The Counts Track Day Nova Build

I then removed the centre of the front panel

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...aypaint009.jpg

At the same time i seam sealed up the plates i had welded to the lower crossmember

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...aypaint006.jpg

At this stage i could now remove the rollover frame from the front of the car so i could begine the prep work. I masked off all the areas i wanted the paint to avoid and gave the bay a couple of coats of grey primer as i wasn't fond of the green primer.

Masked off

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...aypaint008.jpg

Prepped ready to go

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...aypaint012.jpg

And primed

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...aypaint013.jpg

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...aypaint014.jpg

Having then left the primer to dry from sunday (as i was endulging in some mountain bike related activities in chicksands woods last night http://www.chicksandsbikepark.co.uk/index.php just some free ride and arsing about mind) i gave the bay 3 coats of green tonight

The first application

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay020-1.jpg

And the finished article

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay021-1.jpg

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay022-1.jpg

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay025-1.jpg

Its come out much better than the inside of the car did and i'm really happy with the result/finish

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay027-1.jpg

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay026-1.jpg

Love the colour!

Coming away from the car its self for a minute i thought i would share some info on the new front wheel bearings i'm going to fit (this is also detailed in Dar's WIP were i stole it from).

I have decided to upgrade the front wheel bearings to a set up near to the group A spec nova bearings but at a fraction of the cost - basically this will allow me to run a near standard XE hub in the original carrier (the nova wheel bearing is too small to accept the XE hub so people either have the XE hub machined down to fit the bearing which can lead to weakness or opt for a conversion type hub that has also been known to fail) the bearing i'm using is from a Mazda 626 of all things it is 2mm wider O/D than the standard nova item but exactly the same I/D as the original XE hub - the hub carrier there for needs machining out by 4mm and i'm having the cir clip grooves put back in.
This means I will only be loosing 2mm off the wall of the hub carrier (1mm per side) and i will be able to run a big block hub (The big block hub does need some macining on the back face to allow it to be pressed all the way into the nova carrier but i will detail this once the hub carriers are back from the machine shop here is a pic also courtesy of DAR).

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...12_640x480.jpg

The bearings i used.

Bearings: FBK106 - Can't remember the dimensions though.
Cir-clips: INT0670 - INT DIN 472 Metric 67mm (2.5/8)

And a few illustrative pics - the green one is the original nova bearing

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay028-1.jpg

Nova I/D

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay032-1.jpg

Mazda I/D

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay030-1.jpg

Nova O/D

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay039-1.jpg

Mazda O/D

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay037-1.jpg

And the width of them is identical 37mm

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...ngbay040-1.jpg

I hope thats usefull :D

I have also sent my rear brake brums/backing plates off to be sand blasted along with the axle i painted blue as it doesn't go with the car now i've gone all green.
Once thats back i can get on with the axle widening.

On another note then next couple of updates should be quite interesting if what i'm working on turns out as i want it to so watch this space :thumb:

Looking good count, loving that colour, and very interesting hub mods there, what page is the detailed info on dars thread as this may be an idea for mine

Fab work looks awesome, is that paint matt finish? be hellish to keep clean if it is!

Those wheel bearings are the same size as the ones I used Im sure, but mine were from the rear of a '88 golf synchro 4wd lol

Thanks Gunny! Regarding the hub mods in Dars thread its pages 15-20 ish with the main content on p.19 but i think i have included all you need here.

Anytime mate :thumb:. Ok cheers, will definitely be looking into this.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by alistairolsen

fab work looks awesome, is that paint matt? be hellish to keep clean if it is :S

---

Matt? yes

Clean? lol

good work ****. didn't realise you were going wide rear too! :cool:

still not convinced on the green! lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Simps

good work ****. didn't realise you were going wide rear too! :cool:

still not convinced on the green! lol

---

Yes I'm not 100% Sold on it yet, but we can only wait and see! ;)

good progress mate.

Scott