New Project

[Muttly]

Hey all. I'm back and I've a new project in mind.
I've sold my 1.2spi (http://www.novaload.net/features/viewfeature.php?ref=1655) and bought a 180bhp Nissan Pulsar VZ-R (http://photobucket.com/albums/y42/muttly_irl/my_car/) (Bascally a 1.6 n/a car with VVL, which is similar to Hondas VTEC). But I miss my Corsa so much I'm thinking about doing a project car for the winter.
What I'm thinking of doin is getting a coupe. They're pretty rare around here. I'd say I've seen 1 in the last year. I've a few questions on these though.
The idea with the car is to strip it out completely, weld in the Harry Hockly kit. Fit a cage, a single bucket seat and harness, basically make the shell as strong as I can. Run whatever engine it comes with for a while until I can afford either a C20XE or even better a C20LET. Either way stick with the F20. As I want to stay as light as possible, I'll be skipping the F28, might even go F16. It'll get a rear disc conversion along with a big upgrade for the front, braided hoses all around. I'll put on a set of coilovers and drop it down nice and low. Poly bush everything and GSi antiroll bars and front and rear strut braces. As for looks I'm thinking white all over with a set of antracite OZ Superlegaras (however its spelt), GSi front bumper with a laguna splitter, rear matching, side skirts and a small spoiler on the boot lid.

1. What year did they come out? I'm looking to get one as old as possible as it'll allow me to tax and insure it as a classic which gets around a lot of legal bothers here. Basically it makes running the car fairly cheap.
2. I'm hoping to get a mk1 but I'm not really into the mk1 style, I prefer mk2s. So my next question is, my cousing has a mk2 1.0 2 door hatch, if I have that as a donor, will everything from it fit straight into the mk1 to update the front end and the dash.
3. Will the Harry Hockly kit fit the copue? And will the full cage fit? It'd be handy to just buy the cage and fit it rather than going custom, not to mention cheaper.
4. Will a F16 mate up to a C20?
5. Has anyone got any pics of something like this being done before? A few pics or links to someone coupe would be handy aswell.
Thanks in advance.
BTW any advice or suggestions, good or bad are welcome and appreciated. Unless they're something like put a huge jap kit on it and 20" wheels, I'm just not into that. I prefer subtle as you can see from my other Corsa and my Pulsar.

[Stuart]

im assuming you mean the saloon (its not a coupe lol)

the cage "should" fit, might need a bit of fettleing at the back.
the plate kit will fit as the engine bays are the same

stitch weld the shell (completely) to stiffen things up.
you dont need the front ARB on a nova, and you definately dont need it when you have coilovers.

[Muttly]

Well I'll call it a coupe. Its a 2 dr saloon. If it was an Impreza it'd be called a coupe. Plus it sounds a bit better. :)

When I put the ARB's on my spi I though it made a huge difference to the handling.

[Jos]

but that didn't have coilovers :wink:

Like the plan so far!

[Muttly]

First thing I need to do is find a car. It has to be in good condition because I don't want to be fixing a car and then sorting it. I'm trying to find out some info here about "reshelling" which might allow me to pick up a very early car, scrap it and build it into a 92 or 93 shell. But because it'd be a reshell I'd still have an older car, preferably an 83, like me! But still I'd have a mk2 car. If you know what I mean.
Its supposed to be possible here but I'm waiting on confirmation. If this is the case I think I know where a 92 COUPE can be got.

[Jack]

Damn you stole my idea! :lol:

IIRC the saloon has a rear arb fitted as std.... the problem with fitting arbs to an already stiffened nova is they can make it too stiff - you need a little bit of roll to keep all four wheels on the ground, and it may bounce round the corners.

As for age, I *think* the saloons started on A reg (which would be 198....3/4?)

Front end from a Mk2 should fit fine. As you're fitting the cage, are you stripping the inside? Bear in mind the rear seats have a metal plate behind them you'll need to cut out. IIRC the saloon also is a little shorter inside than the hatch, but I don't think that should affect the cage.

How about custom dash too?

[Stuart]

2dr imprezas arent coupes either lol

a coupe is a vehicle that has its roof line drop from the front to the back fo the vehicle. eg the 406 coupe.. ;)

[Muttly]

Ya, it'll be completley gutted inside. Except for the seat and maybe an internal fuel cell. I really want the racer look about it.
The idea of a custom dash did cross my mind. Possibly a custom half dash, with a few gauges in a custom instrument panel.

[Muttly]

OK 2dr saloon.



cough cough coupe cough.

[Stuart]

look for my "antibies" in the 1.2 features section for an idea for the dash ;)

[Muttly]

http://www.novaload.net/features/viewfeature.php?ref=2949
Looks mad alright. I was thinking of mounting a digidash, or else a full custom set of gauges in a panel over the steering wheel with nothing else in there.

[Stuart]

its a tad chavvy, but to be fair the gauges were cheap and the tacho is one of the few i found that have the range needed with accurate low revs too, for sub ?100 lol

[Muttly]

I wouldn't say it's chav. It a stripped out racer look.

[Stuart]

the gauges are chav F&F ones lol (well oilpress and tacho are)

[Jack]

Don't they automatically give you 400bhp? :lol:

Did you keep the std speedo there btw?

[Stuart]

yep i did keep the std speedo, but since its too close to the bulkhead i cant use it lmao

[Muttly]

Thats brilliant. I love that! Who need to know what speed you're doing anyway.

[shy witness]

if your goin 2 fit a mk2 front...............make sure its off a saloon nova or a five door hatch as they will have the matching round arches instead of the square 1's

i tought of doin something similar like this myself about 3 years ago..........


i even bought a 1985 2 dr saloon.wth 1 owner and a genuine 31000 miles.............

it didn't need aterrible lott of work..........just a we bit of welding and a respray............i even bought a new front crossmember section 4 it(still have it)

i'd it stripped down a bit and ready for action.but then a lack of time/interest and loss of storage at the time......forced me 2 scrap it.......


a bit silly when i look back now.........but thats just the way it woz..........

[Muttly]

I'd say I'll go with a wide arch kit off a 3dr hatch so I'll be able to replace the fron arches with box wides and the rear with box wides aswell. It'd look different and they're so unusual around here that no one would know the difference anyway.

[Muttly]

I was just thinking about an engine. What would ye recommend. I want a turbo so would I be better off buying just the engine, gerbox and loom or would I be better off with a whole car that runs? I would be thinking a whole car would be better. I spotted a calibra turbo that isn't in top condition but is running for cheap enough money and I also spotted an engine. There wsa only ?300 in the diference. I won't be buying either of these as I need to get a base car first. But opinions anyway.

[Jack]

Car would probably be better as you can see the engine running then. But of course that will cost more, and once you've taken the engine out, you've then got the problem of getting rid of the remaining car! Suppose you could strip a few good bits off to make some money back...

[Muttly]

It would also give me all the brake stuff and it would let me do a 5 stud conversion. That'd really turn head with Vaux heads.

I might aswell go completely off the wall and go 4wd. LOL.

[Jack]

I might aswell go completely off the wall and go 4wd. LOL.
4WD is the future 8)

[Muttly]

Well when I have everything yo'd never know I might try it. That'd be a good bit beyond my skills though. I doubt it'd happen but its always worth a look.

[polly]

been drinking again martin? :roll:


:wink:

[Muttly]

Me. No Never. Hopefully that car'll be good and I should be able to pick up a cal or cav for about ?2000, maybe even a little less. There's a few out there.