Vauxhall Nova (1983 to 1993)

The Nova was General Motors Europe's first proper supermini, developed by Opel and built at GM's Zaragoza plant in Spain. On the continent it was the Opel Corsa, launched in September 1982; in Britain it was rebadged as the Vauxhall Nova and unveiled in April 1983, after a delay caused partly by union objections to an imported small car. It replaced the rear-drive Chevette and was pitched against the Fiesta, Metro, Uno, Renault 5, Peugeot 205 and Polo.

Unusually for the class, it was offered as a two- and four-door saloon as well as three- and five-door hatchbacks. Engines ran from a 1.0 to the hot 1.6 GTE (later GSi), but the bread-and-butter cars were 1.2s in L, Merit and similar trims. It sold strongly, consistently in the UK top ten, with nearly half a million sold in Britain, and a 1990 facelift kept it going until the Corsa B arrived in 1993.

On the road a 1.2 is light, simple and easy to drive. Unassisted steering is light once moving, visibility is good and it is nimble in town. Testers criticised soft suspension, body roll and low-geared steering with little feel, and the interior was always plain. Once everywhere, the Nova is now rare: Retro Motor reported fewer than 60 taxed in its feature on the model. A tidy, unmodified early 1.2 is an honest, cheap-to-run piece of 1980s motoring history.

• Years built: UK sales from April 1983 to 1993; facelift in 1990 (Classics World gives September 1990).
• Body styles: three- and five-door hatchback; two- and four-door saloon; van. Launch UK bodies were the three-door hatch and two-door saloon.
• Petrol engines: 1.0, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 litres. The 1.2 produced about 55bhp according to Retro Motor and Car and Classic (Car and Classic gives a 55 to 60bhp band). The 1.3 SR gave 70bhp; the 500-off Nova Sport had a twin-carburettor 1.3 rated at 93bhp; the injected 1.6 GTE around 100bhp.
• Diesel: Isuzu-sourced 1.5 from 1987, later also a turbodiesel.
• Gearboxes: four- or five-speed manual; no automatic. The five-speed was optional on 1.2 models.
• Production: nearly 500,000 sold in Britain (Car and Classic; Classics World says almost half a million). Figures are approximate.

• 1983: UK launch in basic, L and SR trims. The SR had a five-speed gearbox and tartan cloth. Four- and five-door bodies followed.
• 1985: Nova Sport homologation special (500 built).
• 1987 to 1988: Isuzu diesel added; the 1.6 GTE (GSi in Europe) introduced; an injected 1.4 SRi arrived in 1988.
• 1990: facelift with revised grille, slimmer headlamps, clear indicators, new bumpers, trims and dashboard. GTE renamed GSi. Later cars switched to single-point injection with catalysts.
• 1993: replaced by the Corsa.

Bodywork and structure

• Rust is the main concern. Check sills, door bottoms, the lower edge of the tailgate, front and rear wings, rear wheel arches, A-pillars and around both screens.
• The bulkhead and battery tray are vulnerable. Lift the carpets to check the cabin floor and the boot floor, including the spare wheel well.
• Inspect the front strut turrets, the underbody suspension mounts and the rear damper top mounts.
• Damp carpets usually trace to a leaky sunroof, failed screen seals or a rotten bulkhead.
• Panels are hard to find, so extensive rust is rarely economic to repair. Be wary of lowered cars with rolled or cut arch lips.

Engine

• The 1.2 is an overhead-cam unit and is generally durable if the oil has been changed regularly. Check for oil leaks, exhaust smoke and a tired cooling system or weeping water pump.
• Ask for evidence of cambelt changes. Classics World notes most of these engines are non-interference, so a snapped belt is less catastrophic, but it will still strand you.
• Early carburettor cars may have a worn Pierburg carburettor; rebuilds or Weber conversions are common. Later injected cars need checking for injection and catalyst faults.
• Sources disagree on the 1.0: one Classics World article describes it as overhead-valve, another groups it with the overhead-cam Family 1 units.

Gearbox and drivetrain

• Listen for crunching changes and whining in the gearbox. A four-speed is normal on many 1.2s.
• Knocking on full lock indicates worn driveshaft joints.
• Clutch replacement is straightforward.

Suspension, steering and brakes

• MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear. Check for worn dampers and bushes, and listen for creaks and knocks.
• The unassisted rack should feel light and accurate. Vagueness is often worn track rod ends.
• Servo-assisted front discs and rear drums. Look for corroded or perished pipes and hoses, especially on cars that have stood.

Electrics and interior

• Electrics are simple, and base cars had little equipment. Test everything fitted, including all dashboard switches.
• Facelift headlamp reflectors can tarnish.
• Interior plastics and cloth were basic. Original seats, door cards and dashboards are hard to replace, so condition matters. Check for cut speaker holes and other period modifications.

Identity and paperwork

• Confirm the VIN, engine size and trim match the V5C. Early cars and later facelift cars differ visibly at the front.
• Check for any engine swap, particularly a larger engine fitted into a lesser model.
• Long periods of storage are common with survivors. Ask how long the car has stood and what was recommissioned.

Service items, brake and suspension parts are still available, helped by the car being sold across Europe as the Opel Corsa A, which widens the search for used and new old stock parts. Body panels, trim and interior parts are the hard part, and often have to be found second-hand or online. Running costs and insurance should be modest. No owners' club dedicated to the Nova could be verified for this guide. The Vauxhall Opel Drivers Club is listed as covering post-war to current Vauxhalls, though no website was given in the directory consulted, and the wider Vauxhall and performance Nova scene is active online.

• How long has the car been off the road, and what work was done to recommission it?
• Has any welding been done, and where?
• When was the cambelt last changed?
• Is the engine the original unit listed on the V5C?
• Are there any non-standard parts, and are the original wheels, seats or trim included?