Nova Saloon Build

Well; new nova build on the go. Hopefully sort it for the summer...

Couldn't resist a bargain 500quid cally T last summer so had to buy it.
I've now been the owner of this saloon for 3 weeks which I couldn't resist buying either. Cheap at 50quid and from only a couple of miles away..
Here it is in all its glory...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...e.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t.jpg~original

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So started off getting the engine out. Took the wings off to be chucked, chucked the seats and most the interior aswell.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...7.jpg~original

As I intend to use a corsa pedel box, I plated over the holes that the pedel box mounts too, and also modded the clutch pedal so that it is fully supported again.

There has been a replacement battery tray welded onto of old rot, which must have been done a while ago, but it will all need chopping out and replacing soon..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...4.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5.jpg~original

Stripped back the inner wings of all underseal etc, then welded up the seams, and cut out any patches of rust and plated it up. The wing bit that sticks out was too far gone, so had top be chopped out and replaced with one I cut out..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...0.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...2.jpg~original

Next up was getting the O/S mount in the right place (lowering 1.5") and sorting the alternator bit, as well as a small rot hole on the tuirret and a bit of stich welding..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...4.jpg~original

All welded
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...6.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...7.jpg~original

Look forward to this Austin, its always a pleasure watching what you come up with!

Whats that crap down the bottom of the doors??

The Front Pannel was in pritty bad condition, and the bits where the tie bars bolt on to were well gone.

So with fitting a decent size intercooler in the front in mind, I decided to weld in a bit of 50mm box instead, but try and keep the lower front pannel part.. So I got the brackets bolted up (10mm ower) and welded some bracking to them, so I couild cut the pannel off, and everything would stay in the same place..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...6.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...9.jpg~original

little bit of repare work before offering up the bar...

Well thats all for now, quite a bit more to add at the moment,. shall hopefully do that tomorrow..

That brown stuff is some sort of primer. God knows what the guy who I bought it off was thinkin! Shall be having a go at spraying the whole car, so we shall see how it ends up!

nice one dude !!!!!!!!! you could of cleaned it lol

loveing the timeing on the slam lol

Welded plates at the far end of the bar each side with 2mm sheet after bolting the box section down. Then added some small plates on the inner part which will be double skinned with the larger plates I cut out to stregthan the whole joint up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...4.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5.jpg~original

I then boxed out the front and rear faces of the guttet bits then sorted them ready for some primer; just to cover it for now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...8.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...9.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...0.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5.jpg~original

Next off was to chop off the old slam pannel part. Used a proper spot weld drill which was so good, it was off in a couple of minutes.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...0.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1.jpg~original

Got a GM lower front pannel to replace the original with, so finish off the main chassis leg stich welds which I couldn't get to before, and then welded the lower pannel on.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...6.jpg~original

The areas around the headlamps needed a bit of plating, so sorted them and got on to fitting the other GM panel I got for the top. All went together nicely. Then gave it a bit of primer.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...9.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...0.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...2.jpg~original

Looks like its going to be another awesome build again!! Can't wait to see more progess!

Aye. Looks like its got the makings of a cool project.

looks good,nice work

thats proper **** hot, loving the new cross member

looking good dude

looking great mate cant wait to come up and have a propper look. had fun with my seam wealding and even after your advice i still managed to have a fire inside the car lol ow well the under florring was comeing out anyways

Looking good mate, it's a joy to watch and see how things progress.

Small update of what I've been sorting this week.

Wanted to get all the battery tray out where it had been previously plated over with a replacement pannel.
The top inch of the bulkhead on the drivers side was rotten so chopped that out along with all the other parts.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3.jpg~original

Wanted to keep the drain hole working, so cut the gully bit out of the pannel I had chopped out, and welded that in along with a 2mm plate behind the turret.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...6.jpg~original

Then I cut out pieces of 2mm sheet to weld either side of the gully part, and welded them in place.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...7.jpg~original

Next was to sort the main plate, again out of 2mm steel to give the whole area some strength. Cut the hole out for the corsa pedal to go through.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...8.jpg~original

Next Up, I got Iit all in place and then decided to weld the corsa servo mounting plate in place so that it is all rigid.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...9.jpg~original

Then mounted up the servo ready to sort the pedal out.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...0.jpg~original

Pedal shortened and slightly straightened.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...4.jpg~original

Next Up I weleded in a small bracket to mount a corsa wiper motor. Just need to modify this to single...

Well thats it for now, shall postmore up soon.

How I wish I could get a shell in my garage to do things properly! That method of sorting out the front crossmember is the future for any conversion I think.

Isnt clearance going to be a problem with the servo and m/c were it is now??

Remember seein that on ebay..


looking good so far mate keep it up..

btw did you build that blue nova witht the all-in-one bonnet,wings etc front engined rwd? stillgot it?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mikey14sr

How I wish I could get a shell in my garage to do things properly! That method of sorting out the front crossmember is the future for any conversion I think.

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we can giv it ago on mine when we dot he front pannel if you like mate..?

use my car as the guine pig

After 8 or so years of doiing conversions etc on my old dears' drive, I think its about time I got somewhere to do it! lol

Saloony - aredon't think clearance should be an issue really; bonnet fits on fine...

Just making sure. Dont want to see another saloon wrecked.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Saloony

Just making sure. Dont want to see another saloon wrecked.

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moody lol lol lol

im shore he knows what hes doing i hope lol jokeing :thumb:

fail to see how a car could be wrecked by the bonnet not shutting on a master cylinder cap!

Nice progress though Austin. Keep at it.

Cheers for the comments.
Especially Saloony.. Your the best! :thumb: :thumb:



Well, quick update the car car:
Been really busy with other stuff over the past couple of weeks, but have got some done this weekend.

Recieved a few bits in the post, ready to sort the engine out, also got some tyres, a new tank and a new std front bumper.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3.jpg~original

Finally got around to sorting out the passenger side front inner wing, althouigh there are a couple of bits yet to do.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5.jpg~original
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...6.jpg~original


To get to all the seams underneath, I decided to make up a simple roll over Jig. Got myself 30quids worth of box section and set about making the two frames.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...8.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...9.jpg~original

Bolted them up to the car and then raised the car to a suitable height, ready for turning over

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...7.jpg~original

With a mate helping, we then flipped it over and moved it around.
Was well happy with the strength of it and also how easy it was to move like this.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1.jpg~original

...And got an hour in stripping the underside ready for some stiching.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...2.jpg~original


Well, thats my lot for now. Going to try and get the underside sorted this week, and turn it back over to finish all the boot seams..

Rallycross today anyway....

Wicked frame work fella. Me, i totally bodged it by laying a mattress down and rolling the car onto that. YEEEHAAA. Keep up the good work.

this is nuts! i love a thread like this lol

good work tho fella

Is that a cossie rear axle i spy there?

Looking good.

went a saw the car last night looking good !!!! stand is the nuts this nova will be a head turner !!!!! keep up the good work !!!!!!!!

Yeah thats right rick. Just needed somewhere to store it, so its under the saloon for now..

Small update:
Been working on the underside at the rear of the car this week. Getting all the seams cleaned up reading for some welding.

There was very slight surface rust around the holes on the chassis legs, so I took them back to bare metal, and the surrounding areas.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...4.jpg~original

All welded
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...7.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...8.jpg~original
and painted
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...0.jpg~original

Then made up some axle mount braces and repaired the small bit of rust on the corner of the floor.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...2.jpg~original

Hopefully get the front plates sorted today, and get it back onm the ground for some turrets.

Laters

bloody hell your cracking on with it aint you! good work

keep it up mate :) will pop up see how your getting on

Austin, you never do things by halfs.

How much did it cost you in total to make up the frame? Including man hours? ;)

Cheers guys.

Matt - Metal was 30quid cash, plus a few cut offs I had lying about. Probably took an hour in total, so not too bad.

If space is tight, I would spend 60quid on steel and make a rollover one. I may cut up this one and make it in to one of those in the future.



Well, few more bits to do before putting it back over and fisnishing inside, and getting some turrets in there (the existing rear spring seats will be cut out as they are well gone).



Got the welding done on the front part of the floor around the bottom arm mounts and chassis legs. The legs were in really good condition, with only one tiney bit of rust emerging.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3.jpg~original

Then cut up some 2mm strengthening plates, which will really beefen up this area.

Plate cut and drilled
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...4.jpg~original

Bent them up
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5.jpg~original

..And all welded
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...7.jpg~original
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...6.jpg~original

Next is to plate up the support bit that comes from behind the bottom arm pickup point, and the 16 holes in the floor - which I have been putting off cutting the discs out for.

More updates when they come...

Very good work Austin, seems as you are some kind of thorough with
your rebuilding. I like that. :thumb:

Good progress that man!

Have been trying to get at least one thing done a day at the moment. Even if its just 1/2 hour cuting out plates.


Another small update:

Welded up the 16 drain holes and other small holes which had gromets in.
Also cut and folded some plates to beefen the TCA pick-up points.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...9.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...8.jpg~original

Now just need to clean up all the plates and primer for now, then get the bits of rusty floor that you can see in the top photo sorted once the cars back over the proper way round...

Awesome work Austin!

What engine is going in this?

Another Mental Austin project i'd imagine!

lol

You going PVS Austin?

Rob

Got an 80000miles LET engine to go in. Not sure what spec at the moment, but it won't be megger power as it'll be on 13's. lol

Will definatly be up at PV, but the wheels for the saloon are turning up at the end of May, so not a lot of time to sort the arches out before spraying it.. So it probably won't be done...so willl either be in the blue one (which needs MOT) or my XE GTE...

Then we can have the re-match!! lol :wtf: