2000 Perodua Nippa 850 GX

[DavidB]

This is my car I bought in the summer on 2013. I was after a ridiculously cheap to run car, and this filled that criteria.
It is badged as a 'Sepang' limited edition, which includes that strange chequered flag down the side, black paint, and carbon fibre effect wing mirrors, so probably not that much a special edition.
It's a great car, I've taken it down the M6 a number of times, but the ride, engine and generally everything feels cheap and will and does rattle you to the bone over long distances. The seats are rock hard, and totally unsupportive. It handles very well though, it understeers, oversteers, slides, etc but correcting the steering wheel cancels any undesirable road handling due to the weight. It's probably the only car I've not been scared of, not only due to lack of decent speed, but because it's so predictable - the worst thing that could happen is rolling over!

In September 2013, the engine went kaput - someone borrowed it, and didn't understand what the oil light meant. I will be swapping the engine over this weekend, sorting suspension and wheels out, putting new seats in, etc. Hopefully in a couple of weeks, it'll be much lower with Compotive cross-spokes with added arch width, and bumpers off another Daihatsu Cuore/Mira.

How it was when I bought it:





How it stands now:



Posting this here as there's not that many on the roads.

[qwerty]

Awesome. Looking forward to seeing this progress!

[niwid]

I don't know why, but I really like this! Let us know how the engine swap goes

[richy]

Keep the faith with it David - me and the missus have one on banded steels (been featured here) and it's terrific, other than the feeble heater!

[qwerty]

A mira turbo engine would be a good swap. Or apparently a charade gtti engine can be made to fit.

[georgeb]

Nov 11, 2013 12:51:22 GMT DavidB said:

Posting this here as there's not that many on the roads.

There are in KL. Thousands, and you can spend hours picking them out of your radiator!

Unfortunately, rather than produce a quality car that appeals to motorists, Malaysia has gone the route of building these as cheap as possible - as you've noticed - whilst taxing "foreign" cars to the hilt. This basically forces your average Malaysian into buying local, even though he knows he's buying trouble and the ability to run a non-malaysian motor becomes a major status symbol. They do make the Proton Perdana which should be a nice car; 3 litre V6, leather, etc., but they were notorious oil burners and it's rare to see one that's not dragging a blue haze behind it.

I'll be interested where you take this one.

[DavidB]

GTTi engine is a litle bit trickier than a standard 600cc turbo engine - they're just too big!

Richy do you have a link to your Nippa? Want to do banded wheels.

I fitted 14" ATV 110PCD wheels to it a while ago 'for a laugh'. Much too wide, but just wondered what they looked like!





I am putting these Wolfrace seats (the terribly 80s black ones with blue flashing) in:



These are the wheels going on - they are currently 108 PCD, but hoping to get the front hubs machined to fit the bore of the wheels - would rather have them matching 108 than 110 tbh. Fitted them and they look spot on.

[gregmac]

I came very close to buying one of these before I settled for the Maestro. I'd seen one for sale at a local garage for £300, but when I called up and asked if it was still available the guy just laughed hysterically down the phone at me. I could hardly get a word out of him. I pitched up and they didn't give me the time of day, so I got curse word off and left.

I can't say I've felt a Nippa-shaped hole in my life as a result, but yours looks very smart.

[Speedle]

those 80's wolfrace seats looks awesome! look forward to seeing this progress, love little cars

as for noise and rattles on the motorway might I suggest some flashing tape (roofing tape). I used this as sound proofing on my old k10 Micra's and not only did it massively reduce road noise but it also was great for keeping in sound from the speakers and heat. it's a poor mans soundproofing but costs nothing for a big roll and works just as well as dynamat for a mere fraction of the cost great on these budget cars

also makes the doors sound better when they close

[DavidB]

Gregmac, had they sold it or what - were they making fun of you, lol!

The seats are great, just have to weld up some new sub-frames. My dad has a whole roll of the that roof flashing stuff - I've used it before, especially in doors as it makes them close lovely. Not thought about it on this, but will stick some on. Even though it'll probably double the weight!

[richy]

David

Here ya go:

[DavidB]

That's ace, what's going on with the rainbow-y stuff, is that how it was from the factory (it wouldn't surprise me!) It's a pity Perodua's only came in five door.

I got the car in the garage - engine is out already:



I cleaned out the rocker cover which was full of waxy deposits about 6 months ago - the whole cover was black oily wax with the indentation of the cams/rockers moulded into it with the two oil passages running through it into the oil feeds in the corners of the head:



Some of the waxy stuff got through into the sump when I was cleaning it out (inevitable), and I ran it for a few months with the oil light occasionally coming on. Turning the engine off cured the light and it ran for a few thousand miles, until I borrowed it out and that killed the engine, resulting in a knock coming from somewhere (either the block or the head) the more you revved the engine. I 'recovered' the car, driving it 130 miles home (it was fine) and my mate then used it for another 200 miles, before the MOT ran out and here we are:



All the bolts came off easily (manifold etc)., very easy job getting this out through the front (slam panel unbolts):





Engine out - looped a seatbelt over a length of 2x4 and two of us lifted it out - only problem was getting over the catalytic converter at the front:



850cc Daihatsu ED-10 engine - 65kg, about 70bhp. No engine crane required (including gearbox):





Replacement engine:



This one had done 65k which will be OK until I rebuild the other one and put the upgrades and turbo onto it - old engine is in much better nick that the replacement.

[stealthstylz]

Are those cross spokes in the photo the actual wheels?

[DavidB]

No, stock image.

[DavidB]

I've since MOT'd and taxed this - engine is really very quiet, to the point where I think it's cut out. Compared to the old one, which sounded like a skeleton having a tug in a biscuit tin.
I bought some cheapo Corsa coilovers and rear springs - the front coilovers fit length wise and the bolt pattern is exactly the same, but the top bolt hole on the body needed widening outwards by 2mm, and the bottom mount needed shaving a little bit with an angle grinder. Also, rear springs fit perfectly. May need to buy new front springs for c/o as I think they are a little too tense for the car, but at least it will cure that creaking cronking noise from the front.
Still haven't put those seats in (or the wheels), but after doing 300 miles this week, I'll get onto that on Saturday!
The car currently has ridiculous 12" 4x4 Semperit knobbly truck wheels on the front.

[olig]

the c1/aygo/107 engine i think is toyota/daihatsu engine, 3 cylinder too.

[DavidB]

I put the coilovers on this weekend - as said, just needed a little bit of the mounting bracket removed, and the top bolt mounting hole enlongated by 2mm and they fit spot on.



It drives completely different - the original shocks were COMPLETELY knackered. Clonking and groaning over any surface, going into a corner, the damper would go down, and then seize in position, and then make it feel all scary when the car went back in a straight line. Drove 130 miles to work last night (70 miles of which is the A41) and drove amazingly well.

Also tig-welded new seat mounts up:







Mounted to original runners:



V Comfy.



Next is to get new springs for coilovers (think it's a little bit too high and the springs are too stiff for the weight of the car), and adapt something for the rear.
And also completely erradicate the NHS wating room green upholstery for something else.

[minininjarob]

Wow that's ace!

I love this site for stuff like this - making what some called "joke" cars into something special. Let's face it, all squarish cars look awesome lowered with nice wheels on.

Great project...

[fireflyspeedshop]

I would totally drive that!

[DavidB]

This passed an MOT a couple of weeks ago after being sat in my garage for a year.
Front pads were seized, and drivers side sill needed a bit of welding. Cut the whole length out and fabricated (ie rolled and bent 1m length of steel) a new sill and spot welded it on.
I still haven't got round to the things I wanted to do on it, there's not a lot of stuff you can get outside of Japan/Malaysia/Australia unfortunately. I can't praise the cars functionality enough really.