'83 Nova Saloon Side Project

[boffer8]

Hi All,

Wanted a saloon for a while now and the opportunity came up after PVS to get one, so, took the dive as i saw a couple i liked there and wanted a slice myself ;)

Plan; to get another engine put in as the original 1.0L have dropped a valve and its gone through the crown of the piston and buried itself in the valve seat so some big pennies to repair, clean up some little niggerling bits here and there and just ad a few choice modifications.

So....... a few pictures to begin :)

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo1_zps0f747237.jpg
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo2_zps180e8516.jpg
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo1_zpsf2fcb041.jpghttp://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo3_zps79e9b73a.jpg

[Benn]

That's a good place to start.

[boffer8]

Managed to source an engine from over widnes, had pretty much the same mileage so the clocks mileage will be pretty much match, its a 1.2 which is a little bit of a shame not to be able to keep it a 1.0L but sometimes how the cookie crumbles. Has had a new cambelt, new plugs, oil service and looks to be a fairly newish clutch too, so thats a bonus!

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo2_zpsfbaa5f81.jpg

Also found the original books and a haynes manual i aint seen before!

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo4_zps3266a82e.jpg

Couple pics of the current state of the old engine

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo2_zps3e8ac5a2.jpghttp://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo5_zps6277c2a9.jpg

[karisma]

Looks to be exactly same as my car. China blue b reg base saloon.

[boffer8]

So... had a monster weekend and got lots done

Old engine out:

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo1_zps3020fca4.jpg

New engine and gearbox mated ready to go in:

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo2_zpsce20bcfd.jpg

New engine in and running, started second turn of the key (first time had live and earth to coil wrong way round), ran mint!

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo1_zps62ab1a8b.jpg

now just got to sort the exhaust system out as its well rusty in places and bodged with a jubille clip so need to sort that out next weekend.

Once i was satisfied with the engine for now, i took the drivers seat out as when you sat in it it leaned badly towards the door, once i got it out i could see the issue:

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo_zps1d2f5925.jpg

So got the welder out and welded it up and built the seat back up and now sit square! (well as much as you can do in a nova! lol)

Next calipers, i had fitted a spare set of Mk2 standard calipers as the standard ones were sticking and these dont seem to have the same issues as they dont have the sliders like the Mk1 counterparts (sorry no pics)

Then a little messing with a spare set of compo's i had lying around, not sure though...

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo2_zpsf6f2e575.jpg

[Spudly]

Ey up mate, didnt know you had this, will look well with a small drop on them comps, whens the 40's from your rally car going on lol

[marc69]

Looks like a pretty clean example. I have had a few seat frames repaired, maybe the really earlier frames were thinner lol?

Love the early Novas, for me personally, always the coolest.

[boffer8]

Ey up mate, didnt know you had this, will look well with a small drop on them comps, whens the 40's from your rally car going on lol

nah, bit of a last minute thing to be honest, well its on coilies so has a nice drop now, maybe that will help when its on the ground on them, had thought about it but assembling parts for a 32/34 weber conversion to see how it goes with that first, if not then the 1.4 with the webers can go in ;) do miss the rought from them :cry:

You going billing spudders?

[boffer8]

hi all,

bit of an update from last weekend, had a little detour to pick an exhaust, manifold and snowplough section up on the way home, plus the bits id done at work it turned into a nice haul of parts to finish the saloon for billing,

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo1_zps6addbcb1.jpg

Due to the exhaust being off a mk2 astra, a couple of the angles weren't quite right, especially under the tank, so a bit of cutting was required to rotate the angles and then 4 inches was cut off the front just behind the flange and added just after the beam to meet up with back box, rather canny how similar the astra mk2 exhaust is to fit a saloon!

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo1_zpse142c315.jpg

once that was all fitted and sitting pretty, time for the front bumper, no bumper;

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo2_zps25f4591e.jpg

no bumper!

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo2_zps91306a40.jpg

All fitted

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo3_zpsad915395.jpg

Then a quick drive up and down the driveway to test it

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo4_zps845bd29d.jpg

Now only the wheels to fit, mudflaps to remove, filter to put on and then fix the rear number plate then shes mint and ready to go!

[Ernie]

looking good keep it up.

[boffer8]

So after driving it back up to Cockermouth from Leeds yesterday, shes a beaut! Love driving it and never missed a beat.

Decided to put a bit (well quite a bit in the end) of elbow grease and get it washed and see if i can do something with the paint work so after four hours shes looking better but still not the best which is disappointing :(

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/photo5_zps15e10f1e.jpg

So not far off being ready for billing now, few more bits to do and would like to see if i can drop the front end a little too as she looks too high on the front and then time for an awesome weekend!

[deneil_gsi2000]

Looks good mate . You dont hang about either. Ive lost all heart with the nova at the minute lol

[welshman]

Stunning little car i'd love a 2 door loon at some stage

[nova.mike]

Looks a lovely clean car bud, loving the comps set it off really nicely :)

[jafanan]

no it looks awful and i think you should sell it to me for a very low price :)

[Trivs_Tom]

Just wanna point out that she's an early '85 not an '83 as the title! the coilies go this low:
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j62/tom_1234/21072012633.jpg

Please take care of her, she was my first car! Bought her off a dead man's nephew 2 years ago and missed her since I sold her! Glad to see its looking so good though!

[scott.parker]

Im sure he sold it after billing mate.

[shaunboy84]

i like that grill :)

[boffer8]

Well turns out I have still got this lol she'll be back on the road for the shows this summer with a few upgrades and improvements, still really bummed about the paintwork, would love to afford to have her resprayed properly and have her looking mint, but the other nova is priority and this is just getting the parts I have lying around

[boffer8]

No good at Photoshop so thought I'd try some different wheels non, which do you lot prefer? Still like the MO'sbut just had the others around

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/23A956C3-EA60-4CD3-8AB1-6690C3AAFA10_zpsm4i1mudi.jpghttp://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/2776B483-E5E2-46D8-A72D-A78E6363395D_zpsiczoru1a.jpghttp://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/187F660B-CC62-4868-A1EE-7DAADD0D0AF2_zpsnncodnij.jpg.

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/65C90A60-9A32-40E8-BB9D-71D0679C8AA0_zpsg4or0kki.jpghttp://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/1DC7B187-2CB6-4EA8-AB1E-DE7BC2E82531_zps1boaaj6j.jpg

[Novaloony]

Must admit, i prefer the mo's and the SR steels!

[Spudly]

MO's definately matey!

[ratboy01]

1st and 3rd ones down for me :)

[boffer8]

Well not updated in a while, here a few pics of the build prior to billing:

Empty bay:

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/D7BE7B32-DEEB-4E52-8E17-8FEF771A4A00_zpsjlizvyfl.jpg

New GSI rad from ebay, bargain at £38 with a £12 10" fan also

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/B0BFD02B-1DC1-4F88-B780-C855A7C3DA4F_zpsb1vbps2w.jpg

Assembling the gearbox with the changed final drive

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/326AD929-9597-4A87-BFE0-B547B65503F0_zpsl50dj1fs.jpg

Engine finally fully assembled

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/74585878-7EA9-4BC5-BCD8-AE1B9AA2F7F3_zpsslgnwhbe.jpg

New clutch (Kevlar stage 2, awesome guys at Stage 2 Motorsport sorted me out, really good price also!) and flywheel (nice and light!)

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/743E5379-AE2F-4819-82CC-B608071E4039_zpsim1xc7bf.jpg

Engine all up and bolted in, few things connected

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/01E32B44-8611-4497-82B3-BD13599B869C_zpsg2ogssbk.jpg

Fuel system all piped up and wideband lambda fitted in the exhaust

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/C7B0BDFE-62FD-42E4-B482-4E851B07D6C0_zps5emhyefs.jpg

Took it to the rolling road after i had completed all the work just so the carbs could have a base set up carried out to all the engine to be run in and for me to drive down to Billing and back in it.

Got to billing and all was fine a dandy, awesome trip down with 5 Nova's in a convoy.

Bit of bumper work when i got there, made a massive difference!

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/07295656-ACFF-443C-AF8E-676827F964FD_zpsne27qpgm.jpg

Couple of billing pics

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/B21B9549-6D45-4776-A358-3E4E59C7B40E_zpsj9uo7hx5.jpghttp://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/6D438A51-0E94-41CA-A8E0-5FDABE4514FF_zps9g670wnh.jpg

On the way home though, bit of an issue

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/A4F7467B-E184-415F-A0F4-F6B4BEC22820_zpsiudq9wn0.jpg

Which resulted in a lift for the lats 50 miles home :-(

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/DBDE9E7D-789C-4E5A-A059-8CA5C869870B_zpsz84qtebv.jpg

So engine back out again and few alterations to be made. Issue was created due to a used (Hardened) camshaft in combination with new (soft) followers and so the wear occured allowing the follower to jump off when cruising at 65mph on the M1. Some new shiney bits ordered though and will be back together for Retro Rides :-)

Mmmmmmm Shiney new bits!!!

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Mobile%20Uploads/036BBE99-45BF-4309-82B8-53756BC3E378_zpsu18bfabh.jpg

[cuatrolatas]

that engine looks really nice, how it runs with the weber carbs in the 1.2?

[scott.parker]

Ben is that rad fan one of them eBay jobs? They any good? How deep are they? Trying to figure out if there worth getting...

Oh good to see your getting it sorted after the post billing fail.

[blue_peg_16v]

Scott I run one never had a problem and loads of clearance for the turbo have now mounted mine on the other side of the rad though

[boffer8]

Its a 1.4 now but my old engine was a 1.2 and it ran spot on, nice 102bhp at the fly from the 1.2 and sounded awesome!

Cheers for the comments Scott, the rad is fine, no fitment issues or quality issues, was off ebay and would get another, for the price you cant go wrong!

[boffer8]

On with getting this back together this week and hopefully have her all sorted this weekend for RRG next weekend, fun times ahead!

[nova_mike]

looking pretty good mate :)

You have text check your phone ;)

[istf]

I love that engine (and the Saloon of course)! :thumb:

[boffer8]

Well that's it, tax has run out and so the saloon is off the road for the winter now, going to be one productive off season with lots of new shiny exciting parts to be fitted and really looking forward to next season already!

Many thanks to all for the shows this year, and for the convoys to everywhere i went!

Will be updating this soon with the new parts that will be getting fitted as well as the plans i have for it, hopefully some quite exciting ones. The ethos will still be to try and keep it semi-standard looking from the outside but lean mean tarmac eating machine underneath.

Guess all that can be said is, watch this space..........:thumb:

[Trivs_Tom]

Fek, wish I kept this! Glad its being looked after though! Still got a front plate from this in my garage lol

[boffer8]

Haha, i do try my best to look after her and treat her to some shiny new under carriage now and then ;-) Fingers crossed she'll be getting a full repaint over winter also, are you aware Trivs_Tom who painted her as its gone really sh**ty with bad cracks and fading, going to be a right job to get it all sorted now :-(

Also went to collect some more motorsport goodies this weekend, going away with work for a month next week and then the real work will begin :-)

[Trivs_Tom]

Haha, i do try my best to look after her and treat her to some shiny new under carriage now and then ;-) Fingers crossed she'll be getting a full repaint over winter also, are you aware Trivs_Tom who painted her as its gone really sh**ty with bad cracks and fading, going to be a right job to get it all sorted now :-(

Also went to collect some more motorsport goodies this weekend, going away with work for a month next week and then the real work will begin :-)

Guilty as charged..had the arches and sills replaced, and she was pound shop matt black over hammerite for a while until i got a can of China Blue mixed up to 'colour match'...
If it's ever for sale, give me a shout! Would love to have her back! Learned a lot in a the last years hah

[boffer8]

Loads of updates to add to this, when i get a spare night or 2 i will put them up over the next couple of weeks, she has come along way since last year, might even get painted this year too!

[kamiloooo]

awesome engine :)
now it's 1.4 ?? what changes were made in it?
what you made that in 1.2 was 102 bhp ? :)

[boffer8]

A video of this weeks trackday, will update soon.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqOQS8WkWQA&feature=youtu.be

[boffer8]

So to give an update on where the cars now at with its winter mods....

Gearbox rebuilt, cleaned and blasted casing


http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Gearbox%20Casing_zpslplct0m3.png

New SCCR cluster to fit in

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/SCCR_zpssmfphprz.png

Clutch a bit polished so time to rough it up

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Polished%20Clutch%201_zps5j8j15x7.png

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Polished%20Clutch%202_zps3d8ylvuj.png

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Polished%20Clutch%203_zpsyi09qvfp.png

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Polished%20Clutch%204_zpsqy1xw2dp.png

[boffer8]

Then on to the gear linkage, HHMS shifter with custom length rods, helicopter joints and HHMS bulkhead bearing

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Gear%20Linkage%20Mount_zpsye7b2scd.png

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Gear%20Linkage%20Mount%201_zpstwbprkki.png

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Gear%20Linkage%20Mount%202_zpsimjb2gez.png

Bucket seat mounted and carpets all cut around new selector mechanism

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Finished%20Interior_zpservxlb1c.png

[boffer8]

Then onto the brakes, full 295mm Alcon 4 Pot competirion brake upgrade form HHMS

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Brakes_zpscrawpcwc.png

Compbrake bias pedal box with AP Racing short master cylinders, new lines to connect from original lines until i re-do the all the lines on the car.

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Bias%20Box_zpssgme7dvf.png

Bleeding them up in the sodding rain the friday nioght before the first outing at croft on the saturday :roll: :wtf:

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Bleeding%20Brakes_zpsyjvo8j05.png

Then i machined some new mounts down for the GAZ competition coilovers, not allowed to run adjustable top mounts so these new ones are as good as it gets, machined on the left, standard on the right.

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Damper%20Mounts_zpspe2ul3r5.png

[boffer8]

Then the final few bits...... full competition spec stud and nut conversion

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Stud%20amp%20Nut_zpsgahdz5u4.png

New Protec rack mounts

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Rack%20Clamps_zpsro7xeew4.png


Then it was time to enjoy all the hard graft.... Croft tracktime with the Summer Maddness car show...

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Croft%20Trackday_zpsbr5t6z4m.png

Chasing Evo's and Megane 225's and passing Focus St's was the highlight of the day... Makes teh hard work worth it...

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Evo%20Chasing_zpsn5q80jk9.png

A few more jobs have also been done but no pictures, using the car this year in sprints and hillclimbs means i have to have a catch tank, Mountain Warehouse saved the day with there 1L Sigg bottle copies.

Also had a snapped internal return spring on the webers so during the strip to replace it cleaned them up a bit also

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Webers_zps04hjxndi.png

Now sat ready and waiting for the next Hillclimb, hopefully on the 4th July at Harewood...

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/boffer8/Opel%20Fruits_zps1laythb1.png

[boffer8]

Video from croft, just a joy to drive now...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCzJLR4wi58

[HouseAtreides]

Video from croft, just a joy to drive now...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCzJLR4wi58

Absolutely awesome! :wtf: That thing can shift, sounds the berries, and makes driving a Nova look very, very fun :thumb:

[boffer8]

Cheers pal, yea its excellent fun to drive, need to have a bit of fine tuning here and there and get use to all the mods really. The brakes have made the biggest improvement, braking so late into corners means i can carry so much more corner speed and the Gaz means its just poised and balanced throughout

[Benn]

Love the brakes. Very tidy brake lines too.

[boffer8]

One of the best improvements to be honest, brake lines are easy, just take your time....

[mk1nova_rich]

Hello Ben, hope youre well mate :)

Looking a bit serious now lol I didnt think it would stay a standard saloon for long lol

[boffer8]

Now then fella, long time no see!

Yea stepped it up a level but all can be removed and taken back to standard when i sell it, competing in hillclimbs now so want to be competitive ;) at harewood on saturday if your bored :)

[therealnovaboy]

looks like a well put together car. so annoying that your way quicker on the corners and not the legs for the straights.

How do you find your gear selector. yours looks a lot slicker than mine. I have a quaife one and struggled to get the front to back throw on it. HH said that theirs is better than the quaife so didn't have that issue. they didn't divulge as to why it was better. It now gets the gears but pops out of gears when cornering hard . I've fitted solid mounts now but haven't tested it yet hopefully that was all it was. Did you have this problem? your gear stick looks stiffer on cornering than mine have you had to upgrade your engine mounts?

[boffer8]

looks like a well put together car. so annoying that your way quicker on the corners and not the legs for the straights.

How do you find your gear selector. yours looks a lot slicker than mine. I have a quaife one and struggled to get the front to back throw on it. HH said that theirs is better than the quaife so didn't have that issue. they didn't divulge as to why it was better. It now gets the gears but pops out of gears when cornering hard . I've fitted solid mounts now but haven't tested it yet hopefully that was all it was. Did you have this problem? your gear stick looks stiffer on cornering than mine have you had to upgrade your engine mounts?

Thanks very much, yea it can be frustrating but damn hilarious through all the corners and that's what i'm after more to be honest.

I find it one of the best mods you can do. i ran one on my old rally car and so wanted it to be one of the first mods i did with this one. Never had any issues with it to be honest, set it up as per the original and can adjust with the Hockly blue rotational adjuster and the for aft play in the slotted holes on the shifter base. The offsets are slightly different on the Hockly one so you have more maximum travel in all directions. I have Protec solid mounts that are about 7/8 years old now so do have some small amount of play in them. The originals wouldn't work because of the amount of movement they give.

[therealnovaboy]

Hopefully I've got the travel now and it was the engine mounts causing the problems. Id be interested to know what HH have done to get more travel.

thanks for sharing.

[boffer8]

I think it will be, i don't have any issues with my set up and so you should have the same by then, if its not that it could be your detent springs in your gearbox or synchros?

They have altered the pivot points on the gear stick to allow more movement from the same "throw" of the gearstick

[boffer8]

Update coming on this soon, its been too long and i have been up to a lot!