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Oct 29, 2004 10:32:48 GMT
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project stealth it would seem is gonna happen, with plans to make a total stocker, then while it's rolling, strengthen and XE 2.0 16V it. I went to see a mate last night who is into old Vauxhalls, been trying for ages to get him on here, but he hates the net . Basicly, we went over in his Nova GTE, it's a black totally stocker, with only 51k!. He had a good look at the car, and rekons he'd pay at least £800 for it with an MOT. So I'm giving the fella £150 and having his SR alloys and a stainless Remus exhaust chucked into the bargain. Then I drove his Nova back, and by christ do they shift. Also, plan to find a Shuvit to use as a home for the Nova GTE lump once I've XE'd it
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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Oct 29, 2004 10:38:31 GMT
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Yay for tasteful Nova mods,... time to take the power back
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Oct 29, 2004 10:42:16 GMT
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I was inspired by your thread the other day actually fella.
Like I said before, look past the badge, and the image (the same image the Escort and Mini have suffered from in the past, I might add), and there is a really good car, with a lot of potential.
Also, they handle well, are a doddle to work on, and are reliable as hell too.
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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Oct 29, 2004 11:14:08 GMT
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Yay for tasteful Nova mods,... time to take the power back Spot on! In standard form, a 3 door Nova was a very dramatically styled car in its time, with those blistered wheelarches
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Oct 29, 2004 11:15:12 GMT
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I was inspired by your thread the other day actually fella. Also, they handle well, are a doddle to work on, and are reliable as hell too. Wahey inspired by Retro Rides ,.. My mate drives his to work every day then at least once a month to Swansea (from London) and back to do some DJing with me,.. never missed a beat yet. In some ways I'm sorely tempted by them,.. could make a good, cheap hillclimb/sprint car
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Oct 29, 2004 14:58:06 GMT
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In some ways I'm sorely tempted by them,.. could make a good, cheap hillclimb/sprint car Go for it, you can get an MOT'd one with avg miles in avg nick on ebay for practically nowt. Only problem is some prick will always turn around and say "novas are wibblepoo", "chav fodder" etc. Fact is chavs are more likely to be in an escort MK5 or Honda Civic these days, for the simple reason, both cars are much like the nova, in that they are small, fast and easy to modify. Ignore them, just get one and make it rapid, let the car talk for itself.
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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Oct 29, 2004 16:21:46 GMT
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I've always liked Nova's its just the stigma attached to them that has always put me off but in recent years i've been seeing more and more nice Novas so good for you hope it turns out well.
P.S Did you know the fastest front wheel drive car in Europe is a Nova?
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VXL Nova GTE update.BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Oct 29, 2004 21:36:22 GMT
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Yeah good on ya fella! As I've said before I think the Nova's image has been dragged through the sh*t by all these chavs and what they nail to them, but there is a reason why they are so popular to mod and that's 'cos they're a really good little car. A quick stocker should, as REV sez "take the power back"! Keep us posted on the project - would like to see it! ;D
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SkoCan
Posted a lot
Quando omni flunkus, mortati
Posts: 1,916
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Do I detect the winds of changing opinion? ( a little breeze then?) Full expect GM to start selling them over here as a brand new design ( built by Daewoo) Well they seem to do it with everything else!
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Looking into XE engine conversions and reading retro cars XE tuning guide at the weekend.
Seems it'd rude not to really.
It is looking very possible that the car will at first be stock, then have a 2.0 8v, and the 16v when funds permit.
i'm told the 16v lump will mate to the 2.0 8v box, so that saves some effort too, and for the 2.0 conversion, all that is required is a set of drive shafts made from Nova outter and cav inners, which I can get done, and if welded up, balanced and pinned up properly, should take some abuse.
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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Or if you were really adventurous you could go for a later Ecotec out of a more modern Astra/Vectra/Corsa/Zafira/Agila/everything else made by Vauxhall/Opel!
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"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"
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EcoTeks are not as good an engine for all out performance. They are more geared toward fuel saving and all that green bull. hence most going for the XE route.
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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Ah, I see, I should have known really, a member of my family has a 1600 Zafira that's the most gutless thing since one of my Imps started running on two cylinders (the engine got promptly changed if I remember right! ) and the dull bloody Vauxhall broke down a little while back, the clutch was at it well and truly, yet the bloody thing isn't even two years old! Plus with it being a motability car I can't really fix it legally (can't but I occasionaly do and 'forget' to tell the motability people I've done it!)
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"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"
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anywhere an XE will fit a V6 will too
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2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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Or if you were really adventurous you could go for a later Ecotec out of a more modern Astra/Vectra/Corsa/Zafira/Agila/everything else made by Vauxhall/Opel! No no no no no no no. Ecotecs are a big pile of toss. They've got plenty of torque on them, so you can pull away in fifth, mini-cab style, and they're nice engines for motorway plodding, but actual power - there ain't alot.
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My choice would be to go for a 1.6 Ecotec (out of Corsa GSI or similar) This engine admittedly is rather lame in standard tune but with the addition of a set of throttlebodies can easily pump out the same power as the std XE. The beauty of using the Ecotec is that it is lighter than the XE - which is a bit of a lump and can dominate the handling. Good XE engines are becoming abit scarce and hence are commanding quite high prices - whereas Vauxhall puts the Ecotecs in everything now, so they are pretty readily available - & cheap. If you are going down the XE route you'll need to consider some stiffer rate front springs (to carry the extra weight of the engine) And possibly some reinforcing around the engine bay. Money spent on these sorts of bits could be put towards a second hand set of throttle bodies for the Ecotec? Which being based on the block of the Nova's original 8v engine slots straight in. Oh - you'd want uprated brakes whatever you do ;D - though you can retro-fit some stoppers from a scrapped Cav SRI (or similar)
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