Mk3 Cavalier Owners Club | Vauxhall Cavalier Dot Com

Well, lately I have been struggling to work out what to do, now personally - I hate planning, and will find almost any excuse not to do things for myself, but will happily help others.
So on the back of some advice - figured I may as well create a list and put it somewhere.. the list isn't comprehensive, and to be honest this is all off the top of my head.. now I just need to put some structure to it.

Cavalier to-do list

Repair dash loom / Upgrade looms / inspect looms
Create repair panels for stuff that can not be bought - ie inner rear arch to boot floor
Source interior / trim items that are outstanding
Sort bolts / clean up and replace as required (ideally, bag and label them at the end of the process for fitting)
Decide on final colour
Complete metal work
Seal car completely - making sure to pay attention to common rot spot areas and eliminating if possible
Rebuild car - devise routine for cleaning and waxing car

Corsa to-do list
Rebuild head - does it need skimming again? are the valve guides worn?
Source 12v / 16v corsa fuel pump
Upgrade engine from SPI to MPi - upgrade the loom if required.
Derust wings, tailgate
Locate repair panels
Straighten rear quarter and rear panel / reseal any broken seams
Replace sump gasket - possibly inspect big end bearing shells / main bearings?

Shed:
General sort out and inventory of parts obtained for the cavalier - sort out the best bits, and what is not required.
Sort through tools - organise tool boxes
Re-seal shed 1 (felt is starting to lift) - repair floor and any rotten slats in the sides.

I do a sheet every spring similar to yours..

Probably as follows-

20 jobs on the cavalier
15 jobs on the camper van
10 jobs on the vectra
5 jobs on the wife's Honda CB500 SW.
10 on the house
And a whole host of shed, garden and "other" type jobs.

I don't aim to do them all, but I try to get as many as possible ticked off the lists.
I usually complete about 60% of my proposed jobs.

Yup, I live my life by lists. I'd be lost without them! Just don't be tempted to add items to the to-dos that you've already completed

humbucker wrote:Yup, I live my life by lists. I'd be lost without them! Just don't be tempted to add items to the to-dos that you've already completed

Aye, I can see it getting messy.

humbucker wrote:I live my life by lists.

This. Time management is one of the most useful things I learn on my Degree course.

lowrider dave wrote:

humbucker wrote:I live my life by lists.

This. Time management is one of the most useful things I learn on my Degree course.

Time management is something I am appalling at.

Do I plan my jobs out? No.

Ive learnt too plan my jobs out I try to make sure I have all parts and everything needed to do the job there and then but now with the welding that needs doing it will be several areas but still one thing welding but ive all replacement panels all ready and planning for next job gathering up parts so when welding is done I can crack on with next job but the list is long But will potter through it all hence me wanting a front subframe as I can be cracking on with next job getting the sub frame and rear axel blasted powder coated built up and up graded polly bushed etc.
But im also doing my corsa b at the same time I keep my mechanic busy he's a old skool mechanic which ive know for years and years and is a good mate and charges mates rates

I'm trying to break down each job into a managable task to get me motivated in this crappy weather.
So far, it's working a little.

Envoy CDX wrote:I'm trying to break down each job into a managable task to get me motivated in this crappy weather.
So far, it's working a little.

I find it easyer to do one job make sure you have all you need but planning for the next job keeping you busy organised and one step ahead.

I can't remember who it was, but one of the guys who owns a feature car that I was writing about said something along the lines of, "write a list and tick a task off of the list each day, no matter how small that task might seem. Pretty soon, you'll have worked your way through a number of tasks and will see real progress with your project." That's very true, as it can often be the 'little jobs' that you neglect because you think, "ah, that'll only take five minutes, I'll come back to that."

joe cavalier sri wrote:

Envoy CDX wrote:I'm trying to break down each job into a managable task to get me motivated in this crappy weather.
So far, it's working a little.

I find it easyer to do one job make sure you have all you need but planning for the next job keeping you busy organised and one step ahead.

That's the idea.

humbucker wrote:I can't remember who it was, but one of the guys who owns a feature car that I was writing about said something along the lines of, "write a list and tick a task off of the list each day, no matter how small that task might seem. Pretty soon, you'll have worked your way through a number of tasks and will see real progress with your project." That's very true, as it can often be the 'little jobs' that you neglect because you think, "ah, that'll only take five minutes, I'll come back to that."

Yeah, I have hundreds of little jobs to do - just got to work out what order to do them in.

humbucker wrote:I can't remember who it was, but one of the guys who owns a feature car that I was writing about said something along the lines of, "write a list and tick a task off of the list each day, no matter how small that task might seem. Pretty soon, you'll have worked your way through a number of tasks and will see real progress with your project." That's very true, as it can often be the 'little jobs' that you neglect because you think, "ah, that'll only take five minutes, I'll come back to that."

Envoy CDX wrote: Yeah, I have hundreds of little jobs to do - just got to work out what order to do them in.

Alphabetical?!

humbucker wrote:I can't remember who it was, but one of the guys who owns a feature car that I was writing about said something along the lines of, "write a list and tick a task off of the list each day, no matter how small that task might seem. Pretty soon, you'll have worked your way through a number of tasks and will see real progress with your project." That's very true, as it can often be the 'little jobs' that you neglect because you think, "ah, that'll only take five minutes, I'll come back to that."

Envoy CDX wrote:Yeah, I have hundreds of little jobs to do - just got to work out what order to do them in.

humbucker wrote:Alphabetical?!

your problem gary is you think to much about stuff just go look at it and start but way to do it

kirsty wrote:your problem gary is you think to much about stuff just go look at it and start but way to do it

me, think?

Yep - far too much....

Step back a little to get a better picture of where you are at
and what can be done..

It's hard to see clearly when your head is buried in amongst it all.

Robsey wrote:Step back a little to get a better picture of where you are at and what can be done. It's hard to see clearly when your head is buried in amongst it all.

Too true. Tonight I was looking down at my current workload while trying not to feel overwhelmed by it all. Out came the diary. A quick list later and I feel way more comfortable with what seemed like an impossible number of commissions for such a short period of time. Planning is the name of the game. I used to waste a lot of time in the garage by heading out without a plan of action. I'd end up tinkering rather than working.

Indeed -

What makes it more overwhelming is the number or projects on the go..

Gary has two cars (Corsa and Cavalier).

I have two cars (Vec-C and Cav), a Camper-van and the wifes motorbike..

and yourself Mr Bucker, you have half of the Cavs and Omegas in your county, plus the Roller and who knows what else.


Again as said - see what can be done, as there is no point festering over stuff that is outside of your control.
For me, that is everything that costs more than ten quid and cannot be done indoors.. until pay day or even summer.

ok so what does tht say about us when we have 8 lol

kirsty wrote:ok so what does tht say about us when we have 8 lol

snap!

Aye, problem for me at the minute is wanting to do stuff when I can't technically do it (rather than not being able to) and just to throw into the mix another knee injury.
I will get sorted - another problem is also - where to start?

Envoy CDX wrote:where to start?

That's what lists are for!

Yup - write a list.

Identify which cannot be done - because the shell is 60 miles away.

Identify which ones you cannot afford to buy / pay for yet.

Identify which ones are stopped due to weather / environmental conditions.

Identify which ones cannot be started because they rely on something else being sorted first.

And whatever is left - you just crack on with them.

humbucker wrote:

Envoy CDX wrote:where to start?

That's what lists are for!

Robsey wrote:Yup - write a list.

Identify which cannot be done - because the shell is 60 miles away.

Identify which ones you cannot afford to buy / pay for yet.

Identify which ones are stopped due to weather / environmental conditions.

Identify which ones cannot be started because they rely on something else being sorted first.

And whatever is left - you just crack on with them.

Plan, plenty lay up time to do this I guess.