Restarting My '70 Nova Project

[BravoXray]

While I'm waiting on the new front fenders to arrive (latest estimates are late Dec. to early Jan.) I pulled out the bucket seats I had bought to install in the Nova, and get them rebuilt and ready to go.
I had the new springs, foam and upholstery, and made an attempt to recover one of the bases, but gave up after a few hours of trying to get it to fit and look decant, I know my limitations in certain skills.
Loaded them up and took them to a local family owned upholstery shop that has been around as long as I can remember. They called Wednesday and said they were done, so I picked them up on Thursday after running some other errands, and the came out great. I brought them home, and today I installed the seat back locking mechanisms and the seat tracks. Was going to use the old plastic seat back and skirts, but after looking at them over and trying to get them cleaned up and looking good, decided they are just to scuffed up and have a few splits in places where they'll show, to use on these good looking seats. So I ordered a new set. I'm in this project so deep now, what's another couple hundred bucks?

 

[Boss 302]

They look sweet, your guy did a nice job on them. I hear you about how much money it takes to bring one back to its original glory I've been down that road a few times. If you're like me, it is all worth it in the end, good luck and keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing more pictures.

 

[MossRoad]

While I'm waiting on the new front fenders to arrive (latest estimates are late Dec. to early Jan.) I pulled out the bucket seats I had bought to install in the Nova, and get them rebuilt and ready to go.
I had the new springs, foam and upholstery, and made an attempt to recover one of the bases, but gave up after a few hours of trying to get it to fit and look decant, I know my limitations in certain skills.
Loaded them up and took them to a local family owned upholstery shop that has been around as long as I can remember. They called Wednesday and said they were done, so I picked them up on Thursday after running some other errands, and the came out great. I brought them home, and today I installed the seat back locking mechanisms and the seat tracks. Was going to use the old plastic seat back and skirts, but after looking at them over and trying to get them cleaned up and looking good, decided they are just to scuffed up and have a few splits in places where they'll show, to use on these good looking seats. So I ordered a new set. I'm in this project so deep now, what's another couple hundred bucks?

I can feel the cool sensation as the air squished out of the padding under my rear end as I sit down and turn to face the steering wheel.

DROOL!!!!!

 

[BravoXray]

Got the 434 running a couple of weeks ago, sounds great and best of all, no leaks. I may have to look into another set of headers, as #5 plug boot caught fire from the header tube being so close. I have, ahem, modified the tube already for more clearance, but there's still not enough.
A short video of it running. Don't know who the old, fat guy in the video is.

https://imgur.com/mumtQdo

 

[MossRoad]

SWEET!

 

[Willman]

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!

My cousin had a 67’ Nova SS Hurst edition 327 in maroon.
I had a 74’ Nova SS 350 in gold with the big black strips on the hood & trunk, traded in my 67’ Camaro RS 327 for it.
Wish I had all those back now!

 

[hcallaway]

My sleeper now lives in Wisconsin with a good buddy.
1963 Chevy II Nova 350 700R4 about 400 HP

 

[MossRoad]

My sleeper now lives in Wisconsin with a good buddy.
1963 Chevy II Nova 350 700R4 about 400 HP

Wanna race grandma?

Nice!!

 

[goeduck]

Now THAT is a sleeper! Very nice.

 

[bdhsfz6]

My sleeper now lives in Wisconsin with a good buddy.
1963 Chevy II Nova 350 700R4 about 400 HP

My father's 1963 4 cylinder Chevy II with 3 speed manual trans:

It was the car on which I learned to drive a stick shift.

Yours might be a bit faster though

 

[BravoXray]

This is the car that prompted me to buy this car. It was a '69 Nova SS396 L78 (375hp solid lifter motor). Had to sell it in '73 to get a more economical and family friendly car for my wife to drive. Bought her a Vega GT.

What the '70 looked like before the restoration started.

 

[scaredychicken]

BravoXray -
nice Nova project (and use of the BX). Good to see other car-people on this site. I have a weakness for El Caminos in particular ... 1964, 1979, 1981.

question - what is the loader side extension that is bolted on your tractor ? looks interesting ...

 

[BravoXray]

That's a spill guard I made a while back. I had the local steel fab shop cut me the top and sidepieces, I had the 1 1/2" square tube on the top. I put in little doors to run chains through to the hooks bolted to the bucket. Welded it all up, added a piece of expanded metal in the center and had it blasted and powder coated Kubota Orange.

 

[goeduck]

Taking applications for a test driver?

 

[hcallaway]

I have never shared this. My buddy said that one day he will give me this car. He told me to print the text so if anything happens I can show it to his family. 1969 Nova SS 396 375 HP Numbers Matching 4 Speed Red with Red interior. One of many in his collection.
I believe that he knows this is my son's favorite car.

 

[BravoXray]

That's a great looking car. The L78s are wicked fast if tuned properly.

 

[BravoXray]

Taking applications for a test driver?

Got lots of applications already.

 

[arrow]

I have never shared this. My buddy said that one day he will give me this car. He told me to print the text so if anything happens I can show it to his family. 1969 Nova SS 396 375 HP Numbers Matching 4 Speed Red with Red interior. One of many in his collection.
I believe that he knows this is my son's favorite car.
View attachment 747195View attachment 747196View attachment 747200View attachment 747201

The L78 is "thee" engine in the Nova and Camaro's in my mind. (these were really 402 cu in)
Most problem w these was w traction. At the time, the Cobra Jet Mustang was vaunted as the fastest production street car. I had one and ran 13.28 with just a set of 7" slicks. Tuned and some headers and traction bars, the car was a 12.8 machine. A cam change and you were low 12's. A terror on the street in those days.
The L78 was the same but didn't get the notoriety as the Cobra jet.
None the less, it was surely capable of sub 13 second quarter mile times with just a little bit of attention right out of the show room..
I wish it have had more attention it deserved in the car magazines back then

 

[arrow]

I have never shared this. My buddy said that one day he will give me this car. He told me to print the text so if anything happens I can show it to his family. 1969 Nova SS 396 375 HP Numbers Matching 4 Speed Red with Red interior. One of many in his collection.
I believe that he knows this is my son's favorite car.
View attachment 747195View attachment 747196View attachment 747200View attachment 747201

It is a beauty. I love the fact of no vinyl roof which completely took away the aesthetic of the car as a mean ombrey imo.
Vinyl roof always broke up and disturbed the nice lines of the car for me

 

[scaredychicken]

That's a spill guard I made a while back. I had the local steel fab shop cut me the top and sidepieces, I had the 1 1/2" square tube on the top. I put in little doors to run chains through to the hooks bolted to the bucket. Welded it all up, added a piece of expanded metal in the center and had it blasted and powder coated Kubota Orange.

great work, thanks for the details. had me scratching my head earlier. It looks like that could be useful.