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Nova XE Full Restore !

39K views 235 replies 63 participants last post by  Big_Chap 
#1 · (Edited)
Nova XE Full Restore, throttle bodies etc

bit of a mini-restoration at the moment, basically re-undersealing it and refreshing alot of the underside of the car which isn't really seen and basically checking it wasn't completley rotten before it fit new panels etc. Also including pictures of the replacement of the cross-member which i actually did around 2yrs ago. (and was fully documented on a previous thread)


8yrs of XE punishment certainly took its toll on the original crossmember and basically sheared it at the tie bar bracket. A strengthened and powder-coated (to seal the inside and stop rusting from the inside-out) replacement is now inplace along with a new set of avo's to replace the old ones which were 8yrs old and didn't have rear height adjustment.


















extra strengthening, don't want it happening again!


that all seems like ages ago now!


Also in the middle of a restoration at the moment!






cant buy splash guards anymore so made my own!





bought a rollcage but for sale



a pretty rare set of opel badged cavy gsi wheels for winter etc




set of 4pots... (which may also get sold on)



a set of jenvey "direct to head" throttle bodies, over-sized stainless steel manifold, lairy cams with vernier pulleys, ARP con-rod bolts, heated windscreen and a quaiffe ATB Diff.







also have 2 brand new GM doors (still in stickers and bubblewrap!) 2 full size GM rear quarters, 2 GM wings and a tailgate!

better be f*ckin worth it! lmao

should of bought a cossie! :doh:
 
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#132 ·
(post from yesterday)

beam pretty much assembled now and will fire it back on the car later today. plan to have it on its wheels tonight and providing its good weather we'll get it wheeled out tomorrow to fit rear windows and build up the tailgate and doors...



not really been into red calipers on nova's, probably because all the chav's done it to death back in the day but with the brembo's being red they got a quick blast.












 
#133 ·
made a lot of good progress this weekend, got the rear beam assembled with brakes etc, brakes all bled up, gear linkage fine tuned and today we got the doors quarters and tailgate all waxed up and started building up the doors and windows, they're all inplace now except the windscreen which will hopefully be done this week. should have the internal wiring tidyed up and the carpets down with dynamat etc also this week and might even get the leather recaro's in this weekend!...







don't have many pics but here are some halfway through! rear speedlines are still away getting painted and i'm not sure about the rear lights, opinions please! i was thinking of perhaps painting the red surrounds gloss black to look more factory?
 
#135 ·
i'm not too sure, they were like that when i bought it (was i high spec tb'd XE in the mid to late 90's) and don't know exactly why the builder did it tbh, probably just to be different like the cosworth rears, i found this out the other day about the rear beam mods...

C7LJN said:
Big Chap

I remember stevie doing the rear axle on the nova like that cause he was trying to stop the front wheels spining so much.

The way he looked at it at the time the rear was dipping which was lifting weight of the front of the car. So he did the rear beam like that and ran rear nova towing springs so it didnt drop as much but still looked lowered at the same time..

It was back in 1995 or something so may not have had much options at the time
i didn't realise how much work had went into the rear beam til i started cleaning it up and got it shot blasted.

anyhoo, yeah, wanting to get on with it now, been held up a little with other things needing done, away to get wired etc etc but now its in my (and my mates) hands we're cracking on so it will be ready for pv. originally planned for last pv but kept getting carried away with the resto! :doh::beer:
 
#141 ·
more progress, got the other speedlines back from painting, fitted the interior and finished off the wiring problems, now have working electric windows, central locking and indicators! not a great deal left to do now and have it in for an mot a week on saturday.

excuse the poor pics, forgot to take any and it ended up dark when i remembered :doh:...













 
#146 ·
thanks for the comments!

better pics in daylight...













it needs a good clean inside and out! oh and the inner quarter trims and door cards aren't all clipped in right!
 
#150 ·
i'm not sure exactly where they are from, defo ford though! think they are RS turbo escort retrimmed in leather.

cheers for comments, been busy working on other bits tonight with mates ready for MOT tomorrow! all i need is the windscreen in (the guy is coming early to fit it) and i'm having bother getting the horn working! only have this pic!



also, found this pic from around 10 years ago, i think its the original builder driving it and when it had the SBD'd engine in it...

 
#152 ·
cheers simps.

well, never made mot today but will be there in the morning, just got the windscreen in there and no time to make it there. better pics... (new plates still to go on and tailgate isn't closed correctly)









 
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