Almighty Cavy (Vauxhall Cavalier)

Member Name: blackbob

Product:	Vauxhall Cavalier
Date:	04/02/04 (3910 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The engine, Overall excellent build quality, Fast and fun

Disadvantages: Wish they were RWD

The almighty Vauxhall Cavalier.Where do I start,well I'm a lifelong car obsessive.My folks tell me that when I was a baby they'd prop me up in my pram so I could watch all the cars drive past and I'd be happy for hours well my addiction just deepened ever since.From the age of about 5 it was all Ford,who couldn't fall in love with the MKI and MKII Escort.

When I passed my test I bought a Ford and had countless more but no other make till desperation for a cheap car made me buy a Vauxhall Cavalier off a mate for £50.It was the start of a whole new obsesion.The car was a B-reg old MK2 CDi,gold with chocolate brown interior.The first thing that was obvious to a die hard car fanatic was how much more flexible,willing and free-revving not to mention down-right responsive the Cavy engine was compared to any CVH,Pinto or Cologne I'd ever encountered.Only the old Kent engine and the CVH out of an RS1600i came close.Then I began to notice the superior quality and the better laid-out and thought out construction of the whole car.

At age 25 I forgot my 20 year old obsession with Ford and had a stream of MK2 Cavy's a black SRi,red SRi another red SRi ,a red SRi 130 ,another 130 then an ultra-rare Caliber(no not Calibre).I liked the styling,the handling was good but it was that engine that did it.

Then 2 1/2 years ago I was passing a garage took a nose around and before I knew it I spent £3000 I didn't even have on an N-reg 16vSRi and even with the Ecotec engine she sang.She lept round the rev counter like a hamster on speed then when she hit 4000rpm she lifted up the bonnet and shot off for the horizon like a bullet.Even when Vauxhall build an emmissions engine it's still a piece of art.

At this moment in time I've 6months to pay on her and am driving a Sierra(I never really got over the Ford thing)because the Cav's stripped down while I build a beast of an XE engine to go in it.Then I'll
><br
>have some real fun.

She's debadged,slammed but sitting on the standard alloys she also has twin chrome tail pipes and I welded up a de-cat pipe.

I can't say enough about these cars the MK3 is the pinnacle.I'm sorry to you Vectra owner but when they replaced the Cav they lost their way.It got fat,heavy and ugly.I also feel the same way about the Mondeo,like the Vectra nice if you like processed cheese and musak but just lacks character.The Mondy will never outshine the Sierra.

One more interesting piont.I'm a car valetter,I clean cars at the Ford dealership were I work but restore paintwork mostly.The Cavaliers always come up amazing,I don't say that because of my bias,out of all the cars I've done Mercs,Jags,Bmws the lot the best car to leave the valet bay was a M-reg 1.8LX Cavy in red I'e never seen anything shine quite like it,except my Glacier White SRi and funny enough right next to it was a T-reg Vectra GSi and it was dull as ditchwater.Long live the almight Vauxhall Cavalier and it's 2.0 16v engine

I'll just thought I'd add in some technical data and brief history etc.If some points are slightly out then that is because this stuff comes from deep down in the back of my head and have no reference books to hand so I appologize for any forthcoming errors.


The first Mk1 Cavalier came out as a replacement for the Viva/Firenza model in 1975, along with the Chevette they were the first joint models launched by Opel & Vauxhall.
Unusaul on our roads today,the first Cav was a RWD car and if you were to think of an Opel Manta but with 4 doors and a boot then your about there.Incidentely the was Cavalier Sport model that was virtually identical to the Manta.Taking the fleet market straight off of Morris's Marina and Hillman/Chrysler/Talbot's Avenger it never quite caught the evergreen Ford Cortina.Coming with a 1.3ohv(over head valve) a
nd 1.6,1.9,2.0ohc engine they're was a model for most needs.I would love to get a hold of one myself

In the autumn of 1981 Vauxhall got one over on Ford,who's initially risky Sierra was still a year away, by launching the Mk2 - in 4 door saloon and 5 door hatchback which was considered to be well styled and modern.The new car had the engine mounted transversly and driving the front wheels,choice being either 1297cc or 1598cc both ohc(over head cam).1982 saw the introduction of the 1598diesel engine and the legendary 18E - (18SE from 1987) engine powering the new CDi and equally legendary SRi.This engine also found it's way to that other 80's champion Mk1,Mk2 Astra GTE amonst many others.An estate in '83,a convertible in '86 and the 1998cc 20NE -20SEH models later that year which provided the power,in 20SEH guise,for the dramatic SRi

October '88 saw the release of the last model the Mk3.Though based on the same chassis as the Mk2 the Mk3 was much improved with the sharp 80's edges giving way to a more attractive curved design which as before came in 4dr or 5dr versions but no estate.This incarnation and the highest expression of the 3 versions boasted such highlights as the SRi,GSi,4x4 and my own SRi16v it also featured probably the best ever non-turbo charged 2ltr 16v engine the 'almighty XE' a masterpiece first seen in the Mk2 Astra GTE16v then the GSi2000 and GSi2000 4x4 before finding a place into the first 16v SRi.My 16v SRi has the later but emmisions concious X20 XEV Ecotec 16v which - - -IS a good engine but not as powerful at 136bhp as opposed to the XE's 150-156bhp.It also lacked in torque to the XE.I have an original GTE16v XE engine brewing and bubbling in my garage to be quietly slotted in to my SRi

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