Vauxhall Cavalier GSI RestoMod Track Car

[B'stard Child]

CouncilFerrari said:

I'm pleased with how it came out overall, but don't know if it was worth the headache and the stress. It took a lot of messing around with combinations of glue, flock and technique to get to that point but I'm glad it's done and it looks the part, in my opinion.

That looks superb

I had a dash done professionally for the rally car build because I knew if I tried to DIY it would look like the parts crashed through a glue factory and collected the flock on the way out

I have a load of other parts I want to do when I get round to it but you are making me think maybe DIY is possible

[Jules Sunley]

Really nice result that, good work, and enjoying the thread

[confucuis]

Looks great! Really love this build!

[Mr Tidy]

CouncilFerrari said:

I'm pleased with how it came out overall, but don't know if it was worth the headache and the stress. It took a lot of messing around with combinations of glue, flock and technique to get to that point but I'm glad it's done and it looks the part, in my opinion.

That looks fantastic.

It may have been painful but you know the old saying, do it right and do it once!

[CouncilFerrari]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Still loving this build.

Thanks man, appreciate that, inching ever closer to completion.

B'stard Child said:

That looks superb

I had a dash done professionally for the rally car build because I knew if I tried to DIY it would look like the parts crashed through a glue factory and collected the flock on the way out

I have a load of other parts I want to do when I get round to it but you are making me think maybe DIY is possible

Thank you, that's very kind of you to say. I should have got mine professionally done but it was such a bh to get in the car around the roll cage, I didn't want to get it out again to have it sent away, so I went with the DIY option.

If you can do small-ish parts first to get a feel for the time you've got to play with with the glue, then I'd say you'll be ok. Or do something you can get spares of if you decide to use epoxy glue as I did for the dash. The water based glue you get in the 'kits' from Frost et al is good, but you have to lay it on thick and it goes off quick, even in a stone cold garage in winter, at least that was my experience. Also, get a static applicator and DO NOT be fooled by the youtube videos of the people with the yellow puffer bottle things. I tried that, it comes out st. The static applicators at least manage to get all the fibres standing up, again only in my experience.

Also, rally car? Do you have a thread?

Jules Sunley said:

Really nice result that, good work, and enjoying the thread

Thanks mate, appreciate that. Always nice to know people are still interested

confucuis said:

Looks great! Really love this build!

Thank you very much, not bad for a ropey old Vauxhall

Mr Tidy said:

That looks fantastic.

It may have been painful but you know the old saying, do it right and do it once!

Thank you, it remains to be seen how it wears in.

I'm hoping the effort will pay off, that's certainly been the idea behind the project, do it all properly and hopefully it'll last.

[Stick Legs]

This is all kinds of awesome.

Carry on.

[Gary29]

Probably my favourite car on here, looks so cool.

[Jhonno]

Need to go back and read the whole thread, but flicked to the back pages and liking it a lot, so worth my time! I was a Vauxhall lad when I was younger.. Love a GSi!

[DuncanM]

Dash looks fantastic! I love everything about this build, can't wait to see it finished

[CouncilFerrari]

Stick Legs said:

This is all kinds of awesome.

Carry on.

Thank you bud, appreciate that

Gary29 said:

Probably my favourite car on here, looks so cool.

Thanks for that, I'm quite attached to it now it's nearly finished.

Jhonno said:

Need to go back and read the whole thread, but flicked to the back pages and liking it a lot, so worth my time! I was a Vauxhall lad when I was younger.. Love a GSi!

Thanks mate, appreciate that. I've always wanted a white GSi and was a Vauxhall lad too. I think for anyone growing up in the early 2000's Vauxhalls were the boy racer's car to have.

DuncanM said:

Dash looks fantastic! I love everything about this build, can't wait to see it finished

It came out alright in the end yeah, have to hope it wears ok once the car is in use.

I've got new wheels coming next year in a better offset, hopefully they'll suit it as well as the Team D's do.

[Batch 7.5R]

Loving this, really coming together nicely. Don’t take it too slow from now mate!

[B'stard Child]

CouncilFerrari said:

B'stard Child said:

That looks superb

I had a dash done professionally for the rally car build because I knew if I tried to DIY it would look like the parts crashed through a glue factory and collected the flock on the way out

I have a load of other parts I want to do when I get round to it but you are making me think maybe DIY is possible

Thank you, that's very kind of you to say. I should have got mine professionally done but it was such a bh to get in the car around the roll cage, I didn't want to get it out again to have it sent away, so I went with the DIY option.

If you can do small-ish parts first to get a feel for the time you've got to play with with the glue, then I'd say you'll be ok. Or do something you can get spares of if you decide to use epoxy glue as I did for the dash. The water based glue you get in the 'kits' from Frost et al is good, but you have to lay it on thick and it goes off quick, even in a stone cold garage in winter, at least that was my experience. Also, get a static applicator and DO NOT be fooled by the youtube videos of the people with the yellow puffer bottle things. I tried that, it comes out st. The static applicators at least manage to get all the fibres standing up, again only in my experience.

Also, rally car? Do you have a thread?

Thanks for the advice - appreciated

Rally Car - No thread on here - maybe one day when I clear the decks (cut the roof off to fit a new one ) I'll do a back history post and of any interest regular updates

Right now the back history would be fun but then it would be a thread that went no-where for several years

[Rockape]

Just rear through this one. Great build, I really like the work on the dash. My second car was a Cavalier GSI, really enjoyed that car.

[emicen]

Absolutely mega!

[CouncilFerrari]

Batch 7.5R said:

Loving this, really coming together nicely. Don’t take it too slow from now mate!

Thanks matey. I'm trying not to, luckily I got covid so I got sent from home from work early which meant I could get more done.

B'stard Child said:

Thanks for the advice - appreciated

Rally Car - No thread on here - maybe one day when I clear the decks (cut the roof off to fit a new one ) I'll do a back history post and of any interest regular updates

Right now the back history would be fun but then it would be a thread that went no-where for several years

No problems at all, it's nice to help keep another old Opel/Vauxhall in fine trim. I know what you mean about projects and threads, I've got another couple on the backburner but I won't start a thread because they'll just sit dormant while I finish this etc

Rockape said:

Just rear through this one. Great build, I really like the work on the dash. My second car was a Cavalier GSI, really enjoyed that car.

The dash came out alright in the end, and still seems to be holding up well. Are you ex RAF reg?

emicen said:

Absolutely mega!

Thanks mate!

[CouncilFerrari]

As mentioned above, I got Covid in early December so my three week hitch offshore turned out to be a measly 4 days. The bad news is I'm a contractor so it was a bit of a hit to the wallet right before Christmas, the good news was 5 weeks at home over Christmas and New Year. Which of course meant more Cavvy time!

Managed after a lot of hunting to find some wing indicator bulb holders, so I soldered them in, fitted the chrome bulbs and the clear lenses. While I want to keep the body relatively standard, I really don't like the orange lenses that came on them originally.




Much cleaner.

Next I set about creating a decent fuel pump/filter mount of the three st ones that I had in my box of spares


Disassembled (scrap and rust)


And a replacement mounting plate which attaches the fuel pump mount to the rear subframe. This was CNC cut by a fantastic petrolhead who runs a business called Lochaber stainless. Looks much better than the original and it won't rust, bonza.

[CouncilFerrari]

With the fuel pump mount in bits, I took that, the exhaust heat shields, and the bolts for the brake bells for coating in high temperature cerakote.



New filter and fuel pump installed


A close up of the CNC part, a nice detail.


Installed on the car;


Heatshields post coating, nice view for the MOT man

[CouncilFerrari]

With the dash now back together and flocked, I put the seats and harness back in.

Several years ago, I had the glass removed in preparation for the cage going in. Finally I got to the point where I'm ready for it to go back in, so in it went

[Watchthis]

Just read from start to finish, what a great looking car the old Cavs are. This one's so nice I wouldn't want to take it out on track in case it got damaged 😬

[phil_cardiff]

Coming together now! Strong early 90s BTCC vibes