My 1983 Nova Project

hi have found an excellent example of one of the first nova's produced and i am underway on a good old restoration project. after what happened with my last nova i intend to finish this all the way and own it for a good long time after aswell.
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looks reasonably clean for its age mate. whats the plans?

Very nice. wondered if someone would buy this from the bay. Good choice matey

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Sure Duick will be in touch soon! The boot floor in that car is rather unusual, it seems to be a pre production shell or something, will see if i can find pics to explain

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Originally Posted by novacabrio

Sure Duick will be in touch soon! The boot floor in that car is rather unusual, it seems to be a pre production shell or something, will see if i can find pics to explain

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yes please do mate i have been round the whole car and all the bodywork is painted on inside very well protected boot floor is even laqured.

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Originally Posted by G-nova

yes please do mate i have been round the whole car and all the bodywork is painted on inside very well protected boot floor is even laqured.

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the strengthening bits in the boot floor runs front to back not 2 bars side to side

My Plans are to clean her up good and proper, all the rust will be sorted out, wheels refurbished with low pro tyres. bump strip from side of car removed, engine taken out and rebuilt and painted, chassi strength kit and engine bay stitch welded and new track rod ends etc. Also will be lowered by 60mm with bilstien shockers.

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Originally Posted by novacabrio

the strengthening bits in the boot floor runs front to back not 2 bars side to side

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is that better or not will check out pics of my old nova as unsure exactly what you mean.

The boot floor pressings are different on the very early cars. This is what they normally look like, as you can see they spread out from the left side of the wheel well in a sunshine ray pattern, the early cars go front to rear I think.

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Cracking car...

You keeping it standard throughout the restoration?

Loving those wheels too!

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Originally Posted by Novasport

The boot floor pressings are different on the very early cars. This is what they normally look like, as you can see they spread out from the left side of the wheel well in a sunshine ray pattern, the early cars go front to rear I think.

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even some Y reg's have the later style floor I think, sure the style like this is very rare, only seen it twice

Its only the first few thousand cars on the production run afaik, but odd as Nova production started later than Corsa from what I have read.

Indeed! Which is why i think its preproduction rhd car, this car was found in bedford so may of been an ex vauxhall test car. The production change makes this shell more unusual being rhd and changing it so early, stve (duick) will no doubt know from the chassis number how early it is

Thats the same colour interior as mine mate diffrent but cool

How come it doesn't have the other direction facing rear wiper - Isn't that a thing of early early Nova's ?

cool another early nova being saved!

was this on ebay not long ago ?

looks good mate some tlc and that could be a top motor!!

Looks good!

Thanks guys for all the good comments, Yes i Bought the nova fome ebay from a guy called tim in north hamptenshire. The pictures he put up on ebay do the car no justice at all, i bought it expecting alot worse and when it was dropped of by transporter i couldent believe my luck i had stumbled accross something i thought i would never have without paying through the nose. The best bit about the story is i even knocked tim down on the listing price by £50! It will be cleaned up and kept standard apart from suspension. Engine is being taken out and rebuilt and painted up thats about it.

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Originally Posted by Mags

Thats the same colour interior as mine mate diffrent but cool

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yeah loving the interior m8 very different.:thumb:

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Originally Posted by G-nova

Thanks guys for all the good comments, Yes i Bought the nova fome ebay from a guy called tim in north hamptenshire. The pictures he put up on ebay do the car no justice at all, i bought it expecting alot worse and when it was dropped of by transporter i couldent believe my luck i had stumbled accross something i thought i would never have without paying through the nose. The best bit about the story is i even knocked tim down on the listing price by £50! It will be cleaned up and kept standard apart from suspension. Engine is being taken out and rebuilt and painted up thats about it.

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Glad to hear it..

Standard is definitely the way to go with an early Nova like this..

Be watching this one:thumb:

I'm holding on for an early mk1 5 door in white, but if I was looking for a 3 door, it would be something like this one..

I like this car, a lot...

My neighbour had one on an A plate, very similar, around the time I had my Tigra..

Think he gave it away or scrapped it...:(

Hate hearing about nova's been scrapped lol
Got the engine out today and took gearbox off (need a new clutch), next time I'm hiring a hoist - had a right time dropping it out - split 2 pins off the distributor cap ha ha. Going to clean engine bay and engine down during the week with degreaser. Slight bit of rust was found when headlights and bumper were taken off - nothing major I hope, will take wings off to examine more during week. Will Take Pictures so don't worry everyone lol

nice matey doesnt sound two bad get pictures up though lol

Engine out
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Nice Rust NOT
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Gearbox off
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Started stripping engine, head has been sent of to get skimmed.
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Gave the gearbox and block a bit of a wash, its going to be well hard to get it clean enough to paint lol.
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will be taking sump off and oil filter, then its time to really get it clean for painting. Anyone have any idea's in the best way to clean engine? Also which is the best paint to use?
Will be more pictures soon

got the sump off and cleaned up
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Got the wings off and this is what i found - not bad for 27 years eh
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this is the rust damage on the driver wing repairable???? i think so well i hope lol
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and this is only rust damage on passenger wing
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Got sump cleaned ready for paint
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I have been painting various bits and cleaning the inner wings up so will get some more pics up when i get a chance, been really busy at the min but I have found a really good welder that will weld in chassi kit and stitch weld engine bay aswell so that is good.

Very very clean car mate.

When your doing your engine block, use a grinder with a wire wheel on, and some BRUSH on VHT paint.

Mine, its very shiny, make sure you put 1 coat, then wait till its dry, then another and another.
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Why are you messing around with a 1.2 though ? get an E16SE in it man.

lol your right 1.2 is stupid but im just doing it so it looks nice lol till i get a nicer engine when she's on the road. i was just going to use hammerite on the block and high temp paint on the head also hammerite on gearbox will be ok wont it?

Yeah hammerite works from what ive seen.

Id just clean the gearbox if i were you.

Youll have to get yerself down here one day, ive got 2 novas and an escort xr3i cabby now man lol

jammy ******* lol my mates just bought a mk3 escort RS turbo like nice red one. £3500 tho !!!! lol

when nova is on road i will defo come up and see you mate just a bit hard at min.

Sounds good, times are hard here aswell im broke and theres no jobs, so im trying to rent a garage and start my own business, its the only way to get anywhere.

I got banned aswell mate,, ive got 11 month left, hopefully ill have my money for insurance/test/etc.. and the car all finished by then. id come to yours if i could, havent seen you in ages, hopefully this nova gets finished aswell, its a belter.

hi all been really busy but still done a little work on the nova few pics to come, spent alot of money on all new engine parts, full rally chassi kit and front valance and headlight replacement panals. found a great welder who lives round the corner from me which is great, he owns 5 opel manta's and a really old carlton estate! he came round to see the nova and we had a really good talk about work needed to be done, he really know's his stuff. will take a few more pics this week.

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next few jobs now the head has been skimmed and crack tested and new valve stem seals, is to get it painted with high temp red. also the block has been apart and rebuilt so it to can be painted - black. (i have pics of both head and block in bits) i have removed the tank and the wheels so i can paint them also.

hi few more pics of block painted and the new body parts. im on with the head at the mo so when completed will upload them aswell.

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