Nova GSi XE full restoration with tbs etc

yes this is me big chap, your car is looking good now, even tho i aint seen it for ermmmm over a year lol:thumb:

wot front mount u usin cos engine looks on the piss ??

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Originally Posted by saloonwoody

wot front mount u usin cos engine looks on the piss ??

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in what way?

the engine sits on homemade mounts as the car was put together long before chris astley and mtech kits were around.

update: front end has been re-seam sealed, acid etch'd etc and almost ready for paint now.

diff now fitted... 2.5 years after buying it!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...p/DSC00490.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...p/DSC00492.jpg

Quite a bit of rust there hey mate, What is it with GSI'S? nearley everyone i've seen has been nackered. Gone a bit OTT with the underseal havnt you? would have sprayed it with stonechip or painted it tbh, underseal can trap water under it and encourage rust, you didnt put it on with a brush did you? good luck witht the rest of it tho, looking good with the new rear quarters and wings and doors.

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Originally Posted by DW-Nova

Quite a bit of rust there hey mate, What is it with GSI'S? nearley everyone i've seen has been nackered. Gone a bit OTT with the underseal havnt you? would have sprayed it with stonechip or painted it tbh, underseal can trap water under it and encourage rust, you didnt put it on with a brush did you? good luck witht the rest of it tho, looking good with the new rear quarters and wings and doors.

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how'd you mean? could have gotten away with just a new door tailgate and a cheapy wee arch repair panel but no point doing half jobs.

whats wrong with brushing underseal on? paint the underside? its a nova, it'll be rotten again as soon as it see's a puddle! i want to drive it when i like, not leave it in a garage til its "good weather" :thumb:

more pics...

started "feathering" the inner wings and turrets to save time in the paintshop so ended up having to seal them up to stop moisture getting at them in the meantime and ruining the work, numb fingers! ideally we should have done the whole bay at the same time but only really intended to give them "a little clean up" the rest can be done later as the finish doesn't have to be as smooth.

the seam-sealer looks pretty awful but will be much better looking when painted :cool:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...p/DSC00499.jpg




and a familiar face stopped by for some inspiration! (some of the older guys may recognise as "Nova Cane" from the 90's Max Power)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...p/DSC00493.jpg

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Originally Posted by Big_Chap

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...p/DSC00493.jpg

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Rick, Ben and Garys old car, still had a feature on it until recently, what has the new owener done with the wheels!! it looks awful now!

Car is coming along now! Gonna be mint and a credit to you. Can i ask where you got the blue rocker cover bolt washers?

Cheers

Good progress there - Gary's old Nova still looking tidy as well, wheels will take a wee while to get used to :)

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Originally Posted by novacabrio

what has the new owener done with the wheels!! it looks awful now!

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Originally Posted by vaughanmc

Good progress there - Gary's old Nova still looking tidy as well, wheels will take a wee while to get used to :)

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wow wow wow, they're just temporary wheels thats were lying about til he got the ones he wanted fitted, got good money for the rev's so was a bit of a rush! still, they do look good in the flesh but 15's are far too small for the ride heights, scrap's on everything round here!

What new wheels are goin' on it?

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Originally Posted by Big_Chap

wow wow wow, they're just temporary wheels thats were lying about til he got the ones he wanted fitted, got good money for the rev's so was a bit of a rush! still, they do look good in the flesh but 15's are far too small for the ride heights, scrap's on everything round here!

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boy am i glad you got to that c**t first big chap!! and by the way i am the new owner not (owener) lol! lets be fair my car (rick,ben,gary's old one) would look great with any wheels, infact fcuk it 17 inch venoms are next!! big chaps right they are just a stop gap til the new wheels get sorted out. anyways i better calm down. (I'm sure i got banned from the vectra forum for people mouthing off about my ST).lol

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Originally Posted by vaughanmc

What new wheels are goin' on it?

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speedlines young man. i know alot of nova's have them but when i first seen K95 it had them on it and i loved the look of the car then so you could say i'm just trying to relive the moment. not to mention the car is undriveable on 15's through my way due to the sh1tty roads, speed bumps everywhere. everytime i put it away i need to check the manifold is still there. fcuk replacing that it was'nt cheap. so 16's should sort it.

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Originally Posted by DW-Nova

Quite a bit of rust there hey mate, What is it with GSI'S? nearley everyone i've seen has been nackered. Gone a bit OTT with the underseal havnt you? would have sprayed it with stonechip or painted it tbh, underseal can trap water under it and encourage rust, you didnt put it on with a brush did you? good luck witht the rest of it tho, looking good with the new rear quarters and wings and doors.

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PEN1S^^^^

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Originally Posted by turbodrew1

speedlines young man. i know alot of nova's have them but when i first seen K95 it had them on it and i loved the look of the car then so you could say i'm just trying to relive the moment. not to mention the car is undriveable on 15's through my way due to the sh1tty roads, speed bumps everywhere. everytime i put it away i need to check the manifold is still there. fcuk replacing that it was'nt cheap. so 16's should sort it.

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That car needs Speedlines or the Gold Racelines - Cracking choice mate :)

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Originally Posted by vaughanmc

That car needs Speedlines or the Gold Racelines - Cracking choice mate :)

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Agreed 100%. Please get some photos up when you have the new wheels fitted mate. :thumb:

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Originally Posted by Sherco

Agreed 100%. Please get some photos up when you have the new wheels fitted mate. :thumb:

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will do mate.

andys on a rampage, hahaha where did you get the gsi wheels?? ill buy them off ya when you get speedlines !!!!!!!!!!

The problem with brushing on underseal is that it will start to sag after a while and get water trapped underneath it, which will obviously completley nacker the underside up, also after some time in the wet and cold the brushed on underseal will start to fall off and leave the car with patches of no protection. if you'd painted the underside it wouldnt have rotted as soon as you drive through a puddle so long as you regulaly pressure washed the underside, also you'd have done away with loads of dead weight from the underseal. i wasnt suggesting that you simply patch up the car with botched on panels though, the complete rear quarters look brill, aswell as the doors and wings, and you no that you've got nice new metal around you thats gonna last.

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Originally Posted by fjc

andys on a rampage, hahaha where did you get the gsi wheels?? ill buy them off ya when you get speedlines !!!!!!!!!!

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they're milneys gsi wheels. tell me what the "J" in fjc means and al ask him if he'll sell you them. jesus? johovah? jan?

aye wee rampage i was steamin and could'nt find any neds to beat up in the street so the computer got it tight. ha ha

turbodrew1
tell me what the "J" in fjc means

it stands for jungle juice !!!!!!!! as thats what i live off at the weekends !!!!!!!!!! lol

Those wheels offend me!

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Originally Posted by Big_Chap

wow wow wow, they're just temporary wheels thats were lying about til he got the ones he wanted fitted, got good money for the rev's so was a bit of a rush! still, they do look good in the flesh but 15's are far too small for the ride heights, scrap's on everything round here!

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He sold the revo's!?
Shame, they really made the car what it was tbh.
Oh well, its his car.

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Originally Posted by turbodrew1

boy am i glad you got to that c**t first big chap!! and by the way i am the new owner not (owener) lol! lets be fair my car (rick,ben,gary's old one) would look great with any wheels, infact fcuk it 17 inch venoms are next!! big chaps right they are just a stop gap til the new wheels get sorted out. anyways i better calm down. (I'm sure i got banned from the vectra forum for people mouthing off about my ST).lol

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Its nice to have a bit attitude back around these parts, I've missed it lately as most people have started to grow up, even the 14 year olds can take a bit criticism now and then. The comment on the wheels was simply as my signature says. A lot of people worship cars with cav slabs, personaly I think they have been done to death. I'm glad your not one of them.

The RFXs arent to everyones taste but made it individual. Best wheels I ever seen the car on was the RL7s in gold but they are mega rare

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DW-Nova

The problem with brushing on underseal is that it will start to sag after a while and get water trapped underneath it, which will obviously completley nacker the underside up, also after some time in the wet and cold the brushed on underseal will start to fall off and leave the car with patches of no protection. if you'd painted the underside it wouldnt have rotted as soon as you drive through a puddle so long as you regulaly pressure washed the underside, also you'd have done away with loads of dead weight from the underseal. i wasnt suggesting that you simply patch up the car with botched on panels though, the complete rear quarters look brill, aswell as the doors and wings, and you no that you've got nice new metal around you thats gonna last.

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I agree with everything you've said to be honest. Chucking on loads and loads of underseal will only make it rust more, and I know this from experience.

If I was you (bigchap) i'd get a big wire wheel and remove all the underseal, and then spray the floor with modern stonechip as this will make all the rest of your work worthwhile and the car will last.

Please don't take this as a negative tho.

Keith

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Originally Posted by Sherco

Can i ask where you got the blue rocker cover bolt washers?

Cheers

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they were on the car when i bought it, think they're called cup washers, can get them from rally design etc

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Originally Posted by RJM25R

Those wheels offend me!

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Big_Chap

wow wow wow, they're just temporary wheels thats were lying about til he got the ones he wanted fitted, got good money for the rev's so was a bit of a rush! still, they do look good in the flesh but 15's are far too small for the ride heights, scrap's on everything round here!

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Originally Posted by novacabrio

Its nice to have a bit attitude back around these parts, I've missed it lately as most people have started to grow up, even the 14 year olds can take a bit criticism now and then. The comment on the wheels was simply as my signature says. A lot of people worship cars with cav slabs, personaly I think they have been done to death. I'm glad your not one of them.

The RFXs arent to everyones taste but made it individual. Best wheels I ever seen the car on was the RL7s in gold but they are mega rare

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he perhaps could have been a bit more diplomatic in the response but if you look at the time it was 4hrs after new year. on the other hand saying it looks awful is a slight exaggeration.

people liked the rfx's, people liked the rl7's, its andy's car now and as he said the 15's are too small for the roads round this way so the car needs 16's for a little extra clearance so it really comes down to speedline's, softstar's or rl7's (although they are rare as you say). speedlines may be "common" but thats for a reason and there isn't exactly loads of rio verde's with speedlines! (except A16VTB and any other replica's that have cropped up!)

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Originally Posted by krobinson

I agree with everything you've said to be honest. Chucking on loads and loads of underseal will only make it rust more, and I know this from experience.

If I was you (bigchap) i'd get a big wire wheel and remove all the underseal, and then spray the floor with modern stonechip as this will make all the rest of your work worthwhile and the car will last.

Please don't take this as a negative tho.

Keith

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i hear you mate, can you tell me more about your run-in with underseal? the main reason i went for underseal (and a layer of seam-sealer) is because the car had been undersealed when first "built" and the area's i removed it from were still pristine, the floor pan is still in as-new condition, the only repairs were to the rear chassis legs where water had got inside so i justused it again as it had done its job. my crossmember was stone-chipped and it rotted.:cry:

:thumb:

My very first nova. I bought some black underseal, it was like a tar stuff and it dried hard. About a year later the MOT man found that the underseal had torn and water got under it and basically rotted the floor. Luckly the car ended up being rolled before I bothered to fix it.

Modern car's use Gravitex now, which is sprayed on.

If its worked for you in the past then stick with it mate!

Keith

well it wasn't me who applied it first time round and also don't know what he used, i just prep'd it best i could by cleaning it too bare metal with no sh!t then acid etch, primer, seam sealer (for flexibility) and underseal, didn't just go for the cheapest either in the hope it would be better quality.

i'll certainly keep an eye on it and may even remove a bit in the future and see whats been happening, that is of course if i ever get the bastid on the road! you think you'll be at pv/billing with yours?

Fingers crossed for both mate, going to try my best to finish it for then!

Keith

:thumb:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by novacabrio

Its nice to have a bit attitude back around these parts, I've missed it lately as most people have started to grow up, even the 14 year olds can take a bit criticism now and then. The comment on the wheels was simply as my signature says. A lot of people worship cars with cav slabs, personaly I think they have been done to death. I'm glad your not one of them.

The RFXs arent to everyones taste but made it individual. Best wheels I ever seen the car on was the RL7s in gold but they are mega rare

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i,m far from growing up mate. cav slabs looked not bad on the car when i first put them on but they're never going to be permanent plus when i put my 4 pots on the wheels wont go over them. would you rather i left the car in the garage on axle stands just incase you lot dont like the wheels. like i already said it was all that was lying about and i got good money for the revs. anyway who cares about this pointless conversation. p.s this is just my opinion:thumb:

I like the slabs, always look good on novas no matter what people say...Andy, might be selling my Softstars if you havent got any 16s yet, think im changing to compos. Not 100% sure though, will let you know if i do decide to change.

Any more progress on this big chap? When you think it will be done? Looks like theres going to be a few cracking novas about Dunfermline this year :cool:

stil waiting for a window at the paintshop, don't mind too much tbh as it gives me more time and got lots of wee ****ty bits to do in the meantime, got the engine etc all painted up. was hoping for start of march but suppose pv is the important date. what about you? still selling up?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by turbodrew1

speedlines young man. i know alot of nova's have them but when i first seen K95 it had them on it and i loved the look of the car then so you could say i'm just trying to relive the moment. not to mention the car is undriveable on 15's through my way due to the sh1tty roads, speed bumps everywhere. everytime i put it away i need to check the manifold is still there. fcuk replacing that it was'nt cheap. so 16's should sort it.

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good to hear you are bringing it back to its former glory with a nice set of speedlines, its seen some gash wheels in its time has that car

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Originally Posted by Big_Chap

stil waiting for a window at the paintshop, don't mind too much tbh as it gives me more time and got lots of wee ****ty bits to do in the meantime, got the engine etc all painted up. was hoping for start of march but suppose pv is the important date. what about you? still selling up?

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Na, car i was wanting to get has been sold. Suppose better off that way cause i was going to loose a lot of money!
Hoping to have it done for April, but PV is more realistic.

small update, cleaned up the engine and box

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...p/DSC00508.jpg

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gearbox came up not too bad considering it looked like this before!!! :(

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...p/DSC00469.jpg


after lots of degreaser various wire brushes and a quick jet-wash...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...p/DSC00538.jpg

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should i attack it with some alloy cleaner for an even better finish or paint it black like the block?


dash is going to take some cleaning! :(

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...p/DSC00532.jpg

dont paint the box use the alloy cleaner. that will look cool !!

Aye keep the block and box contrasting mate :)

Top work!

its painted! woo-hoo

early-ish start (for a saturday anyway!) apologies for poor picture quality! :doh:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...p/DSC00558.jpg

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all buffed down and blown over with an air line

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chucked all the panels on to get it home and will get the bodywork guy back to line everything up and build up the doors, fit glass etc.

PS. wings were left on because they were a c*nt to line up right and are bonded on so they wouldn't move and were all stone guarded etc before fitted.

Looking nice - good work !!!

Joff