My boyhood dream, immaculate 1993 Cavalier Turbo

[Jonny_gti]

Love it mate hope you enjoy it, always had a soft spot for old Vauxhalls, prefer the cav turbo to the calibre but both are super rare sighs nowadays

[HedgeyGedgey]

Chebble said:

That’s ace.

Keep us updated - how easy is it to source the original parts? Can’t imagine there are many left that haven’t succumb to rust.

Some things are easy, the mechanicals are all available. It's the little touches, like badges, floor mats that are troublesome and take time.
Theres currently 138 on SORN, but the majority of those will be dead and not scrapped correctly. At the annual Vauxhall show, you'll be lucky to spot one. There were 5 there 2 yrs ago to celebrate 25yrs, and 0 the next year!

[Shakermaker]

HedgeyGedgey said:

Some things are easy, the mechanicals are all available. It's the little touches, like badges, floor mats that are troublesome and take time.
Theres currently 138 on SORN, but the majority of those will be dead and not scrapped correctly. At the annual Vauxhall show, you'll be lucky to spot one. There were 5 there 2 yrs ago to celebrate 25yrs, and 0 the next year!

Ah, a fellow VBOA attendee are you?

[HedgeyGedgey]

Shakermaker said:

Ah, a fellow VBOA attendee are you?

We did one a few yrs back, with a 13k mile Mk4 Astra GSI, but not been since. I used to go as a kid tho. I'm hoping that the Cavalier will make the next one, there's a chance it'll clash with my uni exams though

[Shakermaker]

HedgeyGedgey said:

Shakermaker said:

Ah, a fellow VBOA attendee are you?

We did one a few yrs back, with a 13k mile Mk4 Astra GSI, but not been since. I used to go as a kid tho. I'm hoping that the Cavalier will make the next one, there's a chance it'll clash with my uni exams though

I've just withdrawn from the Vauxhall club world, and it seems that at the same time, the VBOA show is completely up in arms as to where it goes and what it is doing. Billing Aquadrome have changed management so many times in the last few years and their opinion on hosting car shows has done as much too. Then they moved it last year to a new venue, and this year as well. but now they are apparently hosting it at Sywell Aerodrome?

[J4CKO]

I remember these being quite a weapon at the time, pretty rare even at the time as well.

Not really been on my radar but it does get me nostalgic, and it shows what a huge impression things make on us when we are kids.

I still have a hankering for a Capri 2.8i which was my equivalent of your Cavalier boyhood dream.

[geeks]

Superb machine! I grew up in the back of Cavaliers, both my Dad and my Uncle had strings of them. Had my own for a couple of years (MK3 SRi) and always wanted a turbo but even when they were cheap they were still out of reach. Enjoy it OP!

[HedgeyGedgey]

Shakermaker said:

HedgeyGedgey said:

Shakermaker said:

Ah, a fellow VBOA attendee are you?

We did one a few yrs back, with a 13k mile Mk4 Astra GSI, but not been since. I used to go as a kid tho. I'm hoping that the Cavalier will make the next one, there's a chance it'll clash with my uni exams though

I've just withdrawn from the Vauxhall club world, and it seems that at the same time, the VBOA show is completely up in arms as to where it goes and what it is doing. Billing Aquadrome have changed management so many times in the last few years and their opinion on hosting car shows has done as much too. Then they moved it last year to a new venue, and this year as well. but now they are apparently hosting it at Sywell Aerodrome?

It is a shame that the whole "scene" for proper Vauxhall enthusiasts is heading this way, PVS has been a shambles for years now, same colour VXR's with the same modifications parked in the same spot year in year out. Billing was the only saving grace for us Vauxhall folk. It's confirmed its at the Areodrome, whether it'll stay is another thing. I hope something is sorted as I have many fond memories of VBOA, camping with my dad etc

[HedgeyGedgey]

Didn't think I'd get as many positive comments. Thanks for everyone that has read and left a comment

[Shakermaker]

HedgeyGedgey said:

It is a shame that the whole "scene" for proper Vauxhall enthusiasts is heading this way, PVS has been a shambles for years now, same colour VXR's with the same modifications parked in the same spot year in year out. Billing was the only saving grace for us Vauxhall folk. It's confirmed its at the Areodrome, whether it'll stay is another thing. I hope something is sorted as I have many fond memories of VBOA, camping with my dad etc

Yeah. Someone tried to set up a new event - Vauxfest - at Billing, don't know how successful it was but the plan was for it to be less of an organised stand area and just all the cars parked up in one area etc.

Billing was always good, though again, in some ways it was starting to go the same way as PVS in terms of "same thing in the same place every year" which is why the new show last year was actually good, it was different, and some new elements came along to it.

[lord trumpton]

HedgeyGedgey said:

lord trumpton said:

You lucky sod - Id pay strong money for one of those!

Any idea if there are any more gems available anywhere?

I won't beat around the bush, I paid £17.5k for this example. I know of 2 others that are in a similar league to this one. One white and one blue, neither owner will part if them for less than £20k

Mmmm that is spicy money - worth every penny from the look of it.

I remember back in the day of them being available I was an early 20's bloke with a love of fast cars. I'd owned Cavalier and Astra GSI's and GTE 16 valvers with the legendary C20XE lump. The Turbo was used by the local Police and I wanted one badly. The problem was that every one I looked at either had a broken transfer box or was ruined with mods or had a lot of repair work due to attempted thefts.

Now I'm in my mid 40's nostalgia is biting hard. If you'd be kind enough to mail me the details of where i might find the owners of the two you mention I'd be grateful!

[alabbasi]

Great story, I think that many of us become enthusiasts from a young age. Congratulations

[Muzzer79]

Looks really nice OP

I will confess - back in the day I hankered after a Calibra Turbo

[Shakermaker]

Also just seen the price you paid. Probably very good these days, but I remember 10 or so years ago when people thought £5k was a bit much for them! But original, low mileage and rust-free is very rare.

[martin mrt]

What a fantastic buy OP, the price may put some off but it's easy to see why it's so, these cars simply are on the verge of extinction sadly.

I remember I was offered one in a swap for an Ibiza Cupra some 18 years ago and I still regret not doing it.

The airbag should be standard in that, so I'd leave it there

[Darren390]

Congrats OP, I'm not a big Vauxhall fan to say the least but that looks a great example. Don't be surprised by the amount of positive comments though. I posted a few months ago about my recently purchased Orion and was amazed by the reaction to it. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing!

[Caddyshack]

My Boyhood dream was the bird with the big norks on Bay Watch (not Pamela, the other one that jumped out of the cake in the Seagal film) and a Ferrari 308 or Lambo.

I did eventually buy the 4x4 205 Cossie that I thought was the ultimate when I was age 18 though.

[alabbasi]

Caddyshack said:

My Boyhood dream was the bird with the big norks on Bay Watch (not Pamela, the other one that jumped out of the cake in the Seagal film) and a Ferrari 308 or Lambo.

I did eventually buy the 4x4 205 Cossie that I thought was the ultimate when I was age 18 though.

I think that you're talking about Erika Eleniak. She had big boobs? All I remember is how she made unibrows sexy.

[MX6]

That's very cool indeed, I'm a sucker for anything late eighties/early nineties. Looks mint all things considered. And a black on black colour scheme can never be wrong...

[Welshbeef]

Love it.

I had the SRK 16 V of that same Cav - I recall seeing the odd GSI 4x4 back in the day but so rare. I don’t think I ever saw a turbo in the flesh - were they all 4x4 or 2wheel drive option too.

OP is the exhaust tailpipe standard?