Switches 2.0L XE Nova

Being massively into Vauxhalls for a number of years - I thought it was about time that I reduced the "show", and increased the "go" in my cars, coming from a blinged up Astra MK3 Turbo on 18s with a chrome engine bay, leather, TVs etc. I was no longer impressed by how a car looked, more just how it went on the roads - but more importantly - around a track, not just in a straight line.

Bought the car as a standard 1.2 Spin, it remained in this disguise for around 5 months despite being loaded with a 2.0 16v Redtop engine, still rolling on steelies, upgraded to 15" ones to allow for the 16v brakes to be hiding beneath. The local people started to know that this wasn't my Mums car that I'd borrowed to nip to the shops in, so then I decided to get the old Matt Black rattle can out, and spray everything in site to produce the tracksl*g effect... oh and it worked.

Badges and runstrips were removed, buckets, harnesses & 6pt Safety Devices rollcage was added, and now it wasn't so inconspicuous, I could now remove the 1.2 standard exhaust which was restricting the XE terrifically, and start making some more noise, which is where the purchase of the QED Direct To Head Throttlebodies came into it with DTA management, and once again - thanks to Jonboy for sorting me another cracking deal in the latter part of 2004.

Once they were up and roaring, with all 184.6bhp, and the car being as light as 727kgs - it wasn't as shy as it once used to be, a mere 6 months prior. The suspension was upgraded to FK Coilovers, on 300lb springs, including helpers - and the day to day drive was excellent and very comfy. Along the next 6 weeks or so - things started getting extreme, windows were replaced with 4mm polycarbonate all round, the dash along with the heaters were removed - which left it only just bare-able, considering this was my only car, and only source of transport to my workplace and back... a bank...

Enjoying the funny looks I used to receive all tucked up in my tailored suit, strapped in by 3" Sabelt harnesses and surrounded by a rollcage, the endless little kids pointing across from their car, and asking "mummy, whats that thing over there", it started to take its toll throughout winter time... especially the lack of heaters.

And then comes September 2005, where we ( www.fuckyeah.co.uk ) travelled out to Nurburgring for 5 days, between 15th-20th September 2005, left our house at 4am, got the the hotel at midnight that night - yup, took us 20hours, after racing on the Autobahn for the best part of 150miles, the wrong way, at 140mph constant without another car in sight.

Very enjoyable trip, but before I'd left - I had already made my mind up that I'll never get through another winter without heaters, dash etc, so I had already sold most of the car before the trip to the Ring, luckily it came back unscaved, got back on the Tuesday, and by the Friday all that was left sitting on the drive was the shell which was collected the following day...

And that's where K337 RGA Nova 2.0 16v on TBs was broken for parts ....

Max BHP: 184.6bhp / Max Torque - 149.6lbft / Top Speed 152mph (Datron Bruntingthorpe 08/2005) / 0-60mph - 4.6s (Datron Bruntingthorpe 08/2005) / 1/4mile - 13.4s @ 105mph (Santa Pod Raceway 09/07/2005).

Specs:

Engine

20XE, 2.0 16v engine with QED Direct-to-head 45mm throttlebodies and DTA E48 Fast Management, SBD Coil Pack & Holder, Underslung throttle linkage, 90mm Polished trumpets, lightened flywheel at 5kgs, XE Cream Injectors, Adjustable FPR (set at 3.5bar) with an RSC Motorsport inline fuel pressure gauge, ITG Mushroom filter, TAS solid engnine mounts, K&N breather filter and ARP Conrod bolts. Rev limit set to 7500rpm.

Manfiold & Exhaust

Custom made Ashley Competition overbore 4-2-1 Manifold by 0.25" at each section, thus 1.75" straight from the head (x4), then bore increases to 2.0" where it joins (x2), and ends up at 2.5" where it ends. Then continues with 2.5" bore pipework throughout (with mandrel bends) with 1 middle box, and 1 rear box with a 3" rolled tailpipe.

Engine Bay:

I've removed the firewall from the engine bay to let more cold air in, and hot air out.
I've sprayed the rocker cover, cambelt cover and strut brace, and everything else in sight matt black.

Transmission:

F20 close ratio 5 speed gearbox, Quaife ATB LSD, Shortened gear lever.

Suspension:

FK Highsport coilovers allround (TuV), lowered -60mm, front upper Sparco strut brace, Powerflex polyurethane bushes allround and a GTE rear antiroll bar.

Brakes:
256mm x 24mm disks at front, standard drums at rear with Goodridge braided brake hoses allround

Bodywork:

Bumpers, mirrors, door handles, filler cap & bootlid handle all sprayed matt black, Monterey bonnet vent sprayed matt black, De-badged, De-stripped, Clear oval side repeaters, Jacked up bonnet by 2 inches to let hot air out, 4mm clear polycarbonate windows.

Interior:

Stripped out completely including removal of dashboard and heaters, Black Magnum Motorsport Bucket Seats (FIA) with red Sabelt 3" 3pt Harnesses (FIA). SD 6pt rollcage fixed diagonal & door bars (FIA), Pro-tec drivers & navigators foot plates, Quaife Nylon teardrop gearknob, Nova GTE 6 clock dash, Can of Tyre-Weld, Mini fire extinguisher, Helmet Hammock, MOMO Millenium wheel with snap-off boss.

Wheels & Tyres:

6J, ET49, 15" Cavalier GSi alloys, sprayed matt black with 195/45/15 Toyo Proxie T1R's all round.

ICE:

The sound of throttlebodies

Statistics & Performance:

- Unladened Weight - 727 kgs
- Power at flywheel- 184.6 bhp @ 6947 rpm
- Torque- 149.6 lb/ft @ 5451 rpm
- ¼ Mile- 13.497s @ 104.95 mph

- BHP per tonne - 254.33bhp/tonne

Many Thanks to Switch @ http://www.neocapture.co.uk