Slowly getting back into Novas

[Olly755]

Pretty new here, and 15 posts now, so...

Found this dirty old thing lying around in the workshop at weekend ;) Been stood around for a couple of years, and have decided that maybe 2009 is the year for the old girl to see some mud again
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera021.jpg

Group N GSi
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera023.jpg

Started first time
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera022.jpg

Daylight!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera024.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera025.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera026.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera034.jpg

Mobile parts bin
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera033.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera035.jpg

14 years ago we were doing this together
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/scan0002.jpg

This is one tough little car. It has done over 60 forest rallies, almost won one BRC Group N title, survived one roll and 2 pretty major accidents (and trips to the jig). The shell is original, and the engine is untouched- the head has still never been off. Unbelievable. And it still starts first time, drives in a straight line, and sounds as sweet as any nut.

Now looks a bit sad, but just needs a bit of a re-prep. Still, the shell is tired and needs a nice new one. Bought a bargain, rust free SR earlier this year for the shell and tucked it away, so could be on the cards..

[Olly755]

Then just before Christmas, I spotted this for sale on the net and reckoned it would make an ideal donor. So bought it. Then again, I was blind drunk from our Xmas do :roll:

Old skool
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera021-1.jpg

"A" reg, 8500 miles!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera006.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera007.jpg

Red, mmmm
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera018-1.jpg

No rot
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera025-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera026-1.jpg

It's like stepping back in time: it runs and drives like brand new. Something to do with the main dealer service evey 6 months maybe. Call me soft, but I just haven't the heart to start ripping it apart. It belongs in a museum, not a forest.

But I've still got a few old skool goodies, including a gen Sport engine setup, so maybe a few period bolt-on goodies wouldn't do any harm, would it?? Dec's awesome Sport rebuild got me all keen on Novas again (if you read this, Sir, I salute you!), and you just know it would be a pleasure to work on, but it just seems a shame.

Anyway, tucked it away for now, the council are still throwing salt around for fun around our way.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera014.jpg

Drive on
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera013.jpg

Zip and blow
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera016.jpg

Dry!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera018.jpg

Really like it for what it is, but got the hankering to start playing with it. What do you think, keep it standard, or start fettling?

[Jay]

Thats cool.

[AlexW]

Nice. Why is that first one a F reg tho? GSI rep then?

A-reg looks nice, keep it standard with a few small tastefull mods IMO.

[Will F]

awesome!

That white one's a beaut! Is that the one that has 8k miles??

[John]

Wow, i wish i had one of these in the corner of my workshop!

So that's where the low miler off e-bay went! Don't bin the terracotta trim, it roooolz!

[Graeme]

Sport rep ftw, definately don't reshell the red one on to it

[Southie]

Welcome to png :thumb:

Well as you have a rally car you can use that for your speed and the white one just use for summer days out and leave it untouched. Then when your bored with the white one put all you best bits into it, and give it a good hammering.

It really should be left alone though lol

[The Simps]

fettle it, nuff said. Not exactly an exotic model is it. Being solid it'll be a great starting point!

[matt_vaughan]

That white one is soooo mint, just give it some GTE bits and leave it alone :P

[Plug]

fettle away matey great start to a project you got there.

Sport rep would look good on that shell.

Nice rally car also

[krobinson]

That white Nova is giving me a semi, definatly an awesome find...

I'd say not to rip it apart, but then I ripped a simaliar one apart to build my LET Nova.

Keith

[L33 LEG]

love the rally car. amazing that the engine is still untouched and also how uv had it for all of those years.

the white one looks VERY clean!

[dj_wudgey]

the white one is well to clean to rally!!! itd be a big shame to be honest!!

[twistysnovagte]

white gte rep ftw:D

[Spudly]

That white Nova is giving me a semi, definatly an awesome find...

I'd say not to rip it apart, but then I ripped a simaliar one apart to build my LET Nova.

Keith


My sentiments aswell bud, but having said that ripped apart a pearler for your LET, this is very true..... BUT


We all know what will happen to the white one if it goes into rallying, and it doesnt matter that yours was a pearler as youres gets pampered/loved/adored/polished better than most blokes look after their girlfriends tbh so it doesnt matter imo:thumb:

Keep the white one on the road dont abuse it into rallying please!

[mowgli]

the red one has a leicestershire reg no. are you from that area????

[dj_wudgey]

My sentiments aswell bud, but having said that ripped apart a pearler for your LET, this is very true..... BUT


We all know what will happen to the white one if it goes into rallying, and it doesnt matter that yours was a pearler as youres gets pampered/loved/adored/polished better than most blokes look after their girlfriends tbh so it doesnt matter imo:thumb:

Keep the white one on the road dont abuse it into rallying please!

i agree aswell matey we need novas like these to stay like these!!

[Olly755]

Thanks for the nice comments.

White one will definately not be converted into a rally car. May just leave it as it is, although still like the idea of converting to 1300 Nova Sport spec (although not necessarily a replica)- I have all the proper bits already anyway. Irmscher sold the Nova Sport setup as a kit (I found an advert in an old mid 80's magazine the other day) which would have found its way into a few new and used SR's and 1200's in the mid 80's, so it would be in-keeping. I think if anything is done, it will remain period and un-boltable, so that it could be returned to stock if needed.

Red car is actually an Opel Corsa GSi, imported form Germany and re-registered early on over here. Of course it would have been originally Mk1, but got converted to mk2 "UK gsi" spec for the Nova GSI series in 1993 with the updated panels, spoilers and dash (as mere GTE's were not allowed:roll: ). It has remained as it is since.

Also, my first "decent" car in the late 80's was a nearly new Jamaica yellow SR- after reading a few posts on here, I wish I still had it!

[Mike]

Loving the Grp N!!

What motor club is stamped on the last GSi pic? Is it W&SSCC by any chance?

EDIT: Doh is the address of the guy who took the picture lol

[meach86]

Id keep it standard it looks mint, I noticed a stamp on 1 of the pics of the rally car said stourbridge are you from this area has i live 10mins from stourbridge

[vaughanmc]

The rally Nova looks really good mate :)

Also, loving the early Mk1 - Was that the one on eBay with about 8k miles on the clock ?

[Olly755]

The rally Nova looks really good mate :)

Also, loving the early Mk1 - Was that the one on eBay with about 8k miles on the clock ?

That's the one. Average of 340 miles a year. The rest of the time, it was there to keep dust off the garage floor. :)

[Sloth]

thats excellent, but please keep the 1.2 std, theyre getting rare in that cond. nice rally car btw, something i've always wanted to do...

[L14MNP]

Balls to standard. Perfect base for something special IMO. Two very nice motors you have there mate :)

[Dergnova]

Do the white one up abit mate,try keep it periodish tho...maybe sr kit wit 1300 as u said...just a nice build...find another half decent shelll for the rally car doesnt have to exactly mint like lol...iv a nova rally car project and have a wide arch rallycross mini which is turned into a project after i stripped it and never built it again lol

[vaughanmc]

Perfect base for an early SR or even Sport rep :)

[Matt]

Loving the Mk1 fella, looks in stunning condition!

:thumb:

[mitchell141]

i'd use that mint shell for a perfect base for a project, start off with something solid

[Joe Richardson]

keep the white nova standard:thumb:

[Dec16v]

But I've still got a few old skool goodies, including a gen Sport engine setup, so maybe a few period bolt-on goodies wouldn't do any harm, would it?? Dec's awesome Sport rebuild got me all keen on Novas again (if you read this, Sir, I salute you!), and you just know it would be a pleasure to work on, but it just seems a shame.


Really like it for what it is, but got the hankering to start playing with it. What do you think, keep it standard, or start fettling?


Dude :thumb: :thumb:

You've landed one mint motor there pal, the A-reg shells must have been made from great stuff as the one I had was mint too.

Matt has done something pretty special with a Nova Ski, I think it's the way forward for you my friend, perhaps with some RFX's and Sport carbs :cool:

Rgds,
Dec

[Olly755]

Matt has done something pretty special with a Nova Ski, I think it's the way forward for you my friend, perhaps with some RFX's and Sport carbs :cool:

Rgds,
Dec

You're right, loving Matt's Ski, lovely car with choice mods.

And as for the carbs and RFX's......

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera018-2.jpg

... along with a 1400 block, worked 1300 head, cam etc:D

Think these might suit it ;)

[Jay]

Only two pictured.... lol on a serious note, i thik it will look nice...

[~~joycey~~]

You're right, loving Matt's Ski, lovely car with choice mods.

And as for the carbs and RFX's......

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera018-2.jpg

... along with a 1400 block, worked 1300 head, cam etc:D

Think these might suit it ;)


DO IT! :D

Rep for you aswell mate :thumb:

[Matt]

You're right, loving Matt's Ski, lovely car with choice mods.

And as for the carbs and RFX's......

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Ollly/NewCamera018-2.jpg

... along with a 1400 block, worked 1300 head, cam etc:D

Think these might suit it ;)

Cheers for the comments on the Ski, glad you like it!

As for the bits you've started collecting there fella, I think you're onto a winner. Old skool goodies like that wont do it any harm and gives you the peace of mind of knowing you can put it back to standard if wanted. I'm looking to do something very similar engine wise with mine come the end of the summer and think it'll finish the car off nicely (along wit a bit of a rebuild) ;) And as you say, working on a mint car such as the one you've got there is just so much more enjoyable.

Good luck with it!