Nova rally 1400 16v [Archive] - Performance Nova Group

Novarally140016v

02-06-16, 12:20 PM

Hi everyone,

I have been viewing the site for many years looking at the project threads but never posted. So I thought it was time to actually post my Nova rally car.

My brother and I have owned the nova for the last 14 years and its been constant development. It started out as an autotest/slarlom car which has now turned into a rally car.

We have been competing in special stage rallies across the south east for over 10 years now.

The spec of the car:-
Bill falconer 1400 16v clubman spec engine 160bhp limited to 7800rpm
Quaife F15 SCCR gearbox 4.8 cwp
GPA plate diff with large side gears
Harry Hockley driveshafts and hubs
Bilstein 2.25 front coil overs
Bilstein rear shocks with pro-tec springs
Quick rack
EPAS power steering
Golf rear disc conversion

This year we have been competing in selected rounds of MSVR motorsport news circuit rally championship.

Results include:-
Snetterton stages 2016 12th overall, 1st Class A
Brands Hatch Winter stages 2016, 20th overall, 1st class A
Rockingham Stages 2015 DNF (retired while leading class)

Other national B Rallies:-
Goodwood Southdowns 2016 stages 5th overall, 1st Class
Weathersfield stages 2015, 2nd overall 1st Class A
Goodwood south downs stages 2015, 3rd overall 1st Class A

I will get a photobucket account set up and post some pictures.

I have got some videos on youtube and there are pictures on flickr, but not sure if I am allowed to post links?

Christopher

Southie

02-06-16, 08:00 PM

Welcome to png, this sounds interesting so look forward to seeing it.

Any videos and pictures are welcome:thumb:

Novarally140016v

02-06-16, 08:21 PM

Welcome to png, this sounds interesting so look forward to seeing it.

Any videos and pictures are welcome:thumb:

Thanks

Are latest video was from Snetterton a couple of weeks ago:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JXXrnd0fak

We were also involved in the MSVR media day at brands hatch:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtpsmfXQRVg

If you look on my page on you tube you will see lots of other videos

Some pictures from flickr, not taken by me

https://www.flickr.com/photos/garywoodland/24685078571/in/photolist-nWBopM-qfnwjT-oe2YyN-jbxdzu-oe6AQx-qkEbMw-qVeagM-dLfQjJ-qgjZG8-oWfTh6-jC5u26-bhvHwe-DBktQX-bA5hnc-AX5vuf-CnTy2K-E9mwn3

https://www.flickr.com/photos/trackside/22939417034/in/photolist-nWBopM-qfnwjT-oe2YyN-jbxdzu-oe6AQx-qkEbMw-qVeagM-dLfQjJ-qgjZG8-oWfTh6-jC5u26-bhvHwe-DBktQX-bA5hnc-AX5vuf-CnTy2K-E9mwn3

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vhs2008/26987957431/in/photolist-H7QkuT-HdQVbP-HdQTRp-H7Qk5K-H7QjxH-H7QiXK-HdQTmg-HaWJPU-HaWJxm-GivRHv-H7Qhzp-GivRrZ-H7Qh7v-HaWHgU-HaWGRf-GivQFk-HaWGq5-H5wNnj-Ginns9-H5wMXb-H7Qezg-H5wMwm-H7QdYM-H7Qdwz-H7QdnB-H7QciT-H7QbK8-GinjvC-GNARy5-HaWzXf-HaWzJu-HaWztQ-HaWzfo-GiniLS-H7Q79z-HaWxyY-Gini2f-Gik6wf-GNyyE9-H5ueGy-H7MCD8-HaTWEo-HdNkbD-GijLV7-Gita7z-H7MuKT-GNyogJ-GgscKW-H91z9A-GgCdWH

Southie

02-06-16, 08:59 PM

For posting YouTube videos so it shows better copy the link in your browser and paste into the little slideshow link that above the place where you type in here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JXXrnd0fak

TallDave

04-06-16, 11:55 AM

Way hey its the Brothers Newton! Welcome to the party (ahem), nice to see one of the quickest Rally Nova's making an appearance on here, even if it is already built.

I marshaled 'out the back' of Goodwood the last two years and your car was probably the quickest and smoothest round Lavant corner when the stages were reversed (anticlockwise round the circuit) very impressive. Unfortunately I never had the time to venture into the service area to track the car down.

If you've got any build photos I for one would be interested to see them put up here as a sort of "what we did" thread...

Ah Nova Bliss, Team Shonky eat your hearts out!!!! lol

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/588/22939417034_5407c618a5_b.jpg

Novarally140016v

04-06-16, 08:18 PM

Thanks for your kind comments, we do try. Julian wilks must have the fastest rally nova, but to be thought out as one of the fastest rally novas is an honour.

We we will be back out at goodwood South Downs states next year. Do you Marshall at any other events?

Well this thread will turn into a build thread, as we are in the process of rebuilding the nova into a new shell. Currently we have a shell at Harry hockley Motorsport have a fuel multipoint cage welded in with forward trianglelation to front turrets. We are hopefully collecting it from them next weekend.

we also have a corsa b rally car for gravel, which is in the process of having a bill falconer sequential fitted.

TallDave

04-06-16, 11:45 PM

Thanks for your kind comments, we do try. Julian wilks must have the fastest rally nova, but to be thought out as one of the fastest rally novas is an honour.

Your correct Julian's car is probably quicker, but then his car is pushing out something over 190 bhp if memory serves...! I think your results are speaking for you pretty well, 3rd O/A against 4 wheel drive cars plus Millington powered Escorts at Goodwood 2015 speaks volumes :thumb:

We we will be back out at goodwood South Downs states next year. Do you Marshall at any other events?

Being based in Southampton/Salisbury area means I tend to stick to our local events such as Goodwood, Bovington, Down Ampney (just the one event this year), Abingdon CARnival (I'm out on Sunday) plus Smeatharpe. We used to do the Sunseeker and the Tempest etc but local venues seem to be going missing. :cry:

Your developments sound interesting, will have to check out HH's website to see if they've got your shell prep on there. Your comment about a sequential gearbox is intriguing, is Bill building a sequential gearbox now or is this his sequential gear change for 'H' pattern gearboxes?

Need to get my arse into gear and get on with my own car, but I will be watching this thread ready to steal any good ideas. lol

Novarally140016v

09-06-16, 12:08 PM

Your developments sound interesting, will have to check out HH's website to see if they've got your shell prep on there. Your comment about a sequential gearbox is intriguing, is Bill building a sequential gearbox now or is this his sequential gear change for 'H' pattern gearboxes?[/QUOTE]

TBH you will probably be surprised how standard the car really is underneath.

Sorry for the confusion, I have one of Bill H pattern sequential shifters fitted in the corsa.

Novarally140016v

11-06-16, 05:49 PM

Collected my shell from Harry hockleys today, had a full multi point weld in roll cage fitted. The welding is brilliant, and very happy I made the decision to take it the 250 miles each way for them to fit it. Once I get 15 posts I will add some pictures.

gaf2

11-06-16, 08:03 PM

Mxcrazy

11-06-16, 10:09 PM

I am not sure they have used the shifter yet, Chris will correct me if so.

I have spoken to Chris about the sequential conversion. I dont see it saving time with shifts because its still a synchro box, so you cant go slamming it around like you would a dog box. What it will
hopefully do thoughnis reduce the chance of a missed shift.

Novarally140016v

14-06-16, 12:08 PM

Hi mate, can i ask how the Bill Falconer sequential shifter has performed when used in anger? I have just acquired one to put in my nova, i have a c16xe built by bill end of last year but not on the road yet. I plan to go hill climbing in the Scottish champs with it.

Cheers Grant

Hi, i haven't used it in anger yet. I only got it around a month ago, so have got it fitted and tried it on the road for the 1st time at the weekend. It seems good at the minute.

I only have a syncro box, if it proves successful I might get a dog box to do full flat shift gear changes.

Novarally140016v

14-06-16, 12:12 PM

I got my shell back from Harry Hockleys at the weekend. I am really pleased with the welding.

Now time to get on with fitting the plating kit, fully seam welding shell.

I have made a roll over jig, which should make seam welding the shell easier.

When I get over 15 posts I will upload some pictures.

RallyMarshal

14-06-16, 04:17 PM

Dont think you guys need any more speed!!! Yourselves along with Barnie are already the class of the 1400s..

Paul
Astra Mk2..

House

14-06-16, 05:48 PM

Team Shonky eat your hearts out!!!! lol

This is impressive!! Very jealous, pics of any re-shell will be great to have a look at

Whereabouts in Kent are you guys?

Novarally140016v

14-06-16, 07:02 PM

Dont think you guys need any more speed!!! Yourselves along with Barnie are already the class of the 1400s..

Paul
Astra Mk2..

Well we might be fairly quick, the new car will have the same engine, but hopefully 100 kg lighter......... The current car is 837 kg

The MSA rules for 1400 cars are 700kg, we wont be there but under 750kg would be nice.

Novarally140016v

14-06-16, 07:26 PM

This is impressive!! Very jealous, pics of any re-shell will be great to have a look at

Whereabouts in Kent are you guys?

Thanks, we do try.

I live in Gillingham.

Novarally140016v

14-06-16, 07:43 PM

New shell

Novarally140016v

14-06-16, 07:46 PM

Hockley Weld in roll cage

RallyMarshal

15-06-16, 12:57 PM

Well we might be fairly quick, the new car will have the same engine, but hopefully 100 kg lighter......... The current car is 837 kg

The MSA rules for 1400 cars are 700kg, we wont be there but under 750kg would be nice.

Thats the reason I decided to move to 1600cc - minimum weight was 920kg until this years rule changes. The Astra is 940kg but I reckon we could get it down to 900 or so with some thought. Mind you 1600cc minimum is now 770kg and the 2000cc minimum is 850kg which are both crazy low as is 700kg for 1400cc..

Paul..

House

15-06-16, 09:29 PM

Great pics, my next little idea will have a lot of inspiration from these pics!!

Keep the updates coming as the build continues

TallDave

17-06-16, 12:53 AM

That is one nice roll cage, though I'd need the main hoop to be as far back on the B Pillar as possible in order to accomodate my lanky frame :wall:

Thats the reason I decided to move to 1600cc - minimum weight was 920kg until this years rule changes. The Astra is 940kg but I reckon we could get it down to 900 or so with some thought. Mind you 1600cc minimum is now 770kg and the 2000cc minimum is 850kg which are both crazy low as is 700kg for 1400cc..

Paul..

Wow whats this a dawning reality check by the MSA! That is quite handy for my 20xe build as I didn't fancy adding weight to get to the previous (1000kg) limit! So now I can pare off unwanted bits while retaining as much strength as possible. I'd agree that the revisions seem to have flicked from the silly to the ridiculous, but with Mk11 Escorts running somewhere close to 800/850kgs mark, I suppose it give users of more modern cars at least half a chance of competing with them?

Novarally140016v

18-06-16, 07:31 AM

That is one nice roll cage, though I'd need the main hoop to be as far back on the B Pillar as possible in order to accomodate my lanky frame :wall:

Well my brother and I are also fairly tall, we are 6 foot 4. I am not sure how you can put the main hoop any further back?

i would like to have a floor mounted pedal box, but that is not possible with the length of my legs. The seat will be as far back as possible and we are fine with standard pedals. The seat in our current car is bolted as close to the floor as possible, to ensure our crash helmet is lower than the main roll hoop height.

Iain

18-06-16, 04:33 PM

Ah Nova Bliss, Team Shonky eat your hearts out!!!! lol

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/588/22939417034_5407c618a5_b.jpg

No pools of oil under the cars already got one up on us!

Cage looks good. I wonder why they only box the cage triangulation to half the side of the turret.

Nothing wrong with standard pedals!

TallDave

19-06-16, 11:49 AM

Well my brother and I are also fairly tall, we are 6 foot 4. I am not sure how you can put the main hoop any further back?

i would like to have a floor mounted pedal box, but that is not possible with the length of my legs. The seat will be as far back as possible and we are fine with standard pedals. The seat in our current car is bolted as close to the floor as possible, to ensure our crash helmet is lower than the main roll hoop height.

At the risk of doing top trumps for height, I'm 6 foot 6 with a 36 inch inside leg (for comparison of leg reach) and my drivers seat is mounted to fabricated turrets at the rear that allow the seat to go as low as possible, I have used a traditional tube mount across the front of the seat. So my seat is about as low as anyone can get it in a Nova without mucking about with the floor pan, as a result I just about fit but the main cage hoop is just behind my head!

I'm working on the pedal box issue, but like you need to retain as much leg room as possible. My preference would be for a Tilton rear facing M/C unit as the design of its mountings allow it to be fitted much further forward than any other similar units (possibly further forward than the standard pedal setup?). Problem is I'm having difficulty "accidentally spending" over a grand on a pair of pedals :eek:

TallDave

19-06-16, 11:56 AM

Cage looks good. I wonder why they only box the cage triangulation to half the side of the turret.

Nothing wrong with standard pedals!

Cage is built as per the works build manual, which HH was pretty closely involved with in the later days with the late much lamented Dave Metcalfe at the wheel.

To my mind the standard pedals are horrible offset to the left, which combine with a terrible steering column angle, makes the cockpit a bit of a disaster to my mind. But hey every man to his own :d

House

19-06-16, 07:11 PM

Problem is I'm having difficulty "accidentally spending" over a grand on a pair of pedals :eek:

Dunno what your problem is mate, just get on with it!!!!

AndrewC

20-06-16, 10:44 PM

Novarally140016v

21-06-16, 07:22 PM

Great thread. Really enjoyed the Snetterton Stages video, I'd like to do that one next year but won't be anywhere near as quick as that!

On the lanky frame thing....I'm only 6ft 2" and my seat is now as low as it will go, essentially into the floor. But now feel like I need a dished wheel to get that closer to me and give me a bit of clearance of my legs. Looking at the video I don't see a dish, have you repositioned the column at all? Any thoughts best wheel options?

Thanks for your comments. Next years date is in February, part of the Motorsport news circuit rally championship.

Its all all about momentum, And drivability rather than out and out power.

We have repositioned the steering wheel, and fitted a corsa c power steering column. We did have a dished wheel and I thought it was good, but after fitting the smaller wheel slightly further away it us easier to steer through the chicanes.

I think we only have a 300mm steering wheel, so it gives lots of leg room.

AndrewC

22-06-16, 09:17 PM

Thanks for your comments. Next years date is in February, part of the Motorsport news circuit rally championship.

Its all all about momentum, And drivability rather than out and out power.

We have repositioned the steering wheel, and fitted a corsa c power steering column. We did have a dished wheel and I thought it was good, but after fitting the smaller wheel slightly further away it us easier to steer through the chicanes.

I think we only have a 300mm steering wheel, so it gives lots of leg room.

That's it then....I will save the column position mod for later with the addition of epas and just look at a smaller wheel.

Can an I get your opinion on tyres? Do you do any airfield single venues Concrete/Tarmac and the odd loose bit? If so what tyres do you use? Would a typical track day tyre be ok?

Novarally140016v

23-06-16, 08:52 PM

That's it then....I will save the column position mod for later with the addition of epas and just look at a smaller wheel.

Can an I get your opinion on tyres? Do you do any airfield single venues Concrete/Tarmac and the odd loose bit? If so what tyres do you use? Would a typical track day tyre be ok?

We we do single venue events including airfields and race tracks, I wouldn't fit cheap track day tyres as you do more damage hitting chicanes and going off the road. I know they are expensive, but I fit hankook z209 slicks. I am sure a lot of people will disagree, but that's what I have found.

AndrewC

24-06-16, 10:09 PM

We we do single venue events including airfields and race tracks, I wouldn't fit cheap track day tyres as you do more damage hitting chicanes and going off the road. I know they are expensive, but I fit hankook z209 slicks. I am sure a lot of people will disagree, but that's what I have found.

Thanks. What about wets? Do you cut the Hankooks or go use something else?

Novarally140016v

25-06-16, 08:25 AM

Thanks. What about wets? Do you cut the Hankooks or go use something else?

In the past I used Dunlop x22 and just cut them to disperse the water. But recently I have used the hankook wet, which seems to wear very well even in damp conditions.

Apparently the michelins are better in standing water, but they can't be used in damp conditions. Also the michelins are £200 each, so the hankooks are just over half price.

some advise I would run 170/56/14, it seems narrow, but it's the size the works cars used. Hankooks are £132 each incl vat.

AndrewC

30-06-16, 08:22 PM

In the past I used Dunlop x22 and just cut them to disperse the water. But recently I have used the hankook wet, which seems to wear very well even in damp conditions.

Apparently the michelins are better in standing water, but they can't be used in damp conditions. Also the michelins are £200 each, so the hankooks are just over half price.

some advise I would run 170/56/14, it seems narrow, but it's the size the works cars used. Hankooks are £132 each incl vat.

First....Hankooks are beyond my budget really, I used to rely on a front runners part worns back in the day. Michelins are just a hazy dream...

second....I went with 15in rims was that the wrong decision for the chosen events?

RallyMarshal

01-07-16, 07:43 AM

First....Hankooks are beyond my budget really, I used to rely on a front runners part worns back in the day. Michelins are just a hazy dream...

second....I went with 15in rims was that the wrong decision for the chosen events?

You will struggle to get many 15" part worns these days that are any good and 14s are even worse usually.

Id recommend you get a set of new tyres, use the correct compounds for the conditions and they will last a while (depending on the event).

If you want a budget option, look at some Dunlop DZ03G trackday tyres. I believe they use the same type carcass as the Dunlop CR311 moulded slick. On a smooth venue (which is the only place Ive tried them) like Blyton, I reckon theyre 1-2 seconds a mile slower than a set of moulded slicks. Theyre similar to a Yoko A048 but better.

Paul..

Novarally140016v

16-08-18, 08:29 PM

It has been a few years since I last posted, but I thought I would give an update with pictures. Cars just come back from body shop and the rebuild begins.

The specification of the car is very similar to the old car, just with a safer multipoint roll cage with additional A pillar supports. These were added in readiness for the new 2019 rallying regulations, which the MSA have recently relaxed in the previous weeks.