Now that's a makeover !
After much head scratching I have gone with the simpler engine option (for the moment). I had a stock 1600 lying about in the garage from donor car 2 (Your donor card please) which was turning over when I cut up the car ! The other spare engine I have is a Type 3 unit which has been modified to run with an external cooler and breather box. It is apparently 1800 plus and is set up to run on twin Kadrons. I know less about this type of engine so have decided to make setting this up a winter project ! Other NOVA owners at Stoneleigh 2007 assure me the engine is good - it seems to have changed hands through at least 3 NOVAs !
How's this for a before and after ! Here is the lump stripped of all ancillaries and mounted up onto the gearbox:
and here it is with everything back in place, a liberal degreasing, tinwear painted, new alternator conversion kit fitted, and a lick of paint here and there:
I'm not a big fan of too much chrome - more often than not the chrome tinwear and bolt on goodies are a poorer quality, and don't last. I have gone for new stock rocker covers and clips from VW Heritage, all original tinwear has been stripped and painted in a hammer finish and all tinwear bolts replaced with stainless steel. The alternator kit was a bit of a bi**h to fit, with the old fan seized to the dynamo, and the new fan and bolts/lock nuts/washers all being a slightly off fit. Also if you go for a similar conversion be aware the right hand moving parts of the carb do foul the larger alternator body and need bending slightly. In this case the fuel pump didn't foul, but I know it can depending on type. I felt the alternator was a worthwhile addition as the roof pump will suck up some volts ! As you can see stock pulleys have been used - they are solid and rarely warp, and for now a stock carb remains. I hope this engine will do me a while until I have the funds and time to put something hotter in !!
Right, that's the chassis virtually done, just need to fill up the hydraulic circuits and bolt in the pedal box. I now need to decide whether I bolt up the shell (again) and fit a wiring loom and test everything, or send the body off for paint. More on that decision soon - Jim
