View Full Version : story of my track car, well upto now anyway
Thought i'd make a new post in the new section that way i can keep updating this one rather than making new ones.
I bought the car just over 2 years ago, it was a 1.2 luxe on a j- plate, the car was bought for 350 quid with a mot and nothing else lol
first i did the usual lowering, fitting a sportex back box, and alloys, the car stayed that way for about 5 months, then i wanted to do something with it, because i had passed my driving test and bought another car to use as my everyday driver, that ment the nova was now a 100% project car. last november i went to a track day at Cadwell park ( my local racetrack ) i went with work to see Martyn bell ( the now british touring car driver ) driving around, ever since that day i wanted to try that it looks amazing.
The first thing to do was to completely strip my nova's shell out, the whole car was gutted carpets, door cards seats, and eventually the dash, i then sourced some bucket seats and harneses, the seats were from Epo's old sri i got them for a bargain 50quid with the harnesses.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/novanotherscarshow051.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/novanotherscarshow050.jpg
i then started to lighten the shell, i bought a FG tailgate and binned the bumper irons in favour of some bonnet pins
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/novanotherscarshow053.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/fiberglasstailgate2001.jpg
bracket for the bumpers
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/fiberglasstailgate2035.jpg
FG tailgate
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/fiberglasstailgate2006.jpg
the car then sat like this for sometime, ue to lack of money, then the car had to be relocated to my house rather than my dads because he had bought a boat lol :eek:
When the car did get to my house it was in a bit of a state, it sat redundent in the drive way for some time, it survived afew break in's. After a few break ins to many i decided to pull my finger out and crack on with the project.
i started to tidy the interior, the dash came out, the floor was painted and i hollowed out the doors
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/rollcageisin007.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/DSCF0595.jpg.
i then fitted a second hand steering column, minus a steering wheel thank god, i fitted the new steering wheel and it was starting to take shape :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/DSCF0594.jpg
i then ordered a cage and a rear strut brace the cage was painted BMW bright red and trail fitted.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/rollcageisinnpainted018.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/rollcageisinnpainted020.jpg
then we went to fit the rear strut brace......
pics from fitting the rear strut brace
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/rollcageisinnpainted006.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/rollcageisinnpainted010.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/rollcageisinnpainted011.jpg
pics with the cage and brace in
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/rollcageisinnpainted029.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/rollcageisinnpainted025.jpg
i bought some new wheels from Andy aka hendrix, they looked nice but unfortunatly one of them was damaged and can't be repaired
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/mikesnova06102.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/mikesnova06101.jpg
another part i bought from andy was a 1400 sr engine complete with vernier pulley, fast road cam. skimmed head and a weber carb, that engine is curently getting rebuilt
pics of engine
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/eab57df3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/mikesnova06101.jpg
:wtf: the car then sat in my garage for a while, untill i was told there was another shell for sale in cleethorpes, the car was a white j reg merit plus, the bloke wanted 200quid for it, the car was straight, ok, it had some repair work on it i.e welding to the sills and battery tray, but the arches inner sill boot floor and slam panels all look great
rear view
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova011.jpg
front view, the bumper still needs pinning
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova008.jpg
rear panel, that has been trimmed for some reason :wtf:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova002.jpg
inner arches
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova023.jpg
front arches
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova017.jpg
rear arches
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova015.jpg
i then fitted everything from my old shell to the new one. Suspension and wheels were already fitted now it was the turn of the cage seats harnesses, and rear strut brace
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova012.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova013.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova014.jpg
cage put back in after painting the floor
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova016.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova017-1.jpg
Doesnt that mean people can rob your bumper though?!lol
the FG tailgate was then added still toying around with the idea of using the original hinges though
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova023-1.jpg
i made a custom dash pod made from the top half of the dash board
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova024.jpg
and the old shell went on its final journey :( :cry:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova022.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova021.jpg
the car now sits on some corsa c alloy wheels, they look huge on the nova lol, other than that the cars pretty much the same, but i do have some plans for the interior that i'll be carring out this week.
i'll keep you lot posted :thumb:
Doesnt that mean people can rob your bumper though?!lol
not really because its going to be a track car not a grocery getter lol
hendrix
19-11-06, 07:39 PM
looks good that mike! some good parts going in/on it ;)
ill have to take a journey over soon!
looks good that mike! some good parts going in/on it ;)
ill have to take a journey over soon!
cheers andy i'll have too come see you anyway, want too see the collection of nova's youve got now lol, let me know iff you have any parts for sale ;) lol
Blimey mike, looking very nice! I do like the dash modding youve done too! Keep it up mate!!
cheers lee, its starting to take shape, its taken me fooking ages lol
hendrix
20-11-06, 02:10 PM
cheers andy i'll have too come see you anyway, want too see the collection of nova's youve got now lol, let me know iff you have any parts for sale ;) lol
Got to get a list of all the recent stuff I have stockpiled. This time I'll make sure I know what I'm selling you though :wtf: lol lol
Whats the engine looking like now anyhow? I wanna see it running again! Can't help but wish I had kept it now though as it would have gone nicely in my 1ltr!
Got to get a list of all the recent stuff I have stockpiled. This time I'll make sure I know what I'm selling you though :wtf: lol lol
Whats the engine looking like now anyhow? I wanna see it running again! Can't help but wish I had kept it now though as it would have gone nicely in my 1ltr!
lol the engines been cleaned and every gasket is getting replaced this week, then the blocks getting painted bright red, tell you what i do need andy, a 5 speed box to mate the engine too !!!!!
hendrix
20-11-06, 02:21 PM
ive got one attached to my sri lump, but still unsure what Im doing with that yet (whether to fit it into my 1 lt or sell it!) I had a GSi box the other week, you should have said!
ive got one attached to my sri lump, but still unsure what Im doing with that yet (whether to fit it into my 1 lt or sell it!) I had a GSi box the other week, you should have said!
bollox :cry:
A little update, its been a while lol, right i put the nova back in the garage over winter, while it was sat in the i thought too myself, i don't want that 1.2i with a 4 speed box, so i decided to strip the engine down, so it can be removed and scraped, that way i've got too pull my finger out and get my new engine inlol .
firstly the front of the car was stripped down, that didn't take long, i then removed the wiring loom, well the engine loom anyway, the rad was taken out next
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova023-2.jpg
with the front wing off i had a really good look at the inner wings and there in great condition, even the metal splash gaurds are in good nick :eek:
last year i bought some mk1 wings (was going to mk1 my old shell) so i thought i'd see how they'd fit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova026.jpg
but i've decided to keep the car a mk2, i have all the bits for a mk2 saves me buying headlamps, indicators and a bumper
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova029.jpg
manky 1.2 brakes these will be upgraded, and finally both of the shafts out
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/j490surmikesnewnova028.jpg
the engines been dismantled, you can see bits of engine in most of the pics now i've just got to drag the bottom end out and gearbox
BigStan
10-01-07, 08:45 PM
Good work keep it up !
Nice work Mike.
Did you have to cut all the 1.2i engine loom out? Lol
Nice work Mike.
Did you have to cut all the 1.2i engine loom out? Lol
i didn't lol, but i will need to change the loom, the tank and the fuel pump won't i, becuse i'm fitting a carb engine? :tard:
Looks good mate. Got any pics of how you mounted your cage ?
tom reid
10-01-07, 10:26 PM
That car is crying out for bike carbs
bike carbs, never really thought about them, would they be easy enough to fit to a 1400 sr engine i wonder.
yep, just don't pay bogg bros money for the manifold, carbs are bout 50 notes on ebay.
Ash
Mike, Speak to Mikey Sr i think he was Bike carbing his 1400
Cars looking good..wish i could keep my white mk2
mikey14sr
11-01-07, 07:18 PM
Not for a long while yet martin, gonna stick with the old set-up for a while, might teach myself how to weld ally though so when I do do it I'll be making my own manifold.
yep, just don't pay bogg bros money for the manifold, carbs are bout 50 notes on ebay.
Ash
Any ideas where to get a manifold cheaper?
Without DIY ?
not a clue, but when i was going to r1 mine, everyone said what a rip off bogg bros are now (after TV feature) Just a local metalwork fabricatior i guess.
Ash
tom reid
11-01-07, 09:22 PM
I'll be making enquiries about getting one/some made out of steel and hopefully won't have to move the alternator
yep, just don't pay bogg bros money for the manifold, carbs are bout 50 notes on ebay.
Ash
never thought the carbs would be that cheap, so really it would be manifold that could be a head ache, what set up are you using mikey, twin carbs?
yep, just don't pay bogg bros money for the manifold, carbs are bout 50 notes on ebay.
Ash
never thought the carbs would be that cheap, so really it would be manifold that could be a head ache, what set up are you using mikey, twin carbs?
mikey14sr
12-01-07, 09:52 AM
Just a simple 32/34 on a 1300 manifold and head. On the 1.3 block I was getting 85brake @ 5000rpm. I'm now using an SRI block so hoping to see 95bhp.
The main difficulty in making a manifold for bike carbs is getting the angle that the carbs sit at right, they have to sit at the same angle as on the bike they came off for the floats to work correctly. That and getting the four tubes spaced correctly so that you don't have to start fiddling with spacers between each carb and extending the various linkages to suit.
Just a simple 32/34 on a 1300 manifold and head. On the 1.3 block I was getting 85brake @ 5000rpm. I'm now using an SRI block so hoping to see 95bhp.
The main difficulty in making a manifold for bike carbs is getting the angle that the carbs sit at right, they have to sit at the same angle as on the bike they came off for the floats to work correctly. That and getting the four tubes spaced correctly so that you don't have to start fiddling with spacers between each carb and extending the various linkages to suit.
well i've got a weber 32/34, that came with my new engine, the only problem is it needs a rebuild, my engine has also been rebored to a 1500 so it should be quite nippy
mikey14sr
12-01-07, 05:34 PM
Try fastroadcars on e-bay for a rebuild kit for the carb, then all it'll need is a good set-up session.
niceone, cheers mate, i'd prefer to have the weber fitted than the pierburg ****e lol
quick update........ heres the only rotton part of the car, the slam panel as usual.
its gone were the slam panel meets the inner wings, one side has bucked after the bonnet was dropped on it, the head lamp also paid the price. Do'hhhhh. its a good job i have a replacement head lamp and slam panel
pics
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/slampaneldamage005.jpg
broken head lamp
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/slampaneldamage004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/slampaneldamage001.jpg
head lamp bowls
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/slampaneldamage008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/slampaneldamage007.jpg
and as the car sits now in the garage looking sorry for itself
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/slampaneldamage009.jpg
never thought the carbs would be that cheap
i've noticed the price is shooting up now people are cottoning on to what they do (like T40's only cheaper) but yea, you have have to get friendly with a metal fabricator for the manifold.
Progress is looking good tho, looks almost in the same sorry state i last saw mine in... :( it will be good when it's done.
Ash
yeah i know what your saying, the more popular the carbs become, the higher the prices
well the engines finally out, me and my mate man handled the block and gear box out under neath the car lol, only one side of the car was jacked up so god knows how it came out but it did, now i can get the new engine ready and bug hendrix for a gearbox lol
heres some pics of the car minus its crappy engine and 4 speed box, the chassis legs and inner wings are great, much better than my old nova
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/engineout007.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/engineout001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/engineout002.jpg
dirty but solid inner wings
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/engineout004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/engineout006.jpg
the next step is to remove the fire wall, and clean the engine bay up, i was out in the cold last night finally fitting the FG tailgate, then i need to tidy up the wiring, which am not really looking forward too......
reminds me of when i reshelled mine hehehe
coming along, slowly but surely aint it :D
Good to see some progress Mike.
Are you planning on removing the spi engine loom? Lol
KPautomotive
09-02-07, 09:25 AM
Great progress matey.
Quick tip..you shouldnt jack a car up when fitting cage/strut brace
Great progress matey.
Quick tip..you shouldnt jack a car up when fitting cage/strut brace
the strut brace is already fitted, and whats the reason behind that?
ad i might fit a new loom out of a carb'd nova, doubt it would be much hassle lol
reminds me of when i reshelled mine hehehe
coming along, slowly but surely aint it :D
lol not wrong mike, its getting there, i have a bit of a bet on atm, my brother has just bought a mk1 toyota starlet, his plans are to drift it, so he thinks he can finish that before i finish my nova lol
the strut brace is already fitted, and whats the reason behind that?
Probably because when jacked up the shell is stressed/moves slightly, so it sits different than when its on the floor.
so in other words the cage might not fit properly because the shell has twisted slightly
hendrix
10-02-07, 06:05 PM
mike, come and get this box in the next couple of weeks if you like. Its an F13.
mike, come and get this box in the next couple of weeks if you like. Its an F13.
nice one Andy a f13 is what i've been after aswell, you haven't changed mobile numbers have you mate?
bloody hell, took me 10mins trying too find this lmao, it'd fallen afew pages back lol
anyway a small update, the engines been out at while now, so i decided to tidy up the engine bay, i e rub it down prime and repaint it, its not the tidiest job in the world but it looks better than what it did.
pics
before
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/gearboxin001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/gearboxin002.jpg
after
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/gearboxin007.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/gearboxin005.jpg
another update in a bit...........
hendrix
05-04-07, 12:57 PM
nice overspray lol
nah looks good mike. Are you sure that mount I gave you was for the engine and not the gearbox front mount???
nice overspray lol
nah looks good mike. Are you sure that mount I gave you was for the engine and not the gearbox front mount???
lmfao, yeah it looks great, i'm 100% sure its the engine mount ave got mate, i'll get a piccy in a sec
well, the other week i bought a gearbox from hendrix aswell as afew other things, so i decided the gearbox will be fitted, didn't want it kicking about the garage floor, kept tripping over it lol
anyway some piccys
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/gearboxinverymuchso001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/gearboxinverymuchso002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/gearboxinverymuchso003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/gearboxinverymuchso004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/gearboxinverymuchso005.jpg
granted it could do with a clean lol but all in good time, i just want the thing running, but i'll probably go out and clean it now knowing me lol
hendrix
05-04-07, 01:19 PM
wooo my old gearbox AND engine are gonna be in this car...yay!
Still wish I had kept the engine lol
nice overspray lol
nah looks good mike. Are you sure that mount I gave you was for the engine and not the gearbox front mount???
andy the definate answer too your question is nope, i've got the drivers side engine mount....
pics
mount you need mate, gearbox mount
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/enginemount002.jpg
mount i needed, and purchased from you, engine mount
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/enginemount003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/enginemount001.jpg
did you empty the boot of your car lol
hendrix
05-04-07, 01:56 PM
haha nah mate, i put more stuff in there insteadlol
thats probably why I cant find my mount. You gonna pop down and give us a hand with them doors mate??
Oh and for the record, I gave you the mount :cool: lol
lmao,half my cars made up of things i've got from you mate, can't keep track of them lol
just give me a shout when you want a hand matey, and al help you take them off.
I dunno, you small block boys fitting gearboxes before the engine. You dont know your born half the time! lol lol
Good progress Mike, keep it upski!
Nova-Dan
05-04-07, 05:19 PM
cool mate,keep up work
I dunno, you small block boys fitting gearboxes before the engine. You dont know your born half the time! lol lol
Good progress Mike, keep it upski!
lmao, it seemed the logical way to do it mr lee lol
mikey14sr
05-04-07, 06:42 PM
You've not lost another gearbox mount have you andy?
mike, get on with it mate, you're slacking! lol
Personally i'd have fitted the lot in one go.
Takes a bit of "wiggling" to get the box meet up with the engine, with the box already in the bay. Lol
Good progress tho, bay looks a lot tidier.
You've not lost another gearbox mount have you andy?
mike, get on with it mate, you're slacking! lol
lmao yes he has lol, and yep am slacking i've had this week off so i've been working on the car non stop
little update, well on the engine front anyway, the 1400 is getting changed to a 1.6 8v well it will be when hendrix pulls it out his car, and i get some money together, but the plan is to strip the 1400 and put the cam, and vernier pulley on the 1600 an nice airfilter and a 4 branch manifold, there should be enough power there to keep me happy for a bit lol
the car itself is now being turned into a semi track car, interior will consist of carpet up front and a dash board all of which i have thanks 2 my parts car that i have bought, pics soon lol
well heres nova number 5 originally bought as a joint project car for me and my brother, now its a parts car and will be getting stripped
pics
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/h209ffw001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/h209ffw005.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/h209ffw002.jpg
doesn't look that bad does it
then i checked the boot floor :eek:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/h209ffw003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/h209ffw004.jpg
the car was 50quid so i got some parts off it that can come in handy lol
little update, the interior is near enough finished, just need to fit the sparco pedals i've had lying about for 2 years lol
pics
dash board in, it looks better considering i'll be planning on using this car more than first planed
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/freshpics001.jpg
just afew more pics of the exterior, i got another dealer team sport emblem for the tailgate, i've got one on the bulk head so i thought sod it lol
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/freshpics002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/freshpics003.jpg
and the front
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/freshpics004.jpg
long time no see lol . had a slight change of plan with the nova, its now just going to be a sri with a cage. the engines in, new looms in and the 2.0 brakes are fitted, so it should be running soon, basically i've reshelled hendrix's old black sri. the plan is now to get the car running and tidy up the bodywork and maybe tune the 1400 engine abit.
engine and gearbox in minus the inlet.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/SP_A0194.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/SP_A0193.jpg
and afew pics under its new guise. no pinned bumpers, and cylinder head lol, we were fitting a complete gasket set to the car when we found that the water pump had seized solid, so time to replace that, that and the track rod ends being a complete bitch to remove are holding me back, so is my everyday car which decided it didn't want to play anymore, so new exhaust and brakes for the corsa then lol
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/SP_A0067.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/6666666/eSP_A0017.jpg
did this every get finished???
hendrix
27-07-09, 10:01 PM
sold and cubed iirc :(
sold and cubed iirc :(
haha actually mate the shells in ireland lol the rest of its scattered all over the country probably, made way for the gsi so it had to go :cry:
hendrix
27-07-09, 10:05 PM
wheres my sri lump?? that was a beast lol
wheres my sri lump?? that was a beast lol
ermmm probably in someones garage lol, hope not tho bloody spent ages rebuilding that thing lol
well thats no good lol did you manage to build the gsi?
well thats no good lol did you manage to build the gsi?
the thread for the gsi is further down the page lol
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