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SRiTaff
08-02-09, 06:52 PM
Looking to buy myself a cheap Nova project.
Just wondering what sort of thing i need to look for,problem/faults wise??
The main thing iv noticed is rot on the rear arches.

Also i saw a Jamaican Yellow SR,does anyone know the colour code for his please?

Thanks in advance :) .
BIGS
08-02-09, 06:56 PM
you would need to look in the boot floor, inner arches, front crossmember, arches as you said, sills, and get under and have a look at the rear chassie legs, battrey tray area
Rich
08-02-09, 06:57 PM
Anything metal will rot lol

Battery tray, around front suspension struts, chassis legs, behind headlamps.
Rear boot corners, arches, bottom of arch/sills, bottom of front wings/sill. Doors rot from inside out...

Theres probably more but those are the main areas. Anything else is engine smoking/tapping, make sure it starts ok from cold and let it warm up. Same as any car really make sure theres no accident damage etc. Panel gaps etc remember its an old nova and probably had new panels at some point, aftermarket stuff never fits right.
Mike
08-02-09, 06:58 PM
My advice would be dont buy one lol
bmw156
08-02-09, 07:00 PM
take a magnet with you to check for filler
as i think i can safly say 99% of the time it would of have work done on it.

unless its been left in a warm garage since birth lol.

and if it hasnt been repaired it needs to be lol

and check the oil, see if there any white, or water for white maybe shows blown head gasket
ask for test drive, even if its the owner.
Rich
08-02-09, 07:00 PM
My advice would be dont buy one lol

What a horrible thing to say!

Just be warned, that once you start you just cant stop... lol
keithrg
08-02-09, 07:06 PM
my 1990 apart from rust. I had to replace both front brake hoses and hand brake cables, are near imposible to diagnos without knowing what your looking for and ramp access.
craig green
08-02-09, 07:10 PM
Find a nice rot-free early (pre 90) shell & to hell with the mechanicals.
SRiTaff
08-02-09, 07:15 PM
So its mainly rust/rot then then,lol. apart rom the usual smoke & cream then, Nothing really Nova based then?
Ye i got a bit addicted with my Astra,but want to leave it alone now & get side project,havent really got a big list of things to do. :) .
Iain
08-02-09, 07:44 PM
Find a nice rot-free early (pre 90) shell & to hell with the mechanicals.

Agreed, if it's a project then anything mechanical/electrical can be fixed fairly easily, so just find the best shell you can get.
SRiTaff
08-02-09, 08:10 PM
Agreed, if it's a project then anything mechanical/electrical can be fixed fairly easily, so just find the best shell you can get.

Ye im not too arsed about the engine.
My plan is to get a mk1 SR,strip it out,put a pair of buckets in the front with digital dash,CD player,front componants,harness's & Cage,lowered around -100mm all round,3" exhaust,clear front indicators,tinted rear lights,Speedline alloys & then get top half of the car sprayed up in Jamaican Yellow.Then Redtop my Astra & put the 1.8 into the Nova.
Graeme
08-02-09, 08:29 PM
Battery tray and boot corners Mike also spots to check
Lee H
08-02-09, 08:32 PM
Basically anything will rust apart from the tyres.
Graeme
08-02-09, 08:34 PM
Very true Lee and even they'll perish
SRiTaff
08-02-09, 08:34 PM
Battery tray and boot corners Mike also spots to check
Lol,u know you'll be coming with me 2 get one with me anyway lol .
SRiTaff
08-02-09, 08:34 PM
Basically anything will rust apart from the tyres.

lol lol lol
brainsnova
08-02-09, 08:45 PM
underside of the front chassis legs too.
Novasport
08-02-09, 08:46 PM
Basically anything will rust apart from the tyres.

But they wear & perish so all in all yer screwed, buy something else lol
But if you do buy one expect to be hooked & permanently skint from that point on but done right they are a great fun car to have.
SRiTaff
08-02-09, 08:52 PM
But they wear & perish so all in all yer screwed, buy something else lol
But if you do buy one expect to be hooked & permanently skint from that point on but done right they are a great fun car to have.
Dont mind being addicted,lol.& putting money into it isnt a problem,cars are all im into,the Astra's coming to an end now so need something else to pile my money into & wanna stay Vauxhall.
So its basically just rust/rotto watch out for then.

What about the mks??Whats everyones preferences?Mk1 or Mk2??
Novasport
08-02-09, 08:54 PM
Early pre facelift Mk1 FTW
Graeme
08-02-09, 09:06 PM
Depends what you want it to look like mate, ive made my mark1 saloon into a mark2 and want to make my mark2 hatch into a mark1
SRiTaff
08-02-09, 09:10 PM
Depends what you want it to look like mate, ive made my mark1 saloon into a mark2 and want to make my mark2 hatch into a mark1

lol .
Simple but effective m8,like the astra.D u see the Jamaican Yellow SR that was for sale on here & Piston Heads?.........Like that ;) .
Graeme
08-02-09, 09:13 PM
Ive not mate, get a link up and I'll take a look, I'm more a fan of mustard yellow but both are really rare now
SRiTaff
08-02-09, 09:15 PM
Ive not mate, get a link up and I'll take a look, I'm more a fan of mustard yellow but both are really rare now

Cant utill iv posted 15 times,lol.
SRiTaff
08-02-09, 09:23 PM
Pm'd u m8 :) .
dan16v
08-02-09, 09:59 PM
My advice would be dont buy one lol

Best advice so farlol
Rich
08-02-09, 10:18 PM
Mustard yellow SR is a mk1. Your more likely to find a mk1 with little amounts of rot, mk2 were seam sealed along the chassis legs etc and seems to have caused them to rot worse! Remember you can convert to a different look if need be
Novasport
08-02-09, 10:22 PM
Mustard yellow on the Mk1 facelift always reminds me of the BT vans of the same era, I much prefer the Jamaica yellow of the earlier models.
SRiTaff
08-02-09, 10:24 PM
Mustard yellow SR is a mk1. Your more likely to find a mk1 with little amounts of rot, mk2 were seam sealed along the chassis legs etc and seems to have caused them to rot worse! Remember you can convert to a different look if need be

Been looking around & i think i prefer the look of the mk1 anyway,abit more oldskool,lol.
Would anyone mind posting up the differences between the Mk1 & mk2 for me please (in/on the 1.3 SR's if this matters).

Thanks for all your help guys,much appreciated :D .
SRiTaff
08-02-09, 10:25 PM
Oh & does anyone know the colourcode on the Jamaican Yellow plase?Or where i can find it? :) .
brainsnova
08-02-09, 10:27 PM
razorjacks got a list of paint codes :thumb:
brainsnova
08-02-09, 10:28 PM
http://www.pngclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62322&highlight=paint+code here it is
AlexW
08-02-09, 10:29 PM
You will be best of searching for the mk1/mk2 differances. It comes up about once a month.
CoolTiger
08-02-09, 10:30 PM
Looking to buy myself a cheap Nova project.
Just wondering what sort of thing i need to look for,problem/faults wise??
The main thing iv noticed is rot on the rear arches.

Also i saw a Jamaican Yellow SR,does anyone know the colour code for his please?

Thanks in advance :) .

best tip dont buy one
Rich
08-02-09, 10:31 PM
mk1 sr

http://www.pngclub.com/images/car_images/2909big4.jpg

mk2 (difference in headlights, wings, grill bumpers. dash inside)
http://www.pngclub.com/images/car_images/3346big4.jpg
SRiTaff
09-02-09, 11:42 AM
mk1 sr

http://www.pngclub.com/images/car_images/2909big4.jpg


Thanks m8,this is exactly what i want,just lower & different wheels :D .

Is that a standard Vauxhall/Opel colour then ye?
Dont understand why people on a Nova site are telling me not to get one?? :confused: lol.
Jack
09-02-09, 11:51 AM
Its a love/hate thing lol

To be honest, just get whatever shell comes up at the right price in the best condition. Every single other thing can be changed with relative ease.

Aye, its a standard colour. Albeit inferior to Mustard Yellow :D
Smurf-Xx
09-02-09, 07:30 PM
Just be warned, that once you start you just cant stop... lol

I totally agree!!!