RE: SOTW: Vauxhall Cavalier Sports Hatch
Discussion
nsm3 said:
mercGLowner said:
Wow, a blast from the past. Instantly reminded me of my very first car back in 1984. A yellow Cavalier 1.9GL coupe. To be honest it was total pants, dire in almost every respect and mine had an interior the same colour as the SOTW.
Here was mine......
That could quite easily be my first bosses car. The one that I used to do my "rubbing rag delivery man" obligations in, back in '77.Here was mine......
I thought it was a real weapon compared to my Ford Anglia 105E !!
Good shed, in that it looks like a clean, usable car with a bit of interest.
Ignoring the brown-ness of it all, two things that count against it - in my mind - being the auto gearbox and that it is a hatch, not a coupe. Admittedly, the hatch may prove more appealing to many.
Said as someone who had a Cav Coupe, then a Manta B Coupe, followed by a Manta GT/E.
The latter of those got a few upgrades too, with bilsteins and springs making the handling even better and a 2.2 engine that actually had torque (whereas I felt the standard 2.0 CIH engine was basically gutless).
Had lots of fun with rwd behaviour of those cars.
Still love the idea of another Manta, but as a rally car. Instead, did at least co-drive in one recently, which did nothing to dim my memories of how much fun they could be.
Ignoring the brown-ness of it all, two things that count against it - in my mind - being the auto gearbox and that it is a hatch, not a coupe. Admittedly, the hatch may prove more appealing to many.
Said as someone who had a Cav Coupe, then a Manta B Coupe, followed by a Manta GT/E.
The latter of those got a few upgrades too, with bilsteins and springs making the handling even better and a 2.2 engine that actually had torque (whereas I felt the standard 2.0 CIH engine was basically gutless).
Had lots of fun with rwd behaviour of those cars.
Still love the idea of another Manta, but as a rally car. Instead, did at least co-drive in one recently, which did nothing to dim my memories of how much fun they could be.
mercGLowner said:
Wow, a blast from the past. Instantly reminded me of my very first car back in 1984. A yellow Cavalier 1.9GL coupe. To be honest it was total pants, dire in almost every respect and mine had an interior the same colour as the SOTW.
Here was mine......
This was also my very first car. P reg too! Mine was Black also with the 1.9 (90bhp)engine. Apsired to getting the 2 litre lump in it for the absolutely massive, gut wrenching, hair on fire extra 10bhp!!Here was mine......
I think your being a bit harsh with the total pants bit. Like some others have said here, my experience was it did handle better than a Capri of that era.
There was also that strange sensation of the rear end "rising" when doing "quick" take-off's due to that weird rear torsen bar arrangement.
Like the shed actually but not an Auto!!
Interesting SOTW... doesn't really float my boat, but I can certainly appreciate it.
Why is it that past or current every owners of these cars/Manta's feels the need to add the phrase 'way better than a Capri'? Trying to justify your purchase to yourself perhaps?
I have driven both Manta's and Capri's and sorry, but to me the Ford wins every time. Yep, the Capri is far from perfect, but I'd buy one tomorrow if I had the cash!
Why is it that past or current every owners of these cars/Manta's feels the need to add the phrase 'way better than a Capri'? Trying to justify your purchase to yourself perhaps?
I have driven both Manta's and Capri's and sorry, but to me the Ford wins every time. Yep, the Capri is far from perfect, but I'd buy one tomorrow if I had the cash!
My first car was a Blue Sportshatch (I don't count the Avenger, it my life and I can edit it how I like).
I wrote it off after 11 days. (lost the back end)
My next car was a white sportshatch
I wrote it off after 24 days. (lost the back end, smashed into the bridge just south of the BT building in ashton under lyne, my gouges are still there 25 years later)
I bought it back off the insurance company and fixed it.
I loved em.
Can't remember what I actually did with it in the end.
I wrote it off after 11 days. (lost the back end)
My next car was a white sportshatch
I wrote it off after 24 days. (lost the back end, smashed into the bridge just south of the BT building in ashton under lyne, my gouges are still there 25 years later)
I bought it back off the insurance company and fixed it.
I loved em.
Can't remember what I actually did with it in the end.
cazzer said:
My first car was a Blue Sportshatch (I don't count the Avenger, it my life and I can edit it how I like).
I wrote it off after 11 days. (lost the back end)
My next car was a white sportshatch
I wrote it off after 24 days. (lost the back end, smashed into the bridge just south of the BT building in ashton under lyne, my gouges are still there 25 years later)
I bought it back off the insurance company and fixed it.
I loved em.
Can't remember what I actually did with it in the end.
Crashed it again? I wrote it off after 11 days. (lost the back end)
My next car was a white sportshatch
I wrote it off after 24 days. (lost the back end, smashed into the bridge just south of the BT building in ashton under lyne, my gouges are still there 25 years later)
I bought it back off the insurance company and fixed it.
I loved em.
Can't remember what I actually did with it in the end.
Faust66 said:
Interesting SOTW... doesn't really float my boat, but I can certainly appreciate it.
Why is it that past or current every owners of these cars/Manta's feels the need to add the phrase 'way better than a Capri'? Trying to justify your purchase to yourself perhaps?
I have driven both Manta's and Capri's and sorry, but to me the Ford wins every time. Yep, the Capri is far from perfect, but I'd buy one tomorrow if I had the cash!
I havent driven a manta / cav sports hatch myself, but been in a few as a passenger..Why is it that past or current every owners of these cars/Manta's feels the need to add the phrase 'way better than a Capri'? Trying to justify your purchase to yourself perhaps?
I have driven both Manta's and Capri's and sorry, but to me the Ford wins every time. Yep, the Capri is far from perfect, but I'd buy one tomorrow if I had the cash!
'cooking' capris L, GL etc handle terribly in my experience, but I believe that the more sporting 2 litre S models are at least as good as the manta, even with cart springs
Engine wise theres not a lot in it either, the CIH is hardly any better than the pinto imho, but both are easily tuneable to 150 ish hp for relitively low cost. terrible economy once you start with the twin carbs etc though
people are very quick to knock the capri (and the manta as well to a lesser degree in fairness) but both cars usually received good press at the time, especially the more sporting examples of each.
The RWD and frameless doors attracts me, but otherwise not a great fan of these cars. But the "retro cool" could be appealing for someone at college.
However, I have a suggestion for SotW. After all the positive comments people wrote about the Honda Civic Coupe that featured at no.40 in the American "100 Greatest Cars of All Time", I thought it should feature as SotW. Below are some suggestions to get the juices following. The first 2 are exemplary examples of what made the Civic Coupe so popular in the first place, while the 3rd is just a good wholesome example:
1. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
2. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
3. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
However, I have a suggestion for SotW. After all the positive comments people wrote about the Honda Civic Coupe that featured at no.40 in the American "100 Greatest Cars of All Time", I thought it should feature as SotW. Below are some suggestions to get the juices following. The first 2 are exemplary examples of what made the Civic Coupe so popular in the first place, while the 3rd is just a good wholesome example:
1. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
2. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
3. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
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