Used Vauxhall Cavalier Bulkhead

The Cavalier ran across two main UK generations: the Mk2 (1981–1988) and the Mk3 (1988–1995), and bulkheads are not interchangeable between these two generations as they sit on entirely different platforms. Within each generation there is broader potential for interchange, but body style — saloon, hatchback, or estate — is the critical variable, as each has a distinct bulkhead pressing. Always confirm the exact generation and body style with your breaker against your registration before ordering.

No — the Mk2 (1981–1988) and Mk3 (1988–1995) Cavalier are completely different platforms, and a bulkhead from one will not cross to the other. The Mk3 moved to the GM2900 platform and brought an entirely new bodyshell, so the structural geometry is incompatible. Confirm the generation boundary with your breaker quoting your registration.

Body style is the first and most important question for a bulkhead: the saloon, hatchback, and estate all have differently pressed bulkheads even within the same Mk2 or Mk3 generation, so they are not interchangeable. The bulkhead is a major structural panel tied to the specific body architecture of each style. Make sure you specify your exact body style to the breaker from the outset.

Trim level — whether GL, GLS, CDi, or any other Cavalier grade — does not affect bulkhead fitment; it is determined by generation and body style alone. You may find minor cosmetic or finishing differences between panels pulled from different trim cars, such as bracket placements for equipment, but these do not change which bulkhead fits. Tell your breaker your generation and body style and the trim level difference will not be a barrier.

1988 sits right on the boundary between the Mk2 (1981–1988) and the Mk3 (1988–1995), and cars produced in that changeover year could fall into either generation depending on exact build date. This is a case where you must confirm with your breaker using your full registration so they can identify the correct platform before sourcing a bulkhead.

The Cavalier shares platform heritage with various Opel models of the same era, and there may be cases where panels cross over, but whether a specific bulkhead from a Continental variant matches yours is something we cannot state as fact here. Pressing differences between same-platform variants sold under different names are exactly the kind of detail you need to confirm with your breaker against your registration number.