Nova Rally Car - 1400 16v

**angusl2006** · 30-01-2012 20:49

My childhood dream....

bought as a 1600 8v on webbers, nothing fancy....should have left it that way! Now...ive gone nuts and spent all my money- not hard on an apprenticeship wage!

Will give an exact spec so far in the nxt few days but the basics are...

1400 16v (x14xe) kent vernier pulleys
webber carbs (40s)
SBD inlet manifold
Full exhaust system and manifold from bill falconer
MBE 967 managment
bilstein front coilovers
bilstein gravel shocks rear
protec engine mounts
tranx 70% LSD
poly carbs
disc beam rear axle
wilwood bias pedal box
wilwood hyd-handbrake
HHMS sump guard
HHMS hydraulic steering-quick rack
Front heated windscreen
Twin facet red top fuel pumps
fiberglass bootlid
steel tank guard

not got any from when i bought it just now....but

**8valve-craig** · 30-01-2012 22:06

Very nice. Just how a rally car should be. Small block with all the right bits

Do you use it much?

**angusl2006** · 31-01-2012 21:09

i only drove it less than ten miles before it went in the workshop....its been in the workshop for to long but on my apprenticeship wage its not easy.

just looking into wether to spend the money and get alot of work done to the engine or spend it on getting the car done quicker, reliability is the important factor just now, im 19 - this will be quick enough for me just now!

**GaryVaux** · 01-02-2012 04:24

Car looks really good! Id just get the car finished then upgrade as you go, as it looks a pretty decent spec anyway!

**sidewinderdavid** · 01-02-2012 14:48

Originally Posted by GaryVaux

Car looks really good! Id just get the car finished then upgrade as you go, as it looks a pretty decent spec anyway!

I would agree completely with this advice as you can throw a lot of money at one of these wee 16v engines if your not careful.

I have a rally (single venue stuff) Nova with very similar spec to yours except I'm running DBilas ITB's instead of carbs. I found they make the car much more user friendly, starts/idles like a road car, etc. as carbs always seem to need fettling, etc. to get the best out of them.

Keep the engine pretty standard and with bit of head skim, ARP rod bolts (lifts rev limit to 7,500rpm), Falconer manifold, and you should see 140+bhp. That is what mine makes on the rollers and is very driveable. I have had two seasons now with this spec, great fun and completely reliable - just oil change, plugs, etc. as per a road car.

I embarked on the process of upgrading and the money can be silly. When you start pushing these engines everything seems to need upgraded. My new engine has SBD/Omega "short" pistons, "long" steel rods, Cat cams, solid followers, double springs, titanium retainers, SBD solid tensioner/idler kit, ARP stud/nut kit, cometic gasket, steel oil pump gears, etc. etc. I have gathered up most things off EBay, here, etc. second hand, etc. over the last year to try and keep costs down.

Hoping for 170+hp but will be limited by the DBilas throttle bodies I think - need Jenvey/AT Power items but that is another £1,000+. It is relatively a lot of money/hassle so will see if it is worth it in the bang per buck stakes. Should be in the car and running/mapped in the next 3 weeks for our next outing on 25th Feb so will let you know how we get on.

Bill Falconer, who you have mentioned, seems to get great value for money results with his clubman kit for this engine using modified standard parts, pocketed pistons, reprofiled cams, etc. Given what I now know about the costs of upgrading this engine I believe I should have went to Bill. Problem was that I had started so I felt I had to finish but may live to regret that one, lol!

Good luck with getting yours out on the stages - main thing is get out and have some fun. At least you would be learning about the car and being able to drive it. Too many people wait till they build a car of a spec that they could never hope to be able to exploit fully, costs a fortune to run/maintain, etc. and then get disillusioned and do a couple of eventds a year due to the cost of running such an animal. I believe it is far better to be pushing a car to it's limit then any upgrades will produce a noticeable/measureable/enjoyable improvement. Other thing is that if you have a high spec engine then it automatically follows you need everything else upgraded to be able to cope and get any real benefit such as suspension, drives, hubs, brakes, gearbox, tyres, etc. etc.

Sorry about long winded post but I have been where your at and I wish someone gave me this advice with reference to this specific engine before I started buying bits, lol!! Difference for me though is that I have been out on the stages through this whole period which makes it all worthwhile really. To have had it sat in the garage waiting all this time I would have given up by now!!

David

**angusl2006** · 01-02-2012 21:12

Thank you both for your comments and advice- that is now the plan!

had problems with the threads in the bottom engine mount (gearbox) so been at it the last two night, will upload plenty more pictures tomorow night so show you all the up to date stuff i have been working on and my purchases....new steering setup is a piece of kit!

once the mount is finished and i get the back axle in its going to a workshop across from mine to get the engine bay resprayed.

Plan is to compete on the galloway hills rally in october, some of you may know the rally here in dumfries and galloway (usually held on the 5th of december). i plan to use this as my first competitive rally ie try to put the foot down so i plan to have the car finished over summer, get it all setup and do a few test days/open car. I am in my local car club commitie so hopefully il sweet talk them into me being an opening/closing car on a few events.

David - all advice and comments welcome, they are appreciated!

Angus

**Rallycorsa** · 01-02-2012 21:37

Great to see another rally car coming together and great advice above, ive been where youre at now and there is a huge amount of satisfaction to building your own car. Get the car together keep everything at a budget and enjoy it, then when finance becomes available upgrade as you go.

Dont get hung up on power, bigger brakes and quaife boxes theres plenty time for that, look forward to the updates.

Kev

**GaryVaux** · 02-02-2012 05:16

Originally Posted by sidewinderdavid

Too many people wait till they build a car of a spec that they could never hope to be able to exploit fully, costs a fortune to run/maintain, etc. and then get disillusioned and do a couple of eventds a year due to the cost of running such an animal. I believe it is far better to be pushing a car to it's limit then any upgrades will produce a noticeable/measureable/enjoyable improvement. Other thing is that if you have a high spec engine then it automatically follows you need everything else upgraded to be able to cope and get any real benefit such as suspension, drives, hubs, brakes, gearbox, tyres, etc. etc.

I dont rally myself, but often service for a mate. and i cant agree more with this advice.

Sounds a good plan angus!

**Gordo** · 02-02-2012 08:58

I agree, what Sidewinder' said is what I've been telling a lot of people with their first builds - build something fast enough to be interesting but concentrate on the rest of the package together that'll be strong, reliable and allow you to learn to DRIVE to the vehicle's potential.
A lot of people focus on big engines (often ruining the handling) and power without making sure the car AND THEY are able to use it - you can usually spot them as they'll be fast in a straight line and slow everywhere else...
Plus, from personal experience, it's a LOT of fun beating people in 'better' cars!

Back to what you've got, I assume you're yet to buy the 16V engine? When you do so, I'd suggest selling on the single cam, carbies, etc, and buying a proper EFI setup for the 16V engine IF THE REG'S ALLOW, of course - it'll make things much easier in the long run (heck, even the fuel saving will help the budget), can be used with a 1600+ engine and may even have maps available for future engine developments, saving dyno setup time. Also holds resale value well.
Don't forget a decent air filter with a good cold air feed that won't channel mud, etc into the filter...

Have a good think about where you want to go, so you pay once for things - a little more now can save you paying twice in the future.
Oh, use a plate type diff' unless on smoothish roads - the Quaife/Torsen type doesn't work well if one wheel's in the air over a bump.

**angusl2006** · 02-02-2012 18:58

I dont know if many of you use the "pngclub" (nova) forum atall and know colin smith who does the hill climbs, i bought the engine from him, was ran on throttle bodies and had a quaife 6 speed dog box mated to it, i got it cheap at £200 quid. He told me it was not long built, all looks clean and new anyway but with all things il trust my own judment- so there is a good chance it has ARP bolts alreay. i have the webbers sitting with the inlet manifold and an MBE 967 to run the igntion side of things.

Be uploading loads more photos later on, had to do a bit of modifying to the front end to get my radiator to fit, its much bigger but gonna be well closwe to the exhaust manifold! the dash has been all re done with new plates, switches and carbon wrap! need to get the back end rolling then its off a few workshops down from me to get the engine bay re-sprayed!

As for handling i have bilsteins all round with rose jointed tie-bars at the front onto the crossmember with a hydraulic harry hockley power steering, quick rack which is a piece of art IMO.

Gonna regret it in the long run, mainly cold days but i have down away with the heater matrix and have a heated windscreen in it....

Angus

**8valve-craig** · 02-02-2012 19:03

I tried driving mine 1 mile last night with no heater. Ice on both sides of the windscreen and was actually impossible to drive.

**GaryVaux** · 03-02-2012 05:27

Not a great move on the heater matrix, my mate removed his on his corsa (due there being a cage brace bar in the way) and on the first event the heated screen started working intermittently

So he fitted a kit heater (cool looking wee bit of kit) but it wasnt very well put together and on its first event leaked coolant into the footwell and the car steamed up (on the end of a stage, so didnt put them out)

Id highly recomend re-fiting one.

**Rallycorsa** · 03-02-2012 07:59

I fitted a small kit type heater to mine pics are in the build thread, works a treat.

**Gordo** · 03-02-2012 09:12

you could give the bloke you bought the engine off a call, but with that much spent on it I'd expect aftermarket rods and probably pistons, etc.
With the engine out, it's relatively easy to drop the sump and look - you should also be able to see any piston markings - they're often marked underneath - that may give more info'.

Heater leaks are usually down to installation issues.

**angusl2006** · 03-02-2012 19:30

The guy didnt know much about the engine, having a wi peek through the valves i cannot see the pistons have been pocketed etc. il be happy if there is ARP bolts at the most!

In regards to the heater matix i was realing hoping you were not gonna advice me to put it back in because ive not long made these....took me a fair bit of time aswell-top space is gonna be the same but with the guages for water temp and oil pressure which arrived today!

For some reason i cannot "paste" the pictures on here, i can only leave a link:

Few pictures of some more stuff

**angusl2006** · 03-02-2012 19:37

The threads for the bottom engine/ gearbox mount were f*ucked so i made the plate up to fit, welded two nuts on the back, drilled to large holes where the nuts were originally, spent ages marking it all out so the mount sits perfect.

**GaryVaux** · 03-02-2012 21:01

Dash pannels look really neat! Good work on the rear engine mount too,

**angusl2006** · 03-02-2012 21:21

would love even better if the dash was flocked, but i cant have it all!

Time for the new radiator, alot bigger and was only £20, never realised it would need so much modifying to get it to fit but i like this kinda stuff so was no problem to me!

**angusl2006** · 03-02-2012 21:28

**angusl2006** · 03-02-2012 21:42

Please, excuse the welding - im 19 and im learning as i go!

Engine mount ready for welding on, perfect fit just hope my welding is upto the job!

**GaryVaux** · 04-02-2012 12:54

The std gsi size radiators are more than up to the job, that things massive lol Welding looks fine

**Benn** · 04-02-2012 16:20

Very nice build, does the sub box help with the drive? lol

Nice welding, rad is huge tho... Does it really need one that big?

**angusl2006** · 04-02-2012 16:54

it may be huge but was £20, never realised it was that big but its in now! like i say just hope there is enough room for the manifold to clear!

lol.... Im young, had it in the back of my escort van. Music is the vital ingredient to this build, No music means no work, lots of loud "good" music means lots of hard work!

**kennybarbour** · 05-02-2012 13:21

hi angus, pics are looking good! one thing i'll say its plate round the cutouts youve made for your rad hoses, if you have nudge a chicane or a bank etc the sharp edges will be liable to tear the hoses.

as for the engine/spec debates, dont do what i did and spend every penny you have on it, you'll get disillusioned with it pretty quickly. i know i did. worth it in the end but often difficult during the build period.

cant wait to see it coming together

**angusl2006** · 05-02-2012 18:15

hi kenny, thanks for the comments. Will be getting stuck in this week, got 2 weeks to take off work so hope to get lots of work done. read your whole thread from start to finish the other night on your old nova so got plenty of pointers and motivation from reading that!

Things i need to look into are :

Oil breather/circulation/catch tank?

what exactly to do to engine -

- steel sump?
- ARP bolts obv!
-prevent pulleys from shearing?
- modifiy rocker cover ( Bill falconer) ?
- solid cam belt tensioner?
- brakcet for altenator
- lighten and balance fly wheel?

Final drive...currently got a 4.18 will be doing mainly gravel/forest events with the odd tar single venue for the first year?

Thread: Nova Rally Car - 1400 16v

LinkBack

Thread Tools