M16KE B
Member
Registered: 24th Feb 04
Location: Stirling
User status: Offline
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Hi all.
I thought id stick up a wee project thread on here in case anyone is interested. It’s just another nova build, not that exciting tbh. It’s not in the same league as Keith Robinsons build, Rick Drapers machine or Austin’s ongoing Saloon creation. Just something I bought as bit of fun – ive got a company car so it seemed a good (and relatively cheap) way of getting my hands dirty and gaining a little mechanical experience. Ive had it 2 and a half years, but don’t really get to work on it much with work and uni getting in the way but I do what I can.
It started out as a fairly stock 1990 GTE, which was a bit rough round the arches & door bottoms. It had a standard gte interior, which unfortunately was past saving – the door cards were burst / soggy, the seats were torn and had a few ciggy burns but elsewhere was ok. Save for a set of 14” TSW alpines with massive balloon tyres, and an exhaust meant for a mk2 (so the gte rear extension was chopped up to allow that to exit through). The car had already been sprayed – badly – with more dirt under the paint than under the car!
I’ll pick up from where we are now, instead of trawling back hundreds of photos.
Ive fitted 4 pot willwoods, with 280mm discs up front, with obligatory braided lines:
And replaced the discs, callipers and pads on the already converted rear brakes
And changed the wheels for some white 16” pro race 1.2s with 195/40 Dunlops
Ive fitted a Bilstein B10 kit, which drops it down 60/40
Under the bonnet has been cleaned up – an awful lot. ive fitted a set of samcos, a k&n (to be replaced with Webbers when I can afford them), baileys header tank, polished washed tank, reservoir cover and loom cover. Its had new leads, plugs, coil, battery and a set of gaskets. Exhaust-wise ive gone for a 4-1 manifold mated to a piper mild steel system. Ive painted the rocker cover and omp brace white to match the wheels. Theres a carbon scuttle cover in there too.
The body work hasn’t really changed, I did a quick repair on the arches until I get the car to the bodyshop for a full re-spray. Ive fitted, not to everyones taste, a set of MK2 astra vents in the bonnet and smoothed off the rear wiper hole. Ive saved the rear extension and returned it to pre-chopped up status as well. Ive fitted a standard grill in place of the chicken wire effort and made the GTE logo white (again to match the wheels). And the new doors have just been fitted as well.
Inside has been completely stripped out, sound deadening, carpet, headlining, the lot. Ive painted the entire floor, rear bench, arch housings flame rear with a coat or two of lacquer. Welded in seat rails for the Cobra Imola S’s, theres also a 300mm omp wheel an Schroth harnesses, custom mats, false floor, rear brace (more whiteness) and a full set of carbon panels.
And that’s it really for now, ive done it all diy – that’s why it’s been so long. But its getting there now, next up is to finish painting the cage (hmmm what colour) and get that in there.
Some various pics of the whole car
Hope you like, feel free to comment. Like I said it’s not a concourse car, or a hardcore track weapon, it’s just a bit of fun.
Mike
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*JonnyG*
Member
Registered: 2nd Jun 08
Location: Lincolnshire
User status: Offline
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Love novas, just need it all sprayed the same colour.
Nice motor too.
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Jon_C
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Dec 05
Location: Suffolk
User status: Offline
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Oooooooh me likey
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Corsa_Scotty
Member
Registered: 8th Aug 07
Location: Scottish Borders
User status: Offline
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Love this car  will be one of the best around once done imo
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unionjack30
Member
Registered: 8th Sep 07
Location: Wiltshire
User status: Offline
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i like! do the roll cage white!!
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Ste L
Member
Registered: 3rd Jul 06
Location: Manchester Drives: 106 16v Rallye
User status: Offline
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like the smoothed in astra gte vent's, nice suble touch 
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M16KE B
Member
Registered: 24th Feb 04
Location: Stirling
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ste L
like the smoothed in astra gte vent's, nice suble touch
aaaah somebody that likes them! excellent!
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Corsa_Scotty
Member
Registered: 8th Aug 07
Location: Scottish Borders
User status: Offline
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I love them too never actually seen smooth ones before
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scaron5188
Organiser: South West
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Apr 08
Location: Chippenham, Drives: arden 2.0 sport
User status: Offline
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looking reli good pal, also likin the vents, and im looking forward to seein more updates
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Ste L
Member
Registered: 3rd Jul 06
Location: Manchester Drives: 106 16v Rallye
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by M16KE B
aaaah somebody that likes them! excellent!
if they was just stuck on i wouldn't like them, or if they was the gsi one's..
but they are subtle, so look spot on
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danward
Member
Registered: 14th Nov 06
Location: Northants Drives: C Exclusiv
User status: Offline
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Good build! 
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M16KE B
Member
Registered: 24th Feb 04
Location: Stirling
User status: Offline
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mini update to keep this rolling,one door is now fully working, got the lock and handles all re-fitted tonight - works a treat. so that let me get my carbon panel on, finished off nice with black handles (thank you Colin) and black surrounds - just painted grey ones matt black but you cant tell, can you?
and a close up of my clean and painted door shut (not fitted that check strap yet)
[Edited on 20-08-2008 by M16KE B]
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GregGsi
Premium Member
Registered: 6th Jan 08
Location: Leigh, Wigan
User status: Offline
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looking good pal i have sum nova bits if you need out ok keep it up
BHP vaux
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Anton C20XE
Member
Registered: 9th Apr 08
Location: northants
User status: Offline
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top stuff m8, really starting to look the part, keep up the good work fella
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Markus
USER UNDER INVESTIGATION - DO NOT TRADE
Registered: 19th Nov 07
Location: Beverley - East Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Very nice mate, inspiration
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Ellis
Member
Registered: 11th Sep 07
Location: Aberdeenshire
User status: Offline
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Hats off mate, thats awesom
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myke
Member
Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
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OMG this looks such a weapon.
your current avarar does the car NO justice at all !
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Archie
Organiser: Scotland
Premium Member
Registered: 18th Dec 07
Location: South Ayrshire
User status: Offline
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Nice build.
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bubble
Member
Registered: 24th Jan 04
Location: Darwin, NT Australia.
User status: Offline
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lovin it-and lovin the plate FFS
awesome
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M16KE B
Member
Registered: 24th Feb 04
Location: Stirling
User status: Offline
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GTF woulddve been better but FFS isnt bad hah.
thanks for the comments. this weekends to do list is:
hang drivers door
fit glass, elec motor/arm, locks and handles
cover my rear kick panels in alcantara
Clean glue off inside of B pillars
tidy up electric window cables and re-mout switches.
not long to go with one now i dont think.
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Anton C20XE
Member
Registered: 9th Apr 08
Location: northants
User status: Offline
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sounds like your weekend's going to just fly by m8 lol
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M16KE B
Member
Registered: 24th Feb 04
Location: Stirling
User status: Offline
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not much update, did get that other door hung and all the internals back in, except the glass. will do that this week.
i also heat wrapped the manifold - not really necessary i dont think, but if it helps keep temps down then fine.
and lastly i covered the little rear kick plates in alcantara. like i said before ive made these for no reason at all except i think they finish it off nice, especially round the tunnel. note they are only sitting there - not fastened on yet, so they fit better than they look like they do.
[Edited on 01-09-2008 by M16KE B]
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Tom
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Registered: 3rd Apr 02
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
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When's this getting sprayed?
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M16KE B
Member
Registered: 24th Feb 04
Location: Stirling
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Tom
When's this getting sprayed?
ooh probably a few months yet. quite a bit i want to do that im not that comfy doing to a freshly painted car.
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Graham88
Member
Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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Very nice mate, look forwards to it being freshly painted but good idea waiting, that way you don't have to be so careful whilst doing main bits to it.
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