Steviegsi's car diary

[steviegsi]

Thought I should contribute to the forum after 8 years of looking at every one else's project threads so here we go....

Bought my silk violet GSI on my 19th birthday, it blew a radiator hose and cooked itself that night. Got that fixed and used it for about 4 months and it shat itself again. Sent it away to have the engine rebuilt. Fella that had it took the engine out and never done anything else with it for 18 months. So I eventually got space in the garage to put it and brought it home.

The original plan was to get another 1600 and put it in. But I couldn't find one and the ones I could find, the sellers wouldnt courier for me or they were stupid money.

After sitting outside for 18 months it needs 2 arches and some welding to the rear chassis leg, the front door corner tidied, 2 front wings fitted and a few other spots tidied.

This was it when I brought it back home in august 2010

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/DSCF0038.jpg

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/DSCF0040.jpg

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/DSCF0042.jpg

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/DSCF0039.jpg

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/DSCF0043.jpg

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/DSCF0044.jpg



Plans are:
C20xe, standard GSI kit, speedlines, lowered on it's ar$e, the usual.

So I bought this for £750

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/25fc23d8.jpg

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/3ed66f89.jpg

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/9b48f285.jpg

F reg GTE with c20xe in and running well. Shell was rotten as fcuk. So I bought an engine crane...

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/04967d98.jpg

And took the engine/box out...

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/debef5a5.jpg

Stripped the rest and sold everything, got my money back, free engine/box, pair of mint corbeau buckets, strut braces, conversion shafts and a few other bits and pieces.

After seeing that it was easier than I thought I decided that I'll do everything other than the welding / bodywork on the Gsi myself.
That was last year and I've done bugger all apart from test fit the xe, mark out the alternator cut out and I started to wire wheel the underside. Got half that done and covered in red oxide and I will finish the other side in the next week or so.
So 5 1/2 years after buying it and about 4 months driving out of it this is how it sits at the minute.

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx199/steviegsi/b39157a7.jpg


Progress will be very slow as I've no overtime in the near future and I'm saving for my c+e licence, but I'll try to do a few of the cheaper bits and pieces as and when I can.
Thanks for reading and apologies for the essay :thumb:

[pikey1986]

that story sounds familiar, ive owned my nova for 4 years and it only been taxed for 12 months of that lol

[steviegsi]

that story sounds familiar, ive owned my nova for 4 years and it only been taxed for 12 months of that lol

lol I've also got another 1.2 one that's been off the road from 2004 lol

[tahir868]

That's a lovely GSi, one of the best colours!! ;)

[Connor]

Nothing like a silk violet gsi :p I need to find myself an xe nova as a doner for mine lol

[Vlietje]

How could I have missed this? Good car mate! Personally i would keep it original. Subscribed!

[steviegsi]

How could I have missed this? Good car mate! Personally i would keep it original. Subscribed!


Cheers all. Sorry for the lack of updates but I haven't had much time/money to fiddle recently. I have cleaned the underseal from the passenger side under the arches, so just the drivers side and half of the underneath to do.


As for keeping it original, I see where your coming from, but I will never be selling this car so I intend to build it to suit me, and an xe is the simplest route to decent power with plenty of scope for future fiddling.

[Vlietje]

Fair enough mate! Good to see another silky being saved!

[walker-nova]

looks like its in good enough shape lad will be good to see some updates on it