Nova 2.0 8v on throttle bodies re-build

[chrisnovaturbo]

Well I didn't think I would get another nova but here I am with another one that I was hoping just needed a clutch and I could then have some fun with. However that's was not the case as on the way home I gave it some beans and no clutch slip ??? Once I got 5 minuets away from my workshop I gave it a blast from set of lights, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and no clutch slip, I was thinking this is to good to be true. Got back to the workshop done a few checks over it and all seamed ok. I could see it was berating heavy so I checked oil and water and was all ok. I then went out for a drive to find some mates and show them my new toy. I then noticed is started smoking but didn't think anything of it. Gave my mate a race in his Astra Vxr and was even up to end of 3rd and he then started pulling away. We then pulled over had a chat and now the nova was smoking really bad, loads of white smoke! I new this was going to be head gasket. Drove it back to my workshop put it away and went home.

I've now had it for 3 weeks and I've striped hole front end off the car to find front panel not welded to the car and cracked, rust hidden behind lots of expanding foam. So I'm now re-building the front end of the car. I'm fixing all the rust strenthing and stich welding the whole front end, cutting out front panel (well what's left of it) and welding in 50x50 box section, fitting new wings, bonnet, grill, front bumper, changing wheels, loads of paint work and then freshen then engine up with new gaskets and some paint before it goes back in.

Pics to follow shortly.....

[womble sri]

I was due to go and look at this the same evening! Sounds like I got off lightly? That front end wants rebuilding anyway mate, bad boy bonnet and ford arches, they would be at the top of my list of priorities probably even before the clutch! Good luck with build still think it was a decent buy just for all the bits on it!

[chrisnovaturbo]

yeah i think it was still worth the money just anoying that ive got to spend hours rebuilding it. i wanted to get it and use it. im already thinking going down the turbo rote now the engine is out lol.

[chrisnovaturbo]

i didnt get any pics of it before i started work on it as i broke it within 3 hours of owning it.

this is what i have so far,

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car072_zpsa912401c.png
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car077_zpsf02f4ddc.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car078_zps891dfb2d.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car079_zps31750103.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car080_zps33badc40.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car081_zps6313b927.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car082_zps14b915c5.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car084_zps8406b9b8.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car090_zps29bc7b7d.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car092_zps0247462f.jpg

[skud52]

Looks nice mate, shame whoever built it let stevie wonder do the wiring!

[chrisnovaturbo]

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car093_zpsa452b6b9.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car094_zps2d101c2d.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car097_zps892f39f1.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car098_zps83fb5130.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car100_zpsfafab3b9.jpg

some lovely oil
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car101_zps3e709366.jpg

riped the arches off, well they didnt take alot to come off,
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car103_zps3dc2989f.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car105_zps90e53708.jpg

engine out,
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car107_zps2e6ef913.jpg

nice bits,
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car118_zps5b138ac2.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car119_zpsbe11d882.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car120_zps94248a6c.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car121_zpsd1367966.jpg

[chrisnovaturbo]

you can see where they put new outer sill on but then done the front with expanding fome ???? like this both sides. its stupid as who ever done the body work done a nice job. its like they run out of money and then put the wings on and filled the rest up before the paint job. who ever welded the front panel on need to stay away from a welder as none of it was welded to the car and it was all bird s**t welding.

[chrisnovaturbo]

new front crossmember,

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car122_zps4c50c67b.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/car123_zps8fdb8062.jpg

more to come soon.

[Will F]

Nothing annoys me more than blatant bodgery! Especially when selling cars. At least you got it reasonably cheap. I always work to the theory that as long as its worth what you pay for in bits, you can't go too far wrong!

[Pistol Pete]

Holy cow!! Bodergy at its worst!!

http://www.teesoup.co.uk/images/Bodge-the-builder.jpg

[Benn]

I've seen this car before on here or Mig i've sure of it.
What had they done to the cross member, looks like its been cut down on the bottom.. Maybe why it's cracked.

[zeifer33]

looks good these project, You plan to continue with that Seh?

[Steve]

Someone people shouldn't be allowed near cars, what was that washer used to clamp the wires down? Interesting bodges none the less lol

Nice to see it's getting rebuilt rather than stripped and sold on.

[chrisnovaturbo]

I've seen this car before on here or Mig i've sure of it.
What had they done to the cross member, looks like its been cut down on the bottom.. Maybe why it's cracked.

yes someone cut the lower lip off the front panel witch made twist. i wounder why i was pulling across the road when changing gear lol

[chrisnovaturbo]

looks good these project, You plan to continue with that Seh?

not sure on engine yet. ive put the engine on ebay if it makes good money i will get c20let.

[chrisnovaturbo]

Someone people shouldn't be allowed near cars, what was that washer used to clamp the wires down? Interesting bodges none the less lol

Nice to see it's getting rebuilt rather than stripped and sold on.

i was very close to breaking it when i found all the rust and bodges but its not that bad and is easy ish repair

[peester]

glad its gone to a good home, fair play for giving it a second chance lol. Dare I say the car sold itselfto deserve the repairs, in those few moments when you first got and drove it.
Nice and different to see an 8v on ITBs.

[chrisnovaturbo]

started doing more welding tonight then i broke the welder :mad:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova002_zps955389ad.jpg

these bit both side wernt welded to the car just has sealer in the gap. open this up with screw driver,
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova003_zps5cdc8e1f.jpg

broken welder :cry: my fault as ive got a habit of bashing it on something to get crap out of the end,
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova004_zps7c304a79.jpg

before i went home i got some more pics of the car as i didnt have any,

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova005_zps9213a20f.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova006_zps0f646347.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova007_zpsc9cc4446.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova008_zps4bc59db1.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova009_zps9f5d502f.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova010_zps3baed1d9.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova011_zps2fef0b3c.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova012_zps0cd2044b.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova013_zps4052466e.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff113/christurbonova/nova014_zps9d749d5b.jpg

[chrisnovaturbo]

sorry about the pic quality. i need to start using my camra not my phone

[scott.parker]

Nice, unique engine mods, shame it was a bit bodged though..

[_Jake]

Awesome car, hope the 8v stays! :)

[Rickyb]

Im loving this (minus the bodging) i also hope it stays 8v.
Oh also i have a turbo manifold to fit this but if your engines an seh it will be to high compression.

[zeifer33]

The car looks great, with a big spec engine to cmbine fantastic.

[BRoadGhost]

Yeah don't let the cowboying put you off; overall this looks to be a good point to build from.

It's as if someone with money suddenly showed it love then wanted to get rid after damaging the engine. Would you consider crossing over to C20XE? It's not going to weight more really & would be a world away for relatively little work / expense.

[womble sri]

not sure on engine yet. ive put the engine on ebay if it makes good money i will get c20let.

Looks like you are doing it justice mate, have decent spec LET ready if and when you need it

[chrisnovaturbo]

Looks like you are doing it justice mate, have decent spec LET ready if and when you need it

pm'ed :)

[chrisnovaturbo]

keep finding rust !! i remember what that thing was that i hate about novas now..... bloody rust !! what's annoying is that i built a good few novas and im now doing it all over again when i should of just kept my last one ! who has it i want it back to re-shell this one and save me hours of welding.

[Ernie]

Ive had to bodge a car to get it home before now but never to the standard of some of this work.
Glad to see your fixing it and i thought it was my old shell at first until i see the reg.
Good luck with the build.

[16v]

Keep your chin up and graft at it. It'll be worth it in the end

[chrisnovaturbo]

well 8v is sold and i went and brought another nova with 2 redtop engines but the redtop in it has kent cams, 45 webber carbs and a btb manifold :d down side i was thinking of using the engine but its not very fast lol so im just going to break it and sell all the bits and get c20let engine for the white one and be done with it lol

[chrisnovaturbo]

Need to do a update soon. I've got new wheels and stripped all the dash out. Going to fit corsa epas in it while I've got the dash out and paint the inside of the front to tidy it up. Got a lot of welding to do next, should get a lot done this weekend coming hopefully. And get engine in to mock up 6 speed gearbox mount.