rusty the 86' Nova project

[MrVauxMad94]

got a nice little 1 litre nova, completely standard, currently doesnt run as she has been standing for the best part of 8 years :( very rusty (why she is called rusty) but has a lot of potential and i have big plans for her. pics will be following soon so let me know what you guys/ girls think.

This is my first ever project and i am only 18 so advice is much appreciated :)

[Simon 1867]

Welcome matey, you will find plenty of help and advice here, Get some pictures up so we can see the extent of the rust, whats your "Big" plans?

[MrVauxMad94]

im having trouble uploading pictures at the moment :( but alot of people have condemned the car and said that its never going to work. the plan at the moment is just to get her on the road but funding is abit short at the moment so its a slow moving project. i am hoping to turn it into a GTE replica but struggling to find a white GTE front bumper and side skirts. nothing planned for the near future due to funding and insurance prices, i hope to get a 1.6 in there in the next few years and it will just stem from there

[MrVauxMad94]

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/nova10.jpg


Here is a pic of when i first started on her, just after i was forced to sell my corsa B project

[MrVauxMad94]

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/novaramps.jpg

And this is how she stands at the moment

[calibra-keith]

where and how bad is the rust ?, so far looks ok with normal little bits on outside

[brainsnova]

Great news on getting rid of the corsa :thumb:

[MrVauxMad94]

the worst part has to be the door but ive got a nova mk2 door on the way. there is a hole in the battery tray and a hole behind the drivers side light in the wheel arch. since its on ramps ive had a look underneath and the shell seems fine but the exhaust is scrap. i just hope the engine will work

[MrVauxMad94]

and it was a cracking car but it was a 1.4 5 door, ran well but the thermostat was knackered on it and it was over heating and i wouldve had to scrap the beloved nova to store the corsa

[steviegsi]

Something tells me the mk2 door brackets are different to yours , I could be wrong but it would be worth making sure before spending money mate. Doesn't look too bad though. Nice to see 18 year olds still interested in these things. :thumb:

[Calamity Josh]

welcome to the forum mate, i'm 16, and currently building a saloon so your not alone, if you need to know anything let me know, ohhh and door wise that might be one of the early nova doors which have the handle in a different position, good luck :)

edit... keep the brown interior:thumb:

[MrVauxMad94]

knowing my luck they will be :/ thanks haha i hope i can get it to work and its a very good car :D

[MrVauxMad94]

cheers, i wish i had the time and money to do mine when i was 16. really wouldnt mind a saloon, you got any pics? cheers and same goes for you :D and im really not sure if that door will fit, if not then ill either be looking for another door or seeing what can be done with mine (if anything) and i probably will, not sure about keeping the single speedometer though

[MrVauxMad94]

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/411629_418111911567593_427115427_o.jpg

[MrVauxMad94]

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/476613_418107698234681_1385821237_o.jpg

[MrVauxMad94]

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/412865_418106564901461_100001063639500_1346745_201 2249205_o.jpg

[peester]

ah, the door is a useful purchase. Be good to see you get the ball rolling soon.

[craigmoreland3]

thats a nice wee project 2 start ya of i can see the usual problems doors and sills i rebuild a mk 1 1.3 sr and it was a hell of a lot worst than that good luck with it m8

[MrVauxMad94]

there is alot of welding that needs to be done and its going to be very pricey :/ due to having a part time job at minimum wage the project is moving as slow as the 1 litre inside the engine bay :') as soon as the welding is done then i only really need to tackle the engine which i imagine wont be that bad :) cant wait to get it on the road

[ash.blue]

heya and welcome nice little C.reg you got there :) .. most people on here have prob been in the same boat with a few rust spots here and there and to be honest cant see many on the old girl just the usual spots.

i know how you feel bout slow moving ive had my project garaged for 2year and been plodding on with little things. it does take time but you will get there as will i and the young lad with the saloon :)

to tell you the truth mate i will be keeping my eyes on this i like seeing people bring life back into nova's :thumb:

mine is only a dinky 1.0l but gsi rep on outside in miami blue gotta get more things sorted but really done nothing major and not able to post pics yet but will when i can get them up. Least one benefit mate keep the 1.0l in build up your no claims and start moving up the engine size when you can ;) that my plan

*ramble much* .. good luck fella keep plodding on and good luck with the lil gem

[MrVauxMad94]

cheers mate. she has been sitting on the drive for a very long time, was given to my mum as a first car but she never learnt how to drive so now she has been handed over to me :) it has gone in all of the places novas tend to go like the doors, boot, behind the head light and she is startting to get a few tiny dots of surface rust on the roof :S i will keep you updated with pics of the car as it goes along and will be looking out for yours when you get them posted up :) mine is going to be a GTE replica but i am still looking for a genuine white GTE front bumper and side skirts, got the rear bumper on the car and ive got the spoiler and grille sitting around in the shed which came off a GTE which was being broken for parts. most people have condemned the car but i still see alot of potential in it. cheers again and good luck with your project too, hope to see the pictures soon and keep us updated with the progress (Y)

[MrVauxMad94]

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/DTMBackBox.jpg

The New DTM back box, last of the goodies for now, time to get down to business and get the body and engine sorted

[Dave.]

Looks a big project! Id do it properly, bodywork looks pretty bad but new doors, new arches and a repaint would see it right :thumb:

Im always up and around Ellesmere Port mate if you ever need a hand or any help :thumb:

[Graeme]

Welcome and good to see another NW member

[marc69]

Hi,
looks like a nice wee project. i have a 1.0 which I did up, initially I just had it patched up enough to get an mot on it so it was pretty rough, but then over the next 3 years I slowly got it all done properly. I found this method worked best as I have a mini which was taken off the road to rebuild at the same time (6 years ago), it is still sitting.

Everyone is different but I found that by running the car, things got done and when it was taken off the road for new arches/sills etc, it was done fairly quickly as I needed the car to drive.


Re the 1.0, if you have it all running correct, it is nippy, I once beat a guy in his 1.4 SR going up a hill in my 1.0. (turns out his ignition timing wa wrong!)

[MrVauxMad94]

Looks a big project! Id do it properly, bodywork looks pretty bad but new doors, new arches and a repaint would see it right :thumb:

Im always up and around Ellesmere Port mate if you ever need a hand or any help :thumb:

at the moment ive only got the drivers door which has no major signs of rust but now i need new front panels including the slam panel, passenger door, battery tray needs re-doing, theres a hole behind the drivers side light which needs seeing too and also a hole in the boot over the chassis rail, ill have to post some pics up :) and thanks, what type of things can you do?

[MrVauxMad94]

Welcome and good to see another NW member

Cheers and ive noticed there isnt many of those on here, suppose novas are just that rare :D

[MrVauxMad94]

Hi,
looks like a nice wee project. i have a 1.0 which I did up, initially I just had it patched up enough to get an mot on it so it was pretty rough, but then over the next 3 years I slowly got it all done properly. I found this method worked best as I have a mini which was taken off the road to rebuild at the same time (6 years ago), it is still sitting.

Everyone is different but I found that by running the car, things got done and when it was taken off the road for new arches/sills etc, it was done fairly quickly as I needed the car to drive.


Re the 1.0, if you have it all running correct, it is nippy, I once beat a guy in his 1.4 SR going up a hill in my 1.0. (turns out his ignition timing wa wrong!)

hey :) it is a nice project and im sure it will be a good run around when its finished, well it will need to be as it is also my first car. for the moment the majority of it will be welded just to get it on the road but i will be looking to do it properly when ive got more time, money and experience. since its my first project i'll be seeking alot of help as i dont want to mess it up :) its currently off the road but it has been for about 8 years but now its time to focus on getting it running :)

[marc69]

Something tells me the mk2 door brackets are different to yours , I could be wrong but it would be worth making sure before spending money mate. Doesn't look too bad though. Nice to see 18 year olds still interested in these things. :thumb:

I put mk2 doors on my 1984 mk1, no problems although removal is the hardest part.

[marc69]

Hi, here is some advice which is hopefully helpful rather than patronising.

I am sure your welder will advise you as to what needs patched up.

The brakes...the calipers at the front will need to be freed out, this is a case of removing the brake pads and ensuring the calipers move in and out freely. If they dont, try a little careful sanding of any corrosion on the guides and use wd40 until you get them moving, then put in a drop of grease. If they still won't move you would probably be easier poutting in new guides if the car has sat that long same aplies to the piston. Obviously don't get wd40/grease on the disc, I am sure you can tell if a disc is solid or not.
Brake pipes, check condition, I have never had problems with a nova pipe apart from one I broke. The flexipipes need to be in good nick and not choked on the inside.
Rear brakes. The self adjuster are rubbish, better to just adjust them manually so that when the hub is on, they are just touching as you turn the wheel. Check the rear cylinders, they do leak and the rest is just checking including the servo.

Engine...apart from oil water etc. If it has lain for so long the carb may benefit from a wee clean, put in new points and condenser even if the old ones look good, check the coil is ok. Once you have the 1.0 engine running, I found that the gaps in haynes for the spark plugs and points do not give the most reliable service. I use champion plugs witha gap of 25thou and intermotor points with a gap of 13 thou although if you have the early delco remmy distributor (black cap with screws...I am looking for one) the gap may be what haynes said?

If you get through that lot you'll be partly on your way.

[MrVauxMad94]

Hi, here is some advice which is hopefully helpful rather than patronising.

I am sure your welder will advise you as to what needs patched up.

The brakes...the calipers at the front will need to be freed out, this is a case of removing the brake pads and ensuring the calipers move in and out freely. If they dont, try a little careful sanding of any corrosion on the guides and use wd40 until you get them moving, then put in a drop of grease. If they still won't move you would probably be easier poutting in new guides if the car has sat that long same aplies to the piston. Obviously don't get wd40/grease on the disc, I am sure you can tell if a disc is solid or not.
Brake pipes, check condition, I have never had problems with a nova pipe apart from one I broke. The flexipipes need to be in good nick and not choked on the inside.
Rear brakes. The self adjuster are rubbish, better to just adjust them manually so that when the hub is on, they are just touching as you turn the wheel. Check the rear cylinders, they do leak and the rest is just checking including the servo.

Engine...apart from oil water etc. If it has lain for so long the carb may benefit from a wee clean, put in new points and condenser even if the old ones look good, check the coil is ok. Once you have the 1.0 engine running, I found that the gaps in haynes for the spark plugs and points do not give the most reliable service. I use champion plugs witha gap of 25thou and intermotor points with a gap of 13 thou although if you have the early delco remmy distributor (black cap with screws...I am looking for one) the gap may be what haynes said?

If you get through that lot you'll be partly on your way.


thanks for the advice :D i will definately follow it, i think i will need to replace the rear arches and wings, the drivers door will be getting replaced, changing the locking systems in the next few days but i will be removing the window mechanism first as it will be useless without one :) the calipers at the front have been freed up but im thinking of changing the calipers, pads and disks and may possibly look into putting disks at the back but it all depends on how easy it is and i will definately follow the advice about the engine :)

Thanks again mate

[MrVauxMad94]

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/Novaoldpipe.jpg


Old back box removed



http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/DTMfitted.jpg


Fitted new DTM back box



http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/NovaExhaust.jpg


Found out it was too long since it was off an astra


http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/Novaexhaust2.jpg




from another angle




http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/NovaDoor.jpg



Door ready for removal

[brainsnova]

I'm not a fan of those exhausts but can't you cut the the end that meets the centre section bringing the exhaust in a good few inches or sell it and get a nova one

[MrVauxMad94]

I'm not a fan of those exhausts but can't you cut the the end that meets the centre section bringing the exhaust in a good few inches or sell it and get a nova one

yeah ive heard that you can cut the pipe down abit but before i go cutting down the pipe im gonna see how my letterbox exhaust fits :)

[scott.parker]

Nice little project, very nice from what i can see dude!
If you ever want to sell the DTM let me know dude

[MrVauxMad94]

Nice little project, very nice from what i can see dude!
If you ever want to sell the DTM let me know dude

Thanks mate but its very far from finished, nice window sticker in your picture, where you get that? if i ever come to sell then ill let you know but you will need a shorter pipe since its off an astra :)

[pie]

looking good dude :)

i love the dtms on cavs :) sound n look proper 90's :)

[scott.parker]

Thanks mate but its very far from finished, nice window sticker in your picture, where you get that? if i ever come to sell then ill let you know but you will need a shorter pipe since its off an astra :)

It would work spot on as im thinking of fitting it on a loon..

stickers off ebay mate

[MrVauxMad94]

It would work spot on as im thinking of fitting it on a loon..

stickers off ebay mate

it should be ok then :) ill have a look for it :D

[MrVauxMad94]

just an update to say much hasnt been done to the car due to: lack of money, lack of parts and a typical british summer.

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/slabless.jpg

This is as she stands at the moment, Slabs have been removed since they have no locking nuts and there has been suspicious activity in the area, i found my shed and back gate open but nothing was taken, mustve been spooked by the dogs going mad and all of the lights in the house going on so due to that, the slabs have since been locked away safely.

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/mybabyafterawash.jpg

due to boredom and not being able to do much to my car, i thought it needed a wash so a quick powerwash and then abit of elbow grease seemed to do the job, well not entirely....

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/oilyprints.jpg

these wouldnt budge at all :/ luckily the whole car needs a polish and im not too bothered about these ones in partcular as im hoping to replace both front panels and doors :D

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s467/MrCarMad94/cleanedslabs.jpg

The slabs also got a quick clean, they may be due to be re-done soon as you can still see bits of red so i assume they were red at one stage in their life, the centre caps needs going over again

[MrVauxMad94]

Just an update on the project, the old door still hasnt been removed since i havent got hold of a good tool to do it, people have suggested boot pins and bonnet stays but i cant get hold of any, the old rusty earth strap has been replaced and a battery is on the way at the end of the month. ill keep you updated with the electrical and engine situation :)

[MrVauxMad94]

THE BEAST LIVES!! after buying the battery and adding a bit of fuel it actually started to run. only briefly though as the neighbours didnt seem to like the sound of the exhaustless car. tried again today but no luck and to add to the problems the radiator will definately need replacing

[MrVauxMad94]

Warm weather is Back, I'm Getting paid a bit more so its time to bring the nova back out for major work during summer!!