Hi from South Germany

[dango]

Hi Mario,
Welcome to us.
Have you seen the yellow NOVA (15000 €) in "ebay-kleinanzeigen.de"?
A orange Sterling with 22500 € (I know the car) is on "willhaben.at".
I am from Austria - near Vienna, only 600 Km from you.
If you click "kontakt" on my website, we can write in our language.
cheers
Friedl

[Supermario]

Its a shame you missed the white one, a road going Nova in that condition is a a very rare find. But the red one also looks very complete and some interesting body modifications to make those from light fit. Quite creative.

Yes, it's a shame... I didn't like the colour and the wheels look like bicycle wheels, but it was complete and running. To get new papers and registration would be about another 300-500€, but hey, I would have had my own Nova for cheap!
Would, maybe, could... I'll look forward. Will call that red Nova guy today and hopefully have a look at it tomorrow.
It's always hard to find spare time for me, having 3 kids, 2 dogs and a wife who is self-employed...

[Supermario]

Hi Mario,
Welcome to us.
Have you seen the yellow NOVA (15000 €) in "ebay-kleinanzeigen.de"?
A orange Sterling with 22500 € (I know the car) is on "willhaben.at".
I am from Austria - near Vienna, only 600 Km from you.
If you click "kontakt" on my website, we can write in our language.
cheers
Friedl

I've seen that yellow one. It's lokated in belgium when I got it right. And I think I saw this orange one, too lately. But to be honest, I can't afford that much money in the moment. 10.000€ is much (for me) but ok for a fun car. I know it will be more at the end, when I added my personal touch to the Nova, but these are step by step investments.

Nice to see a German speaking at least here...

[Peter]

Welcome to the adiction that is Nova and Eagle cars, I hope you find a nice one soon.

Nice collection, interesting to see the difference in 'European prices and what one could get in the UK, more than double.
I like some aspects of all the cars, the red ones wing is nice done but headlights are, I think, too low, that chrome centre bar would not get passed IVA, sharp corner for instance.
I like the black and orange Ford based SS, but I am biased, a bit.
Interior in the white one a bit too 'bolt on' and 'bitty' rather than fitted in, etc.

[Supermario]

...but headlights are, I think, too low...

I think so too. Wondering what kind of headlight these are, could be Nissan 300ZX Z32.

[Spacenut]

Hi Mario, welcome to the forum

Both of the cars you have seen are Mk2 Novas, which could have been built between 1982 and 1988, up to the early 1990s, depending on which company was active at the time (Elams, TFS or Graham Slayford).

I love the headlight treatment on the second car, I think you are right, Nissan 300ZX (which of course also provided the lights for the Lamborghini Diablo after they abandoned pop-ups. But I agree with the guys, those lights are far too low to comply with construction and use regulations, and would also (I assume) fall foul of the TUV?

I have found that projector beam headlights tend to be very long, so the lamp unit is probably mounted a long way forward to clear the front wheels on full lock.

Headlight height has been a problem for every Nova since first production in 1972 - in fact it was one of the reasons why the Nova was not sold in Germany. Hans Hermann (ex-Porsche works driver) had a Porsche dealership in Stuttgart and Richard Oakes and Phil Sayers drove the pre-production prototype Nova across to Germany (during the Winter) to show him.

After they found out they wouldn't pass the TUV in Germany, they drove on to Switzerland to try their luck there, unfortunately with the same results

I don't know much about the Ford 2-litre V6 - I assume it is no relation to the Cologne 2.3 litre, that is a heavy lump of iron!

Good luck with your Nova search,

Lauren

[Peter]

that was the main reason the Cimbria/SS went for Porsche 928 pop ups although quirky I would have preferred the TR7 type but one has to think it was 1981 so go with what is about.-

[Spacenut]

that was the main reason the Cimbria/SS went for Porsche 928 pop ups although quirky I would have preferred the TR7 type but one has to think it was 1981 so go with what is about.-

Absolutely - back then the Porsche 928 would have been the supercar of choice to copy from. Unfortunately even then the headlights were their least endearing feature

[Supermario]

I've been at that red Nova guy yesterday and had a look at the Nova.

The car is in an acceptable condition. Engine is running, canopy opens and closes electrically (pretty slow for my taste compared to the hydraulic system of the white Nova), close to no rust, because it was stored indoors all the time. Yes, the headlights are from the Nissan 300ZX. The interior and finish of the technical stuff (electronics, engine related "special" sollutions, and so on) is pretty sloppy and needs reworking. I guess that's why its so cheap, because prices here are usually way higher, too.

But the biggest plus of that car is, that it has komplete papers including historical status, which is allegedly nearly impossible for Novas in Germany (I didn't know that they have never been sold here new). So all I have to do is getting new TÜV (technical check every 2 years), because last TÜV expired Octobre 2017, change some fluids like oil, maybe water and brake fluid and then I could registrate it. Unless it doesn't pass the TÜV-check due to major problems.

After a long talk with my wife, I've got permission to buy it now.
So next step is to get the money from the bank and hope the Nova won't be sold meanwhile, because he was not saving it for me, unless I sign the contract and give him some prepayment...

All in all it was a very interesting trip. His collection allone was worth the distance... Even an old Russian Wolga was up for sale. A top chop Type 3, a Bonito, an Eagle SS and some other I didn't see, because he was a bit in a hurry.

@Peter: that SS is not Ford based, even though it has the characteristic front hood. There was a standard Beetle engine in the back...

Cheers Mario, the soon-to-be-Nova-owner...


P.S.: My cell phone broke down on saturday, so unfortunately I couldn't take pics...

[bushboy]

Mario,

Sounds like you need to move fast, take chocolate & flowers to see bank manager.

Keep us informed.

Bushboy