My other Nova

[BlueNova]

Thanks for the close up photos of the window opening arrangement NN17 ... much appreciated

[steve]

Nice update - thanks.
I have not seen that type of seat before.

[Spacenut]

Those seat shells look like original ADD items - they started with a low back and then around 1974 the green demo car sprouted headrests, like the extensions to your shell. Slightly different to my Elam era seats, where the headrest is narrower and is integrated into the seat moulding.

Coloured gel coat means that the shell cannot be from Nova Shop - they only produced parts in self-coloured fibreglass.

I hope you meant your new fuel pump produces 4-6 psi, compared to 6-8 bar

Looks like a really great project, you are making good progress too! Well done

Lauren

[Spacenut]

I forgot to mention, the cut glass headlamp covers, although an excellent idea in principle, will not fit the Nova without bodywork modifications. The reason is that the headlamp apertures are not flat, and rely on the plastic to conform to the curvature. Alex has fitted glass headlamp covers to his ADD Mk1, but had to modify the curvature of the front wings to match the glass.

Richard Oakes told me that the distortion to the side window openings caused by the method of canopy manufacture meant that plastic had to be used for these windows as well - bonded glass just doesn't fit flush, as I know from experience.

I suspect that the glass headlamp covers were not a factory option, but I have always loved the idea of Cibie glass covers with the alignment markings, like a Citroen SM...

Lauren

[jim73vw]

I forgot to mention, the cut glass headlamp covers, although an excellent idea in principle, will not fit the Nova without bodywork modifications. The reason is that the headlamp apertures are not flat, and rely on the plastic to conform to the curvature. Alex has fitted glass headlamp covers to his ADD Mk1, but had to modify the curvature of the front wings to match the glass.

Richard Oakes told me that the distortion to the side window openings caused by the method of canopy manufacture meant that plastic had to be used for these windows as well - bonded glass just doesn't fit flush, as I know from experience.

I suspect that the glass headlamp covers were not a factory option, but I have always loved the idea of Cibie glass covers with the alignment markings, like a Citroen SM...

Lauren

agree on the headlamp covers for sure. Made up templates and had a supplier lined up to make them in glass but realised this was not an option without a lot of work.

Did achieve bonded side windows with rubber trim though without alteration.

[BlueNova]

.....

Richard Oakes told me that the distortion to the side window openings caused by the method of canopy manufacture meant that plastic had to be used for these windows as well - bonded glass just doesn't fit flush, as I know from experience.

.....

Lauren

Way back in the last century when I bought my Nova she came with plastic side windows. I was offered the chance to buy a pair of tinted toughened glass windows to replace them, and the guy who sprayed my Nova offered to fit them for me to finish off the paint job.

I don't know what the black sticky sealant was but it lasted for about 5 years before the pressure of the curvature of the glass eventually overcame it! The actual max deflection of the glass isn't that great ... from memory maybe 10mm at the lower rear corner??

Anyway, I intend to fit Sterling style opening side windows like NN17's, and am hoping that the bottom catch will be sufficient to hold the window in place (with a slight curve) against a seal to prevent water ingress. Would be good to hear from some of our American cousins about how well that set up works??

So, since I can't drill toughened glass to fit the 'hinges' and 'fastener', if anyone would like a pair of tinted toughened glass side windows for a Mk2 canopy to bond them in for 5 years or so, send me a PM and we can have a chat .... mate's rates plus postage . (Edit - Not available until I've worked out a solution for modern safety glass - see Dirk's comment #20 later in this thread)

Cheers, Alistair

[Spacenut]

Hi Alistair - as you say, the out-of-flat is not that great, in fact for my Elam Mk1 canopy, the passenger side glass fits absolutely flat, it is the driver's side aperture that is out-of-flat.

Quarterlight catches will be more than adequate to seal the windows in any case.

As I understand it, the canopy inner and outer skins were bonded together while still "green", i.e. not completely cured. Apparently a slight convex curvature was put into the A-pillar mould for the inner and outer skin, the idea being that the A-pillar would pull into shape as it cured.

According to Richard it was not possible to get a consistent result due to variations in resin mix, so the A-pillar could bow slightly, creating the out-of-flatness in the window aperture. It also means that there may be variations between canopies depending on when they were made, local atmospheric conditions etc., so my experience may not be the same as others.

I bought my car in 1990 with the glass side windows already fitted. They had been used to replace plastic windows. I estimate that the car had been on the road for around 5 or 6 years. The adhesive used appeared to be the same as the bonded windscreen, and lasted a further 4 years on the road until 2010, when the driver's side peeled away...

Lauren

[steve]

[...]

I don't know what the black sticky sealant was but it lasted for about 5 years before the pressure of the curvature of the glass eventually overcame it! The actual max deflection of the glass isn't that great ... from memory maybe 10mm at the lower rear corner??

[...]

Looking nice there mate, so are you saying that you bent the glass to conform to the concave shape of the window aperture and bonded it in?

[BlueNova]

Looking nice there mate, so are you saying that you bent the glass to conform to the concave shape of the window aperture and bonded it in?

Thanks Steve,

Yes, that photo was taken around 1989 just after the Nova was painted .... I didn't even have the rear view mirrors fitted!

The glass is safety glass with a kite mark ....



.... and it flexes just enough to bend to the concave shape required. On my canopy, the glass sits flat along the 'top' and 'pillar' sides, leaving the lower rear corner about 10mm above the canopy. Applying light pressure and a strong adhesive means that it can be made to fit. To give you an idea of the amount of flexing have a look at my video ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6je3clYA4w

I'm wanting to change to the Sterling style of opening side windows, and since you can't drill safety glass, I'll have to get new windows made up with the 3 holes required.

Alistair

[Dirk]

Hi Alistair,

The wife works in the glass industry and I showed her your video, she is of the opinion you would not get modern safety glass to flex like that, she thinks the older glass you have got is only heat soaked rather than tempered. She does not think you would ever get modern safety glass to flex that much. You may have to think about making your frame flatter. I think Alex did that on his car.

Dirk