Restarting My '70 Nova Project

[MossRoad]

My dad's 70 was misty turquoise. I've always liked that color.

 

[arrow]

My dad's 70 was misty turquoise. I've always liked that color.

Me too. As a matter of fact, I would take a 396/375 hp Nova over the 428 Cobra jet I had. Lot less trouble to go as fast.

 

[arrow]

I'm taking it back to the original color, Cortez Silver. When I bought it, it was a Chevy maroon color. While working on the doors, there were layers of a light metallic blue over the original silver.
And sorry, but it originally had a vinyl top, which amazingly was still on it after the paint color changes, which I am going to replace.
Here is a picture of it when I bought it.
View attachment 761929

Here is a picture of another Nova the same color as I'm going to paint mine, with the (gasp!) black vinyl roof.

View attachment 761931

Actually the silver/titanium color was one of my color recommendations. The other was the deep green GM used at the time.
I know you're stuck with the vinyl but I know of no better deterrent to NOT put one on than the silver Nova example you show.
It looks like a Ford Pinto to me.

 

[BravoXray]

Me too. As a matter of fact, I would take a 396/375 hp Nova over the 428 Cobra jet I had. Lot less trouble to go as fast.

Not sure if I posted a picture of it before, but here is a picture of my '69 Nova SS L78 (396 375hp). In a Corvette, the same L78 was rated 425hp, but only 375hp in a Nova, Camaro or Chevelle.

 

[BravoXray]

Actually the silver/titanium color was one of my color recommendations. The other was the deep green GM used at the time.
I know you're stuck with the vinyl but I know of no better deterrent to NOT put one on than the silver Nova example you show.
It looks like a Ford Pinto to me.

Here is a Cortez Silver one without the black vinyl top.

 

[goeduck]

Plenty of snort at 375 hp and looked better than a Corvette in my opinion. And I like Corvettes.

 

[BravoXray]

Plenty of snort at 375 hp and looked better than a Corvette in my opinion. And I like Corvettes.

It was tuned up pretty good too. The heads, manifold and headers were port matched, distributor was recurved, 3 angle valve job, 2" primary headers, Crane valve springs, CD ignition box and the 3310 780cfm Holley was rejetted and converted to mechanical secondaries. Later on I put a pair of L70 MT tires on back and swapped the 3.55 gears for 4.56 ones. Fastest car I ever owned.

 

[goeduck]

You da man! Looking forward to the end product!

 

[arrow]

Not sure if I posted a picture of it before, but here is a picture of my '69 Nova SS L78 (396 375hp). In a Corvette, the same L78 was rated 425hp, but only 375hp in a Nova, Camaro or Chevelle.

View attachment 762090

All one had to do was put headers on this thing, 4.30's or 4.56's out back and you were easily in the 12's just like the Cobra Jet.
If the car magazines ran the Nova with this combo instead of the weak gearing out back, they would have sold a ton more.

 

[arrow]

Here is a Cortez Silver one without the black vinyl top.

View attachment 762091

Yea!. Do that so people don't mistake your Nova for a Pinto
Do you know the reason car manufacturers put red line tires on their muscle cars?
If you recall the cheapest muscle car ever (Road Runner), Mopar was attempting to keep the cost down as much as possible. They put dog dish hub caps on steel wheels.
They looked at it and said "doesn't give us the image we want". Rather to bear the additional cost of styled wheels, they thought a red line around the tire would procure what they were looking for for nominal cost.
Thus the red line tire took off and became synonymous with performance.
Theoretically, red line tires with styled wheels is redundant.

 

[dodge man]

I personally think vinyl tops look good.

I never liked mechanical secondaries on a street car. With 4.56 gears it was probably good. I’ve seen to many people convert to mechanical secondaries, especially on dual 4 barrel or triple 2 barrel cars and wonder why the bog.

 

[BravoXray]

The two problems most have with mechanical secondaries are opening the throttle all the way at too low an rpm, and not having a large enough accelerator pump to help the transition from two to four barrels.
At low rpm, under 3K or so, there isn't enough air flow with all four barrels open to get the proper pressure drop in the venturis to pull the proper amount of fuel into them and the mixture goes lean. That is why they came out with the double pumpers, the extra shot of fuel bridges the delay in fuel delivery to the secondary venturis to avoid leaning the mixture.
The slower opening of vacuum operated secondaries prevent the lean stumble.

 

[arrow]

I personally think vinyl tops look good.

I never liked mechanical secondaries on a street car. With 4.56 gears it was probably good. I’ve seen to many people convert to mechanical secondaries, especially on dual 4 barrel or triple 2 barrel cars and wonder why the bog.

Certainly to each his own but for me a vinyl top on a muscle car is like Genghis Khan carrying a purse.

 

[BravoXray]

Certainly to each his own but for me a vinyl top on a muscle car is like Genghis Khan carrying a purse.

Jeez, we get that a vinyl top offends your tender sensibilities, but let it go.

 

[dodge man]

How about this for a vinyl top. Don’t quote me but it was available in 1969 on some Dodge and Plymouth’s. Called the Mod Top. There was an interior to match, which I think was the center part of the seats. I’ve seen it in person, it’s not better that way. Makes the black or white vinyl top look great.

 

[arrow]

Jeez, we get that a vinyl top offends your tender sensibilities, but let it go.

Hello dearest, it’s not like I want to leave you, but I know it’s best for both of us. We can't keep doing this. We’ve been together for a long time, and it’s been amazing, but we need something different now. Don’t worry because you’re going to be okay! You’re going to find a new relationship that will make you happier than I ever could. I know it.

 

[goeduck]

How about this for a vinyl top. Don’t quote me but it was available in 1969 on some Dodge and Plymouth’s. Called the Mod Top.

 

[BravoXray]

I spent about 12 hours this week filling, sanding, priming, guide coating, more sanding, more filling, well, you get the routine. But, The right quarter and rocker panel are done. The quarter had a few little areas that needed a little filling and blocking, but the rocker panel was a bear. It looked pretty straight, but when guide coated and block sanded it needed a lot of work. Amazingly, the of all the metal that was replaced, the rockers were in good shape, no rust internally (I scoped them) or on the outside, but they certainly weren't very flat. To make it worse, I welded shut all the holes used for the two lower trim pieces and ground them down, leaving areas that needed some attention.
Today swapped the rotisserie end for end so I had better light to work on the driver's side of the body, and started filling all the low areas on the rocker and a few on the rear quarter. Then I blocked and hand sanded the hood for the last time, and other than a few slightly high spots, it looks really good.
Brian stopped by and inspected my work, said it looked really good or an amateur. He said I could always get a job at a body shop, as I;m do better work that some of them do. I think I'll stay retired, that's more work than I like.

 

[Jstpssng]

Brian stopped by and inspected my work, said it looked really good or an amateur. He said I could always get a job at a body shop, as I;m do better work that some of them do. I think I'll stay retired, that's more work than I like.

Yours also is a labor of love, rather than need for a paycheck.
I enjoy this thread, and envy the people with the talent and patience to do what you are doing.

Thank you again for starting it.

 

[MossRoad]

I spent about 12 hours this week filling, sanding, priming, guide coating, more sanding, more filling, well, you get the routine. But, The right quarter and rocker panel are done. The quarter had a few little areas that needed a little filling and blocking, but the rocker panel was a bear. It looked pretty straight, but when guide coated and block sanded it needed a lot of work. Amazingly, the of all the metal that was replaced, the rockers were in good shape, no rust internally (I scoped them) or on the outside, but they certainly weren't very flat. To make it worse, I welded shut all the holes used for the two lower trim pieces and ground them down, leaving areas that needed some attention.
Today swapped the rotisserie end for end so I had better light to work on the driver's side of the body, and started filling all the low areas on the rocker and a few on the rear quarter. Then I blocked and hand sanded the hood for the last time, and other than a few slightly high spots, it looks really good.
Brian stopped by and inspected my work, said it looked really good or an amateur. He said I could always get a job at a body shop, as I;m do better work that some of them do. I think I'll stay retired, that's more work than I like.

Very nice! It always makes you feel good when a pro tells you you're work is good.