985cc Turbocharged Nova Sprint Car

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03-07-17, 08:35 PM
BRoadGhost

I'm about to bond a girdle on the underside of mine & just have it mounted through that - those o.e mounting's are utter garbage! (Even reinforced).

You can shave off that white mid bit from the lever too if you like.
03-07-17, 09:40 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRoadGhost

I'm about to bond a girdle on the underside of mine & just have it mounted through that - those o.e mounting's are utter garbage! (Even reinforced).

You can shave off that white mid bit from the lever too if you like.

I was planning to go mad on strengthening and lightening when I get hold of an Astra VXR shifter unit (which I am told are shorter shift).
05-07-17, 03:36 PM
Iain

There's another design of cables, with a bright yellow end rather than the white-ish end. I remember looking at them both side by side and thinking the yellow looked better and less slop although I can't remember why.

Nice installation though.
06-07-17, 06:03 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iain

Nice installation though.

Thanks.

Ever since the subframe for the front clamshell was made it's annoyed me, it's not very easy to line things up, and the 2 pins it clipped onto were thoroughly dangerous. I decided it would make far more sense, as well as being lighter, if I relocated the towing eye and utilised that as the main means of support;

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps6lpsqykk.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psmr7nvdjf.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps3quhzgpw.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psme9nplzr.jpg

Who can spot the recycled Nova component I've used in the last photo above?

I'll neaten it all up and weld everything properly soon.

And this is all the old stuff I've done away with;

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...pscfotdd4a.jpg

Looks far neater now and the tow eye can be removed in seconds, which will mean I won't bash myself on it when working in the pit.
06-07-17, 06:29 PM
stt

Steering rack clamp?
06-07-17, 06:38 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by stt

Steering rack clamp?

No, guess again ;)
06-07-17, 06:42 PM
torquey

Anti roll bar to tie rod bracket.
06-07-17, 07:02 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by torquey

Anti roll bar to tie rod bracket.

Yes, it is.

By pure chance it fits my spaceframe front perfectly (without the rubber bush it would normally have).
09-07-17, 01:18 AM
total_vauxhall

Did you find you dont need the counter weight thing on the selector at gearbox end on cable set up im getting one off a mate but the weight has broke off any way but looks like you have cut yours off ? Cheers .
And love that upg front end . if you ever decide to sell it pm me please
09-07-17, 11:49 AM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by total_vauxhall

Did you find you dont need the counter weight thing on the selector at gearbox end on cable set up im getting one off a mate but the weight has broke off any way but looks like you have cut yours off ? Cheers .
And love that upg front end . if you ever decide to sell it pm me please

Yes, I cut off the counterweights. I haven't used it on the road yet, but I spoke to a lot of people and consensus seems to be that there's no need for them on a track-type car.
09-07-17, 12:27 PM
total_vauxhall

Ok pal thanks
09-08-17, 04:28 PM
novarally

Today's arrival in the post;

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psbtztvwt9.jpg

And this is from last week, when I bought a rather trick Saxo race car, and have high hopes of adapting this bit to fit the Nova;

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psuvq8febw.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps6mzw8eiu.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psccx9cqjb.jpg
09-08-17, 04:36 PM
total_vauxhall

That shifter looks the bees knees
09-08-17, 04:44 PM
boffer8

Is that one of the new lithium batteries? How much does it weigh and what's the sizes?

Looks nice the shifter, seems a lot of weight in the lower section though... is there a switch panel in it also? That's some nice packaging of so!
09-08-17, 05:12 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by boffer8

Is that one of the new lithium batteries? How much does it weigh and what's the sizes?

Looks nice the shifter, seems a lot of weight in the lower section though... is there a switch panel in it also? That's some nice packaging of so!

The battery is lithium, here's a link to the specs;

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motors...um-ion-battery

I did not pay that sort of money for it!!

Here's a photo of the shifter installed in the Saxo;

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psmbipmgjf.jpg

It's been machined out of billet aluminium and titanium, so it's definitely not heavy! The switch panel (like many of the bits on this Saxo) has been machined out of engineering plastic of some kind.
09-08-17, 08:14 PM
toymex

Make sure that you use the correct charger on that battery Colin , the Saxo stuff looks quality ,what was the car used for ?
09-08-17, 09:22 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by toymex

Make sure that you use the correct charger on that battery Colin , the Saxo stuff looks quality ,what was the car used for ?

It was a circuit racer, ran in CSCC and others. Lee Williams was the builder/driver. Quite a spec with independent rear suspension, alloy hubs all round, massively modified.
09-08-17, 10:05 PM
8valve-craig

Ah you bought it. That car is incredibly well sorted, a real shame to break it up. It was a weapon when it raced with the Tricolore. Absolute bargain it was too, well done.
10-08-17, 04:41 AM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8valve-craig

Ah you bought it. That car is incredibly well sorted, a real shame to break it up. It was a weapon when it raced with the Tricolore. Absolute bargain it was too, well done.

It really had to be bought. Price was sensible I think, it's so bespoke that a lot of people were put off. The level of engineering and amount of time spent on modifying it is mind blowing.

It was the cable shifter which really made me pursue it, but at some point I'm hoping the alloy front hubs might find their way onto my Nova.
10-08-17, 09:18 AM
8valve-craig

If i remember right the hubs are 4x100 too, which was odd on a Saxo. I never really considered buying it but thinking about it now it was a no brainer.
10-08-17, 09:23 AM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8valve-craig

If i remember right the hubs are 4x100 too, which was odd on a Saxo. I never really considered buying it but thinking about it now it was a no brainer.

They are 100mm PCD hubs - from what I could gather he had a load of suitable wheels, so he just made the hubs to suit.
10-08-17, 10:07 AM
BRoadGhost

Yeah I don't think any part of the shifter's too heavy looking at it; the base should be strongest & it's a fair height. The plastic is probably nylon; whole thing looks really good with the bearings etc should last forever.

Bespoke billet knuckles would be a great thing to run; I've modified mine so much that starting again from scratch would be the next stage.
10-08-17, 03:16 PM
novarally

Hopefully these photos of the shifter are slightly better than the previous ones;

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...pskrcli1er.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psvnwfdxfq.jpg

I'll get some pictures up of the Saxo's front and rear suspension too, as it's very interesting.
10-08-17, 03:43 PM
BRoadGhost

I think those cables can be bought from the likes of Demon Tweeks £60 a pair; it would make quite a good engineering project to try & recreate!

Any trick suspension on a FWD car is worth a look at :)
10-08-17, 06:41 PM
novarally

A few pictures of this Saxo I have;

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps5vtjclub.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...pskgpvgw4t.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...pszplvhoup.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psssohpkzn.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...pstiu6vmka.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...psh8esjo7g.jpg
10-08-17, 07:57 PM
toymex

Stunning,who made all of that a Colin? Seems way too nice to break
10-08-17, 11:28 PM
prs

wow :eek:

toymex+1

looks like some serious r&d is gone in this suspension.. details like the brake cooling, it looks like it was some serious spec racecar, more pics please :)
10-08-17, 11:44 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by toymex

Stunning,who made all of that a Colin? Seems way too nice to break

All done by Lee Williams the owner/driver, together with his Dad, they run a company called JJW Engineering in Daventry.
11-08-17, 09:34 AM
BRoadGhost

That rose jointed ARB droplink onto the lower arm allowing driveshaft to float through says it all. Absolutely 1st rate design & execution; bet those knuckles are half the weight & twice the strength of the o.e.

I have no idea on the billet rears other than it's a hogged out solid piece that size & design to make it strong enough?
11-08-17, 08:44 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRoadGhost

That rose jointed ARB droplink onto the lower arm allowing driveshaft to float through says it all. Absolutely 1st rate design & execution; bet those knuckles are half the weight & twice the strength of the o.e.

I have no idea on the billet rears other than it's a hogged out solid piece that size & design to make it strong enough?

I've just removed one of the alloy front hubs and they don't disappoint. Superb engineering.

Sadly they don't quite weigh in at half the weight of standard, but they are a little bit lighter, roughly 500g per side. Unsprung weight, so it will be worthwhile.

As for the rear ones, I haven't yet taken them off the car, but I have no plans to use them on my car anyway, Hillclimb/sprint regulations require me to retain the beam arrangement, I can't have independent operation.
11-08-17, 09:41 PM
8valve-craig

Not sure how your regs read, but mine state the same design of rear suspension. Doesn't say you can't fabricate a new beam, adjustable and out of a lighter material. Agree though that bespoke independent is out of the question for any class a Nova can be competitive in.
11-08-17, 09:48 PM
Mike

With acess to an entire machine shop & SolidWorks its amazing what you can design & make lol

Some nice work there.
12-08-17, 06:31 PM
toymex

Will a 13inch wheel fit over the front hubs Colin ?
12-08-17, 07:02 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by toymex

Will a 13inch wheel fit over the front hubs Colin ?

I haven't tried yet - but it definitely won't with the brakes which were fitted as they are 315mm!

I can't see why they wouldn't be fine with a smaller disc and bell.
20-08-17, 10:28 AM
novarally

Simpson Exhausts have now made me a complete new manifold and system, so I'll be off to collect the car next Saturday.

Can't wait to see it, once I get over the shock of paying the bill.

I'll post up photos.
20-08-17, 12:07 PM
totalnova

Quote:

Originally Posted by novarally

Simpson Exhausts have now made me a complete new manifold and system, so I'll be off to collect the car next Saturday.

Can't wait to see it, once I get over the shock of paying the bill.

I'll post up photos.

Titanium?
20-08-17, 01:46 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by totalnova

Titanium?

Sadly not. Due to the cost it's been done in 304 stainless steel.

They could have done Inconel, but that would have more than doubled the price.
20-08-17, 05:33 PM
8valve-craig

It will be a great item. What dimensions did you go for, just the same as what was on it before?
20-08-17, 09:05 PM
novarally

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8valve-craig

It will be a great item. What dimensions did you go for, just the same as what was on it before?

The manifold has been done to the SBD specs (as per the BTB one that was on it before). I assume the system will be 3 inch.
21-08-17, 06:26 PM
toymex

I would be surprised if was 3 inch Colin, sure it will be lovely whatever though

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