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| Lot number | 121 |
|---|---|
| Hammer value | £1,200 |
| Description | Vauxhall Cavalier 1600 GL |
| Registration | ARD 889T |
| Year | 1979 |
| Colour | Blue |
| Engine size | 1,584 cc |
| Chassis No. | 77JY147363 |
| Engine No. | 0625559 |
| Documents | V5; MOT October 2016; 12 old MOTs; handbook, service book and bills |
‘As far as driver appeal is concerned, the Cavalier must be one of the best – perhaps the best – conventional saloon at the price. Its steering is accurate and responsive at all times, and it is not too heavy at parking speeds. Its cornering ability on smooth roads is excellent, although the well-located rear axle can hop about if the surface is poor. The ride may be a little firm for some tastes, but he ride/handling compromise is near perfect.’ What Car? 1975.
Launched in 1975, the Cavalier proved to be a major turning point for Vauxhall, in fact it was the car that probably saved the company – the Opel Ascona-derived two- and four-door saloon proving the perfect car for the Luton company to offer up as a rival to the all-conquering Ford Cortina.
Like the Chevette, the Cavalier was well-engineered, handled well and was brilliant at covering miles on the motorway, but the larger car also had the benefit of being able to cruise comfortably in the outside lane - something that would mark out Cavaliers for two decades to come and made it a big success with company car fleet managers.
It was offered with an engine range spanning 1.3- to 2.0-litres, with the entry level models sharing their power unit with the Chevette. Not a ball of fire, but capable enough. Luton built cars were more prone to corrosion than their Belgian counterparts, but all were leagues ahead of earlier Vauxhalls.
First registered in June 1979, this four-door 1600 GL has the 1.6-litre engine that produced 75bhp making it good for a top speed of 100mph with a respectable 0-60 time of just 13 seconds. It has had five owners in all (three from the same family) and was acquired for the Stondon Museum Collection in 2007.
In running order with an MOT until October 2016, it has covered some 101,426 miles to date which is backed up by a run of 12 old MOTs back to 1983. It comes with its original book pack including owner’s hand book and service book, the latter with two stamps, plus other service bills from 1991 to 1996.
