Mk1 road rally/autotest Nova

[mk1nova_rich]

Starting a project thread to give a bit of information about my Mk1 Nova :thumb:

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/mk1nova_rich/IMGP1158.jpg

I bought this car last April off a lad who did some welding on my previous 1993 1.2i Spin with the intention of tidying it up and progressively modifying it to use in club level motorsport events such as road rallying and autotesting. Then possibly some track days when cash allows.


I bought it for £500, which included a complete but non-running 20SEH with F16CR box, a set of 5 Astra GTE teardrops and various other Vauxhall parts. It was bought mainly for the shell as i had been able to inspect it closely on several occasions and is very good. The only bodywork been done so far is a section of the boot floor has had to be replaced.

As i am not a fan of big blocks or fuel injection and only being 19 the SEH came out for something a bit more suitable for my needs. I picked up a complete 13N with a close-ratio F10/5 and dropped this in on competition mounts.

[mk1nova_rich]

The shell is in good condition and has 74,000 on the clocks. As above the only repair done so far is a section of the boot floor. It has the inner wing mod done as well as some stitch-welding to the front end.

There are a few small areas which have started to go now: two small holes behind the rear bumper, a hole in the passenger side sill and a hole in the chassis rail behind the drivers side rear shock. The worst bit which i only discovered on Friday is a big hole along the chassis rail in the passenger side floorpan :( so these will be welded and coated before it hits the road.

Other than that the shell is solid with a few dents here and there and a few areas which could do with a sand down and paint. Fingers crossed it will be getting resprayed either late this year or next year :d

[connor c]

that shell aint to bad
the plans sound good i shall be awaiting progress

[mk1nova_rich]

someone in my Motor Club has some decent bucket seats and a sump guard waiting for me when i have the cash :)

[mk1nova_rich]

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/mk1nova_rich/IMGP1347.jpg


The car has received a fair amount of goodies in the handling department:

GTE tie bars with poly-bushed brackets
Plate-strengthened and poly-bushed TCAs (need sanding down and painting)
Spax/KW -60mm front legs

Complete rear poly bush kit
GTE rear ARB
-40mm springs

ATE calipers
256mm discs

Hopefully getting some braided hoses, decent rear shocks and knocking up some strut braces to finish off handling for now.

[mk1nova_rich]

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/mk1nova_rich/09052010001.jpg
http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/mk1nova_rich/09052010.jpg

Got these seats today in a swap for an F10 lol spent the afternoon cleaning them up and fitting them. Picture of them fitted below

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/mk1nova_rich/09052010003.jpg

[mk1nova_rich]

Bought some parts from boffer8 including this one-piece bumper and grille, gave it a quick clean up and mounted it on quick release pins

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/mk1nova_rich/25042010001.jpg

[mk1nova_rich]

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/mk1nova_rich/IMGP1966.jpg

This is how the car is standing now. Poked some more holes in front of the fuel tank/rear floorpan and a few other areas are a bit crusty. The beam, tank and exhaust etc have all been removed so i can clean down the whole rear underside, get it welded, prepped and undersealed.

Im hoping to give the rear beam and ARB a paint, and freshen the brakes up with new cylinders and shoes.

Getting a bit fed up of working on it, badly in need of some motivation to get it finished so i can use it. All comments and advice are welcome thanks.

[Angus Closier]

I thought after you posting in my thread I should have a look at yours! Really dont look bad mate, probs better than mine was! With only a bit of work it should be just how you want it! Id love to give you a hand with it but im a tad far away! If you need any motivation then just pm me and il send you pics of what im doing at the time! and give advice/inspiration!
Good work!

[mk1nova_rich]

cheers matey, should be getting some cheap bucket seats to go in for now and fit a sump guard and get engine running properly for now. I am building up a 1400 to go in later as fingers crossed i will be doing first event in September :d

[Angus Closier]

Sounds good to me. Whats the spec of the 1400 does it have to be standard or??? I should be getting rid of some seats now as I want somthing larger for me as im 6,3 and my sholders are over the top of sholder bolsters!!

[16v Nova Kev]

looking good.:)

[mk1nova_rich]

it will be a hydrid 1400 (1200 pistons in 1300 block) all balanced and ARP rod bolts, lightened flywheel, worked head and then a twin-choke Weber. Can't have more than two chokes as per regs so 40s or bike carbs aren't an option :(

[Angus Closier]

Ahh ok then....why a hybrid then? Is this for the high cr? twin choke sounds good.

[mk1nova_rich]

higher compression and apparently very torquey. no rush for it unless the current 1300 gives up the ghost plus the machine work will cost a bit

[Angus Closier]

What machine work needs doing? Is it the balancing and lightning of stuff?

[mk1nova_rich]

block needs overboring from 75mm to 77.8mm plus it may need a crank regrind and balancing. Then ideally some headwork too if funds allow but the main idea is to build a "cheap" car to use in clubman events and try and make it more competitive over time

[Angus Closier]

fair enough mate, plans sounds good to me. Good luck with the build and il check back soon!

[mk1nova_rich]

cheers, want to get it on road asap to enjoy it then crack on with engine. its all bits of nowt that need doing at minute and quite frankly im fed up

[mk1nova_rich]

got my bucket seats off Dan-F yesterday, they need a good clean and are slightly too small for me but will do till i can afford some better ones. They are mounted on Nova subframes so are very high. My head touches the roof :( so will have to come up with another method of mounting them (they are base mounted) if anyone has any ideas. I dont mind them being fixed in place. Will get pics up later this week for you to see what i mean.