Restarting My '70 Nova Project

BravoXray · Nov 8, 2022

Forgot to mention, I'm considering adding racing stripes to the hood and trunk. I like the looks of them, especially black stripes on the silver body.

MossRoad · Nov 8, 2022

That would look great, especially with the top.

BravoXray · Nov 9, 2022

MossRoad said:
That would look great, especially with the top.

The grille on the Nova in the picture is not painted correctly, an SS grille has chrome bars only at the top and at the bottom, not all chrome like it has, Same with the headlight doors, and that makes a big difference in the looks.

BravoXray · Nov 12, 2022

Still waiting on the Owner of the paint shop to come and look over the Nova project to see if there is any more that needs to be done. So , figured it was a good time to (Yikes!) drill some holes in the front fender for the simulated louvers and Nova scripts.
Having not had the foresight to make a pattern off the original fenders, I found the information, well sort of, in the assembly manual. It gives the layout pattern referenced to a couple of datum lines, but not what the datum lines are referenced to. So i studied a lot of pictures of Novas and made an educated guess. I made a pattern out of craft paper, taped it to the fenders, marked the hole locations and drilled the holes. No going back now!
They look okay, but it would really have helped for the fenders to be on the car, just to make sure.

BravoXray · Dec 5, 2022

Since I had't heard from him yet, I finally stopped at the paint shop, and fortunately the owner was there. I told him he had said he'd come by and look at the Nova, but after a month, I thought I'd check to see if he was really interested or not. He apologized and said he'd been really busy, and he did have the note right there on his desk. So he came over this evening and looked it all over, said it looked really good to him and that he would look at his schedule to be sure, but thought he could get it in the last week of the month(December). I told him that would be good but if it ran into January more than a week or so it would be a problem as I have back surgery scheduled on the 27th. He didn't think that would be a problem.
He seems to be really interested in the project which is encouraging.
So, maybe I can see the light at the end of the Nova tunnel.

scootr · Dec 5, 2022

Fingers crossed for you on the Nova and the back surgery.

BravoXray · Dec 10, 2022

scootr said:
Fingers crossed for you on the Nova and the back surgery.

I've been putting the back surgery off for 6 or 8 years, and it's getting more chronic, shooting pains in the legs and horrible aching in the lower back and thighs. I'm not looking forward to it, but the surgeon says if I don't do it soon I could end up in a wheel chair.

I made up some spacers and installed them between the rotisserie mounts and the rear bumper mounts, so the painter can get in there with paint. Otherwise there would have been a big area on each side not painted. I also raised the body up about six inches so it can be rotated a full 360° without hitting the crossbar. I may weld a couple of chunks of 1/4" X 2" flat stock to the pivot so I can lock it in place with a couple of bolts for transport to the paint shop.

MossRoad · Dec 10, 2022

Getting close.

Good luck with your back. Only you can tell when it's too much and time to get repaired. About 20+ years ago I was on the verge, but my surgeon talked me into therapy and it made all the difference in quality of life. It'll happen later for me, I'm sure. But he said you'll know when it's time. You won't be able to take the pain. I believe him.

scootr · Dec 10, 2022

I have similar back issues. I'm okay if I stay within my routine and limits. I should do floor exercise but I'd rather do shop projects.
That is quite the project you got there ! My back pains me, my feet go numb, and my legs cramp up... other than that I'm good to go.

goeduck · Dec 11, 2022

I know my SIL put off back surgery and regrets it now. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

BravoXray · Dec 20, 2022

Well, today it was finally the day the Nova headed out to the paint shop.

Paint shop owner called yesterday and said he could get it in any time this week, so I called the towing company and they said they could pick it up this morning. The drive backed right into the shop, lowered the bed, winched it on and tied it down. A Benjamin Franklin later it was on the way. I loaded up the front fenders and a few other parts, took them to the shop, came back, got the hood, trunk lid and cowl panel and took them in too. We went over what areas get body color and which get black and a few other of the finer points of the job. The painter said they'd get started on it today and would probably take two weeks. I've decided to put the wide flat black racing stripes on the hood and trunk lid, but those won't be done until the car is assembled so all the lines match up.
Progress!!!

goeduck · Dec 20, 2022

looking forward to seeing it all dolled up.

zzvyb6 · Dec 20, 2022

When I hired into GM Proving Grounds and an engineering student back in '69, we got a make-work project to put a 454 school bus motor into a Nova. 3 speed manual. Clutch ? Who needs that ? Brakes ? yeah, sort of a problem. Tires ? another problem.

Got 4 wheels airborne at the top of the 16% hill and was still accelerating where most anything else was ready to stall out. Those were the Glory Days....

BravoXray · Dec 20, 2022

goeduck said:
looking forward to seeing it all dolled up.

So am I!

BravoXray · Jan 3, 2023

Some progress is being made. Painter called and asked me to come in and look at a color sample spray-out to make sure it was the color I wanted. Went in and took a look, and it looks just as I thought Cortez Silver would. He has the underside painted and is going to get the interior painted in the next couple of days, then he'll start getting the exterior and other parts painted.

BravoXray · Jan 24, 2023

Paint shop called this morning and asked if I could come in a take a look at the body, as they had the Cortez Silver on it, and wanted to make sure that's the color I wanted. Went in and I think it looks great. Great color and great body work.
He's going to get the door, fenders, hood and trunk lid painted later this week, he hopes. Hard to believe after 8 years it has paint on it. This is the original color according to the cowl tag, although it was maroon when I bought it, and there was a blue paint job under that, so this is the third color for this Nova.

Boss 302 · Jan 24, 2023

Looking good, all you need is a couple of Boss Mustangs or Mach 1's sitting next to it.

BravoXray · Jan 24, 2023

Boss 302 said:
Looking good, all you need is a couple of Boss Mustangs or Mach 1's sitting next to it.

Was never much of a Mustang fan, they sat too low for me. Felt like I was riding in a go-kart.
I'd really prefer a '70 Chevelle LS6 (454/450HP).

Boss 302 · Jan 24, 2023

To each his own, personally go karts are a little slow for me. Keep up the good work and enjoy a piece of good ole American Muscle.

BravoXray · Jan 25, 2023

Well, tomorrow I go in for back surgery, so the reassembly will be on hold for a while, probably a couple of months.
When I first talked to the painter, I told him I was having the surgery about this time in January, and that if possible, could he have it done before then. He didn't think that would be a problem, but of course no plan goes according to schedule. So, since it still isn't finished up, I have a couple of friends that are going use my pickup to pick the loose parts, hood, trunk lid and fenders, and bring them to my shop for me. The same towing company that took the body to the shop will bring it back, so things are pretty well taken care of, I hope.
I'm having a fusion done, L3, L4 and L5, and hopefully that will end the really intense pain I get at times in my lower back and legs. The surgeon said I may even get the feeling back in my feet over time. That would be great too.
I'll keep up on any progress I make when I'm able to work on it. I have a few things that I may order or make plans to do during the reassembly. I'm still mulling over a Dakota Digital instrument cluster, but $1500 is a little tough to swallow, so I may stick with the stock cluster.
Another thing I am considering is a different set of rear disc brakes that have the shoe type parking brakes, like the Wilwood Rear Brake Kit – Part No: 140-11398-R.
Wilwood Disc Brakes
The ones I have now have the little actuator arm on the caliper, and with the staggered shocks on the rear, connecting the right side (I think) you have to run the E-brake cable around the back of the diff to connect it to the caliper.
So, still some issues to resolve by the time I can get back to putting it all together.