Hi, I love these type of forums - I used to have an old Sierra and belonged to a great forum for them and they were invaluable so im hoping this place is the same - it would also be nice to meet some people who like old cars like me! Those who cannot resist that forlorn motor poking out from round a dark corner!

I have just bought a 1986 Cavalier 1.6 L in a light blue metallic colour with just 54,000 miles and heaps of service history for £125 and it has an MOT till september. I have no idea what the going rate is for these cars but to be honest, when you are talking so little money anyway, who cares if I paid £20 of the odds! It was owned by an old man from when it was 3 years old and from about 1998 onwards he reduced his already sparing use( about 3000 miles per year ) down to less than 1000 a year.

In the last year the car has barely done 300 miles as he only used it to go for the occasional haircut!

Now he doesnt feel he can drive anymore after numerous heart attacks so he passed it onto a garage friend I know and he let me know it was around. I saved it from a twit who buys cars to hammer round in and deliver newspapers so im quite pleased I saved it from that.

Underneath it appears to have never been welded having been garaged for most of its life and it drives exceptionally well for an old car. It has been serviced at Vauxhall dealers all its life so its in fine mechanical shape although im sure it could do with some tinkering.

In teh main, it just needs the bodywork tidying up as it has surface corrosion in a few places and a few dings from the old fella hitting gateposts and the like! I think that for the time being it could do with the sills rubbing down and painting and the NSF wing either replacing or repairing.

Im an old car nut really as I love the simple technology although im no mechanic.

Heres a list of some of the old cars ive had - strangely nearly all 80's motors... 1988 VW Polo 1.3, 1986 Ford Sierra 1.8 Auto, 1986 Renault 21 TXE, 1989 Rover Metro 1.1S, 1987 Ford Sierra 2.0 Ghia Auto Est, 1986 Reliant Rialto Est, 1980 Talbot Avenger 1.6 GLS Auto, 1988 Austin Metro L,        1993 Jaguar XJ6 3.2 Auto and many more modern ones and Im only 26!

Im a car valeter by trade so I do love cleaning my cars and I do take part in the sunday car washing with my older neighbours, except I have much better gear than they do!

Anyhow, theres a bit about me and my new motor, anyone wanna see some pics, im gonna take some today.

Be interested if anyone is local to Northampton!

Thanks

Stu

Hi Stu and welcome to the site. You'll find that most peeps on here are Vaux nuts but I believe there are a few shadow ford lovers.

Sounds like you have an absolute bargan there, I recon you have superb value for money.

Pictures will be requested by all, so get em up!

Gary

Hope this worked - should be a pic of my new baby

Stu

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how clean is that!

gorgeous!

Might sound like a dumb question but are there many cars like this left? Im sure there are a few old bangers around, but how often do low mileage Cavs pop up? I could hardly find any on Ebay and those on there looked past their best.

By the way, I have a spare  Cavalier Owners Manual which I was gonna flog but whats it worth? Its in pretty good nick and is a 1985 edition ( found in my grandads old car box!  He used to have a 1.6L Estate in the 80's )?

Hello and welcome

That a sweet looking cav for the price of a good night out

you did well

mint it up and you could have a show car there!

and no there are no other cavs that spec and condition in that form and milage.

The closet thing was in bristol last year - mid spec will end up being the rarest as no-one saves them yet...

mind you I said the same thing about early spec comming back into fashion about 5 years ago!

Im glad its not too common then! Is a sunroof standard on the 'L' as mine has one?

Is the cambelt a big job as id like to get it done but havent got huge reserves of money?

Someone told me that if the belt snaps on these its not as damaging as it is with other cars - is that true?

I definatly need to get it rustproofed in the summer though or its going to start deteriorating quickly next winter me thinks.

I have it taxed, insured and ready to go now so it will be on the road this aftenoon after I finish work - I cant wait - my dad had a MK1 1.9 Cavalier as a company car many years ago so hes quite pleased I got one!

I will take some more piccys when I get it cleaned up more - the engine bay has virtually no rust at all so that should look good!

Stu

easy to do the cam belt takes me about 20-30 min depending on if the water pump is seized if it is just remove the pipe behind it and tap it out from the rear.

this should make it a bit easier for you

read text on the left

Hello chap,welcome to the site,very much enjoy it myself and wow,how clean is your cav!mine started life as a 1.6l,and i thought that was clean but nothing in comparison!keep up the good work! James

Mine is clean in general but I think just about every panel will need work to make it perfect apart from the rear wings. Every panel is just starting to corrode. Atleast the interior doesnt need anything doing except a good hoover and a wipe.

Im definatly gonna keep mine standard though, no offense to the modders, if im lucky, in ten years time mine will be the only one like it left lol, plus its a damn practical car - its amazing how big the boot is compared to modern cars with all their plastic trim which takes up so much space.

Now I have to find a local bodyshop so I can start nibbling away at the long list of bodywork that needs doing... most wont touch rusty cars so should be interesting...

hello chap very nice cav you another stu!!

welcome

stu

Thanks V.much! Gud name you have there... I hear Stu is a name bathed in genius... I did by a Cav afterall  ;D