It's like a giant airfix kit crossed with a nova.....(56k unfriendly peeps)

[Jimbo]

Yes it made my life complete. Better if you brought bacon sarnie or summat useful........

[The Simps]

Wow Jimbo! Just sat and read all of this. Very impressive. Hat off to you!

What engine you going for? XE? What are the chances of you wanting to go LET in the future? Because if you were I'd look at trimming and boxing the lower panel back now for intercooler fitted to save you a lot of work later on. Can't do any harm!

Simps.


p.s. ** awaits some muppet to say "even after all this work its still gonna be a nova - why bother?!" **

[Jimbo]

I'll be having a bit of an 2 litre xe with a 'ickle bit of tb action. I've hummed an harred about a turbo, more the "should I six speed it now?" etc etc. But it's a bit of a labour of love this car. I was taken for a spin in one when they were very very new as in only two or three valvers had been made in the country and I was in short trousers so to speak. When I got out and wiped the snot and tears off my face I promised myself one come hell or high water..

I loved it first time round and me and muppetsport have a bit of N.A. vs Turbo up the 1/4 mile thing going on! If i ever change my mind it would't take me long to do all the above I've done it all before sort of thing and it didn't take very long!

[Jack]

Do it, throttle bodied XE with an F28.

Even if it couldn't pull 6th on the flat, you could stick it in to go downhill and the like.

[scooby]

Alot of hard work and sweat obviously going into this car, keep up the good work and the pics coming.

Very good and interesting read, i wish i had the time to attempt such a rebuild, especially on a nova

[Barnes]

yes hurry up jim get more work done. sorry i couldnt help this week as i finally got a job of sorts again......

[Jimbo]

Well did a bit more yesturday. I finished off the seam welding (I think! I must check) and had a trail fit of the roll cage............







and then just to pretend its a car again lmao..........




Dunno if this'll work (I'm old and don't get this mumbo jumbo computer stuff) but I've took a quick video...........I think!




More soon.............

[Benn]

dude your a funking leg!
i love it,
you seam welded the whole car..
very cool..

[CraigGreen]

With Video evidence! It really does exist.

When the shell is complete, will you be blasting it or having it dipped?

[Trevor]

you seam welded the whole car..
very cool..

Not going by the photos there, he has stitch welded it, an inch weld then an inch none. Still much stronger than spot welds though.

[Jimbo]

I don't know to be honest. It's been blasted once four years ago (I was working it out the other day) All panels have been cleaned and primed inside before welding back on. I have notice it looks a bit rusty in the pics but it's nothing like that bad in the flesh! it cleans up great with them silicon scouring pad type discs and I've got some industrial strength chemicals from the metalwork galvinising (sp!) place near by who I've been discussing this with. Theres a ironwork place in the unit behind me who sends all his railing etc to get dipped and coated who told me who to see about it. This stuff does the do.The first solution strips the metal then theres a neutralising solution afterwards. Then it need primed sort of sharpish.... He tells me it's the boy and if he'd given me some that would be v.bad as your meant to have some kind of permit or something to store/use it so of course this is all hyperthetical isn't it........

Of course I need to finish all the welding and grinding before I even think of thatlmao

[Rick Draper]

Good old flash always makes a little surface rust seem far worse than it is. Looking good and your making very good progress.

[Dale]

looking good! never seen a nova re-built like this before!

[kennybarbour]

you gonna keep the sunroof? seems a bit of a shame going to all that work welding it up and fitting the cage to just leave the sunroof in.

[CraigGreen]

Blasting it again might shed some further weight.

I used to work for a bicycle frame builder, sometimes if a lightweight steel frame got blasted too many times (paint defects etc) the frame tubing was possibly deemed too thin & weak if it was a large size.

Would Zinc or Nickel plating be possible on a body shell?

[Jimbo]

The sunroof is in the bin!

I don't fancy shotblasting it again as I don't think it a) needs it and b) I would like to be sat in something a bit thicker than tin foil!

What you forget is it's been sat 4 years bare metal and it's like the residue or dust from blasting sat on top of the metal that is starting to brown. It looks so much worse in pics then in the video.

As for zinc plating etc it's of course possible, but rather pricey and will get sanded off for filler and paint etc. I'm rather impressed at it sat naked for four years most peoples cars on here would be a little pile of brown dust on the floor after that long

[CraigGreen]

True. I recognise the oxide from when we would store the frames etc. Looks the same.

Why is it Novas rot so bad then?

[Jimbo]

Just made from metal that's been recycled to death (cheap) made in spain (lazy) designed to rot (so you have to buy a new car)

I mean why have sun roof drains that drain into your sills!?! That's why your front jacking points go soft. When you take them to bits you can see the poor waxoiling and stonechip. No primer in areas between seams etc. There is absolutely no doubt they are built to rot!

[Steve!]

yep, If a car didn't rot, there would be NO car dealerships!

[Jimbo]

Well I've started to fit the roll cage proper. So It's bolted in al la rough stylee.....




Then clean up where the mounting points are going to be. The drivers side........




Weldable zinc primer.....





and on the mounting brackets...



Because of it's position these nuts are now captive....



Welded in (multi photo!)





Quick clean up.......




Bit of primer......





and the same for the other side......








and now the roll over bar is part fitted and the other mounting points can now be measured up and welded in.............





Oh and a bit of carbon porn anyone know where I can get a good nova one???



Feckin love carbon!

Untill the next time.........

[Drizz]

Good progress

[Barnes]

as usual looks fantastic jim and dont worry, you can use a bit of my primer, its ok......

whats next on the list of things to attack jim?

[ashtal]

Where do you get the cage brackets mate ?

[Benn]

looking good dude!

[Jimbo]

The brackets come with the cage mate... Easy to make if you've got a vice or bending machine. Want dimensions like??