Tell me about MK1 Cav's

[LowStandards]

I'm currently in the market for a sleeper.

Thing is its got to be reliable and also give good mpg as its also gonna be my daily drive.

I've found this on ebay, its a mk1 Cav in good nick, but with a dead engine. As there the same mechanicals as the Manta B what engines would go in that fit my bill? i'm thinking redtop?

Any ideas anyone can give would be helpful. Nothing stupid either, if i bought it i'd have to have the new engine in and working asap...

[arthurbrown]

YES!!

Follow the Manta 'formula' for XE power, slam + banded steels or wiiide rostyles for the ultimate WIN.

[LowStandards]

Are the rostyles steel? Could they be banded? I'd want to pretty much keep it looking like this

[akku]

Rostyles are steel. You can use any 100mm PCD 4 lug wheels with the correctish offset.

The stock lumps are 1256cc Chevette engine or the CIH 4 pot used in the Manta/Ascona. Any of those should drop in easy and that includes the CIH lumps from the Carlton and even the Frontera 2.4 should you want to. I knew a guy who used one of them in a Victor using the Carton 1.8 sump, exhaust manifold and gearbox.

The XE would be a possible fit using Manta or Carlton 1.8 bits and a bit of creative wiring & pumbing. IIRC you need to do something with the distributor to make it clear the bulkhead on an inline install with the XE.

If you want quick and easy I'd bosh in a Carlton 1.8 lump with the distributor and carb off the Cav or a Manta.

[akku]

I notice it an auto. You planning on keeping it two-pedal? other CIH lumps should fit up to the trans but you may have issues with the flywheel and the torque converter. You may be able to transfer your flexplate to the new engine but it may not be weighted or ballanced correctly.

[LowStandards]

Was hoping to swap it to a stick! Been looking and can get a whole Cav sri 130 for about £50, would that find its way in there alright?

[Imperial]

2002gimp said:

Was hoping to swap it to a stick! Been looking and can get a whole Cav sri 130 for about £50, would that find its way in there alright?

nope,
sri= fwd
mk1 cav =good ol rwd
engine would do,but you'd still need to find a box

[LowStandards]

I guessed that, so basically were talking a Carlton lump would be the best? what sort of bhp do the 2l make?

[tonycocacola]

iirc, with a carb around 90.
injection 100 - 120 or there abouts.

whats already in it/ hows it dead?

[JonnySierra]

SRi 130 route isn't much trouble at all....

Manta 1.8 dizzy etc - all bolts straight on - Manta 5-speed, reliable EFi, 130 bhp. Walk in the park!

[LowStandards]

Good good! I imagine they weigh about 900kgs, so it should be entertaining.

Its got a 1.6 lump in at the min, he says there's a knocking, but he doesn't know wether its the engine or auto box!

[vicsmith]

It might be just a heatshield!

[SilverMachine]

i like the look of that, are you going to keep it badged as an auto? we did that with a mk2 esc years ago and upset quite a few drivers of newer cars

[LowStandards]

Yeah, would have to keep the badges. Get some Heart FM and a disabled badge in the back. You've got to love the plush carpety redness of the interior as well, it just deserves some pillows in the back window and a tartan throw over the backseat FTW

[hongkongphooey]

2002gimp said:

Good good! I imagine they weigh about 900kgs, so it should be entertaining.!

I think you'll be disappointed there,the standard 2.0 Manta coupe weighs in at 1040kg's so i should imagine the 4 door saloon weighs a bit more.

[kyteler]

hongkongphooey said:

2002gimp said:

Good good! I imagine they weigh about 900kgs, so it should be entertaining.!

I think you'll be disappointed there,the standard 2.0 Manta coupe weighs in at 1040kg's so I should imagine the 4 door saloon weighs a bit more.

Not necessarily, a lot of the 60/70's coupes for reasons I'm unsure of, occaisionally weighed in at more than the sedans. Can't imagine it being too hard to discover though.

[80mojo]

Don't think the Cav is much different to the Manta weight wise.

The 2 OHC as per Mk3 Carlton is 115hp pre-cat and 110hp post-cat. As it's an auto it's probably got a wider transmission tunnel too. The Carlton 1.8 or 2.0 OHC box would also be a good option.

There's always the Mk2 Carlton 2.2 CIH (115hp) or the Frontera 2.4 CIH (can't remember what the power is on these)

Or if you fancy something else there's always the 6-pot CIH as per Carlton GSi, Senator etc. ;D

[penski]

140bhp from a Frontera lump...

*n