Time flies by and things change, I guess it is just a fact of life. Most of the good ole "junkyards" I've frequented over these years have faded away. What are still out there don't do business like it used to be around here. I guess the worst of it is the fact our beloved 1st gens are just plain getting hard to come by.
When I ran across this Sedan I mainly thought of it as something to maybe get a few parts off of. After the fellow that ran the last good yard 'round these parts passed away, well I started think a little harder. It happens to be an '86 just like my wagon. In fact I found out this one came off the assembly line 31,175 cars later after my wagon rolled away. It even happens to be the same trim line as my Wagon too - (CS). In fact both of them have the tilt column but with 2 speed wipers, rear window defog, cruise control, A/C. Exactly the same. I'm hoping the computer is the same. Well the poor thing is in so bad a shape I don't have to worry about a guilty conscience of destroying something salvageable. The rear window is smashed and the front end is gone due to a collision with a deer. They grafted a front end off a Chevette to keep it running a little while longer, but it hasn't seen asphalt since 1998.
This old donor cost me $150 which many years ago would have gotten me a running fixer-upper, but not any more. It is only 11 miles from home too which is a plus - towing fees are as outrageous as everything else these days too. Once I get this one really tore down I'll finally be able to say I honestly know these 1st gens inside out!!
Today I got everything cleaned out from under and around it, which was quite a mess! 4 wheels with pumped up tires all around, I can't imagine how long it's been since it had those on it. removed the calipers so the front wheels are free. The rear passenger is free, but the drivers is still frozen as is the E-Brake unfortunately. No key, so I pulled the steering column and replaced it with the original from my wagon with a key that I had laying around. Now it can be steered as well.
I guess the sad part of it all is the top hood and trunk are all rust free, and the underside floor pans are in excellent shape.
Oh yeah, Oh how I wished the hatchback beside it was restorable!! It is the 2 eyed 83 model and a Type 10 to boot!! It is so far eaten up it is plain hopeless tough. It kills me every time I look at it.
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cool - step with care, you might want to restore it over time...
Congrats on the score and the perseverance to bring it home. I wish I would have done it with that Somerset T-Type I saw a few years back.
Are there anymore cavs beside the two I see.I was just wondering and being the hatch must be rusted out beyond help right.I guess if I were to see it myself some of the good parts I could strip for saving.The donor car your working on def needs the 911 and just got a full front bezel just the fiberglass stuff with headlight assembly and grill intact last wk and bump cover was beat,lower plastic toast as well.I will shoot pics of my finds this wk when I am OFF work just tired after 530 miles and winding down.I have 5000 ?s just too tired to ask them all right now.I may just pm with my cell # orlen so I can call you and ask some more specific things in the cars in your area that I might be able to get some extra parts to keep.Btw I still have those chrome hd light bezels for you in my garage anyway.
Nice find and really good price. Can't find anything around here that cheap. Just think, this was a two for one deal! 1/2 Cavalier and 1/2 Vette (Chevette that is).
I know there has to be some interest in the Hatch, so I thought I'd post a few photos to show the sad sorry state it is in. It really is toast.
I tried jacking it up in the area behind the door to get the rear wheel, the jack just disappeared into the body...nothing there but rust!
The doors are the worst I've seen!
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They didn't even spare the hatch...
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Interior is trash too due to the smashed windshield.
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I did salvage the Hood, IC, and Tilt Steering Column out of it!! The Column is in my Pontiac. Such a shame though, I'd really enjoyed sporting around in that one if I could have saved it. Just out of curiosity , does anyone know if the fenders interchange with later 4-headlight models? They may still be useful, but I'll have to take a second look to be sure.
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i REALLY like those taillights
Thought I'd post a few picts of the country-boy engine puller I'll be using. Home grown - Made in USA!!
Made the good ole fashioned way - build it twice as strong as you'll think you'll need. These days they build stuff 1/2 half as strong as it is needed to be......and toss in a stupid warranty just in case you actually try to use whatever it is as was intended.
Base and cross member tie-in is rough cut 2 x 6 x 10 (real 2x6's!!)
Cross - up rights are finish lumber 4x4x10
Big chunk at the top to do the real work is a rough cut 6x6x10 (6 1/2 x 6 1/2)
All of heavy threaded stuff I just bought threaded stock at the local hardware store and cut to my own needs. I'm lucky to have access to a band saw at work.
Built this thing with my tax money somewhere back in '06. The saw mill I got my lumber from was directly across from the Junkyard I used to visit. Now they are both out of business, and I would never had dreamed of that - back with I was building this thing!
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Well, nothing to brag about, just thought I'd share in case someone might be thinking about building you own. In that case it might give you some ideas to start out with. And I am able to set this beast up by myself too, so it's good for the lone rangers amongst us!!
That is pretty cool actually.It def looks heavy duty and I guess once you get a winch and chain yanking a engine or supporting it will be no problem.That is crafty and while I think I will go with a regular eng puller for space and work better in my setting.Good work no question.
ORLEN!!!
One of the pictures shows the left front chrome wheel well molding. I have a question, is that car yours, and if so, can I purchase that wheel well molding for it? My very good friend needs it to repair accident damage, (it's the only part he needs to complete the repairs, and we've looked darn near every where). He's got a gorgeous 85 Cavalier Convertible that's his baby...
Name a reasonable price, and I'll drop a check in the mail, or a money order for the molding and the shipping. That is, if it's for sale.
Thanks, I hope I;m not being too forward. Also, if there is something you need that's not on that car, contact me, and I'll check with my buddy as we've parted out 5 Cavaliers and Sunbirds... Maybe we can make a trade?
Walt Lewis (I"m a new member)
Yes, I think this one is still intact!!
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This is a photo off of the '83 Hatch. So much of it is so far gone it such a shame :-(
The folks that own this one are just wonderful to work with, but sometime they are all but impossible to catch up with...LoL
I'll be happy to get this for ya. I Love to horse trade and I'm sure we can find something to swap out for.
84Conv had a really nice posting on how he shined up his trim parts, I dug through and found it:
http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=28&i=13672&t=13672
I'm planning on heading out there tomorrow anyways and I'll see what I can do for ya while I'm in the neighborhood.
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Heres your Fender trim!!
Will be lookin' for you a box at work tomorrow!!
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Hey, At least the wheel was already turned, so getting out those trim screws was easier
Yeah no joke on those trim ring screws and a pain to remove.I normally have to use a small inserted phillips in a 1/4inch socket with same rachet to get those pesky ones.I have two sets of the chrome rings myself and one or two have some kinks but,heck I can fix some of the dings on them being mine are black on sunny I can paint them if I needed one.I have had my share of removing some tedious items at the yards and generally take everything I think I might or might not need when I go.I guess my biggest task was the engine and trans I got in 2011.Good for u orlen getting what you can easy or hard.
Would anything bad come of driving around without that wheel well trim? I've just always thought they were nothing more than water catchers, and only good for causing rust; but I've never really tried to remove mine.
Wheel trim is one of those things, all or nuthin. You can remove 3 or go and find the 4th. I've got one J with, and one J without, so I guess I somewhere in the middle. I imagine there are some J's out there that haven't seen water for a mighy long time!! :-)
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yah, that settles it, mine's gonna come off..
Every good highly optioned GM car I had new or nearly new back in the eighties had em. When they are shined up, they just add that extra touch. And back then I used to remove the trim about once a year and wax behind it. Guess I had too much time on my hands before the kids came along.
Thanks very much Orlen for pulling that wheel well molding. My email address is Hornist9@gmail.com. Please shoot me an email so I can get you my address and so we can also work out the other details. Tom and I have parted out 5 JBody cars, so if there is a specific part you're looking for, we might have it. Just let me know...Tom and I spoke yesterday about the power seat racks I was looking for and have found courtesy of K923, Keith.
I do like the tail lights from that white hatch, they look a little different then mine, anyway u could snap a few pic for me so I can compare to mine??
~~1986 Chevy Cavalier CS~~
~~2.0 TBI~~
