RE: Vauxhall Nova: Shed Of The Week
Discussion
1990 Metro went to K Series lumps, as the Rover Metro, and 69Bhp vs 75Bhp for the (1950's)1275 A series vs the 1.4 in this, at the time I only remember the traffic light grandprix's going one way.
The most I remember about them was the lad about town having a sports version (There were a few) and how many dealer special additions were about, hardly any two cars were badged the same.
The most I remember about them was the lad about town having a sports version (There were a few) and how many dealer special additions were about, hardly any two cars were badged the same.
I had my first three driving lessons in one of these, but it was the 1.2. I hated it, the driving instructor was an impatient arse too, which didn't help. You either like Vauxhalls or you don't, and definitely in the latter group.
I went to another instructor who had an 'X' reg. Metro 1.3HL, and it was much better to drive.
I went to another instructor who had an 'X' reg. Metro 1.3HL, and it was much better to drive.
My big brother's first NEW car - 1.2ltr LET engine (Low End Torque) 3 door in a rather nice nutty brown, bought in 1982 iirc.
Nice little car. Better than the Metro alternative. Nicer than the marginally bigger Chevette. And no worse to drive than my colleagues base spec Astra hatchback.
He then excelled himself by trading up to the 1.3SR in 1986 with factory sunroof (ooogh).
That SR stayed with the family for nearly fifteen years.
The five door versions never appealed, nor do the oddly proportioned booted types.
Nice little car. Better than the Metro alternative. Nicer than the marginally bigger Chevette. And no worse to drive than my colleagues base spec Astra hatchback.
He then excelled himself by trading up to the 1.3SR in 1986 with factory sunroof (ooogh).
That SR stayed with the family for nearly fifteen years.
The five door versions never appealed, nor do the oddly proportioned booted types.
Shed please try harder.M3DGE said:
A curiosity and nice to see in good nick, but not for me. Better than a Metro (so is herpes) but not as good as a Fiesta.
This sums it up for me.In the early-90s my brother and I had each graduated to our second car (he had written off the rust bucket Simca in which we learned). I had a 55hp Pug 205 XL and he had a FIRE-engined 3 door Fiat Uno.
Neither of us envied Nova-running friends.
Managed to own 3 of them - all voluntarily. First decent car when working was a base model Nova 1.2 with a rare 5 speed box & optional passenger side mirror. No radio of course, a cassette would have been far too luxurious, didn't even have a clock just a blanking piece. Felt like a quantum leap from my first ever car that preceded it, a well used Fiat 128.
The Fiat may look a better car on paper & through the retrospectoscope but god it was crap quality and almost dissolved. 5 years old and 2 new front wings and a door, all in primer, rusted so fast you couldn't get the top coat on. The Nova was intact, shiny, didn't lose bits as you drove & didn't have points to fiddle round with every 6 months - result!
6 years later bought a 1.6 GTE, my first 'hot hatch', don't laugh. Bright red, loved it, the test drive was brilliant as I'd just had my nose cauterised & the surgeon used cocaine paste to numb it - it was the 80's after all. Dealer just handed the keys over and said enjoy - different times!
Replaced that with a GSI version, wanted to get one of the last non catalysed ones so I could still use the old leaded petrol not that new fangled unleaded. It was the facelifted one above, not a good experience!
May have had touchy feely interior but seemed to have a homing instinct for the local disused colliery. Was nicked twice and stripped twice, didn't realise how easy they were to TWOC, even nicked the alarm & Autoloc off the handbrake! To cap it all some yoof sat on the bonnet & it had an arse dent for months. Lets say the shine went off the car.
Funny you don't see many round these days...
The Fiat may look a better car on paper & through the retrospectoscope but god it was crap quality and almost dissolved. 5 years old and 2 new front wings and a door, all in primer, rusted so fast you couldn't get the top coat on. The Nova was intact, shiny, didn't lose bits as you drove & didn't have points to fiddle round with every 6 months - result!
6 years later bought a 1.6 GTE, my first 'hot hatch', don't laugh. Bright red, loved it, the test drive was brilliant as I'd just had my nose cauterised & the surgeon used cocaine paste to numb it - it was the 80's after all. Dealer just handed the keys over and said enjoy - different times!
Replaced that with a GSI version, wanted to get one of the last non catalysed ones so I could still use the old leaded petrol not that new fangled unleaded. It was the facelifted one above, not a good experience!
May have had touchy feely interior but seemed to have a homing instinct for the local disused colliery. Was nicked twice and stripped twice, didn't realise how easy they were to TWOC, even nicked the alarm & Autoloc off the handbrake! To cap it all some yoof sat on the bonnet & it had an arse dent for months. Lets say the shine went off the car.
Funny you don't see many round these days...
t Brown Vauxhall Nova in the sky"Ah, brings back memories of my first car. A C-plate 1.0 Nova in a strange shade of faded red, my birthday present at age 17 from my dad with the words "I know you want something better but I've feeling you'll thrash it, most likely crash it and I don't want you in anything faster or smarter."
How insightful.
I passed my test three weeks after turning 17 and crashed 9 days after. Massive understeer on a severe left hander while slightly distracted by PM Dawn's Set Adrift On Memory Bliss resulted in a passage through a hedge, into a field then inexplicably back through the hedge and onto the road. It was after midnight, in the middle of nowhere and the resultant "I'm so disappointed with you" parental sigh was the only damage, beyond of course a trashed bonnet, bumper, lower panel and front wing. All of which repaired surprisingly cheaply. Achieved another 18000 miles within that first year of motoring freedom before trading up (!) to a MG Metro, which proved to be utter crap.
Funnily enough, I still come upon that corner quite often now I'm back living where I grew up. It would be the perfect place to switch of the electronics and light up the rear on the M-lite but I've never had the balls to do it. Perhaps I did learn a lesson after all...
How insightful.
I passed my test three weeks after turning 17 and crashed 9 days after. Massive understeer on a severe left hander while slightly distracted by PM Dawn's Set Adrift On Memory Bliss resulted in a passage through a hedge, into a field then inexplicably back through the hedge and onto the road. It was after midnight, in the middle of nowhere and the resultant "I'm so disappointed with you" parental sigh was the only damage, beyond of course a trashed bonnet, bumper, lower panel and front wing. All of which repaired surprisingly cheaply. Achieved another 18000 miles within that first year of motoring freedom before trading up (!) to a MG Metro, which proved to be utter crap.
Funnily enough, I still come upon that corner quite often now I'm back living where I grew up. It would be the perfect place to switch of the electronics and light up the rear on the M-lite but I've never had the balls to do it. Perhaps I did learn a lesson after all...
RicksAlfas said:
I had a red 1.3SR on an E reg. Fake Recaro seats, 6 clock dash, and no rev limiter.
Great fun, but would no doubt horrify any "young person" these days.
I dare say any of the cars my friends and I owned/enjoyed/drove back in the early 80s when we were teenagers would horrify young people now Rick!Great fun, but would no doubt horrify any "young person" these days.
No abs, electric stuff, airbags etc
Crikey, we even thought a Capri 2.8 was fast with 0-60 in 7 point something to 60 in 1981!
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