Sal's Calibra

[GreyDJ2]

PM me your address and I will post it.

[GreyDJ2]

Thanks for the address. Be in the post shortly. No charge!

[Greg]

Nice Sal, another old Vauxhall to an enthusiasts home is always good news.

[Matt O-SRi]

6 hours ago, sal said:

GreyDJ:. That's exactly the info I was after thank you . If you have a spare manual yeah I'd be interested. Just let me know what it costs. 

Matt:. I sent you text with photos etc. 

Steven:. I'll update occasionally as I do a few bits to the car. I'll also get some photos of the brakes when I change them as they are a bit special  

Thanks mate. I will pick it up when I get home. Just on holiday at the moment and left phone at home. Doh lol!! 

[sal]

GreyDJ:  That's very kind of you and is much appreciated. If I make it to Billing I will see you ok for a drink

Greg:  Cheers mate. I need this car like a hole in the head but then again I'm sure with how many Vauxhall's you have you know what I mean. 

Matt:  Do you want them emailed?

[Matt O-SRi]

22 minutes ago, sal said:

GreyDJ:  That's very kind of you and is much appreciated. If I make it to Billing I will see you ok for a drink

Greg:  Cheers mate. I need this car like a hole in the head but then again I'm sure with how many Vauxhall's you have you know what I mean. 

Matt:  Do you want them emailed?

If you don't mind please mate cheers. Send them to zoie.mccarthy@gmail.com please. I'm on the missus's phone lol 

[sal]

She's just going to love you mate when you're buying cars on holiday

ill send them on

[Greg]

4 hours ago, sal said:

Greg:  Cheers mate. I need this car like a hole in the head but then again I'm sure with how many Vauxhall's you have you know what I mean.

Believe!

[chris m]

Matt, beige betty was my old car and at the time i owned her was a solid and very original example. Unfortunately subsequent owners ripped the heart out of her originality and let her go to a sad state. Her new owner describes her as rough, which is really sad as she was in above average condition for her year when i had her. I think she could be brought back to her good old self with care and attention, of which you would be a perfect person to do so, but not at the price advertised, its way to high now. I sold that car in good faith to someone who promised to restore her at less than half the current asking price in totally original condition, not the way she sits today, but thats down to the greed of certain people rather than for the good of the car. I'll say no more on the matter, but good luck if you wish to take her on....i enjoyed my ownership a huge amount. and i think you would too mate....go for it!!

 

[sal]

GreyDJ:  Manual just arrived. Thanks very much as said it's appreciated

Replaced front brakes yesterday. One disc was 256mm and other was 240mm ??? I know the back brakes are just as shonky so can't wait to see what else I find on this car

 

[cavvypogo]

Having seen and driven this calibra I can confirm that it's a good Wee project as sal says it needs some bits and bobs doing but nothing major and a steal at the price he got it for ,I've always had a soft spot for calibras and its one of few Vauxhall I've never owned but now on my list for future 

[kensascona]

when you have finished fixing the calibra up i know where the is another one needs fixing up and its a 16v model too

[Matt O-SRi]

3 hours ago, kensascona said:

when you have finished fixing the calibra up i know where the is another one needs fixing up and its a 16v model too

Where is that Ken? Is it for sale? 

[sal]

Thanks chaps. 

Get it bought Matt. I had to use mine yesterday to get to work as my daily car wouldn't rev past idle when I went out in the morning.

Calibra got a good wash and a few new bits of trim fitted for its efforts ?

[kensascona]

On 08/04/2016, 21:50:52, Matt O-SRi said:

Where is that Ken? Is it for sale? 

its in ipswich mate no idea if its for sale its been standing for about 4 years that i know of this is its good side the other sides covered if green moss

[Jamesieboy]

Nice one Sal, like it a car I always thought looked smart. Some dodgy people out there but bodging brakes? That's just crazy when you can get the right parts easily and cheap, also it's the safety factor. Although I avoid using them as much as possible, I do like to know they are spot on when I need them.

On 4/10/2016, 9:01:34, sal said:

my daily car wouldn't rev past idle when I went out in the morning.

What was that about needing a modern car for reliability?? lol .  My Audi A6 my sister and her husband is using will hopfully be the newest car I'll own. As for modern comforts the're ok but nothing beats the rawness of the older cars lol.

Hope to get the chance to see the Calibra in the flesh............or should that be "in the metal"???  

[sal]

Yes my reliable modern car let me down but in its defence it has fixed itself. 

As for the Calibra that is getting there but I'm going to have to do a bit of work to get the hand brake working due to the way the shoes and other bits are mounted.

[sal]

It's only gone and happened again 

[GreyDJ2]

What a pair of pre facelift Calibras? Has the black one got a Redtop in it?

[sal]

Yeah a pair of early Calibra's. The black one is an 8v and unfortunately is fairly rotten. Previous owner has had a go at sills and arches but it's a pretty poor repair - including gaffer tape and is only good for spares.

Its got all the bits I need for the white one so that's what it will be used for.

[GreyDJ2]

Good move. Early Calibres have the same rot problems as early Cavaliers (MK3). Something seems to have changed with GM's paint primers in the summer shutdown in 1992 that seriously improved the car's corrosion resistance from then on. Plus of course, once Cavalier production stopped in Russelheim and its IRS platform moved to Finland in 1995 to continue Calibre production, it then benefited from the part galvanisation already in use there for Boxter convertibles. That is why facelifted versions of both Cavaliers and Calibres in their different ways last much better.

Nothing better than having a beyond economic repair car as a donor. Had a few of them in my time

[sal]

Good info there wasn't aware of that. 

Its probably the worst car I've ever driven tbh and although it has mot until October I won't be driving it anywhere. 

This is the better of the two repairs to the arches

It's a shame that it's been badly repaired as its a good colour and according to owners club there's only 3 H plate 8v's with current mot left. Had it been left alone it may have been salvageable but I'm not entertaining that idea and as you say a donor is no bad thing ?

[Matt O-SRi]

On 25 June 2016 12:50:42, GreyDJ2 said:

Good move. Early Calibres have the same rot problems as early Cavaliers (MK3). Something seems to have changed with GM's paint primers in the summer shutdown in 1992 that seriously improved the car's corrosion resistance from then on. Plus of course, once Cavalier production stopped in Russelheim and its IRS platform moved to Finland in 1995 to continue Calibre production, it then benefited from the part galvanisation already in use there for Boxter convertibles. That is why facelifted versions of both Cavaliers and Calibres in their different ways last much better.

Nothing better than having a beyond economic repair car as a donor. Had a few of them in my time

Donor cars are ace! Got a Vectra C SRi donor in the garage right now mostly nearly stripped! 

[sal]

On 30 June 2016 at 22:26:12, Matt O-SRi said:

Donor cars are ace! Got a Vectra C SRi donor in the garage right now mostly nearly stripped! 

They certainly are. Going to start swapping bits over and get the white one as tidy as possible.