Timothy the more door Nova.

[granty1986]

So I bought this car a month or so ago. £300 50k genuine miles. One previous owner and garaged all of its life.

I'm going to tidy it up but keep it as standard as possible.

So list of things to do are as follows:

- sort out my own personal dilemmas around wheels. Put some white 15's on which I think look cack but this free'd up the standard steels for a refurb. I've gone for anthracite with a red rim just for a laugh.

- lower it a good 60mm.

- fit the 1.3 sr manifold and obtain a weber 32/34 to fit.

- rub down all panels below bumper/door strip line and stone chip it black.

- ensure any rust/bubbled paint is remedied.

- give it a good detail inside and out and bask in the glory that is a fairly standard pokey little nova 1.2 more door called Timothy.

Of course feedback and ideas are always welcome but not always taken on board [emoji6].

Much love
Tom.

As I bought it...

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/12/30/a2215aceff3cb3220945c1f6f7c2876e.jpg

With white 15's (and big enough arch gaps to smuggle most of columbias cocaine to the UK)...

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/12/30/4546525ee0d14a812f03d852e3f59909.jpg

And as of today it'll be having its standard steelies back on but slightly spruced up.

Pics to follow.
Thanks.

[granty1986]

And with standard steels but in anthracite with red band. Going to replace the bumper and side strips with a red insert as well I think.http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/12/30/4bd4d0fba5a97a1f1ca392549cf842e8.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/12/30/8c455478c0832d39c5f06c5513e8dfc8.jpg

[jimbob-mcgrew]

wish id got a 5 door. my 3 doors crap.

crazy biscuit wheels on this one lol

[millworm]

Will look good with some lows

[therealnovaboy]

wow I forgot how high these things are on standard shocks.

[granty1986]

Got some -60mm springs on the way. Been on the lookout for SR steelies because the extra inch and extra width would be ideal (that's what she said) but I'm happy with the standard ones too. Will get springs fitted soon enough and see how it looks.

[granty1986]

So the car developed a mis-fire recently and as I didn't have full history decided to replace dizzy cap, leads, rotor arm and plugs. Misfire has disappeared and the car starts better from cold. The old rotor arm wasn't exactly great and the plugs had probably never been changed.

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/06/10a00bdc26924f8253ae8d8a11bc85bb.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/06/8ab117395ca550ad0bd15ce882a9cb57.jpg

Also decided that old white alloys I had fitted would get a bit of sprucing up to put on eBay.

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/06/45e38857f064188408079b2123921f9e.jpg

Not sure what they will fetch but handy as a spare set for someone I am sure.

Next on my list is to clean up and fit this ready for when the Weber arrives:

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/06/320a743e404be20a165d0888d5f90a3e.jpg

Coming together slowly. Anyone know what thickness the tape is on the bumper and door strips? Could do with sourcing some new.

Thanks
Tom

[Southie]

Bumper stripe tape is 9.5mm on a mk1, best to get it from a vinyl graphics company so you can get longer lengths in the colour you want ;)

[granty1986]

Excellent will get some ordered. Will probably get a roll sorted soon. Always handy to keep some spare.

Tidied up the inlet manifold this evening. Looks much better:

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/06/dce0b0ffdd33b91bcdfa27ef00a1935a.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/06/6fc8c4cfaea947b36068a7f329010564.jpg

Anyone ever cleaned the dusty aluminium oxide from inside an inlet manifold before to smooth it out and if so how did you do it?

Thanks
Tom

[jimbob-mcgrew]

looking good there tom.

not tried cleaning the inlet tubes myself, but one of these brass pipe brushes might work :
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31IRA5zvDSL._SY300_.jpg

[granty1986]

Incidentally I was wondering if that might do it. It's not greasy or carbon deposits. It's just rough dirty and dusty and aluminium corrosion type crap. I'm sure it'll scrub up with a brush and some patience.

[turbojolt]

I love the referbed steelies

[granty1986]

I've grown quite fond of them and to be honest whilst I'd prefer wider wheels, I can live with these once the lowering springs arrive. Got some nice Opel mudflaps to go on but no rear bracket so my next challenge is making one. Lord knows how. I can paint wheels, I can even fix mechanical issues. But I'm no fabricator lol.

[granty1986]

Been a slow week. No updates to the Nova so finished all 4 alloys being refurbed. Hopefully I can sell them soon enough. Bring on pay day, then its Weber and inlet time. Excited!

[granty1986]

Does anyone know if it's possible to fit wheel spacers to standard 13" steels and if they've done it is it recommended or safe or detrimental to handling in any way? Once I drop the car 60mm (which I pray is sufficient) I'd like the wheels to be a little more flush with the car. As it stands they sit quite deep inside the arches.

It's just an idea at this stage so anyone with experience in this field may well have the final say lol.

TIA

[jimbob-mcgrew]

as long as you dont go too mad, spacers are ok.
they can cause quicker wheel bearing wear if you go too wide.

youll need 4 x 100 PCD - 80's/90's vauxhall type ones, to match your hub bolt layout.
longer wheel bolts may be needed too, depending on how thick you get, and your current wheel bolts.

i think with those wheels.... i heard someone say 5mm and upward spacers, will free up enough width behind the wheel, to upgrade the brakes to 236mm x 20mm vented ATE calipers, which is a nice little upgrade over the standard solid disc delco's. you can find calipers from breakers yards for not too much money if interested.

[granty1986]

Awesome piece of advice. Thank you. Took it to the old mans workshop on Friday night to do the cambelt, water pump and so on. Changed brake fluid as the tester indicated water was present.

Underneath is solid. No issues at all.

Unfortunately it had a fuel leak:

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/18/e76cf3fe4a762b375b384c8e649b0b6b.jpg

Soon rectified. It was the fuel tank breather all gunked up and split and from brimming the tank it leaked out.

Turns out despite having a mk1 shell and interior, my door strips are mk2 width when it comes to vinyl pin striping. So the 9mm I got is too narrow. Will get a replacement reel of 12mm now. Looks like my car is on the change year between mk 1 and 2 and they mix and matched it.

Anyways, happy to report the springs will be here next week to get it a bit lower before I scrape out all the arches and underseal where needed.

[granty1986]

So finally fitted the rear springs and I think it's the right choice.

60mm drop and I think it's just about right. Also got enough room to play with so that I can stick some spacers on and bring the standard steelies out more.

Anybody recommend a good source for spacers and longer nuts?

Before
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/26/99272594b68c053b318dcc0f828b000c.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/26/38eb349ba5b85af7e0cf5b6b88d760a5.jpg

After
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/26/55f3a564398f8960a409217c23797db6.jpg

Thanks
Tom

[granty1986]

And now all springs are done. Looks much better IMO. Currently working on the rust patches currently hidden by black crap. http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/29/efc5e9c0d0234958fec6f1b5d7925cda.jpg
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/29/e84b543037ec2e6e4f0741fa80e532a0.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/29/764d0a450faab217aba0e4eee2766ab2.jpg

Once the rust is sorted everything below the rub strips will be painted with black stone chip and possibly a greyish tinted top coat. We will see.

Much Love
TG

[granty1986]

Oops and more the opposite side...

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/29/e351b75368c44e08704438e487c5a927.jpg

Finally patched up and protected.

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/29/645bf055cbb38c3a5afc4179248b7686.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/29/69719643f954b5f468f1fe7fc0ce0491.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/29/0ecc6a98217052611d0f2c550d84b0f8.jpg

Doors and rear arches next time.

Wish me luck.

TG

[paul080803]

Looks good!

[granty1986]

Finally some new plates have arrived. I'm excited to get these fitted. Should finish off the front nicely [emoji16]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/31/f4ac53ca63c29ab46a49122a9b58f020.jpg

[granty1986]

After much debate with the Mrs and my work colleagues. Apparently cars should have female names. As a result feel free to provide me suggestions so I can rename Timothy in line with his sex change. Use the pictures as inspiration if you like. I prefer retro sounding names so good luck.

Cheers
TG