Practical Classics’s Classic Car and Restoration Show with

Discovery 2015

NEC Birmingham 2015.
Welcome to the Cavalier and Chevette Club
Your friendly Vauxhall - Opel Club since 1994
© Cavalier and Chevette Club 2023 We acknowledgement to Vauxhall Motors Ltd
This was the first year the club had attended this event, I arrived early on Friday morning ready to meet the members who were exhibiting. Colin Pizey and Laura Bicknell were the first to arrive in there Chevette Sun Hatch. Next was Phil Scaife in his Cavalier Mk3 1.4 L. Then Fred Coombs arrived, his Chevette HS being partially restored was being brought up to the show on the back of the low loader owned by the company working on his car. We all then entered the Hall, the club had been allocated enough space for a 3 car stand and space to work on two of the cars.Soon the stand was setup and those of us who were staying overnight headed for the B&B and Fred headed back to Milton Keynes. We all meet up again Saturday morning in the Weatherspoon’s at the NEC for Breakfast before entering the Hall’s at 8am.The first car we had on the stand was Colin Pizey’s Vauxhall Chevette Sun Hatch, the Sun Hatch was a special edition Chevette and ha a tilting Sunroof, tinted glass and a radio as standard. Colin purchased the car a few years ago and it has been a rolling restoration project. Colin carried out works to his brakes over the weekend as well as checking various parts in his engine, he also spoke to various people and answered a number of questions for people and also showed them different checks they could do under the bonnet. The next car on the stand was Fred Coombs Vauxhall Chevette HS. The Chevette HS was a homologation special for Group 4 Rallying which was the class the HS was to compete in this meant building 400 production examples of which this is one. Fred has owned the car for years and is hoping it will be ready to go on the road for Drive it Day this year. The last car on the stand was Phil Scaife’s Vauxhall Cavalier Mk3 1.4 L Saloon. The 1.4 Cavalier Mk3 was the smallest engine Cavalier Mk3 available at launch in 1988 but only lasted to the facelift in 1992/93 where it was dropped. The 1.4 is a pretty rare car and there are not that many on the road. Phil purchased the car a few months back from Selsey Bill and completed a rather long round drip from Hull and back to pick the car up. Over the weekend Phil removed the head lining in his car, cleaned up the backing board and then cut the new headlining into shape fitted it to the backing and then on the Sunday re-fixed it back to the roof of the car. Pictures of this whole process are on the club forum. Phil also assisted by Colin carried out a repair to the wing mirrors on the Cavalier Mk3. On the Sunday of the show Colin took part in the Club Challenge on the “Practical Classics Live Stage”. The idea of this is that the club enters a person to take place in the challenge on the stage, this year it was to remove a valve from the head of an engine and fit it back. Commentary was of this was carried out by Danny Hopkins Editor of Practical Classics who announced while Colin was on the stage that he had just purchased a Cavalier Mk1 and Barrie “Whizzo” Williams. If you’re not sure who Barrie is he was winner of the 1964 Welsh rally and is now a prolific historic race drive at the age of 63. He also came up with the best line of the commentary when he saw the clubs name and said “Cavalier, don’t worry Jeremy Clarkson is not here”. Sadly Colin did not beat the blistering time set by the Cheshire Ford Capri Club however he had the valve out in 37 seconds and to quote Danny Hopkin’s “The Ford Boys are looking scared now”. Also a big thank you must go to Colin for taking part and representing the Club in this Challenge. Soon the event came to a close on the Sunday. The Club would like to say a big thank you to everyone that attended this event over the two days whether they were an exhibitor or a visitor to the stand. The Stand Team was as follows:-Kevin Bricknall, Colin Pizey, Laura Bicknell and Fred Coombs Members visiting over the weekend. Richard and Beth Watt, Martin Holloway, Gary Frost, John Corbett, Ian Kimpton, Andrew Braban, Marian Martindale, Mick Robinson, Mark Nash, Dave Boon. And Welcome to new members Joseph and Anthony McKenna who joined over the weekend. Also apologies if I have missed anyone out. Kevin Bricknall (602)Stand Organiser