1975 Vauxhall Viva HC - The Rust

[oli8925]

Hello everyone.

I'm new to retro rides so this is my introduction. I've been meaning to get on retro rides for a while but have only just got round to it, just like my cars, takes me ages to get round to doing what needs doing!

I'm already a member of TMF (the mini forum) and have recently joined the Vauxhall Viva Owners Club as well. I always go by the same user name. I'll start a thread for my mini later as thats a rather 'long-term' project. but for now, my daily Vauxhall Viva HC

Bought in near completely original condition in December, the only modification being an 80's stereo and speakers. Had 37k miles on the clock then, now 40k and a few touches here and there.

First, my 13x7 superlights were added, straight from my mini.
Also:
Black and silver plates
New Head unit and speakers (yet to be fitted) (unfortunately the 80's HU was going wrong)
Pair of air horns to aid me being heard on the road
Halogen bulbs
Reverse and rear fog lamps
And most recently a powerflow exhaust as the original had rusted like mad.

So here's how she looks/sounds now: s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh14/oli8925/Viva%20HC/?start=0





www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/video.php?v=183129745383

Unfortunately she has recently developed an oil pressure problem, so soon I will be rebuilding the engine...just an excuse for a weber 40dcoe and some head work me thinks...


Oli

[Ray]

Liking that alot 7X13s look sweet on it too. Any other plans for it then? Love that blue interior!

[oli8925]

Thank you

Short term plans are just to get the engine running well with no problems. An oil pressure gauge and tacho will be added to help with this. Pull out a few extra horses as well maybe...

Some very minor bodywork issues to tidy up in the summer and a general tidy up

Get the new speakers in (requires cutting the parcel shelf and making a new board)

Wire up the reverse lamp and rear fog lamp

Get some square 8's on the front

Find some wolfy slotmags

Attend as many shows as possible


Long term, I may be tempted by a v8

[leigh]

Welcome along man, good to have another viva. It's looking well smart there!

[manbearpig]

That looks really nice with the 7x13 superlites on there. Awesome and welcome!

[pallet30]

hi what size tyres you running on the front as i have 7x13s on my firenza and the wheels catch the front wing and valance on lock.....

[oli8925]

Hi. She's running 195/45's all round, so quite low profile. This is only because the wheels came straight off my mini, so they're profiled to squeeze into those arches. Now they have a canyon to fit into it can look a bit silly due to the arch gappage, but they do lower the car by at least 40mm.

All the viva's i've seen on the forum running 13x7 have either low profiles like mine, but means losing a lot of speedo accuracy (think its 13% out) and having F-all top speed. Or, as i will do with the wolfies, go 5.5/6 wide with the proper profile chunky tyres and get 60/60 lowered springs. At least i hope that wont rub.

Otherwise if you want low profile on 7 wide, but you want to stay as true to the original dia of the wheel+tyre as possible, youre looking at 195/65R13 (0.96% out), 205/55R14 (0.49% out) or i think 195/45R15 (0.90odd% out). There is someone on the forum running 15x7's and lowered and I'm guessing his doesnt rub.

www.vauxhallviva.com/vivaforum/viewtopic.php?t=8409

Congrats on having a firenza too, i would give my right arm for one. Love them!

And thanks for your kind words guys

[leigh]

13x7's too big and are scrubbing, nah - try 19's!!:




Couldn't even get a finger up my arch

[coggers]

Apr 18, 2009 9:56:58 GMT oli8925 said:

There is someone on the forum running 15x7's and lowered and I'm guessing his doesnt rub.

You guessed right , no they don't rub..





Car is looking good Oli , wheels look nice

[oli8925]

curse word me leigh, thats a bit pimp! what tyres are you running? thats ultimate low profile, how's the ride comfort? and i hope your going to stick discs on the back too, thats quite some gappage!

And thanks coggers, id be happy to keep the wheels on there if it had a little more top speed. maybe if i cant find any wolfies in time, ill get some chunky tyres when the current rubber runs out. your firenza is easily one of my favourite viva's. looks so nice!

[leigh]

Ha! They're not my wheels buddy, only put them on for a laugh and it wouldn't move!

[oli8925]

Quick update. Not much changed but got a few jobs done and had a bloody good clean.

Should have some new goodies coming soon - SL grille to continue the white/black/chrome theme. New rear bumper and passenger side brake light surround to replace the scuffed ones.

Most exciting though is the weber 40 manifold I found on the bay, not too many around. This means I can now continue with the Blydenstein stage 3 head complete with weber 40 and any other goodies I find. Happy days...but it is taking away much needed money for my Mini project

[leigh]

F*ck the mini - do the Viva man, it really looks great and I'm sure the webers will be a great addition

[manbearpig]

dude, what rev counter is that, what is it off and how accurate is it? I want one!

[oli8925]

Tbh, I almost wish I could just say f*ck the Mini. Its the most uneconomical repair in the world. But she is the love of my life (in a non completely-weird-american-documentary sense) and I need to repair her, for myself, and to prove a point to the many peoples who have said I'll never be able to do it (mainly my dad).

Anyway, the Viva is 'just a runaround' as I said to the ex. Unfortunately she wasn't that stupid....ah well easy come easy go as they say. I have and will spend a fair amount on various little upgrades and mods to the Viva, but still nowhere the Mini before crash so far...and a fraction of the cost of getting the Mini back on the road lol.

The tacho is just your usual cheap 52mm TIM tacho, as seen here -http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?ty=pb&pid=33914&title=TACHOMETER%20SMALL%2052mm%20FAC...- I just couldn't justify getting the Smiths guages simply because they are there for purpose and not for show. However, not to worry, I made back the unnecessary expense on the pods. over £10 each!, when a simple twin clock holder could have cost me less than a fiver, but I got exactly the look I wanted so money well spent in my eyes.

As for the 19" wheels on a Viva, funnily enough while getting the MOT done the other day, I started talking to a guy who used to work at the garage. He says in the 70's he used to have a Viva HC running standard size wheels at the front, and then the rear jacked up running 18" wheels. Crazy crazy people!

[grant]

Thats smart oli, the white car with the superlights looks spot on!! I like the sound of that spec, nice to tune up the viva engine too so when you woop some ass with it you can tell folk its still the viva lump under the bonnet! Will be fun i've never had mine over 50mph but i now it will do more.

[oli8925]

OK, I've just lost ANOTHER set of slotmags on ebay, so now because I feel so annoyed about it, I'm going to beg all you retro riders, if you know of or have any 4" PDC 13 "slotmags going, please get in touch or send me contact details!

I really want them now, it would complete the look and stance I want as at the same time I'd get -60mm springs and new shocks (so I'd also be able to go round corners too!)

4/5 x 5.5" wide or 5.5" wide on the front with wider on the back would be great. Tyres or not, I just want some slots!


Thanks, hope someone knows some going

[craig]

Welcome oli8925! Your car looks real nice. I will never understand why Escorts of the same year fetch so much when these can look just as good. Found my slotmags on rodandclassicmart.co.uk. Also might be worth a wanted ad on the NSRA forum as a lot of pops use Viva front ends.

[manbearpig]

Mate, Look in the for sale section. there are some 4" PCD 5.5j slots on there.

I personally think the superlites look cool though mate. Did you get the webber manifold on yet? How much has it chaged the car?

[oli8925]

Hi Craig. Thanks, I'll check the sites out. Hopefully find something!

I know what you mean about Escorts. As a young'un, to be honest a year or two ago I'd only vaguely heard of Viva's, but I always loved mk2 Cortina's and mk1 Escorts. I'd always been half looking for 1300's (insurance purposes) but the prices of even half decent examples were very high. Then when I needed a new car, I stumbled across this Viva on ebay by searching classic cars in 'distance from' order. Loved the look immediately! Lost the bid because I forgot the auction, but sent the guy and email saying if he had any trouble, let me know. Then my Dad on my behalf (I hadnt even seen the advert) accidentally won a Mini on ebay, and a few hours later I got an email asking if I wanted a Viva too! Went to see the Mini (£600) and it was a crapper, shouldnt have passed an MOT, dodgy new wings and front end and awfully matched paint (if you could call it matched). Managed to wriggle out of that one and took a chance on the Viva. Went to see it and got that feeling when you know the car's for you. The guy let me have it for £570! Bargain!

Thanks for the nod vivaboy. Seems a bit steep though, i just let a set slip through my hands on ebay for £130! Might try to find a set of rostyles for the swap though...

Haven't found a weber yet, though to be honest havent been looking much recently. And Paul from the Viva forum hasn't got back to me yet regarding the engine builder he knows for my stage 3 head.

I like the superlites, but because of the low profile tyres, the overall look just doesnt quite work and there's too much arch gappage with them. I can't put chunky tyres on them as they wont clear the front arches then. It's also sodding slow with them on!