Restarting My '70 Nova Project

[BravoXray]

Used the BX to lift the subframe onto my '70 Nova body this afternoon. Have to get the subframe on so I can get the fenders, hood, doors and radiator support fitted before it goes off to the paint shop. It hasn't been as long of a project as the genset I built, but I disassembled it in 2014 and has been setting in primer since 2017, so it's time to get it back on the road.

 

[the old grind]

I drove a '71 Camaro for 9 years, a '72 for one, and a '98 for 13 1/2. I'm a Chevy guy, still have my '80 'Vette after 40 yrs, and got 11 1/2 years out of my beloved '88 LeSabre T-Type, but the car I miss most is my '77 Nova.

Anyway, 'subscribed'!

 

[goeduck]

Novas were underappreciated at the time and only get better looking with age. Big fan of their looks, but I never had one

 

[BravoXray]

Novas were underappreciated at the time and only get better looking with age. Big fan of their looks, but I never had one

I had a '69 SS396 L78 375hp Nova back in the early '70s, and always wanted another. Finally, in 2010 I found this '70 SS 350 L48 300hp for sale in WI and bought it. It had rust issues, so after driving it for a couple years, I decided to restore it. The body man that replaced all the metal did an outstanding job.
Pictures of my old '69 and my '70. They were the same maroon color.

 

[goeduck]

I had a '69 SS396 L78 375hp Nova back in the early '70s, and always wanted another. Finally, in 2010 I found this '70 SS 350 L48 300hp for sale in WI and bought it. It had rust issues, so after driving it for a couple years, I decided to restore it. The body man that replaced all the metal did an outstanding job.
Pictures of my old '69 and my '70. They were the same maroon color.

View attachment 709781View attachment 709783

Fantastic looking cars!

 

[workinonit]

Bravo, just curious why you chose to reuse the OEM subframe? Are you going for original? I have a '63 I bought the aftermarket subframe for.

 

[ArlyA]

I'm not much of a car guru. Nonetheless

 

[Tinhack]

Novas were underappreciated at the time and only get better looking with age. Big fan of their looks, but I never had one

Apparently, you've never seen a 64 Nova 4-door.

One of my high school buddies used his mother's 64 Nova occasionally. That is until the front-end folded under. He took it down a road we used to call crater lane--About a 1/2 mile road full of pot holes from one end to the other.

 

[MossRoad]

Very nice! Looking forward to watching.

I had a 70, 71, 72 and 62 Nova in that order.
One rusted beyond repair. The other got hit. The third one got hit and run. The 62 I bought and sold for a profit.

My favorite was the 70.

230L6 with 3 on the tree. I still have the engine (transplanted into a '71 Toyota FJ40) and the hood (sitting behind my garage).

I loved those cars. Seated 6 with the column shifter. So light and quick.

Keep 'em running.

 

[BravoXray]

Bravo, just curious why you chose to reuse the OEM subframe? Are you going for original? I have a '63 I bought the aftermarket subframe for.

I'm trying to keep it somewhat original, and the original subframe was in pretty good shape, had just a small tweak that I got straightened out with some chains, hydraulic jacks and I-beams. The front body mounts were rusted pretty bad, but I replaced the rusted metal and it's better than new now. I also had it blasted and powder coated, so it's good to go.

 

[BravoXray]

Fantastic looking cars!

Thanks, I've regretted selling the '69 since the day I sold it, but I had just gotten married and had a baby on the way. I needed something a little more economical to drive.

 

[BravoXray]

Your project is coming along nice!
I bought my 1965 in 1982. The paint is bad and someone on the forum has already pointed out to me that I have my front tire tread the wrong direction.
I have found a lot of info from the guys over at Chevy Nova Forum
Their projects and nova knowledge is vast. Mostly a good group like here. I hope you keep us updated here. I’m looking forward to following along with your progress.

I liked the 65-67s too. Paint is always the most time consuming and expensive part of restoring a car. Looks like a solid car though, with low restriction exhaust too!

You might look at Steve's Nova Site also. I've gotten some good info there.

 

[dodge man]

Looks like a nice project, its a lot of work, good luck with it.

 

[JPRambo]

Never had a Nova. But had one of these (1965) in high school. So I had to get this one around 1997. Still have it.
In 2007 found a '64 convertible SS it's still a project. It has supposedly an original 265 cu. in. V8. and 4 on the floor.

 

[workinonit]

I have 2 '67s.

 

[MoKelly]

I had a 1967 Nova in high school. Thought I was cool.

Then my friend got a 1964 Mustang convertible. He got all the girls! I could not compete.

MoKelly

 

[BravoXray]

I had a 1967 Nova in high school. Thought I was cool.

Then my friend got a 1964 Mustang convertible. He got all the girls! I could not compete.

MoKelly

A friend in school had a '67 SS with the L79 350hp 327 and four speed. That ting was wicked fast. Was a beautiful car, Marina Blue with white interior I think, but that was over 50 years ago.
A couple of friends had Mustangs, but I never cared much for them. My second choice after the Nova was a '70 Chevelle SS with the LS6 450hp 454. After I was married and living in a trailer park, the neighbor had one. What a machine!

 

[Fuddy1952]

My '74 Custom 2dr 350/350 my mother in law bought new, parked beside '55 she also bought new. Nova has 59K miles on it.
I had a '66 2dr (230 L6) 3 on tree. I bumped a '69 Cuda and put a '67 front clip on it. I put two diodes in wiring harness so parking lights came on with headlights, a change from 66-67. My Dad bought it from me for the $650 I had in it, sold it for $900 in about 1980.
Really dependable nice cars. A 1970 is a fantastic year. My opinion the peak year for American cars...all makes. No pollution junk, compression, disc brakes, etc. 1955-1974 all good...but that was the peak (69-70).

 

[BravoXray]

Nice cars!
Yeah, I think '69 and '70 were the best muscle cars, hands down.
I helped a friend reassemble his '70 Charger R/T a few years ago. He had done all the body work and paint, B5 blue. Another friend and I worked for about 5 years every other weekend or so getting it put back together and on the road. He had a "crate" engine, a 440, that was slapped together by someone, I pulled it apart and checked it out. Found a few mistakes, like ring gaps aligned and rear main seal messed up. Put it in, headers, SS exhaust system, rebuilt all the brake system, rebuilt the motor on the head light doors, and fixed all the wiring. After it was runing and he drove it some, he decided he wanted fuel injection and an OD transmission. So I installed a FITech fuel injection system and a 4L60E transmission for him too. That dropped his 60mph rpms from 3100 to 2200. Just a month or so back, I had to change out the brake proportioning valve as he had no rear braking at all, not good.

 

[MossRoad]

I had a friend in high school that was held back twice, so he was 18 his sophomore year. He had a job at a junkyard that a relative of his owned. And he had another relative with a body shop. So he got two wrecked 69 chargers, one with rear end damage and one with front end damage, cut them in half and put them together. Orange with black trim and vinyl top. Only had a 318, but man, was that a great looking car.

Creepy fact: when he was salvaging the one with front end damage, he was up under the dash and found a shoe with a human foot in it. YIKES!