Liam's Nova X16XE Project

Cheers for the comments, I think no spoiler looks better than the the old/current one but a Nova needs a spoiler otherwise it doesn't look right!

Anyway, i've been very busy over the past few days getting the Nova ready for paint. Something I've always wanted to do is paint the inner arches to protect them so seeing as I now have a unit and I can leave the Nova there I thought I may as well do it now before it get's painted.

I started by using a wire brush to clean the arches. Seeing as it was only dried mud it didn't take too much effort to get them clean. I then gave them a coat of red smooth Hammerite on yesterday and then left them overnight to dry before giving them another coat today.

Instead of babbling on I'll just upload all of the pictures:

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looking good buddy

Looks much fresher mate!

looking really good mate nice and clean :)

Thanks for the comments guys!

Went down the unit after work to pick some bits up and decided to get the suspension back together.

I will probably be going back over there tomorrow after work and trial fitting the MO's and getting back on the ground.

My original plans where to paint the brake drums and calipers red when painting the inner arches but I had an idea of getting them painted the same yellow/green colour as the rocker cover. I'm undecided really...



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you are certainly getting this sorted, updates everyday. good work. should look nice with the MO's

Looking good. Its comming along well!

It's going to look great once it's all back together! I really like red Nova's with the inner arches painted up!

good work

i would do the drums and calipers black, yellow will make them stand out too much imo

Thanks again for comments! Edd, I want them to stand out and I think I need some more yellow so the rocker cover doesn't look out of place. I'll have a think!

Anyway, went down again today and got it back on it's wheels. Decided to trial fit the MO's and now I don't know whether to keep them silver get them done in anthracite or a matte anthracite...

After fitting the GAZ shocks yesterday I've since removed them today and refitted the GMAX ones as I have sourced a set of reasonably cheap Spax RSX coilovers that I'll be fitting when they arrive. So. i'll now be selling the Gaz shocks.

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I then decided to to take it outside and get some pictures...

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Dropped the Nova off at the bodyshop yesterday and went down today to start on it. I didn't get any pictures of today though...

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its spends more time in the bodyshop than it does on the road lol
when you gonna put a better looking/bigger rad init lol

My Spax RSX coilovers also turned up today so once it's back from the bodyshop I'll get them fitted.

I've also always wanted the back lower and with the rear stripped out would probably need 110mm springs. Now, these would not be ideal as they will fall out etc and I would need new rear shocks as one is starting not to work so have looked at getting some GAZ rear coilovers.

When I get paid next, or when I've sold the GAZ shocks and Magnum seats I think I'll be getting myself a set so I can run it pretty damn low!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by conza123

its spends more time in the bodyshop than it does on the road lol
when you gonna put a better looking/bigger rad init lol

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With this **** English weather, it's inevitable!!! lol

Ideally, I'd like to get a new radiator but at the moment would rather spend the money elsewhere. It does what it needs to do at the moment and once the bumper and grill or on you won't even see!

great work!

Haven't updated for a couple of days as i've been flat out busy and just haven't had the time to update.

Anyway, I went down the bodyshop on Friday and made a start. I firstly set about grinding the rust down/out and soon became very disheartened and pissed off! Before I owned the Nova it must have sustained some sort of damage to the rear quarter as there was no actual metal in the bottom half of the rear quater, just fiberglass!!! What makes it worse is the fact the whoever done the repairs must have fibreglassed over rust as when I removed the fibreglass there was a nice load of rust on the inner arch hiding behind it. I'll let the pictures do the talking:

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After vandalizing the rear arch I then moved on to the bottom of the doors. Luckily the rust wasn't too bad and it was cut out and new pieces of metal were welded in. I don't have any pictures of before but just some once complete and filler was applied (This was when I went down on Wednesday). I also rolled the rear arches whilst I was at it just in case I run wider wheels or require spacers with the rear coilovers etc.

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Then yesterday I started by rubbing down the filler and also after multiple measurements I drilled the holes for the GSi spoiler. Luckily I had a boot lid with the holes already there so just made measurements using that. I then trial fitted to make sure it fitted correctly.

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That then leads us today where the magic happened lol and the new rear arch panel was welded on and new inner wing pieces were made. I took rather a lot of pictures so enjoy...

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A new panel was made up to replace the rotten piece on the inner inner arch (or whatever it is). There's no pictures but the old rusty part was cut out and the new piece welded in.

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Then the new rear arch panel was welded in place (After the new metal piece was etch primed and protected).

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That was it for today welding wise. I have been looking for a top tint windscreen for a while now but managed to get one from a local windscreen fitter. After asking him, he said that he could get a new one fitted for £120 or he had a couple of old ones that I could have for £50 fitted. He told me that years ago he used to work opposite a bloke who used to race Nova's so he had all the screens out of them. Anyway, he came along today and got it fitted for me. Looking at it, it looks like a bronze tint screen. I think it looks much better now with a top tint windscreen!

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Then when I got home my day was made, my new GAZ rear coilovers had turned up! I decided on the ultra low versions as I am looking to run around 100-110mm. I just can't wait to get it back and get all the new bits fitted.

Unfortunately though, the head gasket has gone... So once it's back from the bodyshop it will be off the road for a tad longer whilst I get that sorted. Never mind!!!

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are you going to sell the shocks like everything else you buy? lol lol

Hopefully not lol. My plans are always changing and everything I buy that I end up selling, I mostly always get really cheap so sell it on and make money on it. I then use that money to buy better things that I couldn't afford if I hadn't of bought and sold the other things...

I then end up with decent stuff that doesn't actually cost me much.

Very complicated business that lol lol lol

Is that a clear front screen you have? I remember Connor telling me about a guy that had some old screens who fitted them too. Said he may have a bronze one but ended up being green. That would be a perfect substitute for mine. Any info can you pm me.

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Originally Posted by leggattr

Is that a clear front screen you have? I remember Connor telling me about a guy that had some old screens who fitted them too. Said he may have a bronze one but ended up being green. That would be a perfect substitute for mine. Any info can you pm me.

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its allscreens and he told me all the ones he had where green tint

Some pictures from the last couple of days. It's now in primer so will hopefully get painted late next week.

Also, I/we have decided that the best option with the car is to give it a full exterior respray in Vauxhall Flame red. I've never really liked the colour red the car is at the moment as it's a bit dark whereas Flame red is a nice shade. Also, seeing as it's only the bonnet and roof that aren't being painted it would be easier just to paint them as well so that the paint matches 100% etc.


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its looking and coming along good mate :)

Has this been on or going to be on telly or am a thinking of another car

Yes mate, it's going to be on 'Big Bad World' on Comedy Central which should be airing later this year sometime.

Looks good Liam, should look nice and fresh once painted!

Thanks again Mark! As you say, it should look really nice and fresh once painted ready for the show season!

I went down today to get the rest of the car rubbed down ready for paint. When it came to the wings I noticed that the N/S one had actually been rusting away from the inside out and had started to rust under the paint!

So now I've had to fork out even more money on this pile of **** of an excuse of a car on a new wing which should hopefully arrive in time to be painted with the rest of the car on Friday! lol lol

You've got to love a good old Nova ay!

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I thought you resprayed this when you got it, so why dose it now need panels and paint?

Well when it first got sprayed it didn't have any rust. I have since used it as a daily through the winter so that's the reason there's rust on the doors and rear arch. I hadn't undersealed the car so it's my fault really.

Same thing with the wing, I bought it second hand and didn't touch the inside of it.

What's made it worse with the rear arch is that it had a previous repair and the arch had been filled with fibreglass over rust. This wasn't noticeable at first until the rust behind the fibreglass started to come though which then led me to explore!

It was probably made worse with the sideskirts trapping water etc.

This time around the first thing I'm going to do is underseal/secure/seal all areas required...

Looks like it's coming on very well!. If I get mine painted I know after a year or two it will probably need attention being used as a daily.

Looking good mate. Think I will paint all my inner arches red after this year! Its a good clean look imo ;)

Your fairly cracking on, bodywork is time consuming stuff. Going to look magic

Not an update I was expecting.... :( I got a text today saying that the paint oven is currently broken and until that is fixed the Nova won't be painted. He said that hopefully it should be fixed sometime next week and MAYBE the Nova will be painted then :(:(.

It's starting to get worrying close to the date of PVS as there's still a fair few jobs to do once painted including putting everything back together, head gasket, repaint inner arches, rear brakes/shoes, paint brakes, CV boots, tidy engine bay + lots more!

Hope you get it sorted mate! That is quite a big list, good luck ;)

Can you not get a few of the jobs done while its just sat there waiting for paint? Fingers crossed its sorted in time!

Just read pretty much the whole thread lol good mincing!