Just purchased a Nova project

[rkwfxd]

Hi all,

I just purchased a Nova frame and fork (with the original Nova knob), a Honda G200 long block (missing carb and exhaust as well as recoil and cover) also the valve cover is off, wheels, tires and rear brake with clutch and rear sprocket and chain.

The only thing holding these items together is the box they came in:laugh:

Anyway all of it is in fair condition. Looking for advise as I start this project.

Thanks

PS, I will try to post pics but I am not even sure I can get them off my camera.

 

[Mac]

Hi all,

I just purchased a Nova frame and fork (with the original Nova knob)

PS, I will try to post pics but I am not even sure I can get them off my camera.

.......OK, I found my Nova knob, so I'll entertain until you post pictures:
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.

.

 

[rkwfxd]

Yep, that's it. Any idea what those are worth? I have been trying to research this mini but information is pretty thin. Mine appears to be the Super Sport model and they were built in Gardena California (16800 S. Broadway) in the sixties. That is about all I know.

Mine has had kids beating and welding on it for 40+ years so there are a number of brackets that clearly were not on it when it left the factory. I spent a couple of hours yesterday with my son tearing apart the forks. I thought one was bent but it turned out to be just the spring which was pretty easy to straighten out.

It is going to take a while to get everything sorted out and back together but that was the whole point.

 

[Mac]

Yep, that's it. Any idea what those are worth?

I have been trying to research this mini but information is pretty thin.

Not worth more than about $2.00, but I like stuff like that and will give you $3.00
if you bring it all and a hamburger to Norwalk.
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.....Does your sprocket look like this style?

 

[george3]

Not worth more than about $2.00, but I like stuff like that and will give you $3.00
if you bring it all and a hamburger to Norwalk.
.

.

.
.
.....Does your sprocket look like this style?

I am sure you will pay for a hambuger tuesday, wimpy lol

 

[george3]

This is a real good looking one.
minibike

 

[rkwfxd]

Mac, that is a very tempting offer as I am only down the street in Whittier but truth be told, the knob is not for sale. I had only asked about the value of it because I read something somewhere that they sold for a pretty good price on e-bay or something.

Yes, my rear sprocket looks just like that.

 

[rkwfxd]

George 3 - thank you for the photo. My frame is pretty hacked up and that answers some questions I had. Mine does not look like it ever had a scrub brake though.

 

[Mac]

I had only asked about the value of it because I read something somewhere that they sold for a pretty good price on e-bay or something.

Yes, my rear sprocket looks just like that.

....Yeah, telling someone what their parts are worth is frowned upon here, because everyone sees a big ole' monster called eBay off in the distance. I'm sure yours and mine would sell for a decent price.

....I have a few of those sprockets, you should come pick one up as a spare:
.

 

[rkwfxd]

Well we are making some progress on the Nova. We have the wheels disassembled and tomorrow I will be dropping them off (as well as a few other assorted items) to have them bead blasted and cleaned up. I don't want them polished or chromed, just get 40+ years of oxidation off of them and make them look like they did so many years ago.

Along with the process I need to publicly say thank you to Mac here on the board. He pointed out a couple of things about my bike and then hooked me up with a sprocket. This evening, when I went to get the sprocket, I asked him about a drum brake arm as mine was toast. He spent about 30 minutes looking through box after box of parts until he found the EXACT brake set up that I needed.

Talk about a gentleman and a great guy. He then spent another hour educating me on the fine differences between say a Taco 22 frame and a Zebra frame as well as a variety of other frames, forks, karts and engines. Heck, even my wife raved the whole way home about what a nice guy he is and how much she enjoyed looking at his stash of parts. She made me promise to take her back the next time I go.

Anyway, thank you again Mac.

Also, I have finally figured out how to get a photo off of my camera and onto my computer so hopefully in the next couple of days I will be able to post up and show you all the mess I am dealing with:grind:

 

[rkwfxd]

Hopefully this works. I am not too good at posting pics.

 

[rkwfxd]

Made some progress today. Got the wheels sent out to be bead blasted and cut some "unfactory" brackets and bolts off of the frame.

ATTENTION MODS:

Since this thread is turning into a bit of a project thread, can you please move it to the Projects Forum?

Thanks

 

[rkwfxd]

Did some more work today, cut and ground off additional brackets and re-welded some stuff. Spent about 3 hrs with paint remover and power washer to cut thru 40 years and 3 coats of paint. Once I got through it all I discovered the frame has a through and through crack below the engine plate. So technically it is not cracked, it is broken. One of the PO re-welded it and used the engine plate for support. Only way to do it "right" is to completely removed the engine plate, re-weld the frame and then put the plate back on. I don't think it is really worth all that much work as I can make it structurally sound with doing all of that and since it is underneath it will no be seen.

 

[zeeman]

FXD, that's going to be a nice mini. I'm looking forward to more pictures. I had trouble figuring it out at first, but now it's easier. I have some 1960's Chevy Nova SS emblems that would look cool on your new ride.

 

[desert rat]

here's my nova

 

[rkwfxd]

Looks great. I am thinking of a similar color for mine. Tomorrow I will pick up the wheels from the bead blaster. Have been fixing little things on the frame for the past week.

 

[rkwfxd]

Well now she is a roller. I am going to ruff assemble everything and get it running, make sure nothing rubs etc... and then tear it down for paint and chrome and pretty stuff.