Rat Nova Project 56K Warning!!

[Thundersmurf]

I've recently bought my second Nova and although I love it, it does have it's problems, some of which I knew about when I bought it (the clutch needs replacing and the rad is leaking etc) and some that I didn't, like the fact that the rear Chassis leg has been welded and they had only put a patch over the rot so it has rotted through again.

here's my two nova's together, although the white one is currently on ebay so I won't have her long...
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10037.jpg
As you can see she is a mk1 but has a mk2 grill for some reason so she looks very odd...

It also has some dubious body issues - the wings are replacements and the colour doesn't match, the rear arches are pretty bad and half the bodykit is held on by screws....

All things taken into account I'm still very happy with the car, but it is never going to be a show winner, so I've decided to rat it - sorry Brett:roll:

I know that I'm probably leaving myself open to all sorts of abuse by posting this thread as the "rat look" is not to everyone's taste, but I like it.... so there!!:p

there are a few things that need to be done to the car before I start working on the rat look properly anyway.

the rear driver's side arch is starting to rot and there are some very sharp bits sticking out so that is first on the list - I don't want some woman complaining that she's ripped her clothes on my car in Tesco's car park!!
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10083.jpg

The good thing about the rat look is that is doesn't matter what it looks like so a few minutes with an angle grinder and a sander and it's done :)
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10084.jpg

The rear bumper has been cut quite badly around the exhaust...
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10031.jpg

My plan is to try and make it a nicer cut and smooth it out a little so while the bumper was off I cut a bit away....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10090.jpg

Unfortunately the exhaust is no longer held in place by the bumper and came off it's hanger a mile down the road, resulting in much swearing from me as I was lying in the wet road getting the bugger back on. Next week will see me rehanging the exhaust I think.....

Whilst driving round right hand bends I had noticed a strange scratching noise - like rust on rust - coming from the back of the car. I knew that the bottom of the wheelarch - where it meets the bootfloor - was rotten so i thought that it must be that. When I started to clean up the area ready to weld I came across the real culprit. the chassis had been welded, but the plate had only been put on OVER the rotted area. consequently it had rusted through again and that was what i could hear...not good...
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10073.jpg

after a bit more of a clean up and a bit of cutting away....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10078.jpg
just to give you a better idea of the size of the hole...
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10079.jpg

and then a new patch welded in, not the tidiest welding but at least it's solid!
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10089.jpg
I ran out of time to do the rest of the patches around the back end so that will be on the list for next week :)

the back of the car also needs some welding (under the rear numper)
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10080.jpg



once I've finished getting her a bit more solid I will start on the rat look.
I'm going for a satin black (using Graffiti paints) and the obvious rusted bonnet - I have another bonnet that I have bought to do this with- roof rack with Beerkeg barbeque, lots of stickers, possibly one panel graffiti'd, and i have a few other ideas floating around too.....

I've just bought a job lot of nova stuff of ebay, including a gte tailgate in good cond, bonnet, gte tailgate spoiler, grill with eyebrows and a few other bits.

I think I may sell the GTE tailgate on as it seems a shame to use it on this project - it's in too good condition, and there is the gte tailgate spoiler on it's own that i can use....

anyway That is all for now, I will update probably wed night or thurs, when I've done some more.....

[mayhem]

euhm... a rat is oldschool..inspired by RatRods.. a bodykit, gte grill with eyebrows, japstyle exhaust, wrap around spoiler etc. arent very ratrod'ish

[burgo]

euhm... a rat is oldschool..inspired by RatRods.. a bodykit, gte grill with eyebrows, japstyle exhaust, wrap around spoiler etc. arent very ratrod'ishno over here most cars given the term rat cars these days are actually ****ters lol so its not far off

[TIDGE]

how is this rat? rat is solid underneath with a rusty body and got a lil bit of grunt under the bonnet

[Thundersmurf]

like i said I haven't started on the rat look (and maybe that is the point - I'm rat-look'ing the car not rat-rod'ing it) yet anyway, the car is how I bought it.
I'm repairing the bumper as I don't have another one at the mo.
and anyway the look is "inspired" by rat rods yeah, but let's face it, a nova is never gonna look like a 50's rod anyway. As long as I keep to mainly period (in this case 80's/90's) accessories, then it is cool as far as I'm concerned.
And actually, the "look", particularly in the UK is more likely to have originated from the rat bikes that have been around for donkeys' years.... on them anything goes......

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/rat.jpghttp://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/ratbike3.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/RatBike2.jpghttp://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/67231_552_be1e5c8698_p.jpg

I guess the world would be a very boring place if we all liked the same
things......

edit -
Have any of you actually READ my post or is looking at the pictures all you can manage??
I didn't realise that you could only be an active member of this forum if you were in the right Clique or you had enough money to have a mint nova. I thought the whole idea of a forum was to have a lot of different people with different ideas. Apparently, i was wrong, tell you what I'll just scrap the nova shall I and it will be another one gone forever.....

[TIDGE]

I guess the world would be a very boring place if we all liked the same things......
really like that motto :thumb:

[Thundersmurf]

lol 'tis true though, each to their own is what I say....

[Graeme]

She's an absolute beauty, keep up the good work and welding

[Thundersmurf]

ta, I don't think I'm doing too bad for a girl LOL
I've only learned to weld recently so it is all good practice....

[Pistol Pete]

That is some serious rot under there! Good luck with it all.

[mayhem]

like i said I haven't started on the rat look (and maybe that is the point - I'm rat-look'ing the car not rat-rod'ing it) yet anyway, the car is how I bought it.
I'm repairing the bumper as I don't have another one at the mo.
and anyway the look is "inspired" by rat rods yeah, but let's face it, a nova is never gonna look like a 50's rod anyway. As long as I keep to mainly period (in this case 80's/90's) accessories, then it is cool as far as I'm concerned.
And actually, the "look", particularly in the UK is more likely to have originated from the rat bikes that have been around for donkeys' years.... on them anything goes....

ok, i get youre point, but imo youre not ratlook'ing it..
but then again, i'm dutch, so that's my excuse lol

[L14MNP]

I'm a girl
Bad move letting some of these know that lol

One way of keeping you thread at the top though! I don't know what you hope to achieve but I fully agree that the term 'rat' is used out of context so often that 90% of car owners don't know what it's all about.

I'll be watching, so get cracking :thumb:

[Thundersmurf]

ok, i get youre point, but imo youre not ratlook'ing it..
but then again, i'm dutch, so that's my excuse lol

how can you know what I'm doing?? I've not started yet! are you psychic?
even I don't know what I'm doing with it properly yet....

[mayhem]

All things taken into account I'm still very happy with the car, but it is never going to be a show winner, so I've decided to rat it - sorry Brett:roll:


once I've finished getting her a bit more solid I will start on the rat look.
I'm going for a satin black (using Graffiti paints) and the obvious rusted bonnet - I have another bonnet that I have bought to do this with- roof rack with Beerkeg barbeque, lots of stickers, possibly one panel graffiti'd, and i have a few other ideas floating around too.....

I've just bought a job lot of nova stuff of ebay, including a gte tailgate in good cond, bonnet, gte tailgate spoiler, grill with eyebrows and a few other bits.

I think I may sell the GTE tailgate on as it seems a shame to use it on this project - it's in too good condition, and there is the gte tailgate spoiler on it's own that i can use....

my opinion in my previous post is based on above qoutes. you giving a bit of an idea what youre plans are, and youre using the term 'rat'.

so you name it.. psychic or just reading english.

[CP]

If it was me I'd flog the red one - trust me its a rot box. Better to do the rat look to the white one - its made for it - hell its even got a roof rack on it already! I'd leave the fur and dice in as well - proper tacky and nice touch:D

[Thundersmurf]

Mayhem - I said I'd bought the stuff off ebay, not that I was def gonna use it.
which part of rusted bonnet, roof rack and stickers is not rat then??
maybe you can tell what i should do then, instead of just telling me what I'm doing wrong in your book? or better yet, why don't you let me at least START on that part of the project before you make your staements?

CP - the white one was worse than the red one when I bought it....it only looks like that now because I spent a lot of time on it

[calibra-keith]

well what ever you do with it il watch ;)

[mayhem]

i asumed you where using it, why bother posting that you bought it when youre not using it.

i never mentioned anything about the colour, roofrack, rust bonnet or stickers.

but it's youre car, build it as you want it.

[JohnNI]

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/4995/rat_day_013.jpg

Similar to this Nova?

[Thundersmurf]

cool! yeah. anyone know where i can get some deep dished steel wheels like on that corsa?

mayhem - the bonnet stickers, roof rack etc were all in the portion you quoted of mine, then told me I wasn't ratting my car. You still haven't told me what you think I should be doing to make it a rat, just that all my stuff is wrong.

[stevie-p]

cool! yeah. anyone know where i can get some deep dished steel wheels like on that corsa?

www.widewheels.co.uk (http://www.widewheels.co.uk)

have to have them made maybe somebody is seling some they are banded steel wheels just use a search

[Paul]

rat look is pants.

[Thundersmurf]

stevie-P thanx but that link doesn't work, unless you are trying to sell me a domain LOL :)

Paul - thanx for your eloquence.....

[mayhem]

euhm... a rat is oldschool..inspired by RatRods.. a bodykit, gte grill with eyebrows, japstyle exhaust, wrap around spoiler etc. arent very ratrod'ish

my first post in this thread... i dont see anything about roofracks, stickers or the other stuff you want me to explain.
its fun that youre trying to prove me wrong with stuff i didnt mention as 'not rattish..'

[Thundersmurf]

you chose your quotes not me!

And you STILL haven't told me what YOU think I should be doing.... what's up? got no ideas fo your own??? just have to follow what eveyone tells you is cool??

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

I just like how the garage doors match the cars, might do the same with mine.

[Thundersmurf]

lol I hadn't noticed but yeah looks cool..... ahem,actually i did that on purpose, it was meant be ....you know....artistic :)

[L14MNP]

got no ideas fo your own??? just have to follow what eveyone tells you is cool??
PMSL a scene kid or wannabe who is 'ratting' a Nova in pretty much the same style as that black abortion ^ and you say Mayhem has no ideas of his own?
Check his WIP, he is copying no-one imo.

Arguing is ghey. Build the car and accept not everyone is going to agree with your ideas or your terminology I say.

[Pistol Pete]

www.wide-wheels.co.uk (http://www.wide-wheels.co.uk)

And as L14MNP said, not everyone will like what you do to a car. Thats the way the cookie crumbles fella.

[donaldo89]

this is site for banded steelies www.wide-wheels.co.uk

[Thundersmurf]

www.wide-wheels.co.uk (http://www.wide-wheels.co.uk)

And as L14MNP said, not everyone will like what you do to a car. Thats the way the cookie crumbles fella.

if you'd read my post, you'd know I wasn't a "fella", thanx for the link :)

[Pistol Pete]

My apologies. I did already know this, as i have read your thread, but was half asleep last night. :)

[mayhem]

you chose your quotes not me!

And you STILL haven't told me what YOU think I should be doing.... what's up? got no ideas fo your own??? just have to follow what eveyone tells you is cool??

are you just reading the quotes? i wrote the 'not rattish' things under it.
do you really think i should delete everything i dont want mentioned? that kinda gives a weird quote, all single words.

i have ideas of my own, but i'm not the one building a "rat".
but if i was to build a 'rat':

the basis would be a early mk1 nova. (Without rotten arches, as that is to easy to call rat).
probadly paint it primer grey, slam it on the floor (panscraper FTW) some wide 13 inch wheels (banded steelies), or Pirelli's, or moondiscs. matblack bonnet. and to keep into the ratrod insperation,i'd fit a fast smallblock. (gte or 1600 16v). have things pinstriped.

this is just what i'm thinking right now, so dont keep this on me if i decide to build one later. lol

look up my project, its inspired by the oldschool/rat looks. but its not a full rat.

[Thundersmurf]

Mayhem - hmm some nice ideas there - do it! :)
I'd love some banded steels but just can't afford it unless I can find some cheap ones secondhand....
I am going to lower it - but just at the front I think.
oh and I can't fit a big engine as I have 12 points.....
I will get round to doing the arches properly when i get chance, i need to get the chassis solid first....

Tonight I have stripped the bonnet, done some more welding and fitted a mk1 grill back on it and it is looking better already

I'm thinking more mad max than rod for the finished thing though - like the rat bike pics I posted earlier so maybe we are never going to see eye to eye, can we just agree to disagree??

Pete_58 - no probs I'll forgive you :)

[Thundersmurf]

Well I was back in college last night and have done a few more bits to the car.......

more welding done on the back end, chassis is now solid and there is only the boot floor to weld now.....

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10162.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10160.jpg

Also done a bit of work on the bumper, cut a bit more out so the exhauast fits better and filled + shaped the hole on the right hand side....
from this...
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10091.jpg

to this...
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10164.jpg

I've stripped the bonnet and put a MK1 grill on too, look loads better I think....

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/SDC10171.jpg

Just need the bonnet to rust now....typical, when I want rain it's sunny!!


next week I'm hoping to finish the welding on the bootfloor and make a start on the rear arches....

[L14MNP]

Salt water is your (if not the cars) friend lol

[nova_niek]

cool! yeah. anyone know where i can get some deep dished steel wheels like on that corsa?

Thundersmurf, have a look at http://www.german-wheels.com/produkte/database/?wid=5&sdi=true - I think this comes close to the alloys on the Corsa van.

Cheers,
Niek

[Thundersmurf]

thanks guys :)

(i'll be nipping out with salt every time it rains, my neighbours are gonna think I'm nuts!!)

[NovaGuy1400SRi]

If you're going to all the bother welding it underneath, why not just sort the bodywork too :p and forget the rat look :D

just my 2p worth :p

[Pistol Pete]

Are you keeping the mk2 bumper on there? A mk1 would look a whole lot better IMO.

With regards to salt water, get a spray bottle mix some salty water up and spray away!! Should do the trick.

[draper]

NEEDS a mk1 bumper, look at the bloody gap under the headlights lol

[Riggy]

seen this at hollywood bowl other week , looks like you are doin a good job on the welding of it , im not into the rat look but thats just my opinion , if you need anybit just give us a shout and ill see if we have it :thumb:

[LEWI007]

I like the idea that your a girl doing this work :thumb:

[mayhem]

Thundersmurf, have a look at http://www.german-wheels.com/produkte/database/?wid=5&sdi=true - I think this comes close to the alloys on the Corsa van.

Cheers,
Niek

lol there's a big difference between schmidt th lines and banded steelies. th lines cost the word.

[Ash]

strip the paint of the whole thing and laquer the bare metal.

[LEWI007]

strip the paint of the whole thing and laquer the bare metal.


Now thats a cool idea :thumb:

what about wheels ?

[Thundersmurf]

Riggy - Cheers for that - I'll bear it in mind

Ash - I had thought of that .......

dunno what I'm doing about bumpers at the mo but if I leave the mk2 one on it I'll be hiding the gap somehow....

[DaveyLC]

I love the way everone was being really negative at first then they find out you are female and they all want to help :D

[thedjse]

TS: Love the work your doing if you need any help give me a shout either pm me or giz a call i'll bob up only round the corner


Also with you studying at college do you know GARY JACKSON?????

[Thundersmurf]

Alex - don't think I know Gary - I only do an evening course though.... will def be in touch, cheers

[LEWI007]

I love the way everone was being really negative at first then they find out you are female and they all want to help :D

Lol i know :thumb:

[Thundersmurf]

quick update after this weeks college night....

carrying on with the welding......
not much left of the bootfloor at this point LOL

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/DSC00136.jpg

ran out of time to finish it but got the new floor - or most of it at least, tacked in....

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/DSC00141.jpg

front end is now black...
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/DSC00138.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/DSC00140.jpg

and the bonnet is rusting nicely....

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/DSC00139.jpg

rear bumper has olso been sended and painted, it will do until I decide what direction to go in for the bumpers etc....

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/thundersmurf1/nova/DSC00142.jpg

[1.6 8v turbo nova]

WOW! i never knew about all that rust! i drove it like that for a year :S, ah well looks like you've been getting busy ! nice work, nice to see the 'AVE IT' plates are still on what my mate got me as a joke lol

[Thundersmurf]

hey hunni - yeah there is still loads of work to be done but she's getting there.....hopefully be ready for the next MOT.....

[brainsnova]

you could try putting a mk2 grille on but cut the bits off that go under the lights it does sit at a different angle but maybe will do then you could move the bumper up to cover the gap.

[Thundersmurf]

I'm thinking of either moving the bumper up or moulding the mk2 bits from under the lights onto the mk1 grill....

[LEWI007]

That rear bumper and exhaust are making it looks like a ricer imo

really killing the rat look.

other than that, good im liking the hood rust

[Thundersmurf]

just ordered the paint for finishing it off(hopefully) on wed.....
also need to get the welding finished on wed too....
got some new ideas on what to do design wise on the bonnet but need some supplies and don't know where to get them yet....
my mate who is helping me has just picked his new car up today-216 rover coupe,so things may slow down a little but I hope not too much.

thinking of painting my original bonnet black to put on for the MOT so it looks a bit tidier and they might not look so hard for things to fail it on....

still don't know wat to do about the wheels or the bumpers.... we'll see what happens

[brainsnova]

i had another ideas for your front bumper gap. if you draw round the grille on the bumper then cut it out and slide the bumper up. oh and rover 216 are bollocks lol

[bmw156]

fancy doing a swap on front bumpers, my mk1 for your mk2 :P
it is a standard one isnt it, no aftermarket crap :P
pm me

[Thundersmurf]

Brains, yeah I thought about that too - but now I'm thinking of fabricating the mk1 so that it has the bits that go under the lights, like a mk2 grill.....

BMW156 - don't know what it is to be honest but it's seen better days anyway, and it's matt black now too....

[Thundersmurf]

well tonight was my college night and I was hoping to finish the paint this week, but the head gasket has blown so the night has been spent stripping the head down......BAH!!!

[brainsnova]

head gaskets very straight forward and clean the top of the pistons well your at it as the carbon builds up.

[thedjse]

Bloody hell Smurf what was the milage?

[1.6 8v turbo nova]

about 106k

[Thundersmurf]

lol cheers brett....
did you know the timing was 22degrees out brett???
now it is right and the heads been done she's running really lumpy and the KnN is sucking loads of air in - need to sort the mixture out and maybe rejet it...

i'll get it right this week hopefully and get back to the bodywork...... half term this week though so don't know if I'll be able to get into college....

[1.6 8v turbo nova]

i didnt know the timing was out, as i drove it for a year and had no problems :S

[Thundersmurf]

well to be fair it was running better when it was out, although it did have that slight missfire....

I'll get it sorted tomorrow hopefully....

[dougie_boi]

any updates on this