My other Nova

[novanewbie17]

Hello,

For the last 3 years I have been working on my orange Nova that you can read about on my other build thread and it's getting nearer to a kind of completion!

The other day I was looking around online just out of interest to see if there were any Novas around and saw this.

It is a very early car and is built from a '61 beetle. Consequently the numberplate is 3 letters and 3 numbers. The guy I bought it from had it 3 years namely for the numberplate and got the DVLA to change it to Nova on the make and MOT'd it too so the plate could be taken from it. There is now an age related plate, so 3 letters and 3 numbers from '61.

Amazingly the chap he bought it from owned it 40 years! I have the original brochures, build details all hand written and numerous receipts and drawings. There are also many old Nova club 'magazines' in black and white from 1980!

The sunroof is the early factory type which I love, the wheels are 5 lug 15s and 14s on adapters (which I have the bills from 1980 for) which are incredible
to look at, so deep, and the car is running a Porsche 914 engine with twin Solex.

Brakes have been done, it runs, the rear looks soooooo tough, may just hang some rear lights like a Porsche 917 and pop some mesh on with raised number plate letters dropped on like a Europa.

Colour will definitely be Miura Verde green, or as close as I can get to it. Interior needs doing but I'm
fine with that.

I need to replace the fuel lines as although it runs the was a leak. It seems to be using the old 914 pump etc.

As it came with so many old club magazines, (photocopied sheets stapled) as club mags were then, does anyone remember the car? It had a huge whale tale from RGA (Richard Grant accessories) and a late bumper with long Audi rear lights- the old reg plate was MCW215.

[BlueNova]

Well, I’ve just lost my bet. When you said it was ‘something special‘ I thought it was either Buffy’s old Gulf Nova which was up for sale again recently, or Tobias’s red Nova which was last seen in the background of the Sheffield dealer’s photos.

Great find NN17
Alistair

[novanewbie17]

Well, I’ve just lost my bet. When you said it was ‘something special‘ I thought it was either Buffy’s old Gulf Nova which was up for sale again recently, or Tobias’s red Nova which was last seen in the background of the Sheffield dealer’s photos.

Great find NN17
Alistair

Special as in the history I have with the car and that someone owned it 40 years!
Going through the paperwork just now I have found a lot of interesting history about the relationship
between the Nova Club of 1980 and Nova Cars. I also have sales brochures, price guides from the Nova Shop and I just found the original bill of sale!

[Phill]

Great find and a lovely car for you. I'm loving the engine too - didn't realise you could get trombone exhausts for the type 4

[Spacenut]

Wow - nice find!

My car had a Type 4 when I bought it. Looks tough as old boots, but still only 74 bhp

I look forward to seeing both of your cars on the road soon, although not at the same time, obviously

Lauren

[steve]

Great find, you are a glutton for punishment ;-)

I like the factory sunroof as well, you get the best of all worlds, sleek look, ventilation and an emergency hatch.

Nova Cars were the Elams who owned the marque in the glory years of the 1980s
they had a good relationship with Club Nova at first but they fell out over Windscreens, when the Club discovered the cost of a screen vs the price the Elam's were charging.
The Club encouraged members to purchase direct from the factory.


The Nova Shop were the bootleg manufacturers of the Nova,
which begs the question, which company supplied your car?

[Spacenut]

The Nova Shop were the bootleg manufacturers of the Nova,
which begs the question, which company supplied your car?

Good point - as far as I know Don Law (Nova Shop) did not supply body panels in coloured gel coat, so if the orange colour is self-coloured fibreglass I would say the car is an ADD Mk1 or possibly a later Elam Mk1. Does the body have a serial number moulded into the OSF inside wheel arch? If so, it is probably an ADD car. An Elam car would have been supplied with a metal "chassis plate" to be riveted in the same location.

The canopy appears to be a different colour - if it is grey gel coat then it is possible that Don Law supplied the sunroof canopy moulding rather than the whole car.

Some detective work to do to reveal the whole story, but what a great find!

Lauren

[MartinB]

Great find and looks a very good project! I've also got a type 4 fitted and would be very interested in any info you have on the exhaust fitted here; exactly what I need `¬)
Jealous of the fact you now have two Nova's to work on!
yes, also have all the club newsletters from way back when - there's something about holding a bit of history in your hands and looking through them `¬)

[BlueNova]

Hi NN17,

I was looking at the photos of your 'new' Nova again and see that it's got the 'Sterling style' opening side windows.

http://www.euro-nova.co.uk/vb/attach...7&d=1615372893

I'd really appreciate it if you could post close up photos of the hinges and clamp from the inside, and also of the seal for the window.

Many thanks,
Alistair

[novanewbie17]

Hi,

Thanks for all the comments.


There doesn't appear to be any serial number in the front compartment or arches
but there is a vin number plate on the o/s floor sill.

Although there is a price list from The Nova Shop etc with a lot of doodling and workings
it may just have been enquiries as you could buy seats, windows etc. not just a complete car.

The canopy is just in primer I think but yes the gel coat you see is just that and not paint, an orangy red.

I have taken photos as requested for the glass window fittings-
interestingly the light covers are not Lexan or perspex but glass, with a kite mark?!
They don't fit my orange Nova, slightly wrong shape, haven't checked yet on this Nova.

Also found a goody bag with some Beford CF rear lights and an original centre console. The seats are bare shells but on recliners and high back, maybe part of the original kit?

The car had the fuel pump etc from a 914 and after replacing the fuel pipes with new the car wouldn't run! I also replaced ignition wiring and for a few days the honeymoon period was over! I had some Beru leads from a 924 and put in new plugs and it ran fine!

However it really sprays that fuel into the twin Solex and I would have said over-fuels. I've owned a few 924/944s over the years and their pumps which look identical to this set up are high pressure to suit the injection system they have and 914s had injection too often. So as this is on carbs now I've bought a Facet style electric pump to replace it with which will maybe put out 3-5 bar rather than the 6-8. That's the plan anyway, I can also fit a dial regulator, my orange Nova has that set up. I'll fit it below rather
than in the engine bay as they like to push not pull- it'll tidy the engine bay up too.