

The little label is only on the front plate and is a light silvery colour. Stuck on the surface rather than made as part of the plate like a lot of dealer plates are. If you want I can measure the size so you can have a copy made when the dashboard badge is done - just for that authentic finishing touch...:D

 

59d89f0e4ce13_MMY679W06_10.17001(1024x768).thumb.jpg.322b8a7b64ab30be4a3f380d15bbc348.jpg

59d89faa6c677_MMY679W06_10.17002(1024x768).thumb.jpg.83ce7242dc2cd784aa3958fe4d21d0eb.jpg

You may already have these if the wheels have never been repainted. Clear label backing curved to match wheel rim.

59d8a0490f600_Campagnolo005(1024x768).thumb.jpg.3689472469e2bdf3b1488c579e67feec.jpg

Inside the wheels showing the original design fitment in the 1970s. Obviously not seen when tyres are fitted...:rolleyes:

59d8a0d029ca1_Campagnolo001(1024x768).thumb.jpg.e25309945058bacdb7a6dcb9ebeb983b.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, KAA said:

A couple of other minor labels when you are having bits and pieces remade.

Original Magraw/KJ Motors front number plate and fitting on 083. They used the original rear below-bumper backing plate, rather than discarding it when the rear plate was relocated above the bumper.

I was looking for an original number plate sticker ! (and assumed I was the only one sad enough)
Can you get a close up, front on shot so I can either go on a font hunt or convert the image in photoshop to a scaleable item for printing ?
I haven't got a picture of a rear screen sticker, I seem to remember them being black with a sort of light gold lettering.

22 minutes ago, KAA said:

You may already have these if the wheels have never been repainted. Clear label backing curved to match wheel rim.

My rim labels had been overpainted, you can get them from this ebay supplier  , I did ask them about a decal for the centre caps but they were reluctant to make some due to the curve, they can be sourced elsewhere but are around €100 for a set, my wheel nuts still have traces of light blue paint in the "M", pretty easy to get a match. I don't remember seeing any with the Rostyle centre caps with an "M" in like the brochure car, and it hasn't got them on it now so I suspect that was just a mockup for the photos.

 I'm currently struggling to find someone to strip my wheels for repainting, I did one myself using paint stripper but it takes ages, finding someone here in the are endo of Ireland that I feel comfortable with old magnesium is proving to be a problem, there's someone in Limerick that has experience of stripping it, but is quoting €75 a wheel just to strip so they'll be waiting until next year, the inside label is easy enough to replicate, my spare still has it, I'm assuming the other 4 are still there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, FlanFlinger said:

Can you get a close up, front on shot so I can either go on a font hunt or convert the image in photoshop to a scaleable item for printing ?

Yes, will do. May take the plate off to get a better picture.

Thanks for the Campagnolo decal link :).

9 hours ago, FlanFlinger said:

I'm currently struggling to find someone to strip my wheels for repainting, I did one myself using paint stripper but it takes ages, finding someone here in the are endo of Ireland that I feel comfortable with old magnesium is proving to be a problem,

Probably best to take care with these wheels and find someone who knows what they are doing. The original paint finish is quite robust but once damaged the magnesium can corrode and pit readily. Best to stay away from too heavy abrasive blasting - anything with steel or iron embeds in the surface and makes corrosion worse. Glass bead could be better if not too coarse, maybe something less harsh like walnut shells or soda. Hopefully you can find someone with the right experience.

I expect they where chemically treated when first manufactured with a chromate or phosphate process before the paint finish was applied. Epoxy powder-coat is probably the way to go for the finish.

10 hours ago, FlanFlinger said:

I haven't got a picture of a rear screen sticker, I seem to remember them being black with a sort of light gold lettering.

No rear screen sticker on my car unfortunately :(.

The only other thing I can think of for the rear screen is the foam protection mat. Made from about 10mm thick grey foam, rectangular in shape and about the width of the rear window. It has the 'Centaur' logo about 300mm long stencilled in black across the middle.

The idea was you were supposed to place it between the folded halves of the rear screen to protect against scratching. Age degrades the foam and although the lettering is slightly raised it may just be that the paint has stopped it shrinking as much as the rest. Either that or they where made with some sort of moulding process. 083 still had the mat when I got it - it lived on the parcel shelf or in the boot for a while, now 'lost' up in the loft somewhere. I will come across it at some point the next time clearing out is done...

I was looking for the original hood operation handbook recently (if you can call a couple of pieces of paper stapled together a handbook) - stashed away so securely with the Cavalier owners handbook I can't find it at the moment. Hopefully it will turn up...:mellow:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally sorted through the festoons of pictures received from the Crayford Convertible Club.

Scores on the doors are now

55    Cars Identified
32    Cars assigned number
20    Cars missing number
29    Cars with picture
26    Cars with no picture
24    Confirmed still exist
 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm certainly learning a lot as well, little snippets of info from here and there (loads from KAA), certainly the being send a part of the dashboard sticker has meant me having to brush up on my photoshop skills as the fonts used are not around in a usable form, and other things like the numbering system and how that kinda questions the 100+ made, something I'm still yet to find anyone who can verify it. 

I know very little about the original design, why the Cavalier Coupe was chosen over any other car, mostly because Crayfords did mostly Ford based conversions. 

Now I've got what looks like a definitive list I'll start on the history side, the KJ side of it is going to be easy enough as I'm still in contact with some involved, the Crayford side and the Mumford side are going to be more difficult, thankfully there's still some around from Crayfords, Mumfords on the other hand may never be known. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 unknowns have cropped up in the load of pictures sent by Crayfords, TPL456 and one that's a side shot so no red, but distinctive decals added.

https://i.imgur.com/SRLJPTW.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/N8TeXdn.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9CeL9p7.jpg

Links posted as something shonky was going on with the board and wouldn't allow me to embed them

 

Edited by FlanFlinger
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I thought it was Fiat's "sporting" yellow ;)

I've not got a commission number for yours, I'm hoping once I can find a way to decode the chassis numbers I'll be able to write a little script that fills in the blanks as going by registration date the commission numbers aren't sequential. 

I've set up a closed group on Facebook if you want join it, all the info I'm compiling is going on there so I don't have to keep posting to a bazillion different forums other than this, I'll still update on here, but anything that could be deemed to sensitive for an open forum I'll stick on there (chassis and engine numbers etc) 

It took me quite a while to find my old log in for the FiatForum

Are you planning on putting it back to a 2.0 4 speed?, mine has had a 5 speed box fitted at some point but I've managed to get hold of a good 4 cog box and center console to change it back, I'll be swapping it back when I finally get the albatross of a Scimitar back together. 

Edited by FlanFlinger
I type like a chimp
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know of one Centaur that is probably off the radar of Vauxhall Clubs ( though it has a Manta Club tax disc holder, don't they all ! ) -

 59fbd2b264d9b_VauxhallCavaliercentaur01.png.78d4da6213dbae06acae74b70be02053.png

 this belongs to an elderly couple who live in the south Beds area, they are classic vehical 'nuts', They are primarily into Hillman/Sunbeam Minx, Rapier etc but they also have a Bedford coach, A Pontiac Sunbird ( built on a Cavalier MK 3 platform with five stud hubs and a turbo 2.0L eight valve, its the Pontiac Firebird that has the screaming chicken on the bonnet ! ) and this Centaur which as well as the quad lamps has a fuel injected 2.4L CIH engine and 5 speed gearbox, modifications to make it a competant grand tourer as it is frequently used on motoring holidays in Europe.

 Your welcome to use this photo if it helps you.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That picture was taken by me at a new year meet at The Grovebury Lock Pub south of Leighton Buzzard perhaps 15 years ago, it was posted onto this website back then, amazing how Google found it.

 I haven't seen this Centaur since then, it was with the White triumph TR 2 behind it which i don't recall seeing around local either, i will make some enquires in the local clasic car circles, though the owners would be very old by now and might not own these cars anymore, but being in such good condition the Centaur will still be living on somewhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is one I collected from a chap in London several years ago as he had lost his storage. Phone call on a Saturday morning to collect same day!!

Sat in my workshop for quite awhile, so I got the V5 transferred into my name as hadn't heard from him for 6 months. Then finally 'sold' it back and delivered it into a barn near Bath from memory. More than likely still sitting there.

DSC07342.JPG

DSC07355.JPG

DSC07356.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Steve

Can you remember the reg number ?
This is all the white ones I have on the list

LIJ9716
TOT89T
BFG65T
NOS572T
DGX124T
NFS382T
GUF135V (Manta Base)
JMV933V
JYJ222W
YYV750T
JHO546X

Out of that list these ones are still on the road or under SORN

TOT89T
DGX124T
GUF135V
JMV933V
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
28 minutes ago, Titson said:

Found another picture, reg nr is BFG 65 T

haven't got into laptop yet, when I do, will see if I can find the email trail with the guys details.

DSC07345.JPG

Aha! 

That's car number 33

I've marked that as lost as it was neither taxed or on a SORN 

I'll put a tick in my "still exists" box 

Edited by FlanFlinger
added car number
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
On 6/4/2018 at 16:07, turbo16n said:

Own  centaur reg no HCF5W  number 57 was orangy/yellow now green needs a lot of work/welding, interior etc

may have to sell as have 2 manta A series

Surely getting rid of one of the A's would be better :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...