2.0 ecotec cost-a-fortune nova build
Thought I'd better upload some info and pics of the progress of my nova 2.0L 16V build. It's been on the go for about 6 months now and has cost me around ?4,000 to date although I will upload costs nearer the end. My anticipated cost at the start were around ?3,000 but I feel it will end up at around ?6,000. - I could of bought one smart nova without any work for that, but I know that mine has been built right and all rust has been sorted.
I did do a fair bit of looking around for a shell and was getting very frustrated travelling 100's of miles to look at crap nova's with bubbling arches that were advertised as 'excellent condition'.
Donor nova, paid ?60, not the best one to start with but I want perfect sills and arches so I would have to replace these whatever I was buying.
This car was a TD and had been sat in a farm yard rotting for a few months with no front or rear window and hence was full of water in the footwell. Believe it or not it still started with a new battery but the engine was knocking big time (reason for it been unused). When we pulled it up our steep drive after getting her home it was like a small river coming out of it.
I spent approx 3 weeks stripping the nova - ending up going further and further - until virtually nothing was left.
My dad and me did all the required welding in the engine bay which included approx 10 plates adding due to rust and a complete cross member - this took approx 3 months of slow going.
It then went to the bodyshop for the welding tidying up and new arches + sills + wings all round to be fitted. The garage in question are well used to making 2.0 nova turbo's so knew what they were doing. Price for this work - ?1400.
In the meantime I rebuilt an 120k mile X20XEV engine out of a calibra (AKA eco****e to some of you), I don't need all the top end of a red top - it will be used mainly for weekends out on the road so the Ecotec is ideal. It has been rebored to 87mm (making it around 2030cc from memory), journals reground and flywheel lightened. Many new engine parts fitted totaling a engine + ancillary cost of approx ?1,000, this was a lot of money but it should be as near as good as a new engine.
Other items sourced to go into car include electric power steering, astra digi-dash, home made electric mirrors, possible air bag (will speak to specialist first over safety concerns), rear parking sensors + a few other items I can't remember.
Today got car back, originally asked for arden blue (astra VXR etc colour) with silver flakes but this looked rubbish, now it is in arden blue alone after a much annoying rub down and re-spray. looks better but not completely won over, will hopefully look better when built up.
I must be mad spending all this money and time, but I always wanted a 2.0L nova in as near factory clean condition as possible.
So now plenty of work to get on with - will update in time
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Originally Posted by Clean 2.0 nova
