Iain's 20XE Trackday Nova

Current project is tidy up the cosmetic side a little bit, so ripped off the bumpers, skirts, handles, filler cap....

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/810.JPG

Everything needing painting, plus the handles/filler cap/mirror caps...

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/811.JPG

So far flatted the front and rear bumpers back with 120 grit to get rid of the worst of the pitting/chipping/flaking.

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/812.JPG

Need to go over them again with a finer paper, then plastic prime and probably going to gun-paint them satin black this time to see if they last longer without cracking/flaking.

Brakes look good. You should give them a once over with black when you do your trim

FOUR POTS!!!!!! yeahhhh baby


I found a glacier white touch up pen in the garage so you can have it next time I see you xxxxxx

Like those Wilwoods, that should make stopping a little easier.

Yet more good work.

Cheers guys well chuffed with them. I have some other braking tweeks in the pipeline so they'll be coming off for a paint sooner rather than later, just wanted to get them on and make sure they fitted and worked well first.

Cheers Leigh got some stonechips from the last trackday that need some paint lol

yer those slicks were throwing gravel everywhere, I had to do some funky matrix moves to avoid being hit lol

On with the bumpers, I stripped as much of the original paint off as possible with a DA

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/813.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/814.JPG

Most of the chips and stonechips taken back to primer:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/815.JPG

Then I shot some 2k primer over everything myself, things are taking shape:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/816.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/817.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/818.JPG

Primer was difficult, my compressor and gun weren't really up to it so I went over to my missus's dads who helped me finish the final prep and paint all the parts up so big thanks to him!

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/819.JPG

Paint is supposed to be 2k satin black but it's pretty glossy finish:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/820.JPG

Rear fins tigersealed in place and the long sections clipped in:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/821.JPG

Bumpers and handles on:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/822.JPG

Front splitter reattached and bumper refitted with newly painted mirror caps:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/823.JPG

Final touch was to apply some red bumper pinstripe tape and take it to RetroShow over the weekend at Santa Pod, put the car on RetroRides stand area:

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Looks good! Saw the car but didnt got a proper look due to cueing for the strip. Went to have a look about 3pm and couldnt see the car. Hope to see it at Billing on sunday?

Looking good. Glad you got it all sorted without any reaction or anything

looks very nice

Weapon reloaded. Nice! :)

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Originally Posted by M Sutton

Looks good! Saw the car but didnt got a proper look due to cueing for the strip. Went to have a look about 3pm and couldnt see the car. Hope to see it at Billing on sunday?

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Ah cool what were you running down the strip? Headed off around 3pm as the heat was killing me as I'd camped over too. Hopefully be at Billing on Sat/Sun yeah so come say hello to me. :)

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Originally Posted by skud52

Looking good. Glad you got it all sorted without any reaction or anything

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Yeah me too, got taught some painting techniques and stuff so learnt a fair bit too so it's all good.

Cheers guys.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Iain

Yeah me too, got taught some painting techniques and stuff so learnt a fair bit too so it's all good.

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All good then you can come round and paint my new car!

Nice work on the refresh!

Looks Great Ian, gutted i didn't go to the retro show :cry:

Looking awesome as always lemon, saw a pic from retro show that total vauxhall had taken/posted on their FB page, i hope you spoke to them r.e. a feature :d

Bumpers and skirts look alot better, brakes are a great upgrade.

Skud I'm not too good at it, the outcome and finish was mostly down to the help I had!

Thanks Simon, Connor, Benn.

Didn't know Total Vauxhall were at Retro Show. Just found the pic on Facebook and the huge conversation about me not using it hahaha lol lol I did send some info and pics into Total Vaux who did express an interest but that was a little while ago now.

I was in my red Nova 1.6 on TBs. Best time of the day was 15.07 so was happy with that!

Looks really good these changes, i like so much your nova. how it goes these new brakes???

15.07 is a good time, don't think I saw you run as was too busy sheltering from the sun!

New brakes feel a little less bite than the ATEs on the road in all honesty, but Skud has kindly skimmed up my spare discs so going to try a pad change when I get round to refurbing them and refreshing the rear brakes.

The trim refresh a looks well!

Not updated this in a while, but not done a huge amount. Not sorted the brakes out since the last trackday yet, but I have added some cooling mods to hopefully help it cope with the hot weather trackdays during the summer.

First off a Bailey alloy header tank to replace the slightly battered plastic one that was currently on it. Had an extra outlet welded on for the XE inlet pipe (by Alloy Racing Fabrications just outside of Mansfield) to remove the t-piece:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/828.JPG

While I was there I had the spare oil catch tank outlet welded over:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/829.JPG

Polished them both up with Autosol:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/830.JPG

And fitted:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/831.JPG

No more unslightly t-piece in the engine bay, just an extra pipe on the header tank:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/832.JPG


Next up, a nice big 16 row oil cooler to replace the current 10 row one:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/833.JPG

All fitted:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/834.JPG

Sits behind the bumper a little, but might add a flick to scoop air behind the numberplate holes:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/835.JPG

Next up I needed a water temperature gauge, a decent one, but ran out of space where I'd mounted the original Stack gauges. Gave a spare dash top and stepped gauge fascia to Flocking Fantastic (Prey) who worked this magic on it:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/836.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/837.JPG

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Back with me and with my Stack gauges fitted:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/840.JPG

Even looks neat from the back lol

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/841.JPG

All fitted:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/842.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/843.JPG

Since I've used the original coolant sensor location for the Stack gauge, I blanked off the dials original temperature gauge:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/844.JPG

And relocated my window switches to elsewhere on the dash, as they were previously in the old clock location:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/845.JPG

Ooh shiney bits.

Love the dash upgrade too.

Hows the foot?

Love it mate, well done.

Liking the gauges !

Nice work on the gauge holder!

Looks good, gauges look smart!

Cheers guys well chuffed with how it's come out, quality of gauge pod mods are all down to Prey

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Keif

Ooh shiney bits.

Love the dash upgrade too.

Hows the foot?

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Foot is loads better now cheers, not holding me back much now. Kind of ruined Billing though having to limp about on crutches!

TIdy work sir. Prey is a flocking God ;)

At first i didn't like the gauge bit. But the finished item looks great. Love the Stack gauges too, they are proper pretty.

Ref this..

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/835.JPG

Could you not cut a slit in the bumper either side of the cooler, then warm the plastic and bend that bit down, so the air would flow down it and hit the cooler...?

I fear this may have already been addressed, but having not read the whole thread feel I have to ask......

Electric windows? :wtf:

Looks great! How much were the gauges and where from? If you don't mind me asking. :)

your pics make the top return look wonky lol (it's not, it's the bottom of another facia, reversed). looks good in the car mate - get it all hoovered!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Benn

At first i didn't like the gauge bit. But the finished item looks great. Love the Stack gauges too, they are proper pretty.

Ref this.. <img>

Could you not cut a slit in the bumper either side of the cooler, then warm the plastic and bend that bit down, so the air would flow down it and hit the cooler...?

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Yeah the Stack gauges look proper classy don't they, blend in lovely with the dash. Yeah I could possibly cut a 'duct' and direct air up towards the cooler, I'm a little against cutting my freshly painted bumpers though lol I'll see how it gets on like this, I usually remove my grille on trackdays for more airflow anyway.

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Originally Posted by 8valve-craig

I fear this may have already been addressed, but having not read the whole thread feel I have to ask......

Electric windows? :wtf:

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Hell yeah electric windows lol I did have polycarbs and sliders until it was unbearable one hot summers day on the country roads, so I moved back to glass. Already had all the EW setup in storage as it came with them originally. How else do you open the passenger side window when you're strapped into a harness?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by corsapowerr

Looks great! How much were the gauges and where from? If you don't mind me asking. :)

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Gauges work out roughly £50 each I think. I already had the oil pressure and temperature gauges down the side of the dash so just needed a nice solution to get a third in there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Prey

your pics make the top return look wonky lol (it's not, it's the bottom of another facia, reversed). looks good in the car mate - get it all hoovered!

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Apologies for my last few poor pictures, think there's dust on the lense or something lol

Love my Stack gauge. Does removing the grille help that much? As the sides arnt big i wouldn't have thought it blocks to much air...

Been chatting to Total Vauxhall on and off over the last few months, they were interested in featuring my little Nova. Were interested in an old photoshoot I'd done but figured it's worth some new unseen pictures for the occasion so arranged a new photoshoot with my mate. So big thanks to Alex Wheeler for the photos and efforts there.

So happy to say it's got a seven page feature in Total Vauxhall's February 2014 issue. Think it's out in the shops in a few days! The new photoshoot coupled with some mid-build shots from this WIP means I'm pretty chuffed with it.

Couple of sneak preview pics!

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/852.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/853.JPG

A nice pat on the back that is, well done.

Did you tell them to leave the plate on? They photoshopped mine out.