A small novel on "The Heroicism of Nova Ownership"

[BlueNova]

Hello All

I just bought a Nova, and have now joined your very friendly looking forum.

I think I had better relate the tale (rambling though it is), seeing as it culminated last week (began?) with one of the most stressful days I have had for many years... Take a deep breath, this post is way bigger than I intended...

.........

If anyone is interested I will post some pictures when my PC is back up and running (as is normal whenever anything expensive is purchased, pretty much eveything has gone wrong since I bought this car - and the internet filter at my workplace prevents me uploading pictures), but in the meantime thanks for reading, and I look forward to badgering you all on various issues. I do promise to try and find the answers on the forum first though.

Regards from

Vasco Da Gamer (Steve)

Hi Steve,

I saw your post under the 2019 Calendars and thought 'I don't recongize that Forum member ... must see who he is'.

I read your 'novel' of a 1st post from 2009 and have great sympathy. When I first drove my Nova from Aberdeen down to the Central Belt of Scotland in 1986 an old b*gger came out of a side road on the dual carriageway and I was forced to swerve to avoid him, and that's when I found out about the heavy steering and poor brakes. My (screaming) wife was with me as I struggled to keep control and ended up on the central reserve scattering red chips everywhere! I also had a 'what have I done?' moment, and my wife just wanted me to get rid of the car.

Anyway, long story short, I made some improvements and drove the car till 1991 and it's been off the road ever since. However, like you, 2 years ago I started a 'body off restoration and things are going reasonably well. .... if you fancy a look you'll find me at http://www.euro-nova.co.uk/vb/showth...-for-a-rebuild!

Would be good to see some photos of your project and hear how you're getting on.

All the best, Alistair

[Vasco Da Gamer]

Hi Steve,

I saw your post under the 2019 Calendars and thought 'I don't recongize that Forum member ... must see who he is'.

I read your 'novel' of a 1st post from 2009 and have great sympathy. When I first drove my Nova from Aberdeen down to the Central Belt of Scotland in 1986 an old b*gger came out of a side road on the dual carriageway and I was forced to swerve to avoid him, and that's when I found out about the heavy steering and poor brakes. My (screaming) wife was with me as I struggled to keep control and ended up on the central reserve scattering red chips everywhere! I also had a 'what have I done?' moment, and my wife just wanted me to get rid of the car.

Anyway, long story short, I made some improvements and drove the car till 1991 and it's been off the road ever since. However, like you, 2 years ago I started a 'body off restoration and things are going reasonably well. .... if you fancy a look you'll find me at http://www.euro-nova.co.uk/vb/showth...-for-a-rebuild!

Would be good to see some photos of your project and hear how you're getting on.

All the best, Alistair

Hi Alistair

God – I wrote a hell of a lot back then… Like an over-enthusiastic puppy. That was before life took a few bad turns; I rarely post if at all now. It is really weird/scary driving a Nova at first and I have no doubt loads of new owners experienced something similar to us.

I do ‘lurk’ on the forum occasionally and have been following your thread for some time. Having literally got to ‘ready for MOT’ stage at one point I decided it wasn’t good enough – and am now at the same place as you – welding in brand new thick-metal dropped floor-pans and fixing/painting any remaining rot. I’m not doing the welding though – I have an excellent local restoration company doing it; partly because I am a rubbish welder and partly because I am close to being a full-time carer now and no longer have any time.

Because I have already done all the ‘design’ work (e.g. cowled dashboard pods, multiple instruments, rear-view camera, water-proofing, exhaust, new leak-proof back window and sun-roof etc etc) I am hoping it’s a matter of bolting it all back together without having to spend ages sorting all the practical problems. Even though I spent countless hours tracing everything in the original loom, that’s being re-done from scratch – it was a mess and the original one had been run into the wheel-arches – it’s largely what persuaded me to start again. I keep telling myself I will post an update, but never get around to it.

Phill is right by the way – dropped floor-pans make a huge difference and yours look great; especially with the gloss Hammerite on there.

Steve

[Buffy]

Hi Alistair

God – I wrote a hell of a lot back then… Like an over-enthusiastic puppy. That was before life took a few bad turns; I rarely post if at all now. It is really weird/scary driving a Nova at first and I have no doubt loads of new owners experienced something similar to us.

I do ‘lurk’ on the forum occasionally and have been following your thread for some time. Having literally got to ‘ready for MOT’ stage at one point I decided it wasn’t good enough – and am now at the same place as you – welding in brand new thick-metal dropped floor-pans and fixing/painting any remaining rot. I’m not doing the welding though – I have an excellent local restoration company doing it; partly because I am a rubbish welder and partly because I am close to being a full-time carer now and no longer have any time.

Because I have already done all the ‘design’ work (e.g. cowled dashboard pods, multiple instruments, rear-view camera, water-proofing, exhaust, new leak-proof back window and sun-roof etc etc) I am hoping it’s a matter of bolting it all back together without having to spend ages sorting all the practical problems. Even though I spent countless hours tracing everything in the original loom, that’s being re-done from scratch – it was a mess and the original one had been run into the wheel-arches – it’s largely what persuaded me to start again. I keep telling myself I will post an update, but never get around to it.

Phill is right by the way – dropped floor-pans make a huge difference and yours look great; especially with the gloss Hammerite on there.

Steve

Steve
If you need any form of inspiration, I can bring mine to you or you can come and see mine. I am only just down the road ...........

[Vasco Da Gamer]

Steve
If you need any form of inspiration, I can bring mine to you or you can come and see mine. I am only just down the road ...........

Good God... So you are - I hadn't noticed. Of course - your Nova used to be Cardboard Kenny's car. I never saw it in the plastic but long before he sold it he told me he simply couldn't decide what to do with it... Evidently it ended up sitting outside not long after, and then you came along. Sadly I never got to see his Starsky and Hutch Torino either, or his Tardis, or Dalek(s) and Moped collection. Definitely a man with good taste in toys.

My car is currently at Jentree - who are a bit further up the road from Hailsham; very much nothing to see right now... But I would certainly be interested to see yours sometime. Nice dash I seem to remember.

Steve

[Buffy]

Let me know when you want to come and have a look.
Regards
Mark



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dirk]

Steve
If you need any form of inspiration, I can bring mine to you just down the road ...........

That will be another days trailer hire

Dirk