1987 Nova Merit

[muzzy]

Here is my new car, it is a 1987 Merit. It has 47,000 miles from new but has been off the road for about 2 years. It was my friends car but he has since got a new Nova so this one was going spare!

I don't have any specific plans at the moment but it will be built to compete in the Scottish sprint & hillclimb championships therefore will have a 1400 or 1600 engine so needs to be light, handle well and accelerate quickly.

Currently has a welded in cage, seam welded engine bay and that's about it!

First off is to clean the shell right down underneath to bare metal and stitch weld the whole shell for strength then get it painted underneath and the inner arches etc.

Here's how it looked before coming off the road:

http://i46.tinypic.com/2n7ox6s.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/bfhpv6.jpg
http://i47.tinypic.com/2q3n7ty.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/288z7nq.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/54ek50.jpg
http://i48.tinypic.com/2e4gn82.jpg

Here's how the car looks at present:

http://i50.tinypic.com/2cn9k3p.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/2ciitrc.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/213n03o.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/23ixdhh.jpg

[Rickyb]

looks a good project.

[vaughanmc]

Should be a good one, lets hope you get it done :)

[muzzy]

I have wanted this shell for quite a while as it does not need any patching etc, the only welding it needs is to strengthen the chassis up.

Wish i could have kept my last shell but with moving house etc it just wasn't possible at the time.

[connor c]

thats a tasty looking project keep it up

[vaughanmc]

Should be good to see one taking shape that needs no repair work :)

[muzzy]

Need to arrange transporting it to my place to start work but at the moment there is another Nova in for a conversion so need to get that over and done with first. Really want to get on with it lol

[Vauxhall-Scotland]

Nice plans :thumb: lets hope you stick to them :p

[Nova_Tek]

Looks like you've got fairly stuck in already mate. Keep it up. Should look very nice when done.

:thumb:

[muzzy]

The way the car currently stands was a mixture of work between me and my mate (previous owner)

[novaload1992]

looks promising

[stark]

Looks good Muzzy - good to see you've got another Nova again!

[muzzy]

Looks good Muzzy - good to see you've got another Nova again!

Can't keep away lol

[muzzy]

Got a couple of new bits for the Nova

Cavalier GSi brakes

http://i45.tinypic.com/2epsg0h.jpg

Cavalier internal gear shift

http://i47.tinypic.com/rwngr4.jpg

Also removed this...

http://i50.tinypic.com/2dtd3e1.jpg

From this...

http://i46.tinypic.com/20033g9.jpg

To go into this...

http://i47.tinypic.com/2j2f8eu.jpg

[Vauxhall-Scotland]

Finished yet? :p

[muzzy]

No not yet lol

[Vauxhall-Scotland]

Slacker :roll: lol

[muzzy]

Got the Nova back to my shed tonight, looks a lot worse than I remembered, it was previously vandalised and I never noticed the cock on the rear quarter. It definitely got some interesting looks on the back of the recovery truck lol

First job is to clean all the crap off it so its at least clean to work on then start the tedious job of removing underseal and sorting a few bits and pieces of welding, the shell will then be completely stitch welded.

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/PICT0013.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/PICT0014.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/PICT0016.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/PICT0017.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/PICT0018.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/PICT0019.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/PICT0020.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/PICT0022.jpg

Quality of the picture's isn't fantastic as I'm crap with a camera and it was dark.

[vaughanmc]

Nice to see you've got it now mate :) Get cracking!! :thumb:

PS - Sell me the snowplough

[muzzy]

Yeah will be getting on with it asap, all the cleaning will be done first. Snowplough is staying for now ;)

[vaughanmc]

1st dibs if you come to sell it then mate ? :)

[muzzy]

Yeah will let you know if it ever goes :)

[dj_wudgey]

not suprised it got some dodgy looks mate good project though dude!

[muzzy]

Cheers!

The main thing is that the car is pretty free of any rust etc, its had a few bits and pieces welded up (by me) about a year and a half ago but has since just sat in a shed.

[Vauxhall-Scotland]

I bet sues mums well impressed with all them cars in her garden lol

[muzzy]

I bet sues mums well impressed with all them cars in her garden lol

She didn't seem to mind until she saw it lol

[muzzy]

Did some bits and pieces to the Nova today....well I actually started stitch welding by running 3 welds and then welded in the rear strut brace. Started cleaning the crap out of the inside and cleaning the seam sealer from the roof etc

Engine bay

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0138.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0140.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0141.jpg

Crossmember strengthening

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0142.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0143.jpg

Powerflex ARB polybushes

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0144.jpg

Welded in rear strut brace

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0145.jpg

Boot floor

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0146.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0147.jpg

The pond

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0148.jpg

The mess that is the interior

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0149.jpg

[Vauxhall-Scotland]

Nice to see you getting fired in at last :thumb: Your camera skills are crap tho lol

[muzzy]

I've only just moved a step up from taking photos of my fingers lol

[Vauxhall-Scotland]

lol

[novalovingned]

Get all the ****e out of that shell mate and make a rolling stand to make a proper job of it lol Ive wanted that shell for a while now bud, would be good to see it finished :)

[muzzy]

Get all the ****e out of that shell mate and make a rolling stand to make a proper job of it lol Ive wanted that shell for a while now bud, would be good to see it finished :)

Its in the plans, i will be gutting it this week of all the general crap that's in it along with the brake system, fuel lines, fuel tank and steering. Every time I go near it I find something that is less work to do instead lol

[novalovingned]

Its in the plans, i will be gutting it this week of all the general crap that's in it along with the brake system, fuel lines, fuel tank and steering. Every time I go near it I find something that is less work to do instead lol


I know the feeling lol

[muzzy]

Did some work again on the Nova which consisted of more than just standing around smoking and looking at stuff.

Removed steering column, pedals etc

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0150.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0151.jpg

Found some rust which I knew about but I didn't know the full extent of the damage due to fibreglass lol. Easily sorted though.

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0152.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0153.jpg

Removed the suspension from both sides.

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0154.jpg

Stripped everything from the engine bay bar the fuel lines etc which are still to be removed from under the car and the tank.

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0155.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0156.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0157.jpg

Suspension with Powerflex bushes and hubs

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0158.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0158.jpg

Started cleaning one of the hubs up.

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0161.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0160.jpg

Finished stitch welding the passenger rear turret which also included some small fires to make things interesting. Will primer it up when I actually get some.

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0163.jpg

[Vauxhall-Scotland]

Progress :cool:

[vaughanmc]

Making a good start to it mate :)

[muzzy]

Cheers, wanting to make it a completely bare shell next week so I can tip it over and start the enjoyable task of stripping it back to the metal underneath :(

[novalovingned]

Cheers, wanting to make it a completely bare shell next week so I can tip it over and start the enjoyable task of stripping it back to the metal underneath :(


lol good luck, took me 3 or 4 days to strip the underseal off my underside. Gasket scrapper and a wire wheel will be your friends for a few days lol

[muzzy]

Need to go shopping for some wire wheels I think, really really can't wait to start on it :tard:

Also the fact I stripped out the interior completely was for your benefit lollol

[novalovingned]

Need to go shopping for some wire wheels I think, really really can't wait to start on it :tard:

Also the fact I stripped out the interior completely was for your benefit lollol


Cheers lol

You going pov spec fron end or sr/gte?

[muzzy]

Undecided yet, I think probably poverty spec as I already have the bumpers but I also think for looks it might be better with SR/GTE.

[muzzy]

Decided rather than make a new project thread that I would include my MK2 SR in this one as well. I plan to replace both sills and rear arches at the end of the summer and try and get the car as original SR spec as I can but with added extra such as the wheels, suspension, exhaust and some engine modifications.

When I picked the car up the paint wasn't the best and the ignition timing was retarded far too much so was very flat about 2000rpm and also had run on when switching the car off.

Pictures of the car sent by the previous owner

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/camerapics879.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/camerapics878.jpg

When I got the car back to Aberdeen I got the wife to T-cut it and polish it, I then waxed it afterwards. I also added Astra wheels as the previous ones had a bald tyre, fitted a Renault Laguna splitter and GM Mudflaps

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0055.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0056.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0057.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0058.jpg

I had my friends 2.0 8v Nova in for some work, he came to collect it so of course we had to do a photoshoot. At this point I had also lowered the rear end a bit more.

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0182.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0183.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0180.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0181.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0184.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0185.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0179.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0178.jpg
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/MacKenzieMotorsport/Photo0177.jpg

Next week I'm planning on doing some bits and pieces to the MK1 but also want to start cleaning up the inner arches on the MK2 so that I can paint them.

I am going to go to a local sign maker to see if they can help me out with the SR & 1.4 decals for the tailgate along with the vinyl for along the lower half of the car as I will be replacing that when I do the rear arches and sills.

[dj_wudgey]

both are looking good there mate!!