What would you do?

[the dude]

To a car your going to drive all the way to africa, and over everything in your path.

getting alsorts of conflicting answers, so i have come to the Gurus.

This is the list ive got so far, anything non essential? missing anything?

Big, burly fan on the front from an Astra GSI
K&N filter
Oil Cooler
Spring Assistors

Heat wrapping manifold -(are the standard ones Mild steel or stainless?)
Sump + fuel tank guards - home made
route the fuel line internal (out of the way) - is it worth getting mudflap hose?
put in bonnet pins, hold it down over the really rough stuff. nececarry?

Remember this is on a budget of around £0.10, we can get more, but selling the car in Cameroon, so not much point.

also looking for all of these parts, so if anyone can help out, will be brill. :thumb:

[craig green]

K&N filter? Fook that if you wanted the engine to last....

Deffo decent shock absorbers from the likes of KONI or yellow bilsteins.

[Mike]

Id pick a car that is going to make it :thumb: something that is noted for its endless off road & on road use. Not a bloody Nova.

[meritlover]

K&N filter? Fook that if you wanted the engine to last....

Deffo decent shock absorbers from the likes of KONI or yellow bilsteins.:thumb:

[Philsutton]

on the plus side, there is nothing you cant fix on a nova without some cable ties and gaffa tape.

[_JH_]

forget an astra GSi fan, use a corsa or Nova diesel rad and fan. You'll need a longer hose to the expansion tank, but you could ask a local scrappy nicely and just pick what you need from a scrap car.

Definitely route the fuel lines inside the car. When you smash a hole in your tank, it'll make using a jerry-can easier lol

Don't bother with an oil cooler. It'll be hot out there, but if you have a good rad and fan as mentioned it'll do the job. You won't be screaming the engine anyway - unless you're a chump.

Forget heat-wrapping the manifold.

Instead of bonnet pins, use bonnet rubbers like you often see on minis. bonnet pins won't line up after you've hit a gazelle at 60mph :tard:

And finally, add to the post you put on the grasser forum that you want tyres. Put your location in there and you should find people nearby to you :thumb:

I have no experience of driving in extreme heat, but most of the problems experienced with over-heating are down to the existing cooling system being faulty.

[Matt2107]

Ruddy good service before you go.

Would it help not having a bonnet?
I guess you'd end up with sand in the air box.

[AlexW]

Ruddy good service before you go.

Would it help not having a bonnet?
I guess you'd end up with sand in the air box.

and you would get pulled over prob, deffo in the uk its iilegal but i dont know and im just thinking...... (or lack of thinking)

[Dod]

Big Burly Tyres on 14" Wheels, steels at that. They'll straighten with a Hammer, Bring Spare Red Hoses and a Rad. Go for a 1200cc Nova, a tough little engine, Tank guard and a Sump Guard. Astra Springs and as mentioned Billies or Koni's.
If you could manage it, Cav TD Twin Fans? It'd be a squeeze but possibly worth it.

[mowgli]

fit a diesel thermostat, it opens at a lower temperature, costs pence. I wouldn't bother with the fitting of a bigger fan, just make sure the one you've got works.

take a 4 or 5dr nova because you can open the rear windows to help with in car cooling, & getting your stuff in & out will be easier.

Remember this, GM took the novas to very hot countries to develop them. these cars will cope with the hot weather. The local fuel will be rubbish so take spare spark plugs

[Nevo]

Get a Landrover !

[Welsh Dan]

Take carb cleaner, brake fluid and spare rubber brake flexi lines aswell. Flush the cooling system out thouroughly, consider adding something in to help loosen any baked on crap thats in there aswell, I think holts do one that you're supposed to use before using radweld.

[jawimpreza]

take a gun some fooker might try and nick your car.......take spare alternator belts and a battery .plus some dirty mags lol

[the dude]

Cheers derek, good advice there. sounds a bunch cheaper than getting upgraded parts, just deisel ones.


bonnet rubbers sound a whole lot easier to fit

not getting much rersponse from the grasstrack forum, alot of views though, ill give it a go anyway :)

DOD, there is an engine limit of 1000CC for this rally, so the 3dr, 1L nova is perfect.. because we have it already. meaning a Landy is out of the the picture aswell...shame. makes it more interesting though

Hammer and duck tape can fix all ailements anyway.

Welsh dan, good stuff there, were going to be bringing flushes of every fuel and that cure-all epoxy, much needed. leanring to rebuild the carb will be interesting, aslong as we learn before a sand storm it should be alright.

Id love some astra springs on there, if anyone can find some free ;) i can pick them up, but we dont have a budget...as i said.

dirty mags are a must, (best bribes in the world)

Africa is split into 3 gun laws:
1.the law will shoot you for NOT having a gun
2. the locals will shoot you for having a gun
3. both at the same time.

so i think we'll have to risk it, fight with blarney, not bullets.

thanks for the great response PNG :)

[Mike]

Africa is split into 3 gun laws:
1.the law will shoot you for NOT having a gun
2. the locals will shoot you for having a gun
3. both at the same time.

Thats messed up.

[Dod]

1000cc eh? Bring a spare Dizzy and Cap then. Oh and a Carb, various belts and as mentioned a set of plugs and leads. All should fit in your glove box.

Actually, since your engine is so small, you could carry a spare in the boot. LOL

[noknok]

The local fuel will be rubbish so take spare spark plugs

2nd that. Take a tea strainer to filter the flies and dung out the fuel! it'll be handy for when you brew up on the roadside, remeber the British Empire was built on tea lol

What you up to, that Mogol Rally thing or similar?

[NovaLad]

Get some of that stuff they use in army for if ya get a flat where you spray it into the tyre i think then light it and it inflates the tyre back up.

[Jack]

Get some of that stuff they use in army for if ya get a flat where you spray it into the tyre i think then light it and it inflates the tyre back up.
Thats a funny liquid called "alcohol". Would have thought at your age you'd have come across that by now lol

Funnily enough, its usually the Russians who do that trick

[the dude]

bit of a joke mike, if you dont carry a gun, they have no real reason to shoot you.
still in all rights to beat and rape us... in prague..

Africans can fix anything, should help with bodging.

This rally is run by the same people as the mongol, same rules, charities and adventure. just brand spanking new.

good spares list dod, whats a dizzy and cap? not down with the linguo.

[Dod]

Sorry, a distributer and a cap. They're tempramental on 1000cc engines. Everything else, provided you have lubracants etc in place should be pretty good.

Also, the Army Lighter Fluid Trick only works in Sub Zero Conditions iirc.

[Mike]

Get some of that stuff they use in army for if ya get a flat where you spray it into the tyre i think then light it and it inflates the tyre back up.

I just use lighter gas to do that. Spray some in, light it, kapoooowie! Tyre is back on its rim in seconds :D

EDIT: Dod, it works better in low temperatures, but TBH it'll work well upto about 20c

[Dod]

WOW, thats gonna be a big help to me. Great news!

[Lee]

While your running the fuel lines internally, run the brake lines in there as well. That will give you the best protection on the bottom including your tank / sump guards. You rupture a brake line, your completely funked! Id also remove the centre box from the exhaust to stop it catching on anything and ripping off. Itll be plenty quiet enough with just a backbox.

Look on ebay, and type in 'rally tyres'. Loads to choose from. Get the hardest compounds possible, and as many as you can fit in the car, on rims! And theyre road legal.

If youve got room, have some front struts already built up (shocks and springs) to save a ballache with spring compresors if you muller something. TCA's and tie bars are a must as well. Doesnt take much to bend those bastids. Also worth considering a couple of hub carriers with hubs and bearings built up, again to save any ballache if a bearing explodes.

If your using 14's, change the front brakes for 256mm ATe's (from 2.0 cav's, astra's, calibras etc, they bolt straight on). Punish a Delco calliper even a little bit, and itll wave the white flag. Especially with all the fiddly bits that will get grit in and seize up.


I rekon a Novas one of the best sh1tters to do this sort of thing with :)

[Dod]

I dont see the Brakes being much of an issue, its rought terrain most of the way so high speed, especially in a 1000cc Nova shouldnt be an issue. Struts are also a good idea, very easy and fast to change, but wheels'll be your biggest requirment.

[Lee]

Nothing to do with high speed. A seized calliper, especially at low speed on rough terrain, would be a pain in the ass.

[_JH_]

But the delco brakes may seize ON with the dust etc.

[Dod]

Meh, Knock it off with a Hammer and tie it back. If its siezed then it wont compress anymore and you'll still have the other wheel. Not Ideal but it'd stop you. Lets face it, its not exaclty going to be a Motorway of Traffic.

[Lee]

lol, as opposed to an hours work before you start the trip.

I know what id do.

[Dod]

10 mins work IF required?

[the dude]

We have a set of 14 alloys and 13" steels so were bringing both,
going to find some rally tyres for the steels
dont want to be cracking alloys on dirt tracks.

is there a set of brakes that would work on both sets?

We are pretty tight for space, so spare suspention rack isnt going to fit realisticly. may well end up running the standard set, with some spring assistors.

Hubs - genious, one of the main points, got to get hold of some, do the 1.2 hubs fit? (take some off a scrappy)

Not going to bring one of the "tyre weld" kits, there pump. didnt work in england, not going to put my life on one.

[Lee]

all nova hubs and hub carriers are the same.

If you run ATE's youll need to use 14's, or you could use corsa brakes (anything that doesnt use the two pins) under 13's.

[General Baxter]

Get a Landrover !

lol


you want my nissan its taken steroids lol

[Dod]

Not suspension racks, just the struts. Both would easily fit into a kit bag. 2x 17mm bolts from the strut to the hub and 2x 13mm nuts on the strut top mount in the car to change them. Hubs'd be a lot more of a task to change though and do they really ever fail?

[Lee]

do they really ever fail?

Not for the hub themselves. For the wheel bearings. Punishing terrain will finish them off a goddun.

[mowgli]

rear wheel bearings are crap on normal roads, get some spares.

plywood sump & tank guards.

get someone who is good with a welder to strengthen the lower arms on the front.

[Welsh Dan]

get someone who is good with a welder to strengthen the lower arms on the front.

Would that not then make the chassis the weak point like on the corsas?

[Dod]

This Nova is gonna be a ****ing tank!!

[the dude]

This Nova is gonna be a ****ing tank!!

damn right, needs to be. going to try to make timbuktu, motorbikes barely make it...

ok, struts are a really good idea now, ill get hold of a nova at a scrappy and pull it to pieces, hubs, suspension struts, and if its a deisel the fan and rad aswell.

I am very handy with an arc welder, so would it be worth just strengthening the front struts instead of bringing spares?
or is both a better option?

thing is i cant work on it till june, (leaving in july) so everything is going to have to be quick and easy to do. getting the parts isnt a problem, but without a pit or proper workshop, this could get interesting.

mowgli - will plywood cut it? its flexible, but i can see them splintering, as i can make them out of metal, will it be better to - vent the sump guard, so dont need to get an oil cooler though. trouble is flooding, if we have to cross a river. (possible)

rock on.

[Lee]

lol, this gets better and better.

OK, i wouldnt strengthen the TCA's. As pointed out, this will invariably bend the chassis instead. Just take plenty of spares.

Crossing a river?? This opens a new can of worms entirely lol. How deep are you expecting these rivers to be?? If theyre gonna be deep enough to produce a bow wave over the bonnet, your going to need to do a load of extra stuff. Snorkeling the inlet, as well as the heater blower will need to be done, as well as waterproofing the ignition as much as possible (get even a sniff of water in the dizzy and you'll be having to get the oars out lol). The gearbox is also good at letting water in through the small white breather at the top. Make sure you push it in before doing any 'wadeing'. lol

Id also take the carpet out of the car as it will let the water in, and then sit there stinking for the rest of the journey. Remove some of the sound deadening in the footwells as well to allow access to the bung plugs to let it out again.

Obviously I dont know the extent your allowed to modify, or what you plan to encounter on the trip, so im just chucking ideas at your here lol

[meritlover]

you want a TD engine/car, low maintenance, runs on crap fuel and veg oil, no electrics except the stop solenoid, glow plugs and fuel heater, so fit a snorkel kit and it will drive submerged. better shells too! also has firmer springs and wider discs. and the torque will get you out of the sh!t.

[Welsh Dan]

you want a TD engine/car, low maintenance, runs on crap fuel and veg oil, no electrics except the stop solenoid, glow plugs and fuel heater, so fit a snorkel kit and it will drive submerged. better shells too! also has firmer springs and wider discs. and the torque will get you out of the sh!t.

There's a 1000cc limit :(.

[meritlover]

oh dear. well fit your 1.0 with electronic ignition and bin the points+condenser

[Dod]

Right, lets list everything
. A pair of spare front struts, Unfortunately these cant be strengthened, but if you can, get Diesel ones. They Sit higher and are stiffer
. Front Hubs, these can be pre assembled to the strut, not a difficult task
. Rear Wheel Bearings
. Wheels and tyres, 14" are probably the best idea.
. Distributer, leads and Plugs
. Oil and Coolant
. Make an Alu Sump Guard for it,
. Strip out as much interior as you can

What about hinging some perspex in place of the rear 1/4 windows to allow heat dispersion?

Also, make sure you have good engine mounts, or maybe carry spares?


This is your front hub. Its held onto the Sturt (shock) by 2 17mm Nuts and Bolts, then to the wishbone by a single 17mm/18mm or 19mm Nut and from there to the steering arm by iirc 1x 17mm Nut.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/Dods1/Pic671.jpg
And the Strut top is held in place with 2x 13mm Nuts on either strut.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/Dods1/Pic637.jpg

Its also worth fitting a Strut brace and maybe stitch welding the chassis legs on the engine bay as Novas can tend to Spread at the front.

[the dude]

Lee - you are a guru, so ill listen, might be a better idea not to ford a river, would be a damn lot of fun though.
thing is i dont know what we are going to encounter TBH,
there are mainly bridges but alot of dirt tracks, and in monsoon season there can easily be more rivers than roads, so good to be prepared.

carpet = worlds cheapest Air con, they are staying in (soak them in water, the whole car sweats)


Dod - cheers for rounding that up for me, Ill try and find a TD nova to take to pieces.
theres some rules - mainly, keep in back seats and as much modding as you can afford/invent, aslong as its still 1000cc.
yet, if we rock up in a race-spec 1000cc nova tank, we are likely to get fined £1000 for charity, cause itll make it waay too easy.

so nothing too good, just needs to work.

[Dod]

Ok, well mod as described above then go out and put it in a hedge. All the dents and scrapes'll add to the Rat look. LOL