how hard to rear wheel drive/4 wheel drive a nova

[P Whack]

Just wondered if its possible or how hard it is to make a nova rear wheel drive or make it four wheel?

[Adam]

Austin on here has a rwd nova.

[draper]

4 wheel drive nova, possible yes, been done no, been talked about 100s of times

austins rwd is stunning tbh, theres also a few with engines in the back so there also rear wheel drive

[Stuart]

tbh if you are asking "how hard would it be" then you clearly arent going to sucseed at the project if you start it.

and it would cost far too much to send away for some engineering firm to do it.

[P Whack]

It wouldnt be me doing it one of my mates has done a rear wheel astra b4 but just need to know what parts to use and if its still possible to do it without putting the engine in the back

[Mike]

A guy i know made a Mk3 Astra GSi 4x4 LET. Its cost him over ?10k so far and he has vowed that he will never ever do it again.

Ive seen pictures of Nova's from the 90's, that were 4x4 converted for rallying/rally cross, but the company that used to convert them have long since gone. IIRC they charged ?8k a converion.

EDIT: Im sure Baxter has got some pics somewhere of said Astra GSi

[tom_beverley]

I remember seeing pics of a 4x4 Astra, wasn't it red and use a Cally floorpan IIRC?

On topic, a RWD would be a hell of a lot easier to fabricate and the bonus of it has been done before so info is accessible.

We are still waiting to see the first propper 4wd Nova.

[Stuart]

you are never going to get a "proper"4wd nova using a vauxhall drivetrain.... even the calibr**** 4wd isnt PROPER 4wd.

Most topics like this on ALL vauxhall forums start with asking the most basic silly questions that you WOULD have researched and got the gist of by looking at prospective donor cars and the project car etc... "what parts" well its a very custom job so nearly unknown.... you "could" cut a calibra up and put the nova shell on it, you could put a real 4wd system in etc etc.

[Mike]

the only suitable donor vehicle to make a Nova 4x4 the least amout of work is an......

Escort Cosworth.

I know this, as i spent an entire afternoon measuring one up whilst it was having a Montune engine fitted.

You want the sizes, here they are:

Nova -

Wheel base: 2343mm
Front track: 1320
Rear track: 1307

Cosworth -

Wheel Base: 2552
Front track: 1453
Rear track: 1472

Now, try and find an Es'cos running gear, and then try an mount the MT75 box in a Nova. When the gearbox is almost as big as Nova. To give you some idea, here are my pics:

*Note - size of rear trailing arms, size of trans tunnel. To give some size comparison, those wheels are 18 x 8 inch.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j181/mikenova/Random/Image006.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j181/mikenova/Random/Image008.jpg

THIS is an MT75 5speed gearbox:

http://www.zetecinside.com/xr2/pictures/typemt75.jpg

[Welsh Dan]

If i had the time, skills, money and motivation* to make a 4WD Nova, then I'd build a spaceframe chassis to suit my chosen running gear and suspension setup, then add enough bits of Nova or fibreglass parts to make it look like a Nova after the hard work has been done.


*I have none of these

[Mike]

if i were to ever attempt this, i do the following:

Calibra 4x4 rear suspension/trailing arms & brakes
XE/LET conversion front shafts/hubs
XE/LET engine
F28 & v6 brakes
Custom prop
Custom half shafts on rear (shortened)
internal fuel tank (save space underneath)
custom trans tunnel
Internal gearlinkage (save space underneath)
Cav/calibra transfer

On the whole, it is far easier to make a rear engine, RWD one.

[novacabrio]

There was a mk3 Astra van on here for sale a few months ago that was 4x4

[Mike]

There was a mk3 Astra van on here for sale a few months ago that was 4x4

yep, white one, was at USC ;)

[Paul]

my mate has a mk2 astra running 4x4 cally stuff, approx 450bhp with cossie management, t5 turbo, some of the older lot may remember it, was featured in max power 10 years ago, lime green colour.

Another one of my mates has a mk2 astra running rwd, cosworth yb turbo engine, cosworth running gear had to lengthen the prop!

Paul

[Lee H]

Another one of my mates has a mk2 astra running rwd, cosworth yb turbo engine, cosworth running gear had to lengthen the prop!

Paul

Was it a guy called Kev Read who was building that IIRC?

[Lee]

IMO the one guy on here who has the skills (from what ive seen) hasn't attempted it, therefore you have to conclude it is either a)a LOT of effort or b) its just not worth it.

Austin will be the first to admit his RWD isnt the quickest, due to all the extra weight of the spaceframe etc. It is, however, great at doing dougnuts. Does make you wonder what benefits you would get from a 4X4 nova unless you intend to go rallying. And if you intend to go rallying in SWB 4X4 that will cost over 10K to build, you would do the sensible thing and buy a Lancia Delta!

Therfore, IMO, you would only build one to pose, and in my experience, the guys who want to very rarely have the fabrication skills to make it happen. THATS why one hasnt been built yet.

[Mike]

IMO the one guy on here who has the skills (from what ive seen) hasn't attempted it, therefore you have to conclude it is either a)a LOT of effort or b) its just not worth it.

Austin will be the first to admit his RWD isnt the quickest, due to all the extra weight of the spaceframe etc. It is, however, great at doing dougnuts. Does make you wonder what benefits you would get from a 4X4 nova unless you intend to go rallying. And if you intend to go rallying in SWB 4X4 that will cost over 10K to build, you would do the sensible thing and buy a Lancia Delta!

Therfore, IMO, you would only build one to pose, and in my experience, the guys who want to very rarely have the fabrication skills to make it happen. THATS why one hasnt been built yet.

Nail, head.

And before anyone gets any ideas, no Lancia Delta running is also to big as i have checked myself.....

[Philsutton]

we built a corsa 4x4, welded the diff up, did some donuts, broke the clutch an now its outside as a bare shell. Its not difficult to do, enough people chat **** about how easy it is but never do it. Easiest way is to use the whole floor from a cav /calibra but i would do it that way for a nova.

[kevster]

IMO the one guy on here who has the skills (from what ive seen) hasn't attempted it, therefore you have to conclude it is either a)a LOT of effort or b) its just not worth it.

Austin will be the first to admit his RWD isnt the quickest, due to all the extra weight of the spaceframe etc. It is, however, great at doing dougnuts. Does make you wonder what benefits you would get from a 4X4 nova unless you intend to go rallying. And if you intend to go rallying in SWB 4X4 that will cost over 10K to build, you would do the sensible thing and buy a Lancia Delta!

Therfore, IMO, you would only build one to pose, and in my experience, the guys who want to very rarely have the fabrication skills to make it happen. THATS why one hasnt been built yet.

well try saying that in one breathlol
i cant wait to see what big g saloon like :)

[Paul]

Was it a guy called Kev Read who was building that IIRC?

Indeed, nearly done now :)