Board logo

Vauxhall Nova - My first love
Toprivetguns - 7/2/16 at 09:10 PM

I was looking through some old photos the other day and found some of my Vauxhall Nova Sting. Keen to to relive my youth I started to search for the same model.
Now bear in mind I paid £550 in 2001 for this Vauxhall Nova Sting
Vauxhall Nova Sting


I searched a little and found this little beauty...

http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/en/classic-auctions/results/results-from-saturday-23-january-2016/1990-vauxhall-nova-sting-limited-edition/

Cant imagine how much a SR or GTE in the same condition would be worth now !

[Edited on 7/2/16 by Toprivetguns]


big_wasa - 7/2/16 at 09:30 PM

My first loves where my Vespa T5 and my Xr3i.

Prices on either of these are high.


mcerd1 - 7/2/16 at 10:56 PM

mine was almost identical to this one, but mine didn't have fancy options like sunroofs and radio's
back in 2000 I was given it for free by a relative that was giving up driving...

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/detail/motors/classic-cars/ford/fiesta/114495


02GF74 - 7/2/16 at 11:00 PM

Ah if only we had kept the cars from our youth then ...


YQUSTA - 7/2/16 at 11:17 PM

I had a Nova 1.3SR with snow plough front spoiler in 1995 ish, I would love to have another to relive my youth but they are like hens teeth.


ChrisW - 8/2/16 at 12:11 AM

quote:
Originally posted by big_wasa
My first loves where my Vespa T5 and my Xr3i.

Prices on either of these are high.


I've got an XR3 (pre-injection XR3i) stashed away for a rainy day. One of the last 200 that had a 5-speed and electric windows. In a twist of fate though I have a 1.8 Zetec in it on EFI.

One of these years I'll drag it out, tart it up, and drive it about again. Need to get my XR2 done first!

Chris


Ben_Copeland - 8/2/16 at 08:01 AM

I had a bright Yellow Nova 1.2 Club. Then I had a dark blue Nova 1.3 Sri with straight through exhaust. Sold them both

Oh and my dad found a Mint Condition 1 Litre Nova in a carpark and they said he could have it for free as it had been abandoned, he drove it home gave it a wash and sold it for £800 which was top money at the time

Had a Cavalier GSI after sold it for less than the engine is worth now


[Edited on 8/2/16 by Ben_Copeland]


jelly head - 8/2/16 at 08:15 AM

Back in the day i had a Nova Sport that i used for hillclimbs and sprints, if it hadn't have had the usual Nova rot problems i would have kept it.

I then ran a mod prod SR - very light and quick.

Miss them both and I find myself being a sad case and having a trawl every so often for Novas.


907 - 8/2/16 at 09:54 AM

I used a Nova steering column in my build, as it was Uncle Ron's "other" choice.

So much neater than that huge triangular thing.


Just think TRG. It could have been your very one.


Paul G


loggyboy - 8/2/16 at 10:18 AM

I still have a major nova crush. Between 2002 and 2009 I had 2 SRis and 2 1.0/1.2s converted to 2.0 16vs.

Chap up the road from me has just re-shelled his 2.0 turbo which should be ready for summer.

It would be rude not to whore some old pictures now:

SRi circa 2003



First 2.0 16v -



2nd SRi in 2006



2nd 2.0 16v at PVS 2009


On 2 wheels at an Autosolo


nick205 - 8/2/16 at 10:30 AM

MK1 Ford Fiesta was my first car and I loved it dearly. Don't see many these days and those that are around are dear for what was a pretty average car. Novas never did it for me, but then I never had one.

And here she is (what a motor)...



[Edited on 8/2/16 by nick205]


loggyboy - 8/2/16 at 11:32 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Ben_Copeland
Then I had a dark blue Nova 1.3 Sri


Just being a pedantic Nova geek, would have been a 1.3 SR or a 1.4 SR or SRi)


loggyboy - 8/2/16 at 11:34 AM

quote:
Originally posted by nick205
MK1 Ford Fiesta was my first car and I loved it dearly. Don't see many these days and those that are around are dear for what was a pretty average car. Novas never did it for me, but then I never had one.



I had 2 mk1 Fiestas as my first 2 cars, and when I moved to my Nova about 6 yrs later, the nova felt so much more modern than the Fezz, however when i look back now there was probably nothing between them! However the Nova did drive much better.


nick205 - 8/2/16 at 11:56 AM

Must be honest and report that my only experience was in a colleagues diesel Nova, which was some thing of a non event!


loggyboy - 8/2/16 at 12:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Must be honest and report that my only experience was in a colleagues diesel Nova, which was some thing of a non event!


Never been in anything that 'felt' as fast as either of my Redtopped ones.


Ben_Copeland - 8/2/16 at 12:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
quote:
Originally posted by Ben_Copeland
Then I had a dark blue Nova 1.3 Sri


Just being a pedantic Nova geek, would have been a 1.3 SR or a 1.4 SR or SRi)


Yes your probably right, definitely 1.3. So SR then. It didn't have any badges on it, and thinking back i don't remember it being injected


Charlie_Zetec - 8/2/16 at 12:44 PM

I loved my Vauxhalls, first car was a 1.2l carb'd (4 speed) 5-door Nova in turquoise! Randomly it only came with one wing mirror from the factory, and I stumbled across it's twin in a breakers yard one day that had a spare that completed it! I remember modifying it to include some 15" Team Dynamics wheels, -30mm PI springs, a Peco Big Bore 4 exhaust and a massive sound system that included Infinity 6x9's in the parcel shelf, 6" infinity door speakers and a 15" sub and amp in the boot. Pretty sure I could've run faster than it drove with all the extra toot, but I loved it!

I then went on to own a 5-door 1.3l mk.2 Astra Club with the grey/yellow interior, which I converted to GTE spec including digidash, leather heated seats, boot spoiler, vented bonnet, bumpers, sideskirts. I ended up killing the engine in it, and upgraded to a 1.6l single point injection lump that I went on to fit a set of Webber twin 40's to. Made a change from all the 2l conversions people were doing at the time, and sounded like an absolute animal.

After I sold that I went on to own a 16v redtop Calibra that I rebuilt the engine in and put a 6 speed 'box and Tran-X diff in. Kept it for a few years 'til the dreaded rot monster ate one of the sills and the boot floor, decided to break it for parts and sold the engine to someone building a kit car! Then made the decision that I wanted something that was more standard and required less tinkering. Ended up with an E39 BMW 528i M-Sport, and have since reverted back to cars that I can play with....

Always wondered what my old Luton love busses would be worth if they'd survived the test of time....


nick205 - 8/2/16 at 04:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Charlie_Zetec
I loved my Vauxhalls, first car was a 1.2l carb'd (4 speed) 5-door Nova in turquoise! Randomly it only came with one wing mirror from the factory, and I stumbled across it's twin in a breakers yard one day that had a spare that completed it! I remember modifying it to include some 15" Team Dynamics wheels, -30mm PI springs, a Peco Big Bore 4 exhaust and a massive sound system that included Infinity 6x9's in the parcel shelf, 6" infinity door speakers and a 15" sub and amp in the boot. Pretty sure I could've run faster than it drove with all the extra toot, but I loved it!

I then went on to own a 5-door 1.3l mk.2 Astra Club with the grey/yellow interior, which I converted to GTE spec including digidash, leather heated seats, boot spoiler, vented bonnet, bumpers, sideskirts. I ended up killing the engine in it, and upgraded to a 1.6l single point injection lump that I went on to fit a set of Webber twin 40's to. Made a change from all the 2l conversions people were doing at the time, and sounded like an absolute animal.

After I sold that I went on to own a 16v redtop Calibra that I rebuilt the engine in and put a 6 speed 'box and Tran-X diff in. Kept it for a few years 'til the dreaded rot monster ate one of the sills and the boot floor, decided to break it for parts and sold the engine to someone building a kit car! Then made the decision that I wanted something that was more standard and required less tinkering. Ended up with an E39 BMW 528i M-Sport, and have since reverted back to cars that I can play with....

Always wondered what my old Luton love busses would be worth if they'd survived the test of time....



Bet the 528i was nice to drive! My Dad had a 328i for a time and it was very nice even though I was too young to drive it myself!


steve m - 8/2/16 at 05:49 PM

Im with Nick, as nova's never did it for me, as I was more of a Ford type
however I did buy a 2.0 16v Astra Gte, went like stink, but wife hated it, and the body popped on corners, turned out to be two cars welded together
I managed to get the trader who I bought it off to buy it back, and we only lost a few hundred,
I doubt the car ever resurfaced as the Police visited him not long after


Toprivetguns - 8/2/16 at 06:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by steve m
Im with Nick, as nova's never did it for me, as I was more of a Ford type
however I did buy a 2.0 16v Astra Gte, went like stink, but wife hated it, and the body popped on corners, turned out to be two cars welded together
I managed to get the trader who I bought it off to buy it back, and we only lost a few hundred,
I doubt the car ever resurfaced as the Police visited him not long after


Still got my GTE, saving a full rebuild for a rainy day. Description
Description


b3ngy - 8/2/16 at 08:29 PM

My first car was a 1.4 sr in red. H plate iirc. Crashed it down a country road so bought a red Gsi. This was to be my project as it needed a bit of work and i wanted to fit a redtop. Had a couple of 1.2 nova saloon's and cavalier in the mean time.

Circa late 2003/early 2004

[img] Description
Description
[/img]

[img] Description
Description
[/img]

[Edited on 8/2/16 by b3ngy]


Slimy38 - 8/2/16 at 10:12 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Toprivetguns

Still got my GTE, saving a full rebuild for a rainy day. Description
Description



My brother in law has a dark blue GTE and a red GSi (proper 2.0 redtop original). Unfortunately they can only keep one and they both need a bit of work, fortunately he's keeping the GTE! I hope the GSi ends up with someone who can appreciate it though.


loggyboy - 8/2/16 at 10:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by b3ngy

[img] Description
Description
[/img]

[Edited on 8/2/16 by b3ngy]


Mondeo spoiler and rs 2000 skirts... u chav!


sdh2903 - 8/2/16 at 11:00 PM

My mate is just building a nova now. He's a bit late to the party. He bought a redtop heap of crap without knowing anything about it. It was rotten through and the redtop was running on 2/3 cylinders with cock all compression. Hes managed to find a mint shell which has never been on the road to build a decent one from the ground up. He's just fighting the dvla to register it as a reshelling. I'm not convinced he will get anywhere.


jelly head - 9/2/16 at 08:18 AM

Remember being behind a redtop Nova on the A14 years ago when the conversion was first being performed, i don't think i'd seen anything accelerate away as fast (well at that point in my life anyway)..

My Sport at one of my first hillclimbs, young and dumb



daniel mason - 9/2/16 at 03:27 PM

Here you go guys
http://www.uphillracers.com/showthread.php/vauxhall-nova-project-2-x-12388.html


jelly head - 9/2/16 at 06:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by daniel mason
Here you go guys
http://www.uphillracers.com/showthread.php/vauxhall-nova-project-2-x-12388.html


Shame the link to the pics doesn't seem to work


daniel mason - 9/2/16 at 06:51 PM

It's an eBay advert


jelly head - 9/2/16 at 08:08 PM

Ahh i see..

Oh no!!! it's only just down the road from me...


daniel mason - 9/2/16 at 08:35 PM

They won't allow direct links to ebay or Facebook on uphillracers is it just puts BTDBTDBTD instead


b3ngy - 9/2/16 at 09:03 PM

quote:

Mondeo spoiler and rs 2000 skirts... u chav!



Not been called a chav before! lol. Top marks for geting the parts correct! Chav!