Restarting My '70 Nova Project

[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.
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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.