1970's Nova (how they used to do it) photos
Discussion
Thought I'd share some photos I took yesterday of a friends excellent Nova that he has just finished restoring. It was decaying in someone's back garden before he rescued it. It still has the VW air cooled motor in the back and beetle floor pan underpinnings.
Another friend of mine has a Nova with a Lee Noble designed spaceframe chassis and Alfa Sud motor but that's a story for another time...
Another friend of mine has a Nova with a Lee Noble designed spaceframe chassis and Alfa Sud motor but that's a story for another time...
The Nova was and still is a classic it featured in a movie called Condor Man and also in Canonball II
It was designed by Richard Oakes and Phil Sayers. They set out to design a desirable sports car to sell at a reasonable price. The Sterling/Nova was so successful in the first year of production in the UK they could not keep up with the orders. Advertisements and articles in major magazines drove inquiries up to 800 a week. It was introduced at the Sydney International Auto show with great success. It was quickly licensed to companies in several other countries. The car was produced in Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, South Africa, and the United States.
As you guys have said.... It's a superb shape even now 30 years later it looks drop dead gorgeous and futuristic. Yes it's still available too
By the way that's one hell of a back garden there
It was designed by Richard Oakes and Phil Sayers. They set out to design a desirable sports car to sell at a reasonable price. The Sterling/Nova was so successful in the first year of production in the UK they could not keep up with the orders. Advertisements and articles in major magazines drove inquiries up to 800 a week. It was introduced at the Sydney International Auto show with great success. It was quickly licensed to companies in several other countries. The car was produced in Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, South Africa, and the United States.
As you guys have said.... It's a superb shape even now 30 years later it looks drop dead gorgeous and futuristic. Yes it's still available too
By the way that's one hell of a back garden there
Tempest_5 said:
Thought I'd share some photos I took yesterday of a friends excellent Nova that he has just finished restoring. It was decaying in someone's back garden before he rescued it. It still has the VW air cooled motor in the back and beetle floor pan underpinnings.
Another friend of mine has a Nova with a Lee Noble designed spaceframe chassis and Alfa Sud motor but that's a story for another time...
I love the lift up canopy of the Nova, and that is a great looking Nova.....Another friend of mine has a Nova with a Lee Noble designed spaceframe chassis and Alfa Sud motor but that's a story for another time...
Chris71,
It seemed to stick alright in the corners, though I'm told if you don't have the spare wheel in the front it screws up the handling. This is why the other Nova at work has a spaceframe chassis after the owner found this out the hard way.
Legend has it that the Granada he met coming the other way when he got understeer simply drove up on top of front of the Nova. There little damage to the Nova due to the solid 1970'sfibreglass layup. Don't know if he was exaggerating but it was a good yarn anyway.
It seemed to stick alright in the corners, though I'm told if you don't have the spare wheel in the front it screws up the handling. This is why the other Nova at work has a spaceframe chassis after the owner found this out the hard way.
Legend has it that the Granada he met coming the other way when he got understeer simply drove up on top of front of the Nova. There little damage to the Nova due to the solid 1970'sfibreglass layup. Don't know if he was exaggerating but it was a good yarn anyway.
bob1179 said:
Fantastic looking car! Was it Nova that was used in the film 'Clockwork Orange'?
Don't think it was in CO, I'll dig it out & have a look. Afaik, it was only used in Cannonball Run II, Death Race 2000 and Condorman.bob1179 said:
I wonder what it would be like with a flat six Porsche engine in place of the Beetle unit?
Still back-end heavy. Works ok with a supercharged Zetec though. LotusNova said:
bob1179 said:
Fantastic looking car! Was it Nova that was used in the film 'Clockwork Orange'?
Don't think it was in CO, I'll dig it out & have a look. Afaik, it was only used in Cannonball Run II, Death Race 2000 and Condorman.bob1179 said:
I wonder what it would be like with a flat six Porsche engine in place of the Beetle unit?
Still back-end heavy. Works ok with a supercharged Zetec though. A supercharged Zetec sounds nice! A friend of mine had a Prova kit car that used a Beetle chassis and he had a 2.0 Zetec on big side draught Webbers, it went quite well all things considering!
LotusNova said:
bob1179 said:
Fantastic looking car! Was it Nova that was used in the film 'Clockwork Orange'?
Don't think it was in CO, I'll dig it out & have a look. Afaik, it was only used in Cannonball Run II, Death Race 2000 and Condorman.eta: Beat me to it, LotusNova!
The Probes do look very similar in style to the Nova, though, don't they?
Edited by Sam_68 on Sunday 29th March 11:48
Sam_68 said:
LotusNova said:
bob1179 said:
Fantastic looking car! Was it Nova that was used in the film 'Clockwork Orange'?
Don't think it was in CO, I'll dig it out & have a look. Afaik, it was only used in Cannonball Run II, Death Race 2000 and Condorman.eta: Beat me to it, LotusNova!
The Probes do look very similar in style to the Nova, though, don't they?
Edited by Sam_68 on Sunday 29th March 11:48
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