www.nian.co.uk ( Nordschleife In A Nail or Nürburgring In A Nail )
- The Idea
- The Car
- The Team
- the Journey
- The Day at the ring
- The Other stuff

- General
- Staples 2 Naples banger rally 2007
- Staples 2 Naples banger rally 2008
- smfpics web site

This site was last updated: 14th May 2009.

This is a site that documents the idea about taking a cheap car to the Nurburgring and seeing if we and it survives.

March 2009 - Got a car, its a 1996 Vauxhall ( aka Opel ) Tigra, its a nail.

Lets start at the beginning, took it for a MOT. It had emissions problems during the test and then the Radiator blew, giving the examiner a free sauna.

Got the Radiator sorted, fitted a new Cat and it passed the MOT. Pity the Clutch was slipping, now sorted. All that's left to do it sort out the Brakes, soft and spongy at present just what you need at the Ring.

Other things to sort out: the sunroof is jammed slightly open, The previous owner smoked ( a lot by the smell of the car ), The exhaust bangs on the chassis. There is tinworm eating at various parts of the body.

22nd April

Spent tonight trying to fix the sun roof, its knackered. At least I now know how Tigra sunroofs work - by springs. The motor in the roof has cogs that mesh into a springs, these are moved back and forth to open / close the sunroof. A couple of guides and a bracket are broken in the sun roof system,it needs a full replacement. Or as in this case it is forced shut and the motor disconnected.

While taking out the headlining and trying to fix the sun roof, I found that a Nokia handsfree kit has once been expertly fitted to the car. However a later owner had in-expertly half removed the kit -cut the wires and hide behind a panel. Now removed the whole thing, wiring and all.

Also as the spare tyre is almost bald, i have bought a new spare off ebay for 99p.

The rear washer does not work, the arial does not work. Wonder if I will find anything working properly.

14th May

Well the car is the best its going to get, the brakes are still not perfect even after new brakes hoses, Master cylinder and several litres of brake fluid. The ABS is erratic, it every so often kicks in as soon as you touch the brakes ( but only at low speeds ).

I got a second hand bonnet for £10, so we could decorate the car but be able to sell it at the end of the rally. See below.