Replacing Front Panel

[marko]

OK so my Project is beginning to get underway, last night I removed the majority of my 1.4sr engine (not the block), and IMO it is in pretty good nick for 115k! No scoring on piston liners, no apparent piston damage etc, head gasket looked ok but it had failed a pressure test so must have been a hairline crack....Im thinking about putting a 1.2 head on but it seems a bit much hassle and I dont necessarily want super high compression in case I add turbo or nitrous later. So now thinking just pop a nice piper cam and vernier pulley as well as gas flowing and new valves in the 1.4 head. Add an exhaust manifold and then change the pierburg card for a weber 32/34 - sound OK? Any better ideas for little money? I am also planning on getting a new clutch and the flywheel lightened and balanced at the same time....

Anyway, after removing the majority of the front end I am now left with a rotting mess - the wings and complete front panel need replaced - inner wings seem OK...
Has anyone around here changed the front panel before? Any tips/advice? I am looking at the company mentioned on the front page to buy new wings/front panel/lights etc - but they dont sell doors and mines are rotted - where can I get new doors? Does it have to be direct from vauxhall and therefore are they expensive...?

Im doing this project over the winter in my garage as now running a Civic Coupe on the road....the Nova is going to be a stripped out track day car/ weekend racer....

[Dicko]

dont bother with lightend flywheel. not worth it with the plans u have....

u can get doors either from posting in the 'wanted' section on this site or by going to a scrapyard, wouldnt go to vuax ull be paying more than the car for a new door.

unles ur valve are shot keep them and just regrind them in with some grinding paste and a plunger (?5 for both)

you will need new rocker arms+folowers if u fit a high lift cam

make sure u get a new cam belt aswell

[marko]

dont bother with lightend flywheel. not worth it with the plans u have....

How come, what do you mean by with the plans I have? I just fancied getting it revving a bit easier/higher - do you mean I need to do the rest of the bottom end properly to make it worthwhile? I presume I can get the piper cam/pulley/followers/rockers etc in a kit? I thought new valves would be cheap for this car so was gonna replace em....or is a big valve head a good idea?

I just fancied new doors, but like you say vaux cost an arm and a leg.... :roll: Ill try the wanted section once I get to that point....

Cheers for the advice on the other things...

[Dicko]

well lightening the flywheel does make it rev free'er, but also makes the idle a little more lumpy, also makes pulling off a bit more tricky, u needto hold the revs more before u let the clutch out. also it doesnt have as much momentum when you change gear. all swings and roundabouts really. on a 1/4 mile run you might gain 0.1secs from lossing a bit of weight that would cost ?60+ to get.

if u get a full kit yes u will get those bits