Ollie's 1.2 Mk1 Sting to 16xe nurburgring weapon! ....... Hopefully

[OllieKing]

Been Poking around with the nova for some time. It was my first car and iv had it for about 4 years now. Learnt a lot so far however the time has come to build my Beast. Looking at either a X16xe of C16xe powerhouse and a stripped out interior and a few other goodies along the way! This is the story so far!

[calibra-keith]

sounds similar to what im doing with 16xe, get some pictures up of car, have you made a start yet or any of the parts your fitting ?

[OllieKing]

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/DSC00289.jpg

This is the start, A 1.2 Nova Sting given to me by my granddad. It had only ever seen 20,000 miles and lived its life in a garage pottering to church and back.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/DSCF1939.jpg

Only being 16 and stupid at the time I opted for the usual Halfords alloys shiny stereo and a lovely set of black and blue car mats! I cleaned up the paint work and a few small spots of rust. Looking back at it I cant believe how mint it was

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/DSCF1955.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/DSCF2032.jpg

A good helping of under seal was very wise in hindsight

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/DSCF2074.jpg

Just to Prove the millage and this was in late 2007!!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/DSCF2062.jpg

The 4x4 stance was no fun around the corners!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/DSCF2079.jpg

My pride and joy, the black and blue car mats. Winner!

[OllieKing]

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/DSCF2058.jpg

The standard 1.2, still runs perfectly to this day and has never missed a beat, im going to miss it when its gone, all 49 bhp and 52 nm's of GM's finest

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/DSCF2014.jpg

I later purchased this little beauty for the grand sum of ?150, although it may appear to be a shed it did in fact make me a nice penny or too breaking it for parts. I kept the exhaust and rear lights, lowered suspension and a few other useful spares.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/361bd733.jpg

Finally said goodbye to the soft cushion like 4x4 stance I grew to love although the understeer was not missed!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/aaeb5fad.jpg

The Arches were filled to the max! cool at the time.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/6c3ac34d.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/77025dbf.jpg

Ditched the 2nd hand lowered mcphearsons struts and opted for budget FK automotive ebay specials. Turns out you get what you pay for. Did the trick and handled well although the ride was horrible and I soon destroyed my top mounts.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/33dd6e9d.jpg

The next purchase was a set of 2ltr brakes from (Novarally), After a complete overhaul and a lick of go faster red they were ready!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/cd0e9500.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/2d8bfce4.jpg

Mintex pads and discs, recommended!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/dda432e7.jpg

Couldn't believe the size difference, defiantly a worthwhile mod.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/c6bc5ee6.jpg

Note: coil overs didn't stay mint for long!

[OllieKing]

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/2167e1c1.jpg

My next purchase was a set of Cavilier CDX Alloy wheels and almost new tyres :cool: , I set to work refurbishing the wheels and went for white on white because im cool.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/712f0def.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/d38f2ed8.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/7683ab20.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/e5c90267.jpg

Wheels stopped the rubbing on the arches and made the car better to drive reducing the inertia and the car was much more keen to turn in to the corners.:thumb:

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/91a695d0.jpg

Car Stayed this way for a while whilst at uni studying motor sport engineering

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/c9b8f3ed.jpg

A couple of the other lads cars on the course, I may be bias however I think the Nova looks best lol

[OllieKing]

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/13c219a4.jpg

Drivers pannel was rotting so I brought a solid (ish) pannel of here ?20 and set to work with the refurbishment over easter (2011).

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/972f5aa0.jpg

Rattle cans seemed to do the trick!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/a8cbfdd9.jpg

Not sure about the colour match, think its because one was clean and the other wasn't.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/785d8d7a.jpg

Ok so 2nd year of Uni is finished and exams are done, bagged a 12 month placement with Vauxhall to as a crash test engineer at Millbrook :thumb: The plan is to slowly build my track car/ Daily runner. Bonkers i know but ill just have to substitute comfort for speed. Anyway now that im not a poor student I can start spending some money on the old girl! Picked up some Bilstein B12's. Dead happy with them, decided against coil overs and I want to road rally the car and adjustable suspension is not allowed.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/785d8d7a.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/fcc4814d.jpg

Built up the suspension but forgot the bearings :(

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/2f51d09e.jpg

Also tidied up the engine bay!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/9d08610d.jpg

Brought a rear strut brace and sprayed it up matt Black, Looks mint with a little OMP sticker on the side.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/910cd6c3.jpg

Purchased a front upper strut brace from Rally Design, defiantly the cheapest by far!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/36acb1ef.jpg

Refurbished GTE servo to replace the poor excuse of the 1.2 one!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/e3e83b54.jpg

Anti roll bars purchased from (Novarally) should do the trick. Cleaned up well and then sprayed with anti rust zinc primer and then Hammerite smooth silver.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/c72a77c0.jpg

Had a play with some harnesses i purchased from the bay ?27 bargain! haven't put them in yet as im waiting for a pair of bucket seats to go out of date from my mates rally car

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/86de08c9.jpg

Pulled apart the front end to clear the rust, wire wheel on a grinder does the job! Hopefully have it all in primer by tomorrow.

[peester]

good work chap

[vauxluva]

Nice build mate.

[Rickyb]

im loving this its a cracking little car :thumb:

[OllieKing]

Update of the last couple of days work. First off got the anti roll bars on, look the business!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/78507571.jpg

Then whilst removing more rust I found a couple of holes around the front strut.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/751f1d86.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/4b88459e.jpg

Not soo good. First job was to completely strip back the area and then treat with rust eater. I made a couple of plates up using the old wing and then welded them on and then seam welded where I could.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/e82c3944.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/bc4f6be0.jpg

Should do the job!!

Next up I took the grinder to the doors and cut all the rot out and treated. I then domed the metal around the holes with a hammer ready for some p40

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/aa473c0e.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/83d32320.jpg

P40 is the bees knees. P38 on top should give me a smooth finish :)

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/d8a11bb0.jpg

Whilst the battery was out I sprayed up the fixings.

[OllieKing]

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/d62c8727.jpg

Pic of the rear strut brace, also have all of the front end in zinc primer and primer and P38 over all the fibreglass on the doors. Will post pics tomorrow with hopefully all the doors smoothed and primed, the wing back on and the engine bay tidied up :)

[Iain]

Nice work. Don't think those topmounts are supposed to work like that with the spring seat though. Also better off in the long run replacing the doors instead of fibreglassing like that?

[OllieKing]

Nice work. Don't think those topmounts are supposed to work like that with the spring seat though. Also better off in the long run replacing the doors instead of fibreglassing like that?

I realised after building them up something wasn't right I had to order a couple of other bits before I put them on the car also have a set of dust covers coming. Ill post a pic tomorrow of the correct assembly it think, would be good to get a second opinion. Also I looked at replacing the door but struggled to find a mint set. Im hoping the repair will hold up for at least a couple of years as it doesn't have to be perfect. Ill probably look in to investing in a pair of fibreglass doors when the times right.

Cheers for the feedback

[calibra-keith]

Ill probably look in to investing in a pair of fibreglass doors when the times right.


i would :thumb:

[GeorgePayne92]

coming on nicely bud!!

let me know if your selling any parts when you come to strip it (Y)

[OllieKing]

Quick update.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/ad8be189.jpg

This is my revised suspension setup, also changed from eccentric to concentric top mounts as I decided against cutting my strut tops up for the time being.


http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/39573b6b.jpg

Pic to show the bearings and the spacer plate. Still waiting on my dust covers.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/d6dd83b6.jpg

Door being prepped prior to spraying. Looks good to me and was a lot less hassle than fitting and spraying a whole new door, cheaper too! should be interesting to see how long it lasts.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/Olliekingnova/837feef2.jpg

Finally all back together, primed and ready for its MOT, Just waiting for my motor sport horns LOL as the old one was shot!

Cant wait to get the paint on now! also looking to refurbish the bumpers and rear arches and under seal everywhere again!