Vauxhall Cavalier GSI RestoMod Track Car

[Shakermaker]

Cocknose said:

Thanks mate. Hopefully get it out to some Vauxhall shows this year.

I've given up on that scene but definitely had some great times at PVS in the mid-00s and at the VBOA show over the years, but 2017 was the last one for me! Enjoy though, there's some good people out there

[Cocknose]

Ah no way, that's a shame. Didn't you use to run VXON?

I've been building this thing for so long that I'm out of touch with 'the scene' too, but I'll try and attend retro rides and PH events once it's done. There's a very passionate lad on Facebook who runs a Cavalier owners club, and he get's stands at most of the shows. Hopefully once mine is done he'll let me tag along.

[Cocknose]

WFL said:

Great project! It's gonna be amazing - I'll be following with interest.

Thanks bud.

[Shakermaker]

Cocknose said:

Ah no way, that's a shame. Didn't you use to run VXON?

I've been building this thing for so long that I'm out of touch with 'the scene' too, but I'll try and attend retro rides and PH events once it's done. There's a very passionate lad on Facebook who runs a Cavalier owners club, and he get's stands at most of the shows. Hopefully once mine is done he'll let me tag along.

Yes that's me, I'm still there running it in the background but its just a forum now, the club part just wasn't worth it for us anymore but the forum has a few people there, I mostly just delete spam

[Sko77y]

Love this for a project car, please do the yellow, black, grey though, even with the red subframes!

[OFORBES]

Oh man, what a great project!

Cant wait for further updates, it was my favourite car from the 90's BTCC era!

Congratulations on what you've achieved so far and I am excited to see more updates!

Love it!

[Cocknose]

Shakermaker said:

Yes that's me, I'm still there running it in the background but its just a forum now, the club part just wasn't worth it for us anymore but the forum has a few people there, I mostly just delete spam

I get you, that's a shame though. If I remember correctly, you used to have a Bedford Rascal?

Sko77y said:

Love this for a project car, please do the yellow, black, grey though, even with the red subframes!

Ha ha, we'll see. I can do a side in each colour and see which is best! Thanks though.

OFORBES said:

Oh man, what a great project!

Cant wait for further updates, it was my favourite car from the 90's BTCC era!

Congratulations on what you've achieved so far and I am excited to see more updates!

Love it!

Thanks mate, updates should be a bit quicker these days. I stripped the engine down to a bare block last time off, just need to get it honed and then reassembled. I had the ITB's delivered too, so it's all go and hopefully will get an MOT this year.

[s m]

Effortlessly cool

Great work

[Fonzey]

Great stuff, do love a good garage too!

North Yorkshire y'say?

[Cocknose]

s m said:

Effortlessly cool

Great work

Thanks chap, appreciated.

Fonzey said:

Great stuff, do love a good garage too!

North Yorkshire y'say?

Cheers, I should probably add the garage to the Best Garage thread, it's getting there now.

North Yorks indeed, I've lived all over but am now settled on the outskirts of Scarborough. You close?

[Jonny-Jimbo]

I've enjoyed reading this over my morning cuppa, excellent work. I have a soft spot for some old Vauxhalls of a similar era, but like you said, they don't half rot! My Dad had a Vauxhall Carlton 3L 24V Manual Estate which I loved as a kid. He had is slightly modified with a Lotus front air dam and some other lotus bits, then had it on gold BBS split rims with polished rims in a dark metallic blue. Looked mint. It was the first car I ever drove, did over 100mph in and did donuts in... all on the same holiday in North Wales!

In terms of your engine, try the guys at Retro Engineering, a lot of their work these days is on Dolomite Sprints and BMW 4 bangers, but they have spent years in the world of rallying and grasstrack, building mainly Vauxhall Redtops. In fact the engine builder used to work for Bill Blydenstein at Dealer Team Vauxhall.

I have no direct link to the company, but I used to work with the owner, Tom, on some historic Touring cars and he is a st-hot engineer.

http://www.retro-engineering.co.uk/index.html

[Fonzey]

Cocknose said:

Cheers, I should probably add the garage to the Best Garage thread, it's getting there now.

North Yorks indeed, I've lived all over but am now settled on the outskirts of Scarborough. You close?

Yes there's nothing quite like finally getting that double garage after years of rolling around on cold/wet driveways. I thoroughly enjoyed preparing my garage for action this year.

I'm between Leeds/York so not a million miles away. Tend to venture your way on in the summer months so I'll certainly keep my eyes peeled for an escaped BTCC car on my travels, not to mention on local trackdays.

Keep it up, cracking project.

[Shakermaker]

Cocknose said:

I get you, that's a shame though. If I remember correctly, you used to have a Bedford Rascal?

yes, only sold it last year actually, its still going. Great little van

[Maty]

Great project! Loved that era of the BTCC, definitely the best years... specifically this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI8litf5a2s

Cant wait to see it finished.

[Fonzey]

Maty said:

Great project! Loved that era of the BTCC, definitely the best years... specifically this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI8litf5a2s

Cant wait to see it finished.

Somehow I knew before clicking it would be the "I'm going for first" clip

[Cocknose]

Jonny-Jimbo said:

I've enjoyed reading this over my morning cuppa, excellent work. I have a soft spot for some old Vauxhalls of a similar era, but like you said, they don't half rot! My Dad had a Vauxhall Carlton 3L 24V Manual Estate which I loved as a kid. He had is slightly modified with a Lotus front air dam and some other lotus bits, then had it on gold BBS split rims with polished rims in a dark metallic blue. Looked mint. It was the first car I ever drove, did over 100mph in and did donuts in... all on the same holiday in North Wales!

In terms of your engine, try the guys at Retro Engineering, a lot of their work these days is on Dolomite Sprints and BMW 4 bangers, but they have spent years in the world of rallying and grasstrack, building mainly Vauxhall Redtops. In fact the engine builder used to work for Bill Blydenstein at Dealer Team Vauxhall.

I have no direct link to the company, but I used to work with the owner, Tom, on some historic Touring cars and he is a st-hot engineer.

http://www.retro-engineering.co.uk/index.html

That sounds like a hoot, I love those Carltons. I like the sound of the colour and rim combo too. I must admit to being tempted by these wheels, sent to my by a fellow Cavalier enthusiast. I'm not sure whether to order a set for mine or keep the Team Dynamics on it.





Thanks for the info about the engine builder, I'm currently weighing up my options, but someone who used to work at Vauxhall building redtops has to be up there! Their facebook page looks good too.

Fonzey said:

Yes there's nothing quite like finally getting that double garage after years of rolling around on cold/wet driveways. I thoroughly enjoyed preparing my garage for action this year.

I'm between Leeds/York so not a million miles away. Tend to venture your way on in the summer months so I'll certainly keep my eyes peeled for an escaped BTCC car on my travels, not to mention on local trackdays.

Keep it up, cracking project.

Tell me about it! The sad thing is, I've done pretty much all the work - front/rear suspension and brakes, the entire underbody, and the seats, mounts etc, all on the drive! Now I've got the garage, there's no big jobs left to do!

Sounds excellent, feel free to give me a shout when you're over this way and we can always go out for a blast. I've worked all over North Yorks and the Moors, and have found some excellent driving roads.

Shakermaker said:

yes, only sold it last year actually, its still going. Great little van

I'm glad it's still going, they're awesome little things.

Maty said:

Great project! Loved that era of the BTCC, definitely the best years... specifically this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI8litf5a2s

Cant wait to see it finished.

Cheers mate. There's definitely something lacking from the BTCC now that Murray doesn't commentate.

Fonzey said:

Somehow I knew before clicking it would be the "I'm going for first" clip

Legendary race that, a shame in a way that the race for the title ended up without all the contenders finishing, but I imagine the adrenaline levels in those drivers must be very high.

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Aye, they're a good bunch at REL, absolutely st hot. Enjoyed my time on the touring cars. Here's me on the end - long haired beardo by the white car. Was a good weekend, both cars performed extremely well... hence the... is it silverware if it's gold??

[Gary29]

I think the 5 spoke Team Dynamics look the part for a touring car rep, loved these wheels as a kid watching BTCC in the 90's

[Cocknose]

Jonny-Jimbo said:

Aye, they're a good bunch at REL, absolutely st hot. Enjoyed my time on the touring cars. Here's me on the end - long haired beardo by the white car. Was a good weekend, both cars performed extremely well... hence the... is it silverware if it's gold??

Always good to get a personal recommendation on something like that. I'll contact them for a quote, shall I say that you put me in touch with them? Feel free to PM if you like.

Also, beardo? Is that bearded-weirdo? If so, I'm having that!

Gary29 said:

I think the 5 spoke Team Dynamics look the part for a touring car rep, loved these wheels as a kid watching BTCC in the 90's

Yeah, that's pretty much why I went with those wheels. The earlier Cavaliers were equipped with these;



and slightly later, these

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Yes, you're welcome to say I recommended you to them. What's your name though, I best not say to Tom that 'Cocknose will be in touch about an engine for his Cavalier track car'.

Yes, beardo is a bearded weirdo, as opposed to the generous afro on Zac at the other end of the line haha.

Edited by Jonny-Jimbo on Saturday 1st February 00:36