Hello

[Bilbo]

Hi all, had my mk1 Cavalier for almost a year now.

Mainly been posting on Retro Rides, but over on the FB Manta page I was recommended to join here by Paul, Paul, and Lewis (I believe there was also a 3rd Paul on that post also, Pauls love a Manta I guess 😂). I don't know their usernames yet but I'm sure you will all know who I am talking about.

Anyway I'm Chris, down Brighton way. Got a 1980 Saloon, was originally a 2000GL Auto, but now it is far from that:

MX-5 VVT swap which was the core of the entire build, but far too much done to list here, I'll whack a build thread up on the Projects page shortly with all the details.

 

Anyway this seemed like a good place for some more model specific info, discussion and whatnot. I come from 10 years messing with MX-5s, so I've found mk1 Cavalier stuff online very thin on the ground in comparison!

 

Cheers

 

Edit: build thread now posted here: 

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by Bilbo

[plumster]

Interesting engine swap, not heard of that one before, nice job.

[Sutty2006]

Welcome along Chris! Love to see a modern engine in an old car. 

[Bilbo]

4 hours ago, plumster said:

Interesting engine swap, not heard of that one before, nice job.

Cheers mate. I have asked several people and searched all over the internet looking for one. I found one, well an Ascona B but close enough. Contacted the lad and he never completed it. So to my knowledge it's the only one that's ever been done, which I find a bit mad. I do hope to find another, I'd like to see how they have done it and compare notes.

1 hour ago, Sutty2006 said:

Welcome along Chris! Love to see a modern engine in an old car. 

Thanks mate. Honestly it was worth all the effort, it's great fun and I know these engines well, plus everything is so cheap and easily obtainable for them. Plus around 30mpg doesn't hurt 😂

[Sutty2006]

1 hour ago, Bilbo said:

Cheers mate. I have asked several people and searched all over the internet looking for one. I found one, well an Ascona B but close enough. Contacted the lad and he never completed it. So to my knowledge it's the only one that's ever been done, which I find a bit mad. I do hope to find another, I'd like to see how they have done it and compare notes.

Thanks mate. Honestly it was worth all the effort, it's great fun and I know these engines well, plus everything is so cheap and easily obtainable for them. Plus around 30mpg doesn't hurt 😂

30mpg? Are you lead footed? Lol. I get 40-50mpg from my C20XE engined manta! Hahaha. Seriously though, great project looking forward to the thread and seeing further updates. 

[Bilbo]

4 minutes ago, Sutty2006 said:

30mpg? Are you lead footed? Lol. I get 40-50mpg from my C20XE engined manta! Hahaha. Seriously though, great project looking forward to the thread and seeing further updates. 

That's quite impressive to be fair haha. In my defence I usually average about 28 with these engines in an MX-5 so I think I'm doing pretty well 😂 Obviously with the ITBs it has dropped because flat out it just sounds so good haha.

Edited July 28, 2023 by Bilbo

[Sutty2006]

1 minute ago, Bilbo said:

That's quite impressive to be fair haha. In my defence I usually average about 28 with these engines in an MX-5 so I think I'm doing pretty well 😂 Obviously with the ITBs it has dropped because flat out it just sounds so good haha.

Haha yeah gotta get them engines screaming! I found that when I first had it fitted I was getting 26 regardless of how I drove it. Turned out 16 buggered lifters and a lambda probe were pulling economy down and after replacing them it nearly doubled! Plus the engine ran cleaner after. 

[Bilbo]

9 minutes ago, Sutty2006 said:

Haha yeah gotta get them engines screaming! I found that when I first had it fitted I was getting 26 regardless of how I drove it. Turned out 16 buggered lifters and a lambda probe were pulling economy down and after replacing them it nearly doubled! Plus the engine ran cleaner after. 

Good effort having 16 of them gone hahaha. To be fair I have mapped this ECU so I'm glad I'm even getting what I am, particularly as I refuse to turn overrun fuel cut on as I like the flames 😂