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1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car

Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:33:47 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Been enjoying this forum for a little while now, so thought I'd share my car(s). You may or may not be interested in my Nova trackday car, as a mk2 it's not overly retro but it is modified! I'm going to summarise my build to date here. Here it is as it stands now:
	Last Edit: Nov 6, 2015 11:11:59 GMT by Iain

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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:34:13 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Rewind to 2006, I started with a standard car. 1.4 Luxe Plus, single point injection with electric windows and all sorts of amazing stuff. Cost me £400 quid and I mainly bought it because it had solid doors and was local. This got tweaked into a slightly modified caged 1.6 8v MPI, which did me for a few years during uni. First ever project so lots learned so far. After uni I decided to rebuild it to my ideal spec since I was working. No real plans, just thought I'd see how I got on. Commencing stripdown: Interior brackets removed: Cav internal shifter dry fitted: Started with a tired looking bay:


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:34:23 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Shell was strengthened everywhere, every seam was stitch welded: The welding and repair work wasn't perfect at this point, but in fairness I'd never picked up a welder until I started doing this! It was a learning opportunity. Underside got some love, with stitch welding and surface rust repair: More repair work: I hadn't fully committed to a 2.0 at this point but figured I'd do an alternator cutout required for clearance just incase: Repair section splash guards as the old ones were rotten: Then all underseal removed and etch primered:


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:35:57 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Seat rails with captive threads: Someone told me it was easier to fit a whole quarter than an arch lip, which I blindly followed, I'd have been better with a lip but oh well:
	Last Edit: Nov 4, 2015 19:36:49 GMT by Iain

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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:37:38 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	5.5J wheels were surprisingly tight on my new arches, so I flared them (hence I might aswell have fitted repair lips, cos they needed filler anyway) Front lips flared slightly to match:


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:38:17 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Fitted Corsa B EPAS with double UJ to straighten wheel against drivers seat: Corsa B brake servo setup modified, shortened pedal, and fitted: Underside stripped and primered: Body work finished: Fibreglass bonnet modified for aerocatches: Before it went off for paint I finished some mock up of the brake lines:


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:38:51 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Then a last minute decision I decided to triangulate all the rollcage... Glad I did. With integral bolt in strut brace Engine and box mocked up, with solid mounts and custom brackets to sit perfectly:


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:39:39 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Finished off the underside with POR15 then stonechip and 2pack paint: Then towed it off to the bodyshop with my turbo brick at the time


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:40:03 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	While the car was in the bodyshop I did some mechanical stuff.... Quaife quickrack Gaz coilover refurb Fuel tank stripped cleaned and painted Painted lots of stuff: Picked the best gearbox internals I had: And fitted a Quaife ATB: "] Had stuff shot blasted, then painted in POR15:


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:40:31 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Picked up a dirty old XE in 2009: While in bodyshop it got stripped and cleaned to an inch of it's life. Rebored to 87mm, balanced early crank, refurbed head, everything new painted and built up. All standard really, but I'd never rebuilt an engine before...


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:41:09 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Car was painted and brought home in late 2010: On with the rebuild...


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:41:50 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Wiring Engine went in More parts Ashley 2.25" system, 4-2-1 manifold and fuel lines, with welded in extra silencer EPAS wiring tucked away Skipping over loads, but that basically got it on the road in March 2011.


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:42:41 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	From here on out, it's all little mods to make it into what it is today. Griptape footwells Revolution Millenium wheels Got hooked on trackdays and got some cheap semi slicks Carbon interior panels neatened it up a treat Did more trackdays.... Flocked dash Starting to get more track focussed with modified turrets for castor And strengthened bottom arms Equal length shaft setup Wrinkle paint covers


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:43:27 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Yet more trackdays Made some custom hubs using Audi bearings, Cav big block hubs and machined Nova knuckles, big strong setup for big block shafts Had some hilarious moments with things falling off on track Which just led to robust fixes so it didn't happen again Added some skirts and Nova Sport style graphics Snapped a valve spring! So head got another rebuild Chipped ECU to remove rev limit and added an omex limiter, give it a bit more oof. Still mild tune with some mild Kent cams Looking quite good now.


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:43:52 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Trackdays got more serious so got some Michelin slicks in 2013, which I'm still using now! For the slicks I fitted a baffled sump Paint was tired on the bumpers from rattle can so painted them properly in 2pack using a gun Uprated oil cooler for track use Stack gauges to keep an eye on pressure and temps Later on I changed to Millers oils which helped the oil temps and pressures a lot And a Z20LET oil pump with better gear design keeps pressure nice and high, with modified pickup And in early 2014 got a mag feature in Total Vauxhall, yipee.
	Last Edit: Nov 4, 2015 19:45:18 GMT by Iain

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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:45:44 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	The old girl's looking well used now since I built it. Rear disc conversion using Corsa C donor parts, with Cav ARB fitted too Wilwood 4 pot front calipers too New 5 point harnesses New gearbox rebuilt with good synchros, and Quaife 4.2 final drive I later rebuilt this as it had too much side play, turns out a circlip wasn't seated properly, but it taught me how to strip a gearbox so it's all good


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:46:25 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Crossmember had some stress cracking, so I chopped it off: Tiebar brackets welded in place Ghetto looking new member Welded up and onto car Stonechipped and painted


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:47:00 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Engine upgrade time, I rebuilt the old lump as it had a few thousand miles on it... Bogg bros manifold R1 carbs R1 pump Also runnung H&H ignition dizzy for ease Proper external switches and plumbed in extinguisher


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:47:29 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Car got set up on the carbs but something went very wrong Chunks missing out of pistons!!! So all stripped down again I built a new engine this time, thanks to a mate for a perfectly reconditioned head And put my balanced crank in an otherwise standard bottom end, with new uprated oil pump etc And back in she goes


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Iain Part of things Posts: 351	1993 Vauxhall Nova 2.0 16v track car Iain @iainel
	Nov 4, 2015 19:48:05 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	New road tyres, Toyo R1R Race window nets so I can open my window on hot trackdays Tiny Denso alternator upgrade Annnnnnnd that takes me up to now! Pics a few weeks ago at Blyton Park where I ruined the clutch so have just fitted a Helix 4 paddle. Video of it going round the last time on track
	Last Edit: Nov 4, 2015 19:48:53 GMT by Iain

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