GTE progress (28/08/06)

Inspired by the Cheltenham meet I thought I ought to do a little work.

Rear fog light is now properly fitted.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rogress001.jpg

Also the brackets I've made up for the custom side skirts are now welded with captive bolts and painted in Black Hammerite.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rogress002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rogress003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rogress004.jpg

not much progress but at least I've done something.

Next plan is to get a second set of axle stands put the car on level ground so I can fibre glass other half of each bracket into the side skirt.

Fibreglass mash, oh the fun of working with that! lol

Getting there then is it??

Slowly but surely.... supposed to be ordering my mongoose system soon.

looks good matey!

looks **** matey

Not keen on those rear bumpers at all.

When u puttin skirts on? or at least for trial fit picture.

L

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stv-b16a

looks **** matey

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Bothered?

I'm hoping to get some work done on Saturday with the skirts.

My tastes have changed a little with the rear bumper but I'm gonna stick with it as I'd look to do the whole kitted thing. I'll probably crack it at some point anyway.

This is the only trial fit pic I have at the minute.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...107/car003.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Matt2107

Bothered?

I'm hoping to get some work done on Saturday with the skirts.

My tastes have changed a little with the rear bumper but I'm gonna stick with it as I'd look to do the whole kitted thing. I'll probably crack it at some point anyway.

This is the only trial fit pic I have at the minute.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...107/car003.jpg

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looks like you need to get new arches on the rear and a new door but other than that great stuff mate (it dont matter what others think as long as you like it)

fair play to you, but just isn't my thing

Yeh fair play mate, i did have a kit, still go the from bumper infact if you want it cheap just pm, i gone for the gsi look now like everyone else, i dont really think kits suit novas, as novas are square and most kits are round, i think its a bad contrast, unless you got a wide arch kit, that seems to go well, but yeh hope it all goes well:thumb:

fair play mate uve got the passion.but body kits i realy dont like.

Thanks fella's.

The pic with the side skirts is a very old pic.
I've had the arches done, front panel, rear panel, new wings and new doors since then.

I've also ordered the mongoose stainless system (set me back ?260 delivered) which should be here by wednesday.

Incidently collins performance engineering who make the mongoose systems have now discontinued the nova GTE system and possible all Nova systems.

They only have 1 GTE system left in stock now.

Also I've smoothed of the stupid raised MCR on the back of the skirts and decided to mount them the other way round as they flair out at the front in that pic.
It makes more sense to have them flair out at the back to meet the width of the bumper.

I managed to get a little more work done at the weekend.

Put the car up on axle stands so I could slide my fat ass underneath while my brother held the skirt up. Then took some measurements so I could get the first bracket in the right place.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/stuff024.jpg

Fibre glassing is only thin at the minute just to make sure it was in the right place. Once all the brackets are on and I'm happy I will strengthen them a bit.

Also stripped the exhaust off ready for the mongoose system. Incidently some muppet decided to fit a cat into the system.. possibly mistaking it for a GSI as it previously had a mk2 front end.

Saturday's progress update.

Saturday's mammoth job was to remove the old manifold, bolt on the sportex one, bolt on the mongoose system, bolt on the rad and get the GTE running again... in reality I was pretty sure I wouldnt get it all done.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rogress009.jpg

Started off with the trusty can of WD40 to loosen the manifold bolts (yeah right :D)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rogress013.jpg

They were on pretty tight so had to resort to using an impact driver on one and various sockets. The rest came off with some brute force eventually. It wasnt quite all rosey as a couple of the studs came out instead of the nuts coming off. A trip to Vauxhall for me some point this week then.

Cleaned the old gasket off with some emery paper and away we go with the new manifold. The manifold is only lightly bolted up at this stage untill I can get some new studs and nuts.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rogress007.jpg

Next job was to offer up the mongoose system to make sure it fitted ok.
I was concerned when I purchased the whole lot that the sportex wouldnt mount up to the mongoose system. I sought advice before I purchased the manifold from Ian at Online AutoSport who was extremely helpfull and a pleasure to do business with.

With the system looking like an absolute spot on fit I was laughing all the way.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rogress008.jpg

The only adjustment that was needed was with a slight tap with the hammer on the rear hanger to get the tip sitting through the bumper properly. I was genuinely shocked at how good the fit was. All that remained was to tighten everything up.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rogress006.jpg

Due to the manifold not being completely tightened up I was unable to get the rad on but hopefully this weekend she should be up and running.

looking good mate, never know i might nip over to my mates with the grinder later and do something

I was thinking of wrapping the manifold but I'll hopefully be rebuilding an engine for it after its all finished so will probably wrap it then.

Nice, the mongoose system looks good quality, top buy!

Did you have any probs with the Sportex manifold where it bolts to the system? Thats where people tend to have fitment problems.

I would wrap the manifold, as the paint on them tends to last for about 10mins,Lol.

Nope no problems at all except the mesh type gasket to fit from the manifold to system didnt fit, even though it was marked as vauxhall fitment... I think i ended up with a volvo one or possibly citroen.

Side skirts have been progressing nicely.

Today I had an extra push and got quite a bit done.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/DSC00052.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/DSC00053.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/DSC00055.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/DSC00054.jpg

Panel gaps between the skirt and wings/doors etc are probably acceptable... but acceptable isnt quite good enough for me... needs a little more fibre glassing.

Needs moving to projects please admin.

looks good matey, each to their own, liking the exhaust, will sound nice!!

Finally some more progress.

First job... move all the **** and get stuck in with a hoover... or rather get Dawn to get stuck in with the hoover while I chat with my brother.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/DSC00106.jpg

Next job rebuild all the dash bits (glove box, vents, centre console, parcel shelf etc) Also sorted out the windows so they actually shut etc.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...nterior1-1.jpg

Also put my white dials in
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...whitedials.jpg

Final job was to stick in the leather interior.
Mainly because I'm sick of tripping over it at my mom and dads.
I'm not worried about having all the hidden bits painted as I can't see the point... it will never be a stripped out Nova.... ever!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rinterior2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...erinterior.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rinterior1.jpg

Also sorted out the parcel shelf supports so was able to move the parcel shelf back inside the car.

like the look of the leather interior, just a little unsure about the two tone headrests?

Other then that, its looking good chap

Interior looks very cool, re-trimming looks much better than cally seats.

nice seats!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Long Live The Nova

Interior looks very cool, re-trimming looks much better than cally seats.

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probably be more supportive too...

cali seats dont grip you, at all, the nova sri/gsi type one's do though :thumb:

you do still have it then. seats look good aswell

Seats were a bargin ebay bid for just over ?200 2 years ago now. lol

They came with some quite good leather door cards as well.

Also I took these from the weekend before.

The exhaust was slightly too big and looked too tight in the rear bumper so I cut out a slot big enough to allow the exhaust to sit freely. I then used some light mesh and fibre glass paste to build the semi circle shape. Still needs quite a bit of work with the sandpaper and a light skim of filler.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ustcutout1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...austcutout.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ustcutout3.jpg

Well done mate looks good ! :thumb:

R.I.P G928 VVS.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/gteshell.jpg

Project scrapped would be an appropriate new title.