Looks amazing as always nick.
Thanks for the pic of the mini, looks like it should be done soon.
Looks amazing as always nick.
Thanks for the pic of the mini, looks like it should be done soon.
Hi Nick, lovely to see it at billing. You've done a fantastic job. The yellow and grey details throughout looks fantastic.
How's it driving?
Hi Jeff, cheers! It was great to see the red one again also......... As for hows it going an update is on route.
Nick.
Last edited by Nick J; 24-07-11 at 11:32 AM.
Hi guys, Where to start then...............
Following on from my last update It didnt look like the car would make it to billing due to us waiting for parts until the last minute. So I basically threw in the towel and said I wouldnt bother taking it. However once that post went up I was bombarded with texts and phone calls from Andy B/Keith urging me to re consider. They were even ready to drive up and help sort the car so I could get it to billing which was really good of them. Cheers Guys!!At first I was having none of it but after a while I saw their point and decided that even if it meant setting off friday eves instead of the morning that getting the car their would be worth it. So by the time the new alternator was fitted and we were loaded/ready to go it was nearly 6pm. A steady drive saw us arrive at billing approx 9pm. We made it with no problems which was a Winner!
A great weekend followed and it was good to catch up with a lot of you and have a look round your motors also. Ive picked out some of my favouite pics that people took across various websites. Here they are and thanks to those who took them!...........
As great as the weekend was by the time late afternoon sunday came it was time to set off home. Off we went down the m1 which for fine until approx an hour into our journey when the battery gauge went down to a quarter and then shortly after into the red. The services were only a mile away so I planned to stop and take a look but seconds later I lost all power and ended up on the hard shoulder of the motorway! With the bonnet up their was nothing I could see obviously wrong so I gave Andy a call for help! Luckily he had just turned off for stoke a juction before so wasnt far away and came back to tow me into the services were I called the AA. Not long after they turned up we got a diagnosis of a dead alternator! I was quite shocked at that with it being brand new but obviously it was just a dodgy part. The car was then loaded up for the journey home.........
Good job the car isnt uber low as it just made it onto the towing dolley with minimum clearance! We then finally got home around 10.30pm sunday night due to the above. Huge thanks again to Andy and his missus Emily who turned around and came back to help us.
Poor picture but the bottom edge of the bumper was gauged and a small stress fracture of the plastic was above it........(Look for the white lines that spread horizontally either side of the gauge)...........
In this pic you can just see were its pushed the lower return lip of the front panel upwards.......
The worst part was how the bumper was sat as it had been pushed well out of alignment and was practically touching the bottom of the headlight which made me suspect a bent carrier.........
During the days that followed I fitted a new battery as the other now wouldnt even charge and got it back to my guys for another alternator. They put in a warranty claim on the part so at least I didnt have to pay for another etc. With the car mechanically sound again I got onto the AA and forwarded them an estimate for the repair work. After hounding them for 48 hours we finally got an authorisation to repair at their cost.
Last edited by Nick J; 24-07-11 at 11:45 AM.
Hi Nick, nothing short of brilliant. Like so many others, I've been (and still am) following your thread with great interest and enjoying it no end. What a looker! Awesome and other expletives cannot closely describe the class in which your Nova sits.Originally Posted by Nick J
Just as well! I know I would be gutted so it's a good thing they'll cover the expenses. Perhaps a chance to carry out some mods on their behalf?With the car mechanically sound again I got onto the AA and forwarded them an estimate for the repair work. After hounding them for 48 hours we finally got an authorisation to repair at their cost.
Cheers,
Niek
One day I'll start a build thread. One day...
In early the following morning I got the bumper off and prepared it ready for my foreman to repair. Stress fractures can sometimes be a little difficult and need to be properly repaired. We used a cutting discs to slot the small cracks so they wont spread any further later and then use a flexible plastic filler to fill and level it.........
This was later rubbed down and primed up. At the same time I repaired a small nick in the other side corner which I had damaged myself whilst the bumper was sat in the garage last year........
The primer was then blocked level and I got the bumper re painted.......
As good as new................
Last edited by Nick J; 23-07-11 at 04:29 PM.
Next us was the front panel so we got the car up on some stands giving us enough room to use a slidehammer and gentley pull the return lip back to were it should be. We also noticed that when the lip had been pushed up it had put a small bulge into the front facing part of the front panel so that had to be tapped back down too. As my foreman is a superb ex panel beater he managed to do this with no need for filler. Just a gentle tap from his hammer and dolley and it was almost their. All I needed to do was give it a block to take the last of the high spot out and level it up perfectly.........
With that sorted I gave the repaired area a coat of overpaintable stone guard and left it to dry so it could be painted the next day. I also called in to see Joe on here to buy another bumper from him as it was complete with a straight iron just in case mine was bent. Cheers Joe!
The following days saw the lower section of the front panel repainted..........
The towing eye also had to be repainted from were the towing bar had been rubbing against it...........
Before...........
After.......
Last edited by Nick J; 24-07-11 at 11:46 AM.
The bumper then went back on and I added the pinstripe before getting the plate and grille back in...........
As luck would have it the iron wasnt bent so it was just re adjusted and the bumper then lined up perfectly again. Phew!
Its great to have it back to its best and home again. Big thanks to my foreman for helping out as usual!
Also Id like to thank Mike and craig for the engine build and last minute mechanicals.....
Keith and Andy for nagging at me which without I wouldnt have made billing weekend.....
Andy/Emily for coming back to rescue and tow us into the services.
Vinnys for a crazyily hot Indian saturday night!!!! phew......
And lastly all the members from the sites I use for your inspiration and lovely comments over billing weekend. I hope you enjoyed viewing my car as I did yours etc.
Here's to some more running in miles!!
Nick.
Last edited by Nick J; 24-07-11 at 11:48 AM.
Glad to see it's all sorted Nick
Don't know how I haven't seen this before but love the car mate. Thats how a let should be in my opinion, understated. Top work!
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