Craig's XE track Nova

[Craig-S]

May as well start a thread on the nova i have, Has been an ongoing project over the last few months. Bought it as a standard 1.2 after scrapping my old nova. Had all the bits to make another and nowhere to store them so thought it convenient to buy another shell and fit it all on / in. The shell i bought was good but interior damaged due to previouse keepers welding fire

Immedietly dismantled it, Stitch welded the bay and fitted a 2.0 Seh. Gsi interior and dash, Recaro front seat's (anyone guess what theyre from?). Full magnex, Gsi bumper and skirts etc etc







As some of you may know i couldnt get it to run right, I never saw the engine running, Some chap had built it for a project and got sent to prison so i bought it off his dad who knew nothing about it for £150

Took the engine apart and found it to be very well ported and polished with Kent AST15 cam kit. This being the reason it wouldnt run right on standard management. Decided to buy some bike carbs and fabricate a manifold on the cheap. The making of the manifold has been documented in welding fabricating and painting, but heres the general idea.







Once i was happy with the manifold i gave it a lick of paint and fitted it up. Seems perfect, Just wish id made it 100mm shorter for better choice of airfilters. Was using the bike rubbers for a few weeks but they were leaking air so switched to fluoro. Its been a bit of a headache setting them up but im getting there. When i get it somewhere near its off to M-tec in westbury for RR and MOT. Im hoping for 135 - 140bhp.



The whole carb conversion cost just £75 including the carbs, manifold and dizzy.

Was spending a few hours trying to cure a bad misfire yeterday, Managed to find which cylinder was missing and eliminated it. Heres what the problem was!



Lesson learned. Dont use silicoln to fix a leaky float bowl !

Im aiming to get it on track for the spring action day, Will probably trailer it there just incase but it'l be interesting to see how it performs.

[vantastic007]

Good work on the manifold...
Bet it will sounds the nuts.

[Craig-S]

Thanks, Yea it does sound good. (when its running right) . Since fitting the carbs ive been out for 3 drives in it. which have ended in....... a snapped throttle cable...... a dodgy fuel pump....... and a blocked jet.

Carbs are stripped in the shed right now but when it goes back together ill see about getting a video up.

[AllySR]

are the seats from they suzuki things? do i win ?

[Craig-S]

are the seats from they suzuki things? do i win ?

You win.... Suzuki ignis sport.

[Craig-S]

A bit of spanner time today. Re-built carbs, Broke a small brass cap but luckily got a yamaha dealer round the corner so £4.00 later its sorted. Took the car for a drive, and my god does it pull well. (although after 4 months standing the tyre pressures were all over the place)

All the hard work and head scratching was worthwile. Throttle response is spot on, low mid and high revs all keep climbing with no flat spots or bogging down. Got home and pulled the plugs (very hot as the rubber bit is gone from my socket) to find a dry tan colour, and from what i gather this is pretty good

After a few nosey old neighbours congretated outside (probably to talk about me) thought i best shut it off and do something a bit quieter

Had to change the locks as some little fu**ers tried to steel it. Wrecking the drivers door before moving round to the passenger door and wrecking that lock too, but never got away as the carbs and battery were in the shed.

I have now fitted my solex locks (which i should have done a long time ago). Ive had them a while and put them on all of my nova's. I like the look of them more than anything else, As if someone wanted to break in it still probably wouldnt take long.



I think now its time to start thinking about the MOT

[corsadonk]

Nice one. Well done.

[carnegstar]

easy way to break into a nova- chap a screwdriver downwards on top of lock

Learned this leaving my keys in mine hah

[Joker]

cool stuff mate, cant wait to get mine running! where / if did u get your jets drilled mate

[Craig-S]

easy way to break into a nova- chap a screwdriver downwards on top of lock

Learned this leaving my keys in mine hah

one wrecked door then..... I used to keep a length or plastic parcel wrap tucked up inside the bumper to hook the pip with. (just incase)

cool stuff mate, cant wait to get mine running! where / if did u get your jets drilled mate

jets were drilled by MEEEE. in my shed.... 1.8mm by hand.

[carnegstar]

no, not really. the most secure is to flush them off

Nice nova tho, looks good with the steels

[Joker]

oh yeah, where u get the 1.8m drill bit from brother? I need one....was it ok drilling them yourself? what carbs have you got?

Does it matter what carbs you have so long as the jets are 1.8m for 2.0 power? I have r6 carbs and most people use r6 ones on little engines and r1 carbs on 2.0?

I'm gunna use them either way but just wondered.

[Craig-S]

My carbs are off an FZR1000 genesis, i only used them cuz they were cheap (£29 delivered) but they have turned out to be a good choice. They are 38mm which is about a mid sized carb for a sportsbike and i like them because the idle mixture screws are across the top.

I would imagine your r6 carbs would be fine, as long as theyre at least 36mm.

Just drill the jets yourself, Even bogg brothers are still drilling them by hand in a vice so it cant be that bad. Just make sure you keep the drill straight when its in the hole so you dont end up with oval shaped holes. The brass jets are VERY soft.

[Joker]

IIRC the r6 carbs are 38 r1's are 40mm so think mine should be plenty good!

OK mate I need to get a 1.8mm drill piece, I've seen these shank ones on ebay are these OK to use

JEWELLERS DRILL BIT ON SHANK FOR DRILLING 1.8mm on eBay (end time 22-Nov-10 21:03:51 GMT)

Yeah my mixture screws are under neath which is abit pap.....Got another questions for ya mate

The mixture screws, I wound them all the way in, and out 3.5 turns and they aren't all facing the same way? Does that matter or should they all be bang on the same? They are all 3.5 out but just not symetrical.

[Craig-S]

ah thats fine. Youl be less bothered when youve adjusted them 50 times

[Craig-S]

Its a bit miserable out there today but im trying to pluck up the courage to go chop out the firewall and bin the heater. Problem is finding an air filter that fits my stupidly long manifold without breaking the bank....





So far the options are, Make a new manifold.... Buy an ITG / Pipercross sausage filter for like £80 or chop the firewall out. You can probably guess which one i will go for...

[Craig-S]

Nova has taken a back seat recently due to an obscene amount of welding to do on my van before MOT day on the 26th.

My "to do list" for the nova, doesnt seem like too much, hopefully get it all ticked off before crimbo.

[corsadonk]

I wouldn't worry about chopping it out, you've got a fair bit of space on the front section of the filter.

[Craig-S]

Ahh think i will chop it out cuz then the vents in the scuttle panel will let hot air out. Been out there fiddling today, managed to take all the wheels down the garage to top the pressures up, Adjusted timing a bit and did some heat shrinking then kindof got sidetracked and took it out round the valley for a blast.

Came back grinning from ear to ear, its such a laugh to drive. (even when i got a bit carried away and pulled the gear knob off)

[GaryVaux]

please dont cut it, there is just no need

[Craig-S]

Hmmm there does seem to be strong opinions against it.....

[corsadonk]

You'd be better off just getting a Trooper vent, your better off cutting up a bonnet, and not the bulkhead.

[GaryVaux]

You'd be better off just getting a Trooper vent, your better off cutting up a bonnet, and not the bulkhead.

agreed! Thats what i put on my nova for the jenveys, looks great aswell!

[corsadonk]

I had one on the van to, I think it was £5 from Borders

[Craig-S]

Took me ages to find a good white bonnet! But i suppose cutting the wall is a bit permenent ey.

hadnt considered a vent, Not keen on them really but i suppose if its for the greater good an all that.