Vauxhall Nova 1991 LET

[garethcolley]

Ok so here goes, finally got round to taking some pictures after 5 years of owning it...wish i had of taken more of before it was modified....

[wilson_sri]

So where are they? lol

[belly257]

^^^^^lol

[garethcolley]

So, the car started off as a 1.2 single point injection with a 4 speed box. The car was standard and ended up getting a set of alloys (fox) and lowering springs (5 years previous). The arches were ruined so new ones were fitted along with de badged bonnet, aerial and indicators removed along with door locks.

[garethcolley]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/1754big3.jpg
(http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/1754big3.jpg)

[garethcolley]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/1754big4.jpg

[garethcolley]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/1754big2.jpg
(http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/1754big2.jpg)

[garethcolley]

Wish i had more pics as he did an amazing job, see www.steve-edwards.com in halifax. He used to work for Vaux many years ago and offers great prices.

[garethcolley]

Next was a GSi full inerior with some fancy door speakers, tweeters, head unit and changer
http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/1754big5.jpg

[garethcolley]

About 2 years later after keeping it nice and clean and regularly serviced the bumpers were given a colour code spruce up along with the rest of the body work. The only thing that was added then was a set of new speedlines. Again i was content to drive around and keep it clean

[garethcolley]

Then at the end of last year i decided to swap the engine over after driving past my mates Corsa XE every day. I went for a LET conversion as i thought id only want to tune the XE so this would save money. After sourcing an engine it was installed (no pics at the mo) and i was up and running in a sense. Within a few weeks i had an endless amount of engine problems i did a sniffer test and it showed up a head gasket.

[garethcolley]

Off with the FMIC

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/FMIC.jpg

then the rad

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Valeo.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Dismantle.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Blockcloseup.jpg

[garethcolley]

then after taking the turbo off i found some sinister oil that was seaping through the cast exhaust side flange. So i took it apart to see what was going on...

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Actuator.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Cast.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/KKK162.jpg

gave it all a clean by the heatshield and hoped re assemble would help it for a while

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/KKK16.jpg

[garethcolley]

then back to the head....

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Cover.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Vernier.jpg


Cams..

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/KS.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Bare.jpg

Id never done this before so at this point i was concerned about doing something wrong...anyway the head comes off with ease..

Turns out the head had been sleeved as it was a GM KS cast but was done really badly. Idea was to then get the head re built whilst it was off as part of a good service.

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Pistons.jpg

[garethcolley]

I then sent the head off to ACE reconditioners Bradford for it re building with my new parts. They pressure tested it then phoned me saying it was cracked between two cylinders. So it wasnt the gasket after all. At this point i was sick of the engine problems and the cost of it all but i got a Coscast head which had just been acid dipped. Then got ACE to fit new valves and re cut the seats. Used same springs, new seals and it had already had new lifters (which tap to f*ck)

Picked up

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Head2.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Head.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Logo.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Valves.jpg


http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Cossy.jpg

Then new gaskets and seals

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Gaskets.jpg

Decided to have a go at making my own 5 layer steel gasket from 2 x Z20s which worked great

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Parts.jpg

2 filters for cheap oil system flush (run around for 40 mins then drain)

then used some Miller 10/60 motorsport stuff after been advised from their technical guy over the phone..

[garethcolley]

Then put everything back together.....

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/0.jpg

[krobinson]

How's it looking now? The complete car I mean

[garethcolley]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Front1.jpg

Got my Compo TH's in 15" sprayed black

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/Side.jpg


http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/front3.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/rear.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/wing.jpg

[garethcolley]

Bumper has damage to it and so does tailgate. I want to strip it back to a bare shell and get it acid dipped. Not sure on colour. Ill upload some high res pictures when i wash it, id only done the wheels on these

[garethcolley]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/nice.jpg

[garethcolley]

I got my dash flocked and installed some nice gauges aswell, then stripped the whole interior apart from dash, all the lining etc. Has a digi dash at the moment with a mountenay wheel, got so many bits to put on. All new panels, doors, sport front and rear bumpers, F1 mirrors (might go MK1 yet) and Sr spoiler. Bumpers are going satin black along with spoiler, got fibreglass tailgate also. Sparco full carbon f ibre buckets to go in too.

[garethcolley]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/door.jpg

[garethcolley]

Stone guarded the interior which was a blag but came up great...

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/paint.jpg

[garethcolley]

THen gonna fit some carbon fibre panels

[garethcolley]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/flock.jpg

[garethcolley]

this one should be better quality

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/DSC00846.jpg

[Cle]

:eek: looks good (understatment of the year lol)

wheels suit the car really well
good work :thumb:

[vaughanmc]

Looks really clean and tidy mate :)

A bit sleeper as well ;)

[adam c]

looks really well!

[garethcolley]

Thanks guys, to me its very far from perfect but im sure we all think like that. Will look much better when the new panels go on. Dunno whether to go for this acid dipping or not, dunno if its worth it...the engine is still playing up so i have to sort that first, gonna swap the lifters for some used genuine ones to see if it stops tapping, oil pressure seems good so if its not that then ill be scratching my head. I then need to get it mapped as its over fuelling i think, it keeps misfiring even tho its had new coil, plugs, dizzy...i wont idle without coughing and hunting. Its had new ICV and CTS aswell, bloody vauxhalls!

[garethcolley]

.

[Adam]

Very nice.Rear end needs lowering more :)

Does look cool overall :cool:

[garethcolley]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/upload.jpg

[garethcolley]

Very nice.Rear end needs lowering more :)

Does look cool overall :cool:

Yeh i need to get some coilovers for it, heard GAZ are pretty good as AVOs are a bit hard for road use? I do want it really low at the back and the front end raising a bit

[garethcolley]

Well after a number of problems mainly misfiring and such like i had the car on the rollers. I was expecting 260ish as Chris Astley had told me it was Phase 1. The injectors he had fitted didnt seem to be doing it too much good...

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/correct.jpg

Made 206 hp which was the best we could get out of it.

So i then set about putting yellow injectors back in and we gave it another go...made 220hp that time. Still worrying low considering it was Phase 1 with an XE inlet cam. Matt @ The racing line then suggested that the wastegate actuator which was also set up by Chris wasnt dont correctly. So after winding it up and a few more runs this was the result...

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/correct2.jpg

240hp, i was still unhappy with this as i thought it would be much more. So i then opened up the ECU to find it was a Superchips chip which meant i should see around 240hp (initially thought it was EDS). With that in mind i was really happy considering the bottom end and turbo has never been rebuilt (90k+). Not sure on what gains an XE inlet cam would give and i have my doubts that its been done correctly.

[garethcolley]

So it ran great with zero missfires....until a got it home and ever since it has been doing it again! Cant believe it. Ive had a management code saying injector low voltage which makes me think a dodgy injector. Cant understand why it would run perfect though and then as soon as i get it home it starts missing again?! Anyone got any ideas, ive cleaned the contacts on this injector also. The last time i drove it not only did it start misfiring but it was chucking out black smoke quite badly as though it was over fuelling, injector stuck open?? The injectors id put in had been sat for over a year which cant help.

[garethcolley]

Since then ive now got these...

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/DSC01040.jpg

They have been flow tested and ultrasonically cleaned so i can swap my existing ones over...

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/DSC01041.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/DSC01042.jpg

[garethcolley]

Oh yeh, forgot to upload my awful a/f on saab reds...here is before and after.

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/DSC01046.jpg

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/colley340/DSC01047.jpg

As low as 10 at idle compared to 14 on the standard yellows.

[Mr.B]

Where in West Yorkshire are you from?

Really nice car by the way :thumb:

[garethcolley]

Well im living in leeds now, the nova doesnt get out much! You?

[16v Nova Kev]

love those wheels bud and the stone gaurd paint inside the car.pitty the engine work was not what you expected.

[Mr.B]

Halifax.

How did you find The Racing Line? I've heard some stories about them..

[garethcolley]

Racing line are great, yeh ive heard some stories aswell! My mate knows Matt there so he was pretty sound. I dont think he was into the Nova but he sorted it out. They have an awesome dyno and lots of 700p evo's if your into that. Think Jav off Mig uses them.

[Mr.B]

Yeah i know about their jap cars, not my thing though tbh.

apparently they don't like customers who don't have jap lol

p.s keep your car as it is :thumb: looks hardcore without the grill :cool:

[garethcolley]

Yeh ive been driving it the last few days and getting some strange looks, i quite like it. It certainly helps with air flow! What car you drive then Mr.b?

[Mr.B]

Same but in blue and lighter ;)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff217/ad4mb1nns/SANY0023.jpg

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff217/ad4mb1nns/SANY0027.jpg

and how it used to look:

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff217/ad4mb1nns/novanscorner.jpg

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff217/ad4mb1nns/novaengine.jpg

sorry for the hijack :p

[garethcolley]

looks very nice that mate. How do you stop people opening your boot if its on pins? I want a fibreglass tailgate you see. Also what black have you used on the bumpers?

[Mr.B]

Put a padlock through one of the pins lol

Just 2 pack black. I wouldn't paint yours though looks good, plus it would have too much black with the wheels then imho

[vaughanmc]

Seen that at Billing 07 I think and also the Total Vauxhall show at Knockhill in 07

Looked awsome :)

Black bumpers do look good on it as well!

[Mr.B]

thanks :thumb:

[Nova_Sean]

How do u get your bumpers so black and shiny. Is it painted on?

[Mr.B]

How do u get your bumpers so black and shiny. Is it painted on?

Yes. black paint. (2 pack)