My Nova Rebuild Thread...

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:16

Havent done one so here it is!

Started life as a 1.4 SRi. Used to owned by a Novaload user, Freak. I kept the car pretty much as i bought it, fitted a backbox and meshed the front grill, painted the alloys. Used it in this state for a while, did a few sessions round Castle Combe, great fun!! I then got bored so took it off the road with the intention of building a C20XE to put in it and got abit carried away...

How it looked when i bought it.

I had the wheels painted, added some side reps and that was about it.

The strip down starts!! Out with the old C14SE (which was a bloody good engine, made my mate in his Saxo VTR look silly. Not hard to do i hear you say!)

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:21

There was alot of rust/rot within my engine bay, so first port of call was to remove the front panel and crossmember (what fun!!) and replace it. I also cut out the rust from the inner wings and plated them up.

Rot on the inner wings. This was all cut out and plated.

I constructed a chassis stand, so as the car could be moved. I had removed all running gear.

Front crossmember removed. I braced between the engine mounts and fitted a strut brace. This was more a precaution than anything.

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:24

I then set about grinding back all surfaces that needed welding. This included areas for the Harry Hockley plate kit.

My good mate Stu doing the welding. He works in a bodyshop, so his expertise were welcomed at this stage of the rebuild.

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:27

The bulkhead was also seam welded. This pic was before welds were applied!

Once the cross member was welded and the engine bay was seam welded, i gave it a ll a good coat of primer. This rebuild was done in stages so didnt want rust to set in a ruin all my (our!!) hardwork.

The front panel was then fitted and a trial fitment of the wings. They turned out to be crap! Pattern wings!

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:31

I then bought myself a compressor and painted the engine bay to colour code it all!

Nothing missed out on a lick of paint. The upper members, inner wings, wheel housings, the lot!

The underneath of the car didnt go un-noticed! It probably will when it hits the road though

Will have to construct some special mirrors!

Firstly is attached a wire brush attachment to my angle grinder a cleaned it all up. Wasnt fussed about the removal of the underseal.

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:34

All fixtures and fittings were removed, then it all got a coat of primer. What a labour of love!

Then i painted it all to match the rest!

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:37

Couldnt just slap my rusty rear beam back on so, after a disc conversion was carried out and some Powerflex bushes fitted...

...some repainted shocks and springs

oh yes... fresh paint and lookin goood!

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:39

I then set about getting the car ready for the paint shop.

The extra holes in the bootlid are because i am relocating the number plate light to the grab rail using modified Vectra lights. Ive also cut off the rear towing eye.

Took out all the windows, windscreen (which cracked!) lights etc. Borrowed a mates electric DA and went for it!! Took no time at all to rub down. Will give it a final DA before it goes for paint.

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:40

Stupid really but looking back through this thread, doesnt look as though i have done an awful lot in the last 3, nearly 4 years!!! Trouble is i have never "just got on with it"!! Not long after i started the rebuild me and my g/f moved in together and that took up all my spare time and of couse, money.

I also got slightly sidetracked with my daily runners! Firstly had a Renault 19 16v, tidied that up swapped it for an E30 BMW 325, sold that bought a Cav GSi, tidied that up then sold it bought a Cally 16v off Ernie (PNG), tidied that up sold it.... you get the idea! Trouble is any money or time i had got took up with this! I then decided to buy a house with my g/f (even less money to do the Nova!) and do my bike test, something i had wanted to do for years. Which kind of brings us up to date! Passed my test august last year, was making some progress on the Nova. This summer was looking to get it painted and maybe engine in. But it was not to be...

Firstly my mum and dads garage caught fire

, the Nova and all my tools, parts etc were in there not to mention my dads tools. This is what i was presented with...

Luckily (well not really!) the fire was mainly in the roof. The car escaped bar some smoke damage. Trouble is all my interior, lights, engine parts etc were in the roof and subseqently got either melted of smoke damaged I know from the pic it doesnt look bad but it was. The whole roof had to be replaced as all the joists wre charcoal, what the fire didnt destroy the smoke did! My bumpers were just a plastic shape! My doorcards were, well, charcoal.

...But thanks to Lee H off here i managed to replace the majority of lost parts. So i intended to commence the rebuild throughout the summer, but...

I crashed my bike in June this year. Seriously! I hit a tractor whilst overtaking a car and the tractor. It turned right and i connected with it! A 2 week stay in hospital and multiple injuries (of which im still off work now!) hence why the rebuild will have to wait til after xmas at least

But im going to get it finished. I want to "do" the Nurburgring before im 30! I was 26 last week so ive got time!!

Sorry for blabbing, on ill get back to posting pics up!.....

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:43

I bought a mates Astra GTE16v for not alot of money. I kept the engine and gearbox plus a few other bits and broke the rest for spares.

I then set about stripping the engine, ready for a rebuild...

Was good fun but turned out to be a pointless excercise as there was a nasty lip around the top of the block liners. I would have to either have it re sleeved or over bored which would cost money. Money i didnt really have. Luckily, Chip form MIG, had a short engine for sale so i snapped it up! I then bought a coscast head of Bert, had this breathed on by Gary from MIG, and my engine was coming together.

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:44

The "workshop" i.e my parents garage!

My interior. This lived after the fire as i left it in the car. Front seats were done when i bought the car, my mum finished the rear seats. I now have a GSi dash and door cards (cheers Lee H) to complete my interior.

Not many up to date pics as not alot has been done as of late. Will update soon as im up and about.

Pete_58 · 12-08-2008, 12:46

This was the Astra i broke up...

Just noticed these pictures show the loom still in place! I did keep all this before getting rid of what was left!

nicknova · 13-08-2008, 11:55

good work done so far! labour of love indeed when painting the underside of a car. i started on my nova but not finished it yet and wish i hadn't started tbh.

hope to see it fully rebuilt soon. If u need a hand with anything then drop me a PM as i live in Swindon.

**Benn** · 13-08-2008, 17:56

I remember that Nova, glad to see its getting some loving and comming back.

**CraigGreen** · 13-08-2008, 22:14

Yeah. All the progress & underside look good.

Gaz86 · 14-08-2008, 02:35

very nice project, glad the fire didnt wreck it, your garage looks very much like the place i bought my old silky from, was it yours? F223KGG the garage looks identical.

Pete_58 · 14-08-2008, 11:20

GBE86, no not me. Only ever had 2 Nova SRi's and both were Breeze Blue! I was sort of lucky with the fire. Could have been a whole lot worse!

Thanks for the replies. Progress has been slow, but really got the motivation, and more importantly some £££'s to get it somewhere near finished! But as im sure you will agree, something like this is never really "finished"!! Ill get some updated pics soon as im up and about. Itching to get on with it now!

Freak · 14-08-2008, 12:32

Good to see it again. Part of me still regrets selling it....
That top photo was Trax just after having it resprayed, had the LET ready to buy, but changed my mind at the last minute and not long before I sold it to you.

Now get on with it- its been long enough

Pete_58 · 14-08-2008, 13:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freak

Good to see it again. Part of me still regrets selling it....
That top photo was Trax just after having it resprayed, had the LET ready to buy, but changed my mind at the last minute and not long before I sold it to you.

Now get on with it- its been long enough

Tell me about it, but.... perfection is not something to be rushed, it takes time

breeny · 14-08-2008, 14:47

Didn't you buy that backbox off me when I broke my one? lol

I still have quite a few pics of it from previous years if you want them

Pete_58 · 14-08-2008, 16:43

Whoa, yeah Breeny it was me that drove to you and picked up that exhaust! Just about squeezed it in the back of the Nova! If you have some pics that would be great, thanks. Ill PM you my email address.

Freak · 15-08-2008, 13:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by breeny

I still have quite a few pics of it from previous years if you want them

Send them my way too g if you get a second...

Dec. · 15-08-2008, 13:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete_58

Tell me about it, but.... perfection is not something to be rushed, it takes time

LOL, I know what's involved in a rebuild like this, you're doing a fine job mate!!! I had many a tear up with the little blue beast back in the early PNG days, good to see it's survived to race another day!!!

Dec

Pete_58 · 15-08-2008, 13:37

Dec, ive seen the pics of your car and, well if mine can be half as clean as yours, ill be happy! Its a stunner!!

Freak · 15-08-2008, 14:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dec.

LOL, I know what's involved in a rebuild like this, you're doing a fine job mate!!! I had many a tear up with the little blue beast back in the early PNG days, good to see it's survived to race another day!!!

Dec

haha
Yes.. you booting it and leaving me for dead on the way to Belgium...

You remember the RR day @ novatech I came down to? Even Bernie was a little surprised at that....

ps- congrats (both car & wedding)