1988 Mk2 Cavalier 1.8GLi

[sleag40]

Been busy with other stuff for a while, but got a few bits done on this recently.

The wings got a good layer of stone chip, still waiting for more wax to arrive to finish them off though.



Got the metal fuel pipes mocked up, the one that runs down the offside rear chassis leg is also done. (All three are now painted too).



The steel fuel pipes that enter the engine bay are in the process of being cleaned up prior to painting.



A couple of shiny bits arrived today too.



Hopefully more to come at the weekend.

[grifterkid]

Lovely stuff...

I do hope another crusty Cavalier can be saved by you when you've recovered from this ordeal!!!

[foureyes]

Inspiring work!

I wish I had the same skill.

[norm75]

Just read the last page about painting the bumpers.
Don’t know if you’ve tried reviving them with a heat gun but I did the plastics on my wife’s mini and it proved very effective.
Hold the gun an inch or two away from the bumper and move it along a little like spraying with a rattle can. Passing over it a couple of times will bring the original colour back more, be careful not to hold it in one spot too long.

Gave the trim a wipe with some trim cleaner after the heat gun pass and it still looks as good now after a couple of months.

[sleag40]

Oct 13, 2021 11:10:26 GMT grifterkid said:

Lovely stuff...

I do hope another crusty Cavalier can be saved by you when you've recovered from this ordeal!!!

No plans to do any more Cavaliers chief - not sure what's gonna be next.

Oct 15, 2021 0:24:25 GMT norm75 said:

Just read the last page about painting the bumpers.
Don’t know if you’ve tried reviving them with a heat gun but I did the plastics on my wife’s mini and it proved very effective.
Hold the gun an inch or two away from the bumper and move it along a little like spraying with a rattle can. Passing over it a couple of times will bring the original colour back more, be careful not to hold it in one spot too long.

Gave the trim a wipe with some trim cleaner after the heat gun pass and it still looks as good now after a couple of months.

They're not really faded, just sporting the odd scuffs and nicks from 30 years of existence. If I can afford it, I'll buy some new ones.

[sleag40]

Chassis leg fuel line now p-clipped into position.



Front to back fuel lines now ready to fit.



I now finally have a new clutch, after being sent a several that were wrong.



LUK branded - should be reet!

[sleag40]

I've decided (after a couple of close calls) that the wings are less likely to get damaged if they're on the car. After fitting and gapping, the fasteners were hit with the underbody wax.





I then fitted the little brace bars between the wings and valance.



Before realising that the chin spoiler type thing needs to be in position before the brace bar goes in.



All in position.

[sleag40]

Still waiting for 8mm fuel pipe, so cracked on with stuff up front. The wiring loom was pulled through the bulkhead.



I got it all roughly in position to remind me what goes where. The plan is to clean it all and re wrap where necessary before securing it in position.



Fitted the rubber isolation blocks that the air box sits on - I found these on Ebay, size wise they're spot on.



Before fettling the wiring loom, I decided to clean the headlights so they're ready to go back on. Seen below after the majority of the crud was removed with a cloth and panel wipe.



Popped one in to marvel at the annoying gap between the top of the indicator and the wing that all mk2 cavs have.



Loom fettling tomorrow.

[sleag40]

Loom now fitted and clipped into position. Assorted furniture put in to remind me how the loom goes.



Air box needs a good clean before it gets fitted permanently.



Bonnet release fitted and adjusted too.



Had a look round the back end to make sure it's still there - not had the cover off for a while!

[sleag40]

Once the aerial was fitted,



I could fit the arch liners. After a good scrub up,



they went back on. I'd forgotten to drill a new hole in the offside inner wing when I repaired it a long time ago, but it was easy to do with the liner in place to show me where the hole needed to go.



Pilkington delivered my new screen today,



It was flung in and fitted in a few minutes - I'm getting pretty good at doing this on my own now!



I'll apply some arbormast sealant and fit the trims over the weekend hopefully.

[novamadash]

Looking really nice love the attention to detail.

[grifterkid]

My word!!

This really is just wonderful...

[bstardchild]

Read the entire thread today as I hadn't seen it before - lovely work

[sleag40]

Arbormast sealant pumped into the screen rubber.



Once the trim went in, a load of it splurged out as expected.



After the mess was cleaned up, the wipers went back on to complete the job.



Fuel pipe is due on Monday, so hopefully I'll be able to stick the engine and gearbox back in once the fuel system is completed.

[shampooefficient]

Great work, love a Mk2 Cav... my ma and pa had one back in the day. I still remember pa telling me that a week or so after he'd sold it, the local constabulary knocked on the door asking him why he'd used it in a ram raid...

[mercedeslimos]

Oct 31, 2021 17:23:03 GMT shampooefficient said:

Great work, love a Mk2 Cav... my ma and pa had one back in the day. I still remember pa telling me that a week or so after he'd sold it, the local constabulary knocked on the door asking him why he'd used it in a ram raid...

My mother's ex had a blue one, A-plate in varicose vein blue. They went to Manchester one day and it got nicked. Found out on the moors torched. Don't remember a huge pile about it, but the G-plate 2.0 8v (SRi or GL maybe, gold with a beige velour interior!) seemed like good fun. Had three Cavs, another MK3 in blue, and 3 MK2 Astras, one red, one white and one blue. 

[bstardchild]

Did the cars have sealant used on the front screen rubbers from new?

I know my Monza didn't and when I needed a new screen I had a heck of a job convincing the fitter that I didn't want it put back in with any sealant - in the end I had to sign a disclaimer to say the company wouldn't be responsible if it leaked when fitted without sealant

It didn't leak either

[sleag40]

It did - took a long time to remove it all too!

[sleag40]

I've not been able to get a go at this until this evening, but carried on chipping away at it. The first job was to remove the majority of the thick layer of dust and dirt off the front bumper. The trim strip had gone yellow and cloudy - probably UV damage, so as I had found a new one, the old one was removed.



The 8mm fuel pipe arrived on Wednesday,



so made a start on finishing off the fuel system. I only got as far as fitting the fuel pump along with associated gubbins, then connecting the fuel filter to the metal fuel pipe on the chassis leg before my time was up.



I should hopefully get back on it on Sunday and finish all the fuel pipes off. Then I can drop the back wheels on the deck and get the motor ready to go back in.

[darrenh]

i wonder why mk2 cavaliers werent bonded screens, but mk2 astras are. must be the extra couple of years grasp towards the 70s and expandy trim in the groove type setup.

cavalier is looking depressingly good (back handed compliment due to being at the metaphorical page 1 or 2 of my restoration )