Andys mk1 2.0 16v Build

[andy_017]

Ok well ive bought i new car as soe people know so i thought it was about time to get a project thread going:

This is my current nova which will soon be coming off the road to donate parts and make way for the new one:

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/CNV00002.jpghttp://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/CNV00009.jpg
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/CNV00018.jpg
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/CNV00027.jpg

Then here are some pics of my new one after i got it homehttp://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0224.jpg
I'm liking the cleanliness of the chassis legs:
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0235.jpg
Not for long mwahaha
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0234.jpg
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0237.jpg
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0243.jpg

Then it was on with the proceedings off stripping out the interior which took all of 2 minutes:

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0278.jpg

Next out was the engine and half my brothers hand!

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0251.jpg
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0253.jpg
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0261.jpgreally appreciate you rhelp lee mate, note the balding head

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0266.jpg
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0269.jpg

and out she is all done and dusted, this is pretty much as the car stands at the minute!

I really stuck with what to do with the car, plans etc etc, i have a few ideas but there is loads to consider, any help on this front and would people think would be nice would be greatly appreciated, let me know what you all think!

[matt_vaughan]

Wow, rather minted. Good luck pal.

Do something different and fit a 1.6 8V lol

[andy_017]

Noooo I'm not really into all this doing something different business haha!

The engine in my current car is a c20xe so the engine going in the new one will be at least that as I would definitly miss the performance!

[Plug]

perfect base you got there but I'd say

TURBO !!!!!

thats the type of shell you need to start off with,

Look at Keith's for inspiration. :thumb:

Jimbo

[Ash]

Is that Dan's old minter? I'm quite unset to see it pulled apart to be honest, especially when you don't have any plans for it.

Since you have tho, keep it looking identical but with a 1.8 16v small block and some trick bits and modern twists inside ;)

[andy_017]

Yeah its Dans old minter, regardless of whether i have any plans for it or not it would have been coming apart anyway as 1.2 carb engines are **** lol

I am thinking something along the lines of a 1.3 sr rep or something like that as i just love the look of them, or another route to go down would be keeping it simple and old school with a few little touches but keeping with the old school theme!

Whatever does happen though one thing i can guarantee is it will be staying big block ftw :thumb:

[andy_017]

Just did a little bit of mincing today, debadged the rear of the car, was considering leaving the 1.2 badge but decided just to whip it off!

Before:

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0509.jpg

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0512.jpg

and then after:

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0517.jpg

I still need to buff it back up yet but due to the light being broke in the garage didnt just want to start buffing with no light, the paint seemed a bit brittle under the badges but they seemed to come off ok :thumb:

[dj_wudgey]

is say sr rep it matey and go with a gte lump on 40's something like that!! looks well mint though!!

[Benn]

Looks nice, that pic of the o/s inner wing, its been painted hasnt it?

[andy_017]

I think it may have been at some point in it's life!

I take it your reffering to the runs in the paint towards the headlight?

[Benn]

Yeah,

[andy_017]

Well hopefully the car will be going to chris Astley to have a strengthening kit fitted and then the bay will be getting repainted so those runs should be gone!

[blue_peg_16v]

that is a proper clean shell

[andy_017]

that is a proper clean shell

Why thankyou :D

[areofall]

Mint car but it's a pity to do it too such a good original car, you'd be better to sell it to me for my SR nova.

[sport]

Mint car but it's a pity to do it too such a good original car, you'd be better to sell it to me for my SR nova.

Its a nova merit at the end of the day and with it beening mint its ripe for a bigger engine.

[andy_017]

Its a nova merit at the end of the day and with it beening mint its ripe for a bigger engine.

Thank you for that sport!

To me a nova merit in standard form isn't really anything special,if it was a gte it would be a different story but it isn't so to me it's a perfect base to build into something nice!

[Riggy]

good progress andy mate, i still say turbo the ****er though lol and gte rep it :thumb:

[andy_017]

Why thankyou Mr Karl :thumb:

Fundage doesn't permit too turbo at the minute matey moo but in the future maybe!

I think the next thing to do is going to be removing the bumpstrips,anyone any tips on this as I'm really wary of paint coming off with them :confused:

[Nova_Sean]

Im just about to do that to my nova. Using a hairdrier & plastic scraper, just have to be patient and gentle i think

[andy_017]

Hhmm the more I look at gte's the more I want to do a gte rep! They just look awesome!

[andy_017]

Little bit of a mince update tonight:

Bought these, cheers Lee :thumb:
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0518.jpg
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0519.jpg

i need to give them a bit of a paint bu they are in good nick to start with!

Also priced up a set of meriva 1.7 td 280mm discs at £47 for a pair, does this sound reasonable!

Then onto removing the windows as ive got a full set of tinted none etched glass to fit, and also before the glass is fitted the door pillar vinyl will be being removed as it isnt high enough for the window surrounds!
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0520.jpg
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0526.jpg

and then:
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0527.jpg

No glass!

A quick pic of the bay, need to give this a good clean and get some pics up!
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0530.jpg

Comments welcome, cheers guys :thumb:

[Matt]

That's an awesome shell by the looks of it. Good stuff.

[andy_017]

I did a little bit of work on the nova tonight, it involved a hairdryer, a nova badge and lots of swearing, what an **** of a job this is:

I needed to take the door vinyl off as when i fit the window surrounds the standard merit door vinyl isnt tall enough to line up the window surrounds, so i set about it with a hairdryer!

This is a pic before i started removing it:

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0533.jpg

Then a picture off the vinyl itself removed but with the glue still present:

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0535.jpg
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0536.jpg

Then finally got all the glue off after rubbing a blister into my dam finger, i dont know whether it will affect how the new door vinyl takes to the b pillar if there is excess glue left on but anyhoo, still have the other side to do yet!

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0537.jpg

Comments please :thumb:

[andy_017]

Managed to get the other side of the door vinyl off
tonight but came across a bit of a problem!

Well halfway got the vinyl off ok:
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0538.jpg

Then got all the b pillar vinyl off and decided to have
a go at the door pillar vinyl, only to find it was painted on :wtf:

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0539.jpg

So looks the car has had a new door at some point in its life so
its a good job i am refitting the right door vinyl, i think it will
just have to sit over the top of the paint!


This is what it looks like done!

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0540.jpg

Thats all the progress i have so far, i think the next to
come out will be the dash in favour of a mk2 dash as
the mk1 dash really doesnt do anything for me at all!

[Riggy]

good mincing andy , ps , seen you drive past elk mill on your way home from work lol

[Crumpet]

What you doing with that 1.2 engine andy, you selling it breaking it up?

[andy_017]

Cheers riggy!

1.2 engine is getting scrapped dude!

[Crumpet]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

ill have it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[andy_017]

Slight bit of progress tonight :thumb:

I have a full set of un etched tinted glass so got on to fitting that,although i cant fit the whole lotas i need to order up some b pillar vinyl to match the height of window surrounds i did fit the front screen for now and think it looks cracking over standard glass!

First of all i fitted the string under the seal and then offered it up to the window:

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0541.jpg

Then this is pretty mch in but couldnt get it too sit right for some reason but had to push it into place,

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0542.jpg

Once i sorted it sitting properly it sat a treat!

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/andy017/100_0543.jpg

Another job to cross off the never ending list :thumb:

[Riggy]

andy you ever thought , if you dont want to do the piller vinyl, get one of them mobile paint repair people , come paint the black bit red , only cost about £80 ish

[andy_017]

I did think about that dude, but I want to do a 1.3sr rep I think so sticking with the theme I think I'll just fit door vinyl I reckon,just hope it isn't hard to do!

[Riggy]

i still need to do mine , also need to buy some from the club shop lol

[andy_017]

Decided that it was about time that my project stopped being
a skip, as in previous pics it is full of parts, so cleared it all out
and decided to fit the interior! The interior does need a full valet
yet so i know its a bit dirty but i'll have to wait till its back on the
road to sort out things like that as the valet bay is at work!

Looking a lot better inside now:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0554.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0555.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0553.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0552.jpg


Then while doing this i thought i might as well fit the rear window as i started it the other night but it went dark so got that fitted,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0556.jpg

And then fitted the rear wiper,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0557.jpg


Somethings telling me the rear wiper looks a bit out of place
but once the boot vinyl and wrap around spoiler have been
fitted then i'm hoping it should tidy the back up nicely!

Comments please :thumb:

[Riggy]

:thumb:

[vaughanmc]

Euro twin fog light on the back as well ;)

[andy_017]

Euro twin fog light, might just sort the rear out , hhhmmmmm :confused:

[davidfox280585]

spotted your nova mate coming into milnrow wed night,
as you come off roundabout i went past in the 18tom motorway maintenance truck,
car looked very tidy mate yours does read a 20 nry:thumb:

[mavro1978]

Nice car:thumb:

[andy_017]

Cheers buddy and yep A20NRy is my daily car mate :thumb:

[andy_017]

Well not upated my project thread for a while so i thought it was about time to update :thumb:

First off jus some picture's off my new door pillar vinyls fitted, what a t**t of a job this was but the finished result looks ok, one side is definitly better than the other though but nevermind!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0562.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0563.jpg

Not bad for a first attempt i dont think,

Then after making the decision of getting the car welded and strengthed, which i really didnt want to do, it seems that getting this work done is a definite requirement, so i got the car booked in for the beggining of June and set about doing a little bit of prep work!

A shot of the lack of rot on the inner wing,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0680.jpg

other side,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0682.jpg

Then i set about the prep,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0686.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0687.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0688.jpg

All the wings and bonnet were removed prior to this obviously, i started doing the inner arches aswell but i think theyre a job for another day as there was seam sealer flying everywere so i think i need to go and wash it all off me haha, more progress to follow :thumb:

[andy_017]

I felt like having a go at painting as well as i dont usually do any of this so i thought how hard can it be,

went from this,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0558.jpg

Sanded and primered,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0559.jpg

first few coats of paint,
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0560.jpg

then lacquered and finished off,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0561.jpg

I've got to give credit were its due though as painting requires a lot of patience and is definitly not easy so hats off to any painters out there :thumb:

Also refitted the fuel tank and dremmeled a hole under the rear seats for easier access to the pump in case of any technical difficulties with the pump itself!

Next update wll more than likely be up to date welding pics!

Comments please :cool:

[Riggy]

looking good andy :thumb:

[Pistol Pete]

Coming on well.

[Pillar]

where did you get the viynal from?

[Riggy]

club shop , another benefit of being a member

[andy_017]

I got them from the club shop dude!

Cheers for the comments fellas!

[Benn]

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0686.jpg


If thats for welding, you wanna weld all of the chassis leg seam, and all the way around the turret. And down the back (bulk head to chassis leg)

[andy_017]

If thats for welding, you wanna weld all of the chassis leg seam, and all the way around the turret. And down the back (bulk head to chassis leg)

Cheers Benn i forgot to put that i've not quite finished prepping it yet and was only getting a little bit of practice in the other night, i'll be taking the servo off over the weekend and doing the rest of the bits then dude :thumb:

[Graeme]

Hurry up Andy, I want to see this at the next meet

[andy_017]

Mwahahaha theres more chance of seeing Jeebus himself ride past on a flaming harley than me taking my mk1 to the next meet :tard:

On a serious note though i really am going to start cracking on with it once the welding and painting of the bay has been done!

A20NRY is being broken the first week of July so things should get going from there hopefully :thumb:

[Graeme]

Give me a reminder nearer the time and I'll come down and get in the way when its getting broke

[andy_017]

Give me a reminder nearer the time and I'll come down and get in the way when its getting broke

:thumb: Nice one dude,I've recruited Lee H and I'm sure a couple of others will want to help to!

[andy_017]

More mincing today, lovely job of stripping seam sealer off the inner arches,

Passenger side done,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0690.jpg

Bottom of the strut tower sorted (passenger side):

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0691.jpg

This was as much as i could take off from the two seams behind the passenger side strut, hope its enough:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0692.jpg

and then did the drivers side inner arch and bottom of strut tower,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/100_0693.jpg

Its pretty much all prepped now, theonly thing i now need to do is get a strengthening kit off Lee H, offer that up and then see were i need to prep for that!

How clean of primer and seam sealer do the seams actually need to be to be able to weld properly and what are the effects if not?

Comments welcome :thumb:

[andy_017]

Only a small update really as i cant do much until the welding has been done now, i thought seen as i have an empty bay its the ideal time to perform something called a 'pikey' chassis leg mod haha :thumb:

So i got this:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/Picture162.jpg

And then hit this a few times, although i was quite surprised at how easy the leg actually does go back, the force needed is definitly not over neccesary:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/Picture163.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/Picture164.jpg

Then when i was happy with how far back it was i just gave it a few coats of primer and then left it for the time being:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/Picture165.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/Picture166.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/Picture169.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/Picture170.jpg

I think i'm going to put a little bit of body filler on there as there a quite a few small dints showing through but other than that i think it'll look ok when painted up!

I just hope i have hit it back far enough!

Comments welcome :thumb:

[andy_017]

Quick update but no pics!

The car was picked up on Saturday and has gone to have strengthening kit fitted and the seams all stitched so should be back this weekend so I'll put pictures up then!

I have also booked the car in to be painted for the 1st week in July so watch this space!

[Riggy]

lol just hope laura doesnt log on and read that then andy lol

[andy_017]

lol just hope laura doesnt log on and read that then andy lol

Yeah hopefully not dude,I might be in a bit of troubleif she does :)

[Graeme]

Good work Andy

[andy_017]

Last time i posted up my car was just about ready to go for welding and i had taken all the seam sealer off all the seams and all the paint off the seams in the bay which was a nightmare of a job :mad:

A fella local to me came and picked the car up on Saturday morning, then left the car on a recovery truck outside his house Saturday and Sunday night, (which i wasnt to happy about ), he then cracked on with the welding on Monday and Tuesday!

I bought a Chris Astley strengthening kit off Lee H (cheers mate) and had this fitted at the same time as having all the stitch welding done, after much help trying to decide were a couple of the plates go :thumb:

Anyway less talking and more pics,

Drivers side chassis leg, note the strengthening plate under the mount which has been hammered upto the lip to make a box section,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10750.jpg

Passenger side, (same done with plate on this side too)

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10751.jpg

Whole engine bay shot,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10754.jpg

Passenger side inner wing stitching, and plate at the bottom,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10752-1.jpg

Cockpit penetration, ooooooo

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10759-1.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10760-1.jpg

Tie bar mount plates, (ignore the crazy floating head)

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10758.jpg










http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10757.jpg

[andy_017]

and from above the tie bar mounts,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10756.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10755.jpg

I was surprised that these plates dont come drilled for the two bolts to go through the tie bar bracket so will have to drill them out at some point!

And some more random pic whoring,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10730.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10731.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10732.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10733.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10734.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10735.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10736.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10737.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10738.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10741.jpg

[andy_017]

I cant upload anymore pics now because photobucket is being ghey!

Thats about it anyhoo really, Me and Lee H stripped the car the other day aswell as its booked in to be painted, to go down on the 4th July!

Its being painted at the same place were Lee and i think Karl Rowntree had his mk1 done there aswell so i'm looking forward to that!

Comments welcome!

[Lee H]

Looks really good mate, should last many years of abuse now.

Decided I think I might be busy the weekend you fit the engine as you would kill me if I scratched the bay after its painted.

[Adam]

Good weldage.....

[andy_017]

Cheers lee and Adam!

And lee I doubt you're going to get out of it that easy mate,all the practice with yours should make it easy for you!

[Benn]

Looks good dude.

[Riggy]

top stuff andrew :thumb:

[dj_wudgey]

good wrok mate will be ace when its done pall!!

[andy_017]

Seen as i've not updated my project thread for ages i thought i might aswell get a bit of an update on here!

Following up from the last pictures i put up of the fitted strengthening kit and all the stitch welding in the bay, the next step was to get the bay painted:

So a quick trip on the transporter to my mates unit and here we go:

Engine ebay all masked up and in primer:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0193.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0194.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0195.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0196.jpg

Once i had all the bits that needed to be in primer sorted i then decided that getting the front crossmember painted would be a good idea as i'm going to be running an early mk1 one piece bumper and grill and there were a few stonechips on there etc so that was also primered.

Then a few layers of paint were applied:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0197.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0198.jpg

This is my mate working away, big thanks to him!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0199.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0203.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0202.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0201.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0200.jpg

Then a good few layers of lacquer were applied!

It seems to have gone a bit dry in places but i'm more than happy with the finish and the end result :cool:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0208.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0206.jpg

and then this is how she looked when i picker her up the next morning!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0205.jpg

[andy_017]

Looking at the above pictures i think it was the right idea to leave the welds exposed instead of covering them with seam sealer as i was unsure whether they would look tidy or not but i think they look quite good oncee they have been painted!

[vaughanmc]

Looks very nice :thumb:

[andy_017]

The original plan was to have the car sent off to be painted, but after a long and hard think i thought that i really want to use the car, as in attend a few trackdays do some 1/4 mile days etc, so a full respray went out of the window and more mincing commenced because i really didnt want the car to get to the stage were i was scared of using it and it would be in the garage all the time :thumb:

So more mincing,

Unfortunately didnt take any pics of the gearbox before i painted but trust me it wasnt nice, so that was swiftly sorted!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0130.jpg

Take one sh*tty old injection tank,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0134.jpg

after i had attacked it with the wire wheel,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0133.jpg

and then after a few coats of hammerite,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0135.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0136.jpg

I had some polybushed and lowered tie bars knocking around from my old mk2 so they got the same treatment along with my polybushed bottom arms! Steering knuckles and calipers also got the same treatment!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0148.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0149.jpg

Braided hoses also fitted!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0184.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0183.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0186.jpg

[Graeme]

Looking good mate

[andy_017]

Once all that was sorted i then moved onto hammeriting the front and rear inner arches, i opted for doing them red in the end as i was going to do them black but thought meh, i'll go for red and see how they look!

So zinc primered all the welding that had been done in there first and then seam sealed all the seams and welds in the inner arches which wasnt a nice job :(

Then moved onto applying some red hammerite,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0158.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0159.jpg

I think the red hammerite seems like quite a good match to the factory paint.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0161.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0162.jpg

and then a few with the wheels on and a decent camera,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10855.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10856.jpg

still need to paint the drums as yet (before anyone points out the rusty bits )

and a few of the front:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10858.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10859.jpg

[Rickardo]

Andy, those speedlines would look ace on my Corsa. lol

Did you take any pics when we put the engine in?

[andy_017]

Once all those bits and pieces were sorted i turned my attention to the engine, which had been in my mk2 previously and had been used as a daily car for quite some time!

So take one Mr Riggy with an engine crane and stand

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0213.jpg

For the engine to the be up on the stand and totally stripped down, pre gunking,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0255.jpg

and then after gunk and a rinse off, it really is good stuff btw,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0255.jpg

and then a few coats of hammerite just to tidy things up a bit,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0255.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0262.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0263.jpg

I then thougt that my red rocker cover may look pap in an engine bay that has so much red in it already so i thought i would do this:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0271.jpg

also painted the rocker cover black because i could really be **** doing it any other colour and matt black is mega easy to use!

Then after a couple of hours of swearing, getting p***d wet through and with the help of Lee H and Rickardo, cheers again fellas for standing in the p***g rain and helping me, we had this:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0275.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0275.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0279.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0284.jpg

And that was were we left it for that day, getting the rear engine mount bolt through was a right **** but we got there in the end :thumb:

[andy_017]

Andy, those speedlines would look ace on my Corsa. lol

Did you take any pics when we put the engine in?
Now now Rick, i've told you no about the speedlines mwahaha :thumb:

Unfortunsately no mincing pics were taken of us putting the engine in as i was properly f*****d off and freezing and wet at the time, just end result pics :cool:

[vaughanmc]

Some good progress, body-coloured inner arches look good fella

[andy_017]

A few pages earlier i fitted a smooth wiper arm to the rear of the car and felt as if there was something missing from the rear!

After thinking about it i thought that the smooth wiper looked pants and that the factory wiper had to go back on, and also that what was missing could well be a wrap around spoiler, so i purchased one off my brother and got a bit giddy with the tigerseal and was left with this:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0300.jpg

(ignore the sellotape)

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0299.jpg

IMO the back end looks miles better now, specially with the one piece back bumper on which i had to heat gun the crap out of to bring it back and then it wouldnt sit right so swapped the bumper bar off my other mk1 bumper and now it sits a treat :thumb:

[Rickardo]

Now now Rick, i've told you no about the speedlines mwahaha :thumb:

Unfortunsately no mincing pics were taken of us putting the engine in as i was properly f*****d off and freezing and wet at the time, just end result pics :cool:

lol lol lol. No probs mate. Just thought i'd ask...Again.

Let me know when your messing again and i'll be round. :thumb:

[andy_017]

Some good progress, body-coloured inner arches look good fella

Cheers vaughan :thumb:

[andy_017]

unfortunately when i removed the rub strips from the side of the car i found out that the drivers door had some damage repair work done on it :cry:

The rubstrip had been masked upto and the top half of the door painted, aswell as the door vinyl being painted on, so i sourced a minty mint door, had that painted and then (massive thanks again to Lee H and Rickardo) fitted the new door on.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0285.jpg

I think the colour match is quite good, on the above pic the car hadnt been washed since i bought it, but when its cleaned up the colour match is ace, i did take it back to the bodyshop twice to be repainted as i wasnt happy. Also had a set of wing mirror covers painted at the time too!

Also note that i had fitted my window surrounds at this point and the drivers side one at the bottom of the window pops up everytime you shut the door, so that needs sorting!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0286.jpg

[vaughanmc]

Is that it up to date ?

[andy_017]

I then got bored one staurday morning so set about a few jobs on the car while it wasnt raining for a change so decided to build the front end up and fit the fuel tank and fuel lines!

What an a**e i had fitting the fuel tank, i forgot to put the new breather pipe I had bought onto the tank so fitted all the tank up to then realise i had forgotten to change the breather (balls) :mad: So the tank came back off and then got refitted with breather attatched this time!

Then i moved onto fitting my one pice bumper and grill for the front and the lower trim for the bottom of the valance at the front of the car!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10851.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10852.jpg

I personally love the look of mk1's with these front bumpers on, i gather they are a marmite bumper as some people like them and some dont, but i do so meh!

By this point i had also given the car its second wash in my ownership and also taken all the rubbish fox alarm stickers out of the tinted glass that i got out of my mates luxe + or whatever it was :cool:

Also fitted a freshly painted set of wipers arms, (cheers rickardo). Just need to fit the front number plate now and the front will be complete!

[andy_017]

Is that it up to date ?

Sorry to confuse Vaughan not updated this for ages but been taking pics along the way and dont get to use the computer much so theres a few more pages to go yet but i'll let you know when its upto date pics :thumb:

[andy_017]

Now for a few upto date pics of how the car stands at the minute,

The engine bay is pretty much finished, a little bit of wiring to be done yet and small jobs to be finished off in there but its getting to be complete!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10841.jpg

SFI box and air filter fitted!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10842.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10843.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10844.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10848.jpg

The rad and fan have also been fitted now and i have fitted a heat shield above the exhaust manifold but it was dark by the time i had that fitted!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10849.jpg

Sorry about the rubbish quality pics, camera was being gay for some reason :(

[Graeme]

So is it early mk1 outside and full gsi inside? Should stay nice for a whilst now its just a toy

[garethcolley]

Hi Andy, car looks great mate. I should of kept that bumper for mine, really suits it!

[andy_017]

A few upto date pics of the back of the car,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10829.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10830.jpg

I bought a brand new magnex full stainless system for the car as i was struggling to find an exhaust that exits in the right place for a mk1 and doesnt come out at an angle, sooo the exhaust is only hung in the roundabout place atm as it is booked in to have the system mated to the manifold on Sat 19th as they are a mile away at the minute :thumb:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10831.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10832.jpg

Really impressed with how the wrap around has changed the look of the back of the car :cool: and i think that with the once piece back bumper they work really well together!

I also bought a full gsi interior off (lee h) cheers dude, as i ran my mk2 stripped out for a while and found it to be utter turd. I also really dont like gte interiors or the mk1 dash so the only option was to go mk2 and when i got offered a mint gsi interior i could refuse really.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10836.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10838.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10839.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10840.jpg

The interior isnt quite finished yet as you can see theres some wiring still to do, need to find the bit that the steering column goes through for a mk2 so i can put the bottom cowling on.

All the electric windows and central lockingi splumber in and works though! Mk1 looks with mk2 interior, perfect if you ask me :cool:

Fitted my digi dash aswell, no chopping of dash required, a bit of persuasion was needed to get it to go in but now it sits in there quite nicely!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10862.jpg

[andy_017]

So is it early mk1 outside and full gsi inside? Should stay nice for a whilst now its just a toy

Yeah thats the one graeme, the plan is to use it for trackdays etc but try and keep it as nice as possible!

Mk1 outside,gsi inside!

[andy_017]

Hi Andy, car looks great mate. I should of kept that bumper for mine, really suits it!

Thanks gareth!

[g111mds]

lovely mk1! would have prefered the sr interior myself but the gsi does look good.

Jamie

[andy_017]

Lastly just a couple of random pics of the car that i've taken tonight before i put her to bed!

Were she lives:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10869.jpg

Couple of pics of as far underneath as i could get, sealed what i can with stonechip!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10865.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10867.jpg

A couple of random pics from the side, (astra indicators fitted)

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10871.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10872.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10873.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10874.jpg

Thats about it now, upto date!

Plans for the imminent future of the car are to get the exhaust sorted on the saturday and then get soem fuel, oil and fluids etc in there and give her a test start!

I somehow persuaded my missus to buy me a set of front and rear height adjustable gaz gha coilovers for christmas with eccentric topmounts, they were ordered about two weeks ago now so should land shortly but i'm not allowed to have them till christmas day :( I ordered a shortened body set up aswell, the same set up that Lee H has on his turbo so hopefully the stance will be nice and low with those fitted! Pics to follow when they arrive! Massive thanks to laura (my g/f), shes great and really supportive when i get p****d off and annoyed with the car :)

I am also going to order a set of 195/40/16 Toyo Proxes once christmas is out of the way to try and help with the arch to tyre clearance issues i am defnitly going to have once the coilovers are fitted,i really dont want to get the arches rolled as they are totally mint so trying to do everything i can to avoid that :cry:

Thats it for now, i'm going to try and keep on top of the project thread and keep the updates coming, cheers for reading, let me know what you all think :thumb:

[andy_017]

lovely mk1! would have prefered the sr interior myself but the gsi does look good.

Jamie

Cheers jamie, i had the sr interior in my mk2 and always thought it was a bit dull and boring, i never used to like gsi interiors either though, must have changed my mind lol

[Graeme]

It need a twin fog euro light mate

[andy_017]

It need a twin fog euro light mate

already on the shopping list dude!

[vaughanmc]

Pretty much how my red 1.3 Nova will look with the early front end but my interior will be different - Can't wait to see some finished shots :)

[auzzy-b]

Very nice! and a clean lookig shell you got there:thumb: would i have seen that mk2 in rochdale before? im sure i have..

[Joe Richardson]

Just read through all this,car looks mint,abd very good work on the engine:thumb:

I would love to do all this to my sr one day:)

[The Simps]

Some really good prep gone on here mate and the car looks great! I've always found my old red nova looked a different shade of red every picture I took! lol


One thing. Is this rust in the arch? If so why not patch it up while the welder was out?

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0161.jpg

[Graeme]

Spotted your posh beemer in the back ground, that Nova is going to feel unrefined after driving that everyday lmfao

[andy_017]

Beemer is an awesome daily drive but definitly like the nova the most!

[andy_017]

Some really good prep gone on here mate and the car looks great! I've always found my old red nova looked a different shade of red every picture I took! lol


One thing. Is this rust in the arch? If so why not patch it up while the welder was out?

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0161.jpg

Those marks in the inner arch are were the stitch welding on the seams around the turret has burnt through the factory seam sealer slightly so I just zinc primered them and seam seale back over them but my sealer wasn't as thick as factory stuff! The stitch welding was done as strengthening for when I run the rear coilovers because there will be no springs as they're all one on the coilover strut! I can confidently say there is no rust ;)

Yeah in some pics it's orange,then in some it's pink and occasionaly it's red :)

Yeah aussy you would have seen it in Rochdale dude!

[The Simps]

Good to hear mate! :)

[scott.parker]

Just read from page one, my eyes hurt! lol

First off i was shocked to see this was the minter Dan had, and a little shocked at your plans, but after getting through to the last page it's come together to make a very nice mk1 project, i like most choices mate, but i still would have gone mk1 inside though, keep the updates coming.

PS: whats the beemer? DTi?
Thinking of one for a daily in the future you see.

Scott

[andy_017]

Cheers Scott,I really wanted a clean shell and dans car was the perfect car for the job!

BMW is a 318ci m sport,if you get the chance to own one I would definitly do it as they are brilliant cars,diesels tend to be a lot dearer than the petrol coupes though an if it's done over 80 thou I would be checking to see if it's had a new turbo!

Piccies:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0349.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0175.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0350.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0352.jpg

These cars hold there value really well too so if you can manage to get one at a reasonable price then you shouldn't stand to lose too much money,awesome car though IMO ;)

[The Simps]

Completely agree with the above! I had one a few years back now and loved that car. I had the 2ltr dti m sport and it was the 1st car I'd owned that I didn't feel the need to modify (except for the nasty diesel tailpipe). Cracking cars and great value for money now. Do they go through turbos then Andy? I might get one again too and thats handy to know!

Mine...


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/TheSimps/BMW%20320cd/P10100776x4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/TheSimps/BMW%20320cd/P10100746x4.jpg

[andy_017]

Yeah they are great cars,I looked into lowering mine etc but decided against it because I didn't want to do anything to compromise the ride quality so it's staying as is,also there must be a reason why you hardly see any modified ones!

Well I work at a BMW dealership in Rochdale and 3 series diesel engines are renowned for killing turbos after about eighty thou,usually lack of power and loud whistling noise etc etc,the new 3 series is even worse than the old one,but if that's been done they are great,if you do look at another pm me the details and I can get you warranty claim history etc etc ;)

btw lovely colour car in the above pics!

[The Simps]

Cheers Andy, that would be helpfull. When they replace the turbo's then are they fitting better ones or same unit ie another 80k and itwill need replacing?

[andy_017]

No worries!

Unfortunately they don't upgrade any of the components as far as I'm aware,they just replace the whole unit,what you usually find though is we don't get many back at such a high mileage as the value of the car doesn't deserve paying a main dealer to do the job sort of thing!

[AlexW]

Love the nova, looks perfect.

Beemer is nice too of course, shame there not cheap to buy/insure lol

[craig green]

Cool build so far. The shell looks a goodun.

[andy_017]

Cheers aw06 :)

Beemer isn't so bad to be honest,the insurance is the dear bit but I keep telling myself it's worth it!

[andy_017]

Cool build so far. The shell looks a goodun.

Cheers craig, the shell is awesome,I was just gutted that I had to fit that door but nevermind!

[Riggy]

looks awsome andy , might pop pver at weekend a have that looksy lol

[andy_017]

Your welcome anytime mr rigg,got your engine stand here too ;)

[andy_017]

Just got a call from GAZ to say that they're sendng my coilovers out today :) Shame my missus won't let me have them till Christmas day :(

[Riggy]

lol , laura's goin to love making you wait hahaha

[sparkie1401]

this looks well smart, like the 4rse end best

[andy_017]

this looks well smart, like the 4rse end best

Cheers Sparkie :)

she's doing it already riggy,they're coming around 3 tommorow and I'm in mega trouble if I come home early haha!

[vaughanmc]

Is your shell Carmine or Flame red mate ?

[Nova_Tek]

Well, what can I say... my eyes hurt from all the birght red lol Another great WIP thread. Clean to start with and now mint. Like the marmite bumper you used but the interior should have been MK1 imo. That's just me though.

One thing though, you have done a great job in protecting the arches and all that painting but you forgot this \/


http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10865.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10867.jpg

Get the rear beam sorted dude, it looks horrid especially on such a clean car.

:thumb:

[andy_017]

Vaughan it's carmine mate,next to a flame red panel the colour difference is massive!

Nova tek I know it's just me being lazy,I looked back at the pictures and thought yeah that definitly needs sorting! I couldn't have lived with mk1 interior though,I think it gives a nice edge to a mk1 having a gsi interior!

Cheers for all the good comments though :thumb:

[vaughanmc]

I was just wondering, my G reg Mk1 shell is Flame Red :)

Didn't think they done Mk1's in Flame Red

[andy_017]

I didn't think they did either but maybe your mk1 is the exception mate :cool:

[vaughanmc]

lol Probably something f*cked up with it - Check my mate's F reg SR and it's (535 Carmine Red) as well...

[andy_017]

Hhhmmm I don't know whether anyone else could shed any light on this for us:confused:

[vaughanmc]

Can't think of anyone on here with a red Mk1 Nova...

[andy_017]

Has it been painted or something then Vaughan?

[vaughanmc]

On the VIN plate it says E547 and 79L I think which is the same as my Mk2 and it's Flame Red

But my friend's red F reg SR is E535 which is Carmine Red - I thought Flame was a Mk2/GSi colour not a base model Mk1 lol...

[andy_017]

No idea then vaughan mwahaha :confused:

[shaun4321]

nice job mate shame to take apart such a mint oe shell but hay looks good now and goods good too!!!!!!!!!!!

[andy_017]

Cheers shaun, IMO mate this kind of shell is the best to build from as it will last upto quite a lot of abuse due to the cleanliness of it etc etc :)

[Lee H]

IMO mate this kind of shell is the best to build from as it will last upto quite a lot of abuse due to the cleanliness of it etc etc :)

Spot on. Who can seriously enjoy keeping a 1.2 Nova standard, they are terrible.

Needs a mk2 facelift IMO.:thumb: lol

[andy_017]

Less of the mk2 facelift you haha :mad:

[Graeme]

Looks fantastic Andy, love the mk1 outside mk2 inside, the best combination imo

[andy_017]

Looks fantastic Andy, love the mk1 outside mk2 inside, the best combination imo

Cheers Graham, the mk1 interior is rubbish IMO,I want to keepthe car as retro as possible but couldn't put up with mk1 interior,just can't wait to get it on the road now :)

[andy_017]

Uppy update time!

Been doing a couple of little bits and pieces to the car but with this crap weather we're having at the minute I cant get it out of the garage so little bit limited to what i can do!

Earlier on i mentioned that i was going to be ordering a set of new tyres to try and help with the arch to tyre clearance issue that i'm undoubtebly going to have when my coilovers are fitted. So out with the old 195/45/16 Proxes and in with the new 195/40/16 Toyo Proxes.

After a quick pit stop at home one dinner time i left the car looking like this!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0388.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0389.jpg

Gives me a good chance to paint the rear drums, beam and touch up the front calipers while shes up in the air with no wheels on!

Wheels with the old tyres on:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0390.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0392.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0394.jpg

Then these badboys turned up at work, £223 inc vat and delivery for four, i think thats quite reasonable!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0395.jpg

half an hour later and et voila!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0399.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0401.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0403.jpg

When i compared them to my old tyres the sidewall difference is massive so hopefully less trimming of the rear arches will be required! I've not fitted them to the car yet as I cant have my coilovers till christmas day so once i have them and have fitted them all on i will take some piccies!

I think they look miles better than the old tyres!

My exhaust was also supposed to be being fitted this weekend but when i rang the recovery fella on thursday to double check that we were still on he said 'yeah no probs ill come and pick the car up friday night (leaving it on the recovery truck all night out side his house) and then set off with it saturday morning' :tard: I dont know what you guys think but for me that was a mahoosiv no no so need to think of a new plan to get exhaust sorted!

[Nova_Tek]

Mint wheels and good tyre price. I wonder if they'll suit the Nova? lol

[Rickardo]

Looking good Andy, i'll have to get my backside down to yours for those wheels and tyres.

I bet you can't wait for the coilovers. lol

[andy_017]

Also on this weekends mincing list was off upto Lee H's house to carry on wiring the new engine in his MR2, this wasnt much fun at -5 degrees but we got it all done and sorted quite a lot of little bits and pieces on the car!

Also i ordered two inner cv's, two bottom ball joints and two track rod ends from the local motorfactors so they were on the list of things to do!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0406.jpg

Hello cv's

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0407.jpg

Hello driveshafts, they have had a couple of coats of hammerite there but they definitly need more!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0405.jpg

So then after a couple of hours in the garage today with the heater on as hot as it will go i was left with this:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0410.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0411.jpg

Sorry about the rubbish i phone pic quality!

All done and built up, first time round i fitted the shaft into the inner cv and forgot to put any cv grease in there :wtf: So after arsing around for another half an hour with the stupid sh***y circlip i got the shaft back out and put the cv grease in, job job :thumb:

The only thing i'm not happy with is the fact that i've used cable ties on the outer cv and they have gone up really tight but i dont know whether they might still leak cv grease everywere! What does everyone else use for this? I was thinking jubilees but apparently they are an MOT fail?

Thats it for now, more pics to follow in the new year of coilovers all fitted hopefully :cool:

[andy_017]

Mint wheels and good tyre price. I wonder if they'll suit the Nova? lol
Hhhhmmmm i wonder................ i've never seen these wheels and tyres on a nova before so its a bit riskey lol

[Nova_Tek]

^ Yeah I know, I really do hope they look nice when fitted lol

How much you buy the CV's for? I'm assuming it's the 1.6 Cav inners you are using with 22 spline shafts?

[andy_017]

Looking good Andy, i'll have to get my backside down to yours for those wheels and tyres.

I bet you can't wait for the coilovers. lol
I cant wait dude they're set in the next room under the bloody christmas tree and i'm not even allowed to go near them :cry:

[Rickardo]

I cant wait dude they're set in the next room under the bloody christmas tree and i'm not even allowed to go near them :cry:
Just rip into them.. Laura won't mind........ much. lol

Do it later tonight when shes sleeping, then fit them before she gets up.

Ring me and i'll help you fit them.

[andy_017]

How much you buy the CV's for? I'm assuming it's the 1.6 Cav inners you are using with 22 spline shafts?

Yeah theyre the ones mate, they are also off a daewoo esperado or something daft like that!

They were £27 each i think but plus a £10 surcharge until you return some old units to the motorfactors and they just give you a tenner back :thumb:

[andy_017]

Just rip into them.. Laura won't mind........ much. lol

Do it later tonight when shes sleeping, then fit them before she gets up.

Ring me and i'll help you fit them.
The consequences off me doing that are frightening haha :eek:

[Nova_Tek]

Brill price mate, just noticed they are the Shaftec ones. What part number are they? Need to make a note of it for when I buy them. :thumb:

[Rickardo]

The consequences off me doing that are frightening haha :eek:

lol lol. BE A MAN....





I'd wait till friday dude, it's safer.

[andy_017]

Brill price mate, just noticed they are the Shaftec ones. What part number are they? Need to make a note of it for when I buy them. :thumb:
They are PJ16 dude, they list PJ14 and PJ16 at my local motorfactors and PJ16 are definitly the right ones :cool:

[Nova_Tek]

Cheers Andy +rep :thumb:

[andy_017]

Cheers nova tek :cool:

[andy_017]

lol lol. BE A MAN....





I'd wait till friday dude, it's safer.

Waiting till friday is definitly safer pal, also that way other things wont be stopped lol

[Riggy]

nice work andy :thumb: really coming along now

[andy_017]

Cheers karl,it's getting there mate :)

[Graeme]

Looking forward to seeing it super low now Andy, its going to feel a lot firmer on gaz's and 40's

[andy_017]

Looking forward to seeing it super low now Andy, its going to feel a lot firmer on gaz's and 40's

I know I can't wait to see it either,I'm hoping that it's going to sit nicely!

I've got future plans for a weld in rear strut brace and a front strut brace too, so hopefully all these things will tie in to make it quite a nice handling set up,I know it's going to be a bit harsh I just hope it's not too bad!

[scott.parker]

Nice, didn't know you could get 16's in 40 profile tbh..

[andy_017]

Yeah scott there's about 4 or 5 different tyre manufacturer that do them iirc! Massive difference in the size of the sidewall from 45 to 40's!

[shaun4321]

the wheels look tidy mate, mine sat nicely up in the arches till i striped the interior compleatly now its sitting too hight now need some 80mm rear springs if you know of eny?

[corsakid]

love the look of the mk1 front end imaculate shell top quality work loving it,

[andy_017]

Shaun 4321 you have pm dude!

Cheers corsakid ;)

[andy_017]

Little bit pf an update, not much but meh:

Seen as Christmas day has been and gone, more nova mincing was on the cards, but first of all,

Hhhhmmm what could these be:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10904.jpg

Aha, finally got them after seeing them under the tree for a good month i'm finally allowed to have them (thanks laura :d), the finish on them is awesome, and they seem to be of a real good quality!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10905.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10906.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10909.jpg

Not sure what this is though, i think I may have to take the top mount off this one and put the circlip back in, this is how it came but looking at the other strut there is supposed to be a circlip and that ring in there! Anyone any ideas?

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10912.jpg

I'm quite pleased that the eccentric topmounts have arrived black aswell, i had the idea in my head that they were going to be silver because when i ordered the coilovers the colour of the topmounts didnt even enter my head but i think the black will look good against the red engine bay!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10910.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10911.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10914.jpg

Nice little shiny adjuster!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10917.jpg

and the stig on guard!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10919.jpg

Im really excited about fitting these now, should hopefully be going on over the next couple of weeks when me and Lee H get a little bit of time, so pictures will follow when they are fitted :cool:

[nova1992]

They look nice, looking foward to seeing them fitted.

[andy_017]

This afternoon i managed to do a couple of hours on the car to get something done thats been bugging me for ages :tard:

A few pages back i posted up some pictures of the underneath of the car all clean and undersealed etc but hadnt done the rear beam and it looked terrible, so...........

One dirty old rear beam, not as bad as i have seen some though:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10931.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10932.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10933.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10934.jpg

It was just a bit dirty really so i gave it a bit of a clean and masked up the handbrake cable, solid brake lines and stuff and was left with this because i ran out of time!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10941.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10944.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10945.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10946.jpg

The plan is to let that dry and then do another couple of coats and go over bits i've missed etc but look smiles better already IMO!

While i was in the garage i thought i would take some pics of recently built up shafts that are now painted, and painted rear drums which looked awful before:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10935.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10939.jpg

And lastly a couple of upto date engine bay shots, i think the only addition may be the exhaust manifold heatshield that i've fitted:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10920.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10925.jpg

I desperately need to make a scuttle cover as i need to get all the sins behind there hidden haha, thats on the list of things to do though and will probably end up looking at that in the new year!

Thats it for now, enjoy :thumb:

[Nick J]

Some tidy work there fella. Hope to see the car at some shows this year?

Nick.

[MattBrown]

Looks well fella!

Inspiring me to get in the garage tomorow and crack on!

[Graeme]

If you need a template for a scuttle cover Andy you can use mine, I think Lee has a cardboard template or he did do a whilst back

Edit, Did the top mounts come with the shocks? Did you get them through Png?

[andy_017]

Cheers Nick, yeah i'm hoping to attend most of the shows with it this year, the plan is to have it ready for pv really and then see what happens from there :cool:

Thanks Matt, get in there with the heater on and get going!

Graeme - Cheers dude, i think i'll take you up on that mate, pm en route :thumb: Yeah the topmounts themselves were supplied from GAZ aswell as the shocks, it came about this way because i rang GAZ first of all with the intention of me ordering top mounts from compbrake and them sending them to GAZ and they would tailor the struts to suit the mounts. After having a couple of conversations with Dave Lion i think hes called from GAZ whos really helpful, he said that they can just supply the topmounts for a similar price that compbrake would and then theres less messing involved. So they just built the struts up with the topmounts they supplied and sent it all out to me built up. I didnt order them through the club but when i rang i told them that i was a full club member and that there is a deal in place for PNG members and they said yeah thats no problem at all :cool:

Top set of people at GAz they are really helpful!

[Graeme]

Brilliant mate, I've got a brand new set of Compbrake top mounts here and if you don't mind I'll uses your name, to get the same set up when I order mine in mid January

[nova josh]

car looks great would always have a mk1 over a mk2 any day look loads better keep up the work.

[andy_017]

Cheers nova josh!

Thanks graeme,yeah no worries,use my name,and speak to David lions!

[NOVA_LEE]

very smart mate, very smart

[andy_017]

Cheers nova lee ;)

[Rickardo]

Andy, just give me a template and i'll make you a scuttle cover. I have the sheet metal here.

Only take me 1/2 hour to do. :thumb:

[andy_017]

Cheers rickardo,there may be a phone call coming your way tommorow mate ;)

[Lee H]

Look at you lot copying my heavily tried and tested suspension setup!! :cry:

[Adam]

Get those coilovers covered in grease/wax before fitting them as within about a month you wont be able adjust them! lol

Unless you only use the car on dry roads.

[andy_017]

Lee - I thought I'd let you do the trial and error part mate and spend all the money and then I'll just copy your awesome suspension setup haha ;)

Adam - hopefully the car will only be used in dry days but you never know so greasing up the threads is a definite must dude!

Just waiting for lee to come round and get stuck in :)

[Lee H]

Lee - I thought I'd let you do the trial and error part mate and spend all the money and then I'll just copy your awesome suspension setup haha ;)

Adam - hopefully the car will only be used in dry days but you never know so greasing up the threads is a definite must dude!

Just waiting for lee to come round and get stuck in :)

waiting for you to stop doing family stuff and get some car commitment. Was working on the MR2 on Christmas Day!

[Joe Richardson]

dry roads FTW !

your car is too mint to use through the winter,looking good mate,coilovers look nice :)


keep it up.

[andy_017]

Lee - I aspire to be as hardcore as you mate,sams more forgiving than laura though I think mate, ps how's the thumb?

Cheers Joe,dry roads ftw indeed!

[andy_017]

Well had a couple of miniature disasters this weekend with the car :(

The first problem was totally my fault, i've never changed a cv joint before as when i bought my shafts they had cv joints on them so i just put them on the car and used them! Upon taking my xe out of my old car the inner cv's pulled in half so i think they may have been a bit funked! So i stripped the cv's off the shafts, bought the new ones and built them up on the shafts, so i thought nice one that was quite easy really, went to fit them and realised that i had been tapping the end of the inner cv's with a hammer to get them on the shaft as they were tight on the circlip, not realising i had mullered the end so that the circlip that sits in the gearbox wouldnt sit in the recess on the shaft, DOH, and the end was mashed so wouldnt allow the cv to clip into the gearbox, what an **** :mad: So a trip to the local motor factors and some monies later i ended up with this: Sorry about the turd pics,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10947.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10949.jpg

And the other side which was a bit awkward because its soooooo long:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10957.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10958.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10959.jpg

Some of the hammerite got knocked off them during fitting because me and lee were being clumsy but meh, i might touch them up but might not bother haha! Spent ages trying to persuade the knackered one in and in the end just gave up and bought a new one and job done :thumb:

[andy_017]

Then onto the second disaster of the weekend :roll:

Went to fit my nice shiny new coilovers to the nova and just my luck GAZ have sent me out the wrong top mounts which dont have a chance of fitting on the car! I know that to get full adjustment you have to have about 3mm machined off the topmount so that you can use opposite holes on the mount, but the actual holes on the topmount GAZ have supplied are too far apart! Upon measuring from dead centre off opposite holes on the topmount they are 120mm apart wereas the nova strut top holes (from dead centre) are 110mm apart so they no were near line up :cry: Looks like a phone call to GAZ is on the cards tommorow and see if they will change them for me, no idea what the topmounts are supposed to be for! I did wonder though as they sent them out with 3 bolts and i thought that was odd!

After that little problem i then thought that i would move on to trying to fit the rears, dreading this as i thought clearance would be an apbsolute nightmare after the luck i have had with the front, me and lee offered them up and this was the end result!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10980.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10981.jpg

Clearance on the arch and the tyre is looking good: The edge looks jagged on the above pics but its sharpie pen that i've not cleaned off yet, i've done quite a neat job if i do say so myself!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10968-1.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10966-1.jpg

And then a couple with the wheel on the car, (that isnt the actual ride height with them on, the car is still jacked up in the air in these pictures):

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10964.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10965.jpg

Had to trim the rear arch lips slightly when i lowered the car down off the jack. In typical nova fashion, one side had quite a lot of clearance and the other side had bugger all, so just carefully masked up the arch and drew on with a sharpie were to trim too and very carefully shaved a bit off, then resealed the bare metal with hammerite for now! I need to go back into one of the arches though as i found some rust :eek: Arch to tyre clearance is quite adequate now though!

Also this weekend made up a cardboard template for a scuttle cover for the car, (cheers Graham for letting me draw around yours), so updates will follow shortly on that :thumb:

Big thanks to Lee H this weekend as we have spent a couple of late nights on the car and he's been a massiv help, cheers bud :cool:

Thats it for updates now folks, enjoy!

[nova josh]

i love mk1's but mainly this one its one of the best i have seen mate, keep upthe good work

[andy_017]

Cheers nova josh :)

[scott.parker]

You will normally find on the inner arch that there much closer when the rear beam is dropped, i hammered my old nova arches to clear this (not realising it would decrease as i lowered it back down) and thats when i found how rusty my inner arches were! lol
Looks good though mate, them top mounts look like there for a mk1/2 escort having 3 bolts, i did see that in the previous post but didn't comment on it.

Keep the pics coming though mate, good work.

Scott

[Edd]

quality project thread,

keep it up.

Edd.

[andy_017]

Scott - cheers dude,thankfully no arch bashing was required,I wondered too but thought meh it'll be right,but no haha!

Edd - cheers buddy !

[scott.parker]

See here Escorts have 3 bolt fixing's.

http://www.mcmotorsport.co.uk/topmounts_1.htm

Scott

[Benn]

Wheel colour looks awesome to the red of the car/arches.

[andy_017]

Oh dear looks like I've got mk1 escort top mounts then! Tried ringing GAZ and they're closed,will have to wait till new year now!

Benn - thanks mate,don't know how the wheels will look against the bumpers though as they are quite a different colour,I need to get the car up on the street and have a good nosy as I've only got a very narrow drive so can't get a good side profile view etc!

[Benn]

Would the colour be to light for the bumpers?

[andy_017]

I think maybe too dark if anything,they might look ok though but the bumpers seem to have gone sort of yellowy colour,maybe because they're so old! Could probably do with the wheels being silver but I really like the colour they are atm!

[dj_wudgey]

looking good matey get some pics up when youve got them bumpers on matey!!

[andy_017]

Cheers wudgey,not sure when they're going on yet dude but as soon as they do I'll get pictures up ;)

[vaughanmc]

Any pictures of your digidash working mate ? How did you get it to go in with little/no modifications ?

[andy_017]

Ive no got any of it working at the minute but hopefully I'll have some soon as hoping to try and start the car shortly once I've sorted the wiring,I'll post some up when I do!

It was a bit of a tight squeeze but with a little persuasion it goes in fine,you just have to be careful not to be to forceful with it!

Just in the middle of sorting out a scuttle cover aswell,pics to follow soon ;)

[vaughanmc]

Don't know when I'm going to be putting mine in, hopefully soon

Came out of a Nova anyway so hopefully not be as bad

One forsale on Pistonheads with all the wiring but a bulb out for £100

[andy_017]

You'll be fine dude,just be gentle with it and £100 sounds dear imo !

[vaughanmc]

Will be mate :thumb: I paid £40 for mine with all the plugs and all bulbs working :)

Yours a 16v or 8v one ?

[Lee H]

Good luck fitting a digidash in a mk1 dash if thats what you are planning Vaughan.

[vaughanmc]

Nahh it's going into the Mk2 Nova :)

[andy_017]

As lee said dude I think you would have a job
fittting it into a mk1 dash!

Also don't try fitting a 2.0 16v into a mk1 mr2,what do you say lee ;)

[Lee H]

Agree totally, might sell it and buy a LET for the Corsa instead!!

[Rickardo]

Do you mean a Redtop Turbo Lee?? :)

[Joe Richardson]

Agree totally, might sell it and buy a LET for the Corsa instead!!

sounds like a plan that mate,more power for everyday use :thumb:

[John]

I love the "look" of this car, perfect!

[vaughanmc]

I love the "look" of this car, perfect!

:thumb:

[Lee H]

Do you mean a Redtop Turbo Lee?? :)

Sorry, my bad lol

[andy_017]

I love the "look" of this car, perfect!
Cheers for the kind words there John!

vaughanmc - I'm not sure Vaughan but it has a curved rev counter, not the tick :confused:

Lee - Does sound like a good plan dude, but how about we get the MR2 finished and then turbo the corsa :cool: Trackday and everyday turbo fun then!

LMAO @ turbo red top! lol

[andy_017]

Well theres good and bad news on the update this weekend:

First of all the good news is that after a trip to the local motorfactors on saturday morning to get antifreeze, transmission fluid etc etc and sorting the last little bits of wiring on the car, the old girl fired into life wooooooooo! Thanks to Lee H for the advice of actually plugging in the switch live mwahaha! 'Maybe thats why it wont start' but all was good, only left it running for about 5 seconds though as theres no exhaust on the car and it was quite late last night!

Now onto the bad news, i put a jerry can full of petrol into the car first of all, at this point the car wouldnt start (hadnt yet plugged in the dwitch live), so it was suggested to me to try putting a bit more fuel into the car, so off to the petrol station, another full jerry can into the car, looks under the car and oh joy of joys, drip drip drip of fuel! So upon further investigation the fuel seemed to be coming from underneath one of the tank straps, really not happy at this point but whipped the tank of this evening to try and find the offending hole and after some screw driver poking found this:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11007.jpg

The tank is one i havent used before and i scrapped my old tank on my mk2, a**e, so a trip to see sparkie off here, cheers fella, and i have this:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11008.jpg

Only sanded it down and put one coat of matt black on and then ran out so i'll get some tommorow and finish painting it tommorow night, so for tonight i've left the car up in the air with no tank on for now!

Now onto more of the weekends mincing, this arrived in the post a couple of days ago,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10999.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10998.jpg

I also bought a distribution block from the local motorfactors so the battery will be going into the boot quite shortly, as soon as i've sorted out the tank!

Also a job i've really wanting to do for ages was to make up a scuttle cover for my car to hide all the s***e in the scuttle, so cheers to Lee for lending me his cardboard template,

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10984.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10985.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10986.jpg

Only needed a little bit of trimming to suit my car, and then after a trip to Rickardo's house, he cut out the template for me! Cheers pal. My engine bay is now looking like this:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11001.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11002.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11004.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11005.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11006.jpg

Its a really good fit and doesnt require any screwing in or brackets or anything, i've got some edging coming off ebay, so the plan is to offer it upto the car with the edging on when it arrives to check that the fit is still ok and then send it off to have it powdercoated black and job should be a goodun! Really impressed with how this has come out, cheers Lee and Rick!

And lastly a couple of sneaky pics of the ride height at the rear of the car with the car down on the floor, i dont know whether it will be a bit low at this height but the only real way to find out is too drive it i suppose!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10989.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10992.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC10995.jpg

Ignore the dodgy pink and red paint, its because the light in the garage is utter pap and so the flash on the camera seems to make red cars look weird colours!

Thats it for now anyway, ringing GAZ in the morning to see if i can sort out my wrong topmounts, updates to follow!

[nova josh]

gutted about the tank but not the end of the world keep up the work on this great car.

[andy_017]

I'll try josh,it is a shame about the tank but meh these things happen!

[Riggy]

top stuff andy , not long now :thumb:

[Benn]

Looks good that low.

[RJM25R]

Nice work. Lets hope the snow stops coming down or you'll never get it up the driveway!!!!

[andy_017]

Cheers riggy,it's getting somewere now hehe!

Cheers benn that's what I thought!

I know rick tell me about it,I'm scared of putting my daily on the drive for that reason!

[Riggy]

I know rick tell me about it,I'm scared of putting my daily on the drive for that reason!


haha , ive been driving lou's punto all weekend as its one of the only cars that can get off the street haha , golf has no chance

and your drive is about 5 times worse then the hill from our street , youd never get out haha

[Nova_Tek]

Great work mate, looking real good.

[andy_017]

Cheers nova tek

riggy - my drive is like mount everest of drives!

Finished painting the new fuel tank tonight and swapped the anti syphon thing into the new tank so will get that fitted now soon as! Also spoke to GAZ today and they are going to send me out the correct topmounts as soon as they get some in :)

[Rickardo]

Andy, the car is looking the dog's danglies..

:thumb:

[andy_017]

Mince update time, after the disaster of having a hole in my fuel tank i sourced a new one and eventually got around to fitting this eves, i've done this too mny times now as the tank was on in about 15 minutes which is a personl best for me :thumb:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11010.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11012.jpg

Gave it some matt blackage (always a safe option),

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11015.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11014.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11017.jpg

And then got around to fitting it, now realised i also need to paint the tank straps as they look gash!

Also discovered the other day that one rear inner arch needed a bit of reworking because the coilover was ever so slightly catching on it so out came the hammer, i then zince primered the hammered areas and re hammerited, i dont think you can even tell that i've only repainted a certain bit.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11026.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11025.jpg

Also picked these up the other day but never posted some pictures up, may change the look of the car but may not, who knows! What are peoples opinions keep it as is or fit the front and back gte bumper? They will be hurricane grey btw when fitted.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11024.jpg

Also got these so got plenty to do tommorow, updates to follow tommorow!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11022.jpg

This arrived today aswell for my scuttle cover, so I need to try and get some time tommorow to get the edging onto the cover and then offer it upto the car and see if it changes how it sits slightly which i think it will do, and then once thats done i've found a place local to me that will powdercoat my scuttle cover and my plug cover for a fiver, so they'll be getting dropped off next week.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/SDC11023.jpg

Thats all for tonight, cheers for having a read :thumb:

[scott.parker]

No to GTE bumpers.

[Plug]

/\ agree skinny bumpers ftw :thumb:

[John]

skinny bumpers x3!

[vaughanmc]

Early Mk1 bumpers x4 - But I'm biased :)

[Edd]

Gte bumpers in gray imo

[Lee H]

GTE bumpers. You have to fit skirts remember.

[Nick J]

Imo Id go for the gte bumpers but I wouldnt fit skirts. But I am a little biased as I prefer all novas without skirts. The bumpers can be easily swapped and changed but skirts whether you bond or drill and self tap them will be something you cant change back in half an hour.

Nick.

[andy_017]

Hhhmmmm seems to be that skinny bumpers are what people prefer then,I suppose I'll have to wait and see when the cars on the road and maybe have them painted anyway and trial fit them and see which look I prefer,tbh I think I like the thought of the gte bumpers in grey though :)

[sparkie1401]

i really like this car, GTE bumpers in grey imo will look great with the bright red colour (colour coded would still look good)

chat to mr south for a photo shop thingy

ive seen that petrol tank before,hhmmmmmmmmm cant think where though lol

[Joe Richardson]

looking really good :thumb:

I think i would have to go with the GTE bumpers Andy:)

[scott.parker]

Hhhmmmm seems to be that skinny bumpers are what people prefer then,I suppose I'll have to wait and see when the cars on the road and maybe have them painted anyway and trial fit them and see which look I prefer,tbh I think I like the thought of the gte bumpers in grey though :)

Only one thing, it will then look just like Karl Rowntree's, hence i say keep it skinny mk1

[Graeme]

Only one thing, it will then look just like Karl Rowntree's, hence i say keep it skinny mk1

Surely that isn't a bad thing

[scott.parker]

IMO yes, as everyone will say oh is this his old car, or did you copy the style of his etc etc, just think it looks fine with normal bumpers.

[andy_017]

IMO yes, as everyone will say oh is this his old car, or did you copy the style of his etc etc, just think it looks fine with normal bumpers.

I know what you mean Scott because with the bumpers it would then look very very similar to Karls car but imo I don't think that's a bad thing really as Karls car is one nice looking nova :cool:

[scott.parker]

Yeah his car is very nice etc, but I still get people saying, oh so you bought Chris's old car, as it was only the rolling shell i got, all other parts are mine etc, sometimes wish i had resprayed it to get away from looking like his old car (didn't help when i bought MO's lol)

[nova josh]

keep it mk1 no gte bumpers :)

[novaload1992]

really good, IMO GTE bumpers

[Riggy]

i think it would look top with the gte bumpers mate , also skirts lol

[andy_017]

I'm thinking that gte bumpers and fitting the skirts is definitly going to be the way to go with it,I'll just be a bit scared about drilling holes in the side of the car to fit the sideskirt clips :(

[scott.parker]

I would rather clean bounding off then have to get rid of rust from holes drilled.

[andy_017]

Would you recommend bonding them on then Scott?

[craig green]

The bumpers can be easily swapped and changed but skirts whether you bond or drill and self tap them will be something you cant change back in half an hour.

Nick.

I've got visions of you in a lay-by 2 miles from Billing, removing side skirts. :d

[MattBrown]

IMO you need the smaller bumper and grille!

Then you need to pm me a price for both gte bumpers and gte grille lol lol lol

[andy_017]

I've got visions of you in a lay-by 2 miles from Billing, removing side skirts. :d

Is that when I decide that I don't like them two minutes from billing haha:tard:

[andy_017]

Little bit of an update this evening, i was hoping to get quite a lot done on the car this weekend but it was mainly taken up by prepping and painting the bumpers. Which took a lot longer than i thought!

First off take a front and rear gte bumper in quite good condition, cheers dj wudgey, and also an sr front grill, all in desperate need of a good lick of paint though!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0476.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0479.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0478.jpg

I have a mate that works in a bodyshop so me and him set about painting them this weekend, i was talking to him about the finish that i wanted on the bumpers and i was wanting to get them as close to the standard gm grey/blue colour as possible really, so after talking to my mate and his boss we decided that using a product similar to the upol mid grey paint would get us the finished result that we were after so we managed to find something at a local paint shop that would do the trick, at £15 a tin they werent cheap but i thought i better get three to be on the safe side and not run out of paint halfway through painting them. I did want to get rid of the dimply finish that the bumpers have from the factory so we used something called a DA which is like a small orbital sander sort of thing that takes away the dimply surface and makes the surface smooth, we then had to use wet and dry 400 to get into the bits we couldnt with the DA to get the rest of the bumpers totally smooth. We then plastic primed and then after this had dried we used quite a few layers of quite thick primer and left this to dry overnight.


http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0481.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0483.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0484.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0496.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0497.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0494.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0495.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0485.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c205/andy_017/IMG_0500.jpg

Once they were all in primer like this we could see that the whole days worth of prep was well worth it as we had managed to get rid of any small blemishes in the paint on the bumpers and had also managed to get them quite smooth so i was more than haappy at the end of the day on saturday.

[vaughanmc]

You going for the GTE style then ? :)

[The Simps]

You gonna keep the valances in black?