I agree with Dar Jim, why not leave them on, it will save loads on bodywork. If one was falling off then yes i would remove them but they are not so why bother?
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I agree with Dar Jim, why not leave them on, it will save loads on bodywork. If one was falling off then yes i would remove them but they are not so why bother?
I want to go down to 15" wheels. The wheels will look odd in the arches with those sideskirts. Also, the rear novadose bumper is coming off, so again, cosmetically it won't look right. The main problem is getting the car up in the air. It's a mission to get a jack under there with the sideskirts and even more of a pain when it comes to getting it on a ramp, especially a 4 poster.
You have a PMQuote:
Originally Posted by xXx_Nova_xXx
Well, no turning back now!
Removed the sunroof last night:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2129/...9ab9c2ab_o.jpg
There is a bit of a lip around the edge, so need to work out the best way of removing that so I can fit the polycarb:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2385/...7f77f8df_o.jpg
My mate removed the exces bit of metal along the exhaust tunnel:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2392/...a0607abc_o.jpg
Then we attacked the passenger sideskirt :o It actually went pretty smoothly and I was pleased with how the side of the car finished up:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2393/...770192aa_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2198/...ba756ffb_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/...f4756b2c_o.jpg
And finally a shot of the excess weight that's been removed so far:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2161/...f809a94a_o.jpg
There is probably about 20kg of weight there. I know the roll cage is going in, but at least the car won't be gaining that much weight and it still might be lighter than it was by the time it's finished. Not that I know how heavy it was before :confused:
We sprayed the bare metal with a bit of primer for the time being, but the car will be going into the bodyshop once it's a rolling chassis.
Next job is to remove the other side skirt and cut the excess metal from the doors. Then the sealer around the engine bay and interior can be attacked before it's stitch welded :)
Looking good jim, best progress you have ever made on it! ha.
With the lip see if CP has a air saw and just set to it with that.
good work jim
will i get a ride in it when its finished this time ;)
cant wait. have you got a bodyshop in mind for the spray work yet?
wow ur doin all this urself?rad!uve put my little respray on the wheels to shame :( cant wait to see the finished job!
odds on Jim took the photos himself :p The rest would have been done by Rifle Range Motorsport :)
an air saw or nibbler would get that lip off nicely.
Bodywork is about the only thing I can do :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Stuart
Rick; Will see if CP has some sort of saw. If not, I'm sure we'll sort something out.
Willhelm; Provided CP doesn't blow it up again you can have a ride in it this time, I promise. I've got a bodyhop in mind and no, it's not Dan at littlefields.
Carrie, I can't wait to see the finished job either.
Good work there Jimlad, i know exactly how much of a ballache novadose skirts are to get off. We never managed to get a good enough finish so the blue shell had to have GSi skirts to cover it up lol.
If your planning on selling the white speedlines, let me know pal, as i may be making the SR black, and i fell in love with yours on those wheels :)
And are you coming on Saturday? :)
I might be selling the speedlines. Will keep you posted.
I can't make it to Wydean this year :(
Did a bit more work to the car last night.
Decided to remove the firewall in the engine bay. I didn't just cut enough space out for air flow to the carbs either, I decided to remove the whole lot. It was a bit of a mission, but with some persistance we managed to get it all out :clap:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2133/...8c8478e7_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2357/...471e7b20_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2172/...09630915_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2016/...bd1b38c1_o.jpg
My mate attacked the sealent along the inner wings, only to discover quite a few patches of rust :( It looks like it's going to take a bit more work than first thought to repair it all. Still, the key is in the preperation so I'm not getting disheartened and will get it all repaired.
Thats all for now folks. If I'm allowed I might do some more at the weekend.
ive always thought novas look better without the firewall.
Nice decision on the firewall, it opens up the engine bay nicley. Keep up the good work:thumb:
good stuff jim lad :thumb:
Cheers guys. Getting there slowly :)
wow i forgot about this.. looking good mate, helps whenyou have amtes willing to help etc...
keep it up
Nice work.
Suprising how its started to rust on the inner wings. You wouldn't expect that on a track/occasional use car.
Its had 17 years to rust through. The last time it was at the bodyshop the guy didn't treat it and just put sealent over it instead :roll:Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam
That would explain it,Lol.
Only just seen this thread Jim, sorry to here about the engine, these things happen for a reason though and looks as though you are making good progress.
Car should be very sorted for track use by the looks of the mods your doing mate.
Hey Karl,
Indeed, these things happen for a reason. With the help I'm getting it should be good to drive on the track.
Attacked the car again last night. Got the other side skirt off. It didn't take half as long as the first as we knew how to go about it this time:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2334/...aae41125_o.jpg
Unfortunately once the sideskirt was removed, rust was discovered :( I know this will come as no surprise, but I paid a lot of money during the last re-spray/build and I'm not happy with how many corners it turns out the bodyshop cut in order to get the work done. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but no one likes to be bent over (except Stuart).
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2053/...5bab6e85_o.jpg
Not really a lot I can do about it at the minute, so we carried on trying to get the rest of the sealent out of the engine bay. More rust was found lurking underneath :(
Battery Tray:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2171/...6f87e5ca_o.jpg
Behind passenger headlight/along the inner arch sill:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3037/...33dcb29a_o.jpg
Drivers side inner arch sill:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2329/...3c41e12b_o.jpg
At least we managed to get the rest of the firewall out from behind the passenger side turret, so there is plenty of space to bring some tubing through from the roll cage (when it gets fitted)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2120/...f156df0e_o.jpg
And how the engine bay stands at the minute.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/...14615808_o.jpg
It's a bitch of a job to get this sealent off and with more rust than I was expecting, it's deflated me a little. Saying that, I know it could have been worse. I think the key is to keep convincing myself that it'll all be worth it in the long run, which I know it will, just getting there is taking longer than I would have liked.
Next job is to keep attacking the sealent with a grinder and start cutting out the rust.
Shame about the rust Jim but like you say not really supprising.
The novas are well into the age now so its going to happen.
Gotta sort mine out at some point too :(
Anyways, keep up with the good work, will def be worth it ;)
Indeed Adam. If I don't sort it now it'll only get worse again later. Goes to show, if you want something doing right you've got to do it yourself.
bad luck with that jim, i kno how you feel, ivehad 2 projects fail because of the same thing, my new ones just as bad, but liek you say "it willbe worth it" so stick at it...
Good luck
Cheers Martin.
I'd send those pics to the bodyshop and let him know how much of a **** job he did......
Yeh defo stick at it cos at the end of it all you would of saved another Nova :-)
No point really. What's he going to do, give me back some money, lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuart
This time I'll use a bodyshop that doesn't opperate from behind a farm in the middle of nowhere.
Looks like the usual level of rot IMO & the usual standard of workmanship from a bodyshop aswell.
Only this weekend I (we) discovered more tragic workmanship from the monkeys that painted my car......
keep at it Jim.
Nasty bits of rust there.
But like you say, better to do it now, than leave it.
Good progress mate, always liked this car since I seen it in TV
Good to see she will be rebuilt as well :)
Yeh you want to be wary of outfits that work out of the back of farm workshopslolQuote:
Originally Posted by Jim
Jims rust isn't so bad. The key point about it is that it probably isn't any worse than it was several years ago - it looks to me like a lot of it has done its worst and has stabilised. The big thing is that its largely been off the road during wet salty conditions which has stopped it progressing. Although the body shop weren't the best I don't think they made anything worse.
Quick update of the work carried out over the last few weeks:
I was sick and tired of tackling rust all the time, so started to fabricate the replacement pieces and welded in.
First off was the piece behind the drivers headlight which was very rotten, so I cut it out:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2114/...6885b4ce_o.jpg
I used this as a rough template for the new piece:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3100/...8cd77405_o.jpg
Used the angle grinder to cut it, checked it fitted ok and then CP welded it in place for me:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2235/...505425b6_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/...5ab7df78_o.jpg
I will neaten it up a bit once all the welding in the engine bay is done. Next up was the rust in the engine bay. Again, I cut and bent new pieces of metal to replace the bad patches and CP welded it up:
Battery tray and behind the turret (before images can be seen earlier on in the post):
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2337/...e3fa9d9b_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2099/...2b1495d6_o.jpg
CP also began stitch welding the rest of the bay for me (cheers Charlie) :thumb:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2028/...1cc8dfca_o.jpg
I reckon with a couple more nights spent on it, all the welding will be sorted. Only problem is I'm only getting to spend one night a week on it at the minute, so everything seems to take ages. Hopefully I will have some more free time in a few weeks so I might be able to work on it during weekends.
nice one jim
Sounds like you need to take some holiday Jim..
Good to see your sorting it all.
Cheers guys.
CG: taking holiday is tricky; if i don't work, I don't get paid and therefore can't afford bits for the car, lol.