am i taking on the impossible?

[mini_kris]

Since buying the nova from a mate I found that it wasn?t just scabby on the outside(so holey it has its own religion) and that as I have been offered a good shell, I will use the car everday and build the other shell up to reshell mine into, I will be seam welding the new shell, making and welding in a tunneland new bulk head in and will be converting it to RWD to take a 3.0l straight six engine, I have a ford back axle and I will also be welding a roll cage in with diagonals to the front and rear struts to add extra strength, as well as having the front and rear strut brace to add a bit more rigidity as I plan on taking so much weight out of the original novas shell, currently on my
parts I have already acquired are:
A set of Coilovers
A set of 4 cavalier wheels but will be on the look out for mk2 5 spoke Gsi wheels
3.0l Toyota supra engine and gearbox
Ford rear axle

The car as it was when I bought it(dont really want todo anythign with it as its a shed, just want to keep it right while i get on witht he other car)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d157/minimankris/DSCN0492.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d157/minimankris/DSCN0495.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d157/minimankris/DSCN0494.jpg
The car now after a week of ownership
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d157/minimankris/DSCN0510.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d157/minimankris/DSCN0512.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d157/minimankris/DSCN0513.jpg

I?m hoping to pick the new shell up next week so i cant start stripping it down to bare. (need to sell my golf first)

[burgo]

you onistly think you are gonna get a straight six in a nova engine bay

[mini_kris]

NO, i will be moving all the bulk head back, well buildign a totally new bulhead but i think its possible with enough work, i am not stupid, will be my biggest project so far though, i have to admit the work is alot but i dont think its intially impossible

[draper]

3.0l Toyota supra engine and gearbox

not stupid but brave !! tbh youd need to be a damn good fabricator to get that in a bloody nova, i dont think 1 would go in the boot lol

but if it goes in and runs the possibilities are endless - 700bhp ??

[mini_kris]

well i built a 2.0l xe powered mini when i was 17(started it when i was 16) just the shell is now forsale(sold it to a mate needing spaggetti junction fitted that is the astra wirring loom and he broke it and used the engine in his mini) if anyone fancys a project ?500(fresh in paint), have been welding since i was 16 and i do understand what kind of job its going to be the only actual real nova body left is most likly going to be bumpers, roof, doors and windscreen,

and im not on my own building it i have a dam good fabricator by my side and a qualified mechanic, and as i am giving my self 12 months just to get it rolling i think its fairly possible

[draper]

go for it !! what have you got to lose ??

fabricating a whole other body under nova panels might be easier tho, a sort of space frame - so its actually a kit car

[Stoo]

Kris, take it from me, its not worth the hassle

Austin had enough trouble with his converting his to RWD using a complete space frame and an XE!

IT IS NOT EASY!! And far from worth the hassle!
Austins is mint dont get me wrong but the amount of faffing about he has had to do is unreal!!!

If u dont take this advice then good luck cos you WILL Need it!!!

[staggy_gsi]

i know some lad who put a rover V8 in a mini! he had to extend the nosecone by about 2 miles but fcuk me it went like a rocket! if that can be done im sure you can get a supra engine in a nova if you have the knowledge and patience lol

[Mr-G]

I had to rebuild a 3.0 turbo lump a while ago so i know them pretty well, there is very little chance you will be able to get it to all work TBH as the fan is mounted to the supra engine and with that thay are about 4 ft long so moving the bulkhead back wont be enough

[Mike.]

just have ago at it mate, you seem pretty positive about it.

[Lee]

That will be one serious bit of kit if you pull it off, but it will be a bit like trying to fit a size 10 foot into a size 8 shoe. If you manage it, there probably wont be any Nova left.

Wouldn't it be easier to build the thing from scratch spaceframed and pop a nova fiberglass bodyshell on top?

Dont take these opinions to heart though mate, when you start the project, we'll all be rooting for you!

[draper]

just do it you pussy !!! i sugest like BT (as long as you dont wanna 1/4 mile lol) a space frame with nova style panels but good luck buddy !!

[The Simps]

I don't think the nova is the ideal carcus for the conversion in mind. I think something just slightly bigger like an astra would be better. Would also be slightly more stable to drive imo.

There's a guy on MIG who's putting a V6 Twin Turbo in a mk2 astra and its coming along nicely.

Simps.

[mini_kris]

i agree to the fact its not the most idea car to start with but it will certainly be diffrent(and if we pull it off bloody fun, if we dont 1.3 sr for breaking lol ), and i know how big the motor is its currently sat in my mates garage, its ****ing huge!
a space frame is an option but in all honestly i dont think we wanted to build a space frame, more like a tubular front and rear subframe instead
but we wont be starting till we get the shell stripped and see how rotten it is/isnt and i think that will decide which way we will go with it.

kris

[mikey14sr]

Do you read ppc? they ran a series on space-framing a mk1 escort to take 4x4 cossy running gear, might be worth getting a few back issues to see how they did it. Building a full spaceframe would be the easiest option in my opinion, as you're going to be cutting most of the nova floor out anyway. And unless you use a fibreglass shell, it'll probably weigh quite a lot more than a normal nova due to all that extra tubing.

[Mike]

are'nt you lot just a bunch of negative bastids ehh!! I say go for it!

Wether it fits or not go for it!! Like that Supra engined 205, he done it, even though the supra engine is bigger then a 205 to start with!!

If i had the space id love to put a 3.0 24v 220bhp carlton engine into a nova :)

[Lee]

are'nt you lot just a bunch of negative bastids ehh!! I say go for it!

:)

lol, the guy posted up asking for advice and we gave it to him, if wed all said 'yeah, awesome, do it' without pointing out possible problems, he wouldnt have all the info for making his decision. Not one post said it was a bad idea!!

[hendrix]

any one see that legendary thread on another site where iirc a guy put a moggy 1000 onto a nissan 200sx floorpan???
that was feckin awesome!

[Stoo]

Yeah i saw that hendrix!! Twas amazing build thread!!!

Bet it was awesome to drive!

[Ste L]

any one see that legendary thread on another site where iirc a guy put a moggy 1000 onto a nissan 200sx floorpan???
that was feckin awesome!


this one?

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=219069

[Riggy]

kris, can i have your white bonnet lol

[L14MNP]

Awesome! That's now bookmarked :cool:

[mini_kris]

thats an awseome build on the sx owners club
riggy you can have the white bonnet, its rotten lol

[TommySR]

good luck mate have a feeling your gonna need it

[Nova_Houch7]

I think you should hava a go at doing it mate. Would be a big achievment doin that to a nova.

Also be good to see progress to, and the final result would be sweet!

L

[novabex]

I think if you stick with it you might actually manage it.

[Martin]

yeah mate just go for it

gota show W.I.P Pics tho

[novaco]

looks a similar nick to mine when i bought it! i managed ok lol

[mini_kris]

plans have changed a little bit well correction they have been slowed down as some one drove into my daily so ahvign to reshell with my good shell now so looks like i need to find another shell but have got my banger racer mates keeping there ears out for a decent shell so hopfully wont be too long before i start