Pogs tidy Nova trackcar.

[pog]

I'v been working on this car for a few months now and thought it was about time i started a project thread for it. I recently broke my Talbot Sunbeam for spares and was looking for a car i could use some of the old parts on and a car that you can buy more parts for straight off the shelf.

This is the Sunbeam before being completly stripped of all its parts.
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/6733/img2515d.jpg
By rwdpog (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/rwdpog) at 2012-02-10
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/4838/img2514m.jpg
By rwdpog (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/rwdpog) at 2012-02-10
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/3493/img2508t.jpg

Then i was on the look out for a Nova i wasn't looking to spend a fortune but i did want a non sunroof white Mk2 and after i bit of waiting one came up on Ebay that was already a 2.0xe. I drove over to have a look at it and although a bit rough round the edges (it had been sat for a year) it seemed solid with just a couple of minor plates to the floorpan and i think the rear arches have been replaced.

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/5992/img2461a.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/3981/img2463bb.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/710/img2464y.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/591/img2468jd.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/591/img2468jd.jpg



My plan was to sort out a few little problems and then get an MOT on it but as i looked around the car i found more and more things that just needed sorting out. The brakes were all seized on from being sat so long, the gear linkage didn't do anything it had so much play in it and the paintwork in the engine bay was a mess.

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/1893/img2487j.jpg

So after the car being in my garage for the grand total of about 3 hours i started stripping the front end down and removing anything i thought was cluttering up the appearance of the car like the mud flaps chav tax disc holder and chris astley window stickers.

When the car had been running to pull its self off the trailer i had noticed the engine seemed to be rocking a lot and the alternator pulley was touching the inner wing at times. Having taken a few bits off the front of the car i noticed the front engine mount had just about collapsed and the gearbox mount wasn't much better.

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4012/img2475za.jpg

With the entire engine bay stripped i made a start cleaning everything back to bare metal to make sure there wasn't any rust or filler hidden underneath the existing paint. The car was already fitted with a strengthening plate kit, some of which looks to have been welded by a professional but other plates although safe are quite messy and will need to be ground back a bit and re-seamsealed.

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/4663/img2477d.jpg

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1592/img2478lv.jpg

http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/6689/img2490wh.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3343/img2484e.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/444/img2493l.jpg

I'v got plenty more updates on the car to come, hope you guys like it.

[DuBsZ]

That sunbeam looked the dogs mate!
Good work on the nova so far, will be watching the thread mate! :)

[Edd]

Looks like your doing a proper job

Keep it up with pics as well :)

[sionrow]

i love that sunbeam cant belive that a guy not to far away from my house has one and his
one is so dull and boring i whant one know lol

[16v Nova Kev]

i would have kept the sumbeam.

[pog]

I'v still got the sunbeam shell at the minute but i was putting it together for years and kept coming across problems with it including three blown rotary engines. I decided that it was starting to cost too much money and couldn't see it being finished any time soon so i cut my losses.

Anyway back to the Nova heres some pictures of the engine bay coming along.

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/8741/img2525v.jpg

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/4568/img2526f.jpg

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/8877/img2527c.jpg

After the first few coats of primer i masked all the seams and applied a flexible seam sealer, this stuff is pretty hard to apply neatly but i'm fairly happy with the result.

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1741/img2540a.jpg

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/4493/img2542na.jpg

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5934/img2543v.jpg

In some of these photos you can probably just make out the round imprint of the alternator pulley that was cutting into the metal, also the clutch cable fixing in the bulkhead has been cut off at an angle. I don't get why people bother doing this it seems much easier to just bend it with a piece of round bar, and the result looks better and the cable seats better as well.

While i was sorting the engine bay out i have been buying up a few more bits ready for the rebuild, i got a set of AT power throttle bodies a BTB exhaust manifold and a set of newman cams that were in the for sale section on here. I think this is going to make a great improvement in power and really simplifies the look of the engine bay. So heres a picture of the engine bay all painted up and the new parts test fitted onto the engine.

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1347/img2548e.jpg

Dodgy engine mount still on at the minute but will be replaced during final assembly.

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/3811/img2549f.jpg

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/8537/img2550nj.jpg

I wasn't that familiar with these BTB exhausts but looking at it next to the manifold that was on the car i can see its going to flow so much better. You can see on the original manifold the restriction where the two pipes join together and also the actual diameter of the pipe is quite small.

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/4189/img2545yu.jpg

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/6079/img2544fn.jpg

What suprised me the most is that the BTB manifold follows the engine more closely and actually seems to take up less space, although looking at the flat spot on the bottom of the manifold i'm guessing its got a bit intimate with the road in the past.

My next job for sorting the engine bay out was the cam cover it had been painted with some really thick hammerite which had stated to peel off in places. So i took it off paint stripped the worst of it off then had it sand blasted. I had seen a few XE's running without cam belt covers and although i realise this does increase the risk of damage i decided i would get rid of it and later fit a sump guard to stop debris entering the engine bay. Its quite an easy job and creates a lot more room on the left hand side of the engine.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/6276/img2551qs.jpg

With the cam cover and plug cover completly stripped they just needed a repaint, i decided to do the cam cover in a crinkle black finish and the plug cover red. Unfortunatly the black reacted and i had to strip it again. This picture was taken after a trip to QED (quorn engine developments) i picked up a set of vernier pulleys a new cam belt and main crank pulley bolt. The belt was not very old but i like to change them anyway as its not expensive to safeguard it from breaking, i replaced the crank pulley bolt because i couldn't move the original so just cut it off in the end.

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/3315/img2586hl.jpg

http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/1676/img2585m.jpg

I'v just about hit my limit of pictures i can use in one go but more updates to follow soon.

[peester]

cool, good work - choice mods. Big fan of sunbeams.

[Nova_Tek]

Mint Nova, a good basis to start on seeing as it only needs some minor attention.

[pog]

Cheers mate,

Just a quick question for anyone checking out this thread does anyone make a fibreglass boot which can be mounted with original hinges and latch and also has a round lock hole above the number plate cut out. We fitted one to my mates car (Rob-77) years ago but i can only find the hatch with the big number plate cut out and no lock hole.

[shed-on-wheels]

ooooo i likey :)

[novarally]

i would have kept the sumbeam.

Damn right, loads more fun than a Nova.

[16v Nova Kev]

aye for sure i would have put the 16v in that.

[pog]

Does anyone on the forum like the Vauxhall Nova i mean you can buy a Sunbeam or a Starlet for not much money if you want one. I'v still got an RX-7 for some RWD rotary fun.

The next thing i wanted to do on the Nova was to sort out the braking system the current setup was not bad once it was unseized but i prefer a setup without a servo in a lightweight car so started looking for pedal boxes. I ordered a floor mounted pedal box from OBP, but when i tryed it in the car it mounted a long way back and made it difficult to reach the steering and gear lever. I rang them up and was told they thought they had sent me the wrong one which was fair enough, but when i asked about swapping it i was told that i could swap it for a Ford Puma one instead. I don't know why i would'nt want to just swap for the correct Nova one. Anyway i thought rather than paying for three lots of postage i would just send it back and use a Tilton top mount setup i had. Its going to take more work but i think the end result will be better.

It seems a shame to cut it but the pedal box needs to sit in the old battery tray so first i drilled out the spot welds for the securing bracket.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/5295/img2618r.jpg

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http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/3893/img2622.jpg

It took a lot of cutting and trimming to get the pedals in the right place because there is not a lot of room for them to fit past the steering columb. And also the metal it is mounted to is on a slight angle to help water drain more quickly.

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/8493/img2624of.jpg

I have started to make a box to enclose the pedal box and keep water out of the inside of the car but i still need to add a lot of reinforcement to the mounts on the inside to stop the pedal box from flexing under the strain of braking. You may have also noticed the setup is for a hydraulic clutch, this is something i'v got used to in my other cars and van and find the action nicer and more controllable than a cable. So i'm going to have to use an F18 hydraulic slave cylinder from a vectra inside the gearbox.

One of the other jobs i'v been sorting out is mounting the ECU and wiring it up, i'm not a big fan of wiring but i'm hoping to be able to figure it out on my own. The ECU is mounted behind the dash and allows the wiring harness to go straight into the engine bay as well as the laptop cables to be left inside the glove box.

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/3306/img2565g.jpg

[Balley]

Ohh, this is looking good. I like the manifolds :)

[pog]

For now i'v about had enough of fitting the pedal box so i'm going to finish that off later. One of the main issues with the car was that no gears could be selected because there was so much play in the gear stick and linkage, it had been messed about with because some rose joints had been fitted and also the spare nova linkage that came with it had been cut and shortened. The rose joints don't seem a bad idea but they kept popping off when they reached a certain angle.

I thought about going direct to box but the price for a quaife gear lever seems a bit high so instead went down to the local scrap yard and took the whole gear setup from a corsa B the linkage needed a tiny bit of adjustment but other than than was an easy fit.

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/1559/img2644t.jpg

And the gearstick just involved drilling out the spot welds on the transmission tunnel cover and the old gear gaitor mount and chucking them away and then cut a whole for the gear stick shaft to fit through. I now just need to weld a plate to mount the gear lever to and also tidy up some rough edges where i cut the hole into the engine bay. Giving the gear stick a test though the change seems much better than i was expecting i'v only driven one other Nova before but the gear change on it was so vague the difference between 1st and 3rd wasn't always obvious. To tighten it up just a bit more i think i will replace the two nylon bushes were it mounts to the rear gearbox mount with metal and then thats another job done.

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/1307/img2645qo.jpg

Then my Gaz shocks arrived i went for the basic coilover all round set ordered through Corby Motorsport. The service was excellent and they arrived a week early so highly recommended. I was planning on leaving the rear beam alone and just swapping the old shocks for the coilovers but it wasn't to be as one of the lower shock bolts snapped in half. I tryed to remove the rest of it in place but could'nt get it to shift so off came the beam.

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8233/img2639ij.jpg

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/9421/img2640tn.jpg

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/875/img2642gj.jpg

The bolt eventually came out using the oxyacetalene to warm it up but having gone to the effort of taking the beam off i thought i might as well strip it and have it powder coated and replace the worn out hand brake cable.

[gary_126]

If running rear coilovers its a good idea to "box" the lower mounts (ie the one you had to heat to remove the bolt from) As its now a load bearing point.

[pog]

Good call mate i think i might just grind off the original brackets and replace them with some new ones made from thicker metal.

[Iain]

Check out Martin Kelson's WIP he's just done this in a very neat way.

Never seen Gaz coilovers come with helper springs before, did you specify them yourself?

[John]

Very nice build! :)

[bighed]

Nice, good work, keep it up, and the pics

[novasportloon]

very smart nova will sound amazing once running :) carnt beat a set of throttle boddies

[Nobby]

Is this Andy Ash's old car? Its coming along though mate, that old gear linkage looked a right bodge lol thats the only thing with buying a car half done you have to spend time fixing peoples **** ups! Looking good though!

[pog]

I just ordered the standard Gaz shocks and they came with those springs, maybe they have changed them because of the spring contacting the body when its not under load.

And yes it is Andy Ash's old car, on the whole it seems pretty sound most of the things i wasn't happy with i planned on changing anyway so its all going quite smoothly at the minute.

[pog]

Cheers to Iain for pointing out Martin Kelson build thread i had a good look at how he had changed the lower shock mounts and then shamelessly copied them. I'v got to thank my dad for all the help he gave me on fabricating these and a few other parts as i don't have the skill to use a milling machine properly.

I was suprised how difficult it was to get the old mounts off because they are so hard to reach with a grinder. I don't have any build pics but basically it started a a piece of flat bar which was bent into a U section then both edges milled to allow movement on the shock and make it look a bit better and then a hole drilled in them. For now they are just tacked on as i wanted to refit the beam and make sure the shocks fitted as i have moved the brackets out a few millimetres to give the spring more clearance to the bodywork.

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/6416/copyofimg2727.jpg

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/3572/copyofimg2728.jpg

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/491/copyofimg2729.jpg

Now i'v checked it i'm going to weld on a captive nut and seam weld the brackets to the beam.

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/8846/copyofimg2730.jpg

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/8382/copyofimg2731.jpg

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1705/copyofimg2732t.jpg

The spring still just rubs the bodywork when fully extended but as soon as you raise the beam a couple of inches everything is perfect.

Another job i made a start on is the front lower arms i shotblasted both of them before fabricating a sheet of metal to box one of them in, i still need to do the other when i get chance.

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/8150/copyofimg2733.jpg

http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/1333/copyofimg2734.jpg

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Also gave the steering rack and a couple of other bits a quick shotblast but they will be finished off when they go to the powdercoaters.

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/3672/copyofimg2738.jpg

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/817/copyofimg2739.jpg

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/9022/copyofimg2740.jpg

[SimonTW]

I wouldn't send the rack housing to the powder coaters. There is a plastic bush in there that you can't remove. Mine melted whilst being coated and then I tried to butcher a rack housing to remove the bush but it didn't go very well.

[pog]

Thanks for letting me know about that steering rack bush, i'v just painted the casing myself now and sent all the other bits to powdercoat. I'v been doing a few jobs on the inside of the car recently but most of my time has been taken up with ordering and collecting new parts for the rebuild.

Spent a long time cleaning a couple of the wheels up inside and out they had the usual grease and dirt stuck to the inside of them but look nearly new now they've had a few coats of polish. Stacked them in the house with all the other bits.

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/6977/img2761u.jpg

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/5548/img2762qr.jpg

A couple of new headlamp clips, not very exciting but useful.

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3508/img2763kp.jpg

A new set of Wilwood four pots and 280mm plain vented discs.

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/3843/img2769p.jpg

Goodridge stainless hoses with stainless fittings as well.

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/9271/img2768a.jpg

Complete back axle rebuild set including stub axles, drums, slave cylinders, wheel bearings, brake shoes and springs/clips.

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/6553/img2770t.jpg

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4378/img2772o.jpg

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/6194/img2771ta.jpg

A couple of shiny bits for the engine including a stainless water pipe with no heater inlets/outlets, a breather and dipstick tube and silicone breather hose in black. I got them from TX autosport and although i'v not tryed fitting them yet the quality of the welds and the polished finish is brilliant and only took about three days to arrive.

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/2626/img2776a.jpg

Secondhand sparco steering wheel which is a bit worn but still a nice part.

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/4169/img2774kv.jpg

Engine mounts and top mounts finally arrived from compbrake after 3 months of waiting and a few phone calls. The top mounts are not the ones i asked for but have lost the will to try and deal with them anymore, and won't be buying anything from them again.

http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/7239/img2765w.jpg

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/6089/img2766k.jpg

My dad has made a start on machining some spacers to mount the top mounts to the gaz strut, the part supplied is on the left and the new one with lock nut on the right.

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/8347/img2767cj.jpg

[Iain]

Nice collection of parts! What's up with the topmounts?

[pog]

I asked for the fixed ones so i didn't need to modify the mounting point on the car.

[Mieran]

The fixed ones just have less amount of drilled holes so these can still be used the same

Btw, you will have over heating issues with that water rail

[pog]

I believe you are mistaken on both accounts the fixed concentric mount has the strut mounting hole directly in the centre and so is not adjustable whichever way it is mounted however the eccentric mounts shown above have the mounting hole off centre and adjust castor and camber as they are rotated to a different position.

And what information are you basing the fact that the car will have overheating problems, i know of many novas which have the heaters removed and the two pipes joined together to block them off or do you feel that it being made of metal will cause a problem. I would be interested to know your thoughts.

[Spudly]

Just a heads up on the solid mount kit, you may find you have to modify the drivers chassis leg one, as earlier you list the car as having a plating kit fitted, if its got the one around the mount point on the chassis leg the mount fouls it and you may find you have to remove a few mil off the inboard side of the mount as it either wont go on, or wont sit properly and leave the engine wonky in the bay and rubbing the chassis leg!



Everything else is looking sterling bud:thumb:

[pog]

Thanks for letting me know mate i was planning on just bolting them straight onto the engine, but now i will try test fitting them first i think your probably right about the front left engine mount as the welded on plate is quite thick.

[Spudly]

My mate had the same issue and had a right barney with the supplier, he didnt know it was the plate kit that caused the issue he thought the mounts were babba lol

[Mieran]

I believe you are mistaken on both accounts the fixed concentric mount has the strut mounting hole directly in the centre and so is not adjustable whichever way it is mounted however the eccentric mounts shown above have the mounting hole off centre and adjust castor and camber as they are rotated to a different position.

And what information are you basing the fact that the car will have overheating problems, i know of many novas which have the heaters removed and the two pipes joined together to block them off or do you feel that it being made of metal will cause a problem. I would be interested to know your thoughts.

I had the 2 rear exists looped on my LET and car over heated instantly, re-routed pipes so that one goes to side of the head and other to header tank and it worked.

[pog]

Thats fair enough if thats a problem you have found, i will see how things go but i believe that firstly the XE will be affected less due to heat build up in the head and also that this part is fitted to many rwd cars without problems. Are you sure you don't have a blockage in the waterways inside the head which is slowing waterflow around cylinders three and four.

[pog]

Finally got a load of bits back from the powdercoaters so thought it was about time to stick a few progress pictures up this is the rear beam which has had just about everything refurbished or replaced with new parts and i'm really happy with how it all went together.

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2839/img2819ju.jpg

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/959/img2821v.jpg

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3749/img2820bor.jpg

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http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/4337/img2823v.jpg

I had thought about going with a disc brake setup but it seems most people have come to the conclusion that it is overkill because of the lack of weight at the back of the car, so i thought a set of drums in good condition would be a better option. And just my personal opinion i think the drums look better when visable through the wheel spokes.

This is with the beam fitted back onto the car with the gaz coilovers, which lined up nicely with the new lower shock mounts.

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/4120/img2831hp.jpg

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/1786/img2832l.jpg

The tailgate is just in primer at the minute because i removed the GSI spoiler and carefully welded up the holes it left before filling and sanding it smooth, it needs a little more work before a top coat but its not looking too bad. I can't recommend U-pol paints highly enough in particular acid 8 and high build primers.

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/2082/img2830ic.jpg

I picked up a set of all red rear lights off here so i'v fitted them as well, i would like to pick up a set of red and white show plates for it as i think it will keep it looking nice and clean.

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/788/img2829t.jpg

More updates to come on the exhaust and front suspension once i get a new set of wheel bearings.

[Dervy]

omg i nearly cummed my pants when i saw that sunbeam, the nova is very nice but i would have kept the sunbeam, please tell me you didn`t scrap it

[pog]

No i'v still got it sat here up for sale after the usual timewaster turned up after winning it on ebay.

[Mike]

Good progress, but selling a rotary engined Sunbeam for a Neva is just plain silly IMO lol lol lol

[scorge01]

Looking really nice what sorta track work will you be doing with it? Looks far too clean to race :)

[pog]

I'm not really sure yet i would like to do some track days in it and don't live far from Donington so i would have to check out any events they have running. Me and a mate used to take his C20LET nova to Santa Pod a fair bit so might take it there as well. Its probably not going to be a regular thing as i would like to keep the car in good condition.

[scorge01]

Yeah thats what I thought, will it be going to billing or pvs?

[pog]

I would like to take it to some shows that are coming up soon but i'v still got some pretty big things to sort out mainly the engine management wiring and mounting the pedal box, so i guess i'll just have to see how long it all takes to do. I might have to use the RX-7 instead and come and have a look round at some other cars for a bit of motivation.

[Dervy]

how much have you got the sunbeam up for?

[scorge01]

You should defo try and get the nova there would really like to see it there wish mines would be ready but no chance :(

[scott.parker]

Ha nice to some one bothering with Ashies old car, he had that poor thing sat in his olds garage for a few years, i kept saying lets sort it out, hes had a mk3 Astra turbo and now onto a mk4 GSi turbo, Ive known him for years he lives in the same town a s me, glad to see the cars finally going to treated to some use and TLC.

Scott

[pog]

I was after a 1000 pounds for the sunbeam but it comes with a different set of alloy wheels and no seats and a few other bits are missing that i'v stolen for the nova. I can do a more accurate list of whats included if anyone was really interested.

Thanks for all the replies i'm really going to try and get it running for PV show at pod.

[pog]

Just a quick update on the Nova, i saw an early boot for sale on here and thought it would really improve the look of the back of the car so made a six hour round trip to fetch it. Thanks to Leggattr as he described it perfectly and just an all round helpful bloke.

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2457/img2835cb.jpg

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/3135/img2836grg.jpg

To get the clean look i was after i decided to carefully remove the badges and smooth the wiper and lock holes. I don't have any finished pictures of it yet but will post some up ASAP.

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/4113/img2837b.jpg

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/5404/img2838o.jpg

I also made a good start on assembly of the front end, a mate of mine got me a new set of wheel bearings so i pressed them and the hubs into the carriers and then started to re fit everything. Its just a test fit at the minute to check all the clearances as some of the powdercoat has needed to be filed down to allow things like the brakes to line up properly.

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/9585/img2840vc.jpg

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/1963/img2839s.jpg

And here it is sat back on all four wheels after a long wait.

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4789/img2841k.jpg

[SimonTW]

Coming along great!

[Iain]

Looks sweet mate, early tailgates rock.

As recently discussed in Spuds thread, might be worth bolting in a spare CV in to the hub if its sitting without shafts.

[peester]

looks the business. One of my fave builds thats going on. Would be amaizing to see it at PV.
So youve got rid of a f/g boot and going with this early o.e metal one in stead?
Did you ever use those compbrake top mount nuts - it looks like you had custom ones done in the end..?

[kevster]

This build is outstanding !!!! Top work there I have been trying to do my build for years , hope you pop over and have a little look at mine .

I will be keeping a close eye on this thred

[pog]

Thanks for all the comments guys, i had thought maybe it would be a good idea to bolt the CV joints in so i will get that done ASAP. I was trying to get hold of an early style boot made of fibreglass but i couldn't find one for sale so ended up going with the original metal one instead. I can't imagine there is a huge difference in weight and want to keep the panel gaps looking factory.

Got my dad to make up some new top mount spacers because the ones which come with the mounts don't seem to work with the gaz struts.

[pog]

Took some new pictures of a few jobs which i'v been busy sorting so thought i would add them to the thread. After the advice of not leaving the car sat without CV joints i got on with painting the hubs and disc centres and then bolting a CV joint in to hold everything together.

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/6984/novaupdate006.jpg

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/6668/novaupdate005.jpg

Up till now i had only cleaned the two back wheels and i could'nt put the front one back on as it was so gave it a good scrub with some degreaser and then a wash and polish, its got a few scuffs but it looks loads better than it did with a ton of CV grease all over it.

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/4026/novaupdate001.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2011/novaupdate003.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4245/novaupdate004.jpg

I needed somewhere to mount the fuel swirl pot but as i was trying to keep everything tidy and hidden there wasn't too many options the space above the bulkhead is going to be full with the pedal box and reservoir, battery, screen wash bottle and wiper mech. Eventually i realised it would just fit inside the rear quarter panel if i cut the mount on the bottom down slightly, so at the moment it looks like this and the fuel lines run inside the sill.

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/1559/novaupdate1003.jpg

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4526/novaupdate1002.jpg

Plate welded in to mount the corsa gear linkage, after a couple off minor tweaks to the linkage it all works spot on.

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/8588/novaupdate1007.jpg

The other big project on the go at the moment is mounting a corsa steering column and the pedal box at the minute i'v just tack welded together a rough frame work to start with once everything is definatly in the right place it will be fully welded and probably have a few more supports added.

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3230/novaupdate1004.jpg

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/3794/novaupdate1005.jpg


http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2015/novaupdate1006.jpg

[Iain]

Fuel lines in the sill sounds bad to me! But nice work on the rest of it, I want your brakes!

[Mike]

Fuel lines in the sill sounds bad to me! But nice work on the rest of it, I want your brakes!

This!

And (IMO) mounting a swirl pot there is a bit dangerous too :/

[pog]

What problems do you think i will find with them running through the sill, i was going to fit them under the car but i worry they will be damaged when the car goes over a speed bump, inside the sill just seems safe and out of the way.

[Mike]

What problems do you think i will find with them running through the sill, i was going to fit them under the car but i worry they will be damaged when the car goes over a speed bump, inside the sill just seems safe and out of the way.

You want fuel lines where you can see them! Run them down the trans tunnel & through the rear floor into the tank or under the car OEM style.

[Iain]

It getting crushed and splitting in an accident was my concern. Or rubbing through and you not being able to see it

[pog]

I will have a look into protecting the fuel lines further to stop them wearing through, but they are stainless woven lines so should'nt wear through like a standard rubber hose. I was told by the manufacturer not to run large lengths of it inside the car as it can give off fuel vapour and not smell very nice particularly when the windows will be fixed shut. With the swirl pot mounted in the rear quarter i can seal it in with some alloy sheet and then the vapour can escape through the vent in the passenger side B post. I can see what you mean about it being damaged in an accident and totally agree with you but at the same time you see a lot of cars with fuel tanks mounted right against the rear bumper and i have not heard of this being a problem in a crash, maybe i should consider a plumbed in fire extinguisher system to improve safety.

Racing mini.
http://www.conceptracing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/mini-tank-nics-car.jpg

Escort mk2.

http://www.prepfab.co.uk/images/bdamk2/bdamk27.jpg

[Mike]

Your decision at the end of the day I suppose, but Ive built enough competition cars to know never ever to run fuel lines in a sill like that :/ And you'll only get a bad fuel vapour smell on very hot days anyway, wont get it all the time.

[peester]

any updates, that sunbeam sell in the end?

[thedjse]

brilliant thread this excellent work