old and tired
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Or... he's busy driving it and not at home to type about it!!!!
Restarting My '70 Nova Project
- Thread starter BravoXray
- Start date
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BleedingOrange
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I hope you are right, but I would of thought he would let us know with a nice picture once the vinyl roof has been installed, so my guess is he is still waiting on someone else to do their part.
OP
BravoXray
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Sorry guys, I should have posted an update. I got the vinyl top put on on Monday the 16th, and it looks great. Sorry, I forgot to take some pictures, but it was hotter than Hades, and after I got it loaded up on the trailer, I just wanted to get in the truck in the A/C. I called the glass installer to see it I could drop it off there on the way back, and he said that'd be fine. So took it up to his shop, got it unloaded and in his garage, told him to give me a call when it was done. That was a week ago Monday. So I wait for his call. and I don't hear from him, so I called him that Thursday. He said he got busy with preparations for the county fair, and wouldn't be able to get it done for another week or two as after the fair is over he has a Mustang to do before my Nova. Soooo, he should get the glass in it this coming week. I hope.
Once the glass is in, I have to get it aligned and it will be driveable. Finally.
Good thing I'm a patient person.
I did get a picture of it on the trailer.
Once the glass is in, I have to get it aligned and it will be driveable. Finally.
Good thing I'm a patient person.
I did get a picture of it on the trailer.
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I think some of us are more excited than you! 
Thanks again for sharing this project.
Thanks again for sharing this project.
Rockbadchild
Elite Member
Very good looking car, nice work!!! 
OP
BravoXray
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Thanks!Very good looking car, nice work!!!
The vinyl top really changed it's looks
.
AFTER I drilled the holes in the sail panels for the trim that goes at the bottom of the vinyl top, I looked at it and thought, maybe I should have just left it without the top.
Too late now.
When I took it to the top installer, he looked at the perfect paint on the roof and said "I really hate having to scuff up the paint on the roof, but I have to, to get the glue to stick."
The glass guy called today and asked if I could bring the window trim to his, as he was going to work on it today.
Hopefully, it'll be done tomorrow.
BleedingOrange
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Looking forward to seeing pics of the top and windows installed.
OP
BravoXray
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So after over 2 weeks, I finally have my Nova back. The glass installer did a great job with the glass and the new trim, looks like new.
Driving it back to the house from his shop was the first time I had driven it on the road in over 13 years. The engine runs great, trans shifts really smoothly, brakes are great, and it rides better than I thought it would, considering it has pretty stout sway bars front and rear, and Cal Track bars. The manual steering box I rebuilt needs to be adjusted to take out some of the play, it has about 3 inches or so at the steering wheel rim. Considering I set the toe in with a string and tape measure, it goes down the road straight as could be, with no pulling either way.
The EFI is getting trained by driving it. When I first got it running, it was running really rich, and sooted up the plugs pretty badly. The manual says it takes 25 to 50 miles of driving for it to learn how much fuel to deliver and when.
I still have to install the stainless drip rail trim, as the top installer said it fit a lot tighter than he was comfortable trying to force on. The old trim was loose, and kept coming off, so I might have to tweak the new trim a little to get it to fit.
The only mechanical issue I had was when I backed it into the shop, I noticed a small trail of coolant, so I popped the hood and discovered a hose clamp on the lower heater pipe was not very tight. Snugged it up and the leak stopped. Tomorrow, I'll check the coolant, didn't want to open it when it was hot, and refill it. Oil pressure, water temp and battery voltage were all normal going down the road, so that's a relief.
The overdrive transmission is great, at 60 MPH the tach reads just below 2,000 RPM.
Also, it is a LOT quieter inside than it was before. Even though the exhaust can be heard, it's not at all loud inside. All that sound deadener was worth the cost and effort.
Monday, I'll call the alignment shop and make an appointment, the other day he said he is normally booked a week and a half out. I'm also going to take it to the graphics shop down the road and see about getting the stripes put on.
It's great to be able to drive it again!
Driving it back to the house from his shop was the first time I had driven it on the road in over 13 years. The engine runs great, trans shifts really smoothly, brakes are great, and it rides better than I thought it would, considering it has pretty stout sway bars front and rear, and Cal Track bars. The manual steering box I rebuilt needs to be adjusted to take out some of the play, it has about 3 inches or so at the steering wheel rim. Considering I set the toe in with a string and tape measure, it goes down the road straight as could be, with no pulling either way.
The EFI is getting trained by driving it. When I first got it running, it was running really rich, and sooted up the plugs pretty badly. The manual says it takes 25 to 50 miles of driving for it to learn how much fuel to deliver and when.
I still have to install the stainless drip rail trim, as the top installer said it fit a lot tighter than he was comfortable trying to force on. The old trim was loose, and kept coming off, so I might have to tweak the new trim a little to get it to fit.
The only mechanical issue I had was when I backed it into the shop, I noticed a small trail of coolant, so I popped the hood and discovered a hose clamp on the lower heater pipe was not very tight. Snugged it up and the leak stopped. Tomorrow, I'll check the coolant, didn't want to open it when it was hot, and refill it. Oil pressure, water temp and battery voltage were all normal going down the road, so that's a relief.
The overdrive transmission is great, at 60 MPH the tach reads just below 2,000 RPM.
Also, it is a LOT quieter inside than it was before. Even though the exhaust can be heard, it's not at all loud inside. All that sound deadener was worth the cost and effort.
Monday, I'll call the alignment shop and make an appointment, the other day he said he is normally booked a week and a half out. I'm also going to take it to the graphics shop down the road and see about getting the stripes put on.
It's great to be able to drive it again!
dodge man
Super Star Member
Looking good!
BleedingOrange
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Looks great, and nice to see you actually got a chance to drive it down the road. This is my favorite thread, and I check daily for updates. I really enjoy watching the progress, and seeing the pictures. I can only imagine how great it must feel to have finally got it to this stage.
Duds13
Platinum Member
Absolutely beautiful!
OP
BravoXray
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I tinkered with the car today, fixed a few little items.
The clutch pedal cover wouldn't stay on, so I scuffed up pedal and then applied some black weather strip adhesive to the pedal cover and put it back on. I'll let is set for a day or so, but that should keep it on, I hope.
Next was to adjust the steering box. I had rebuilt it probably 10 years ago, and I hadn't adjusted it after I put it on, because it didn't seem to have any play. But as I drove it home, it quickly loosened up, until it had way too much play. I Loosened up the lock nut and ended up turning the adjuster screw in over a full turn. It has very little play now, but I'm going to have to drive it to make sure.
Took the torque wrench and went around and checked the torque on all the lug nuts, and they were all good, nothing had loosened up.
I installed the windshield wipers, and tried out the delay feature that I installed. It works just like it's supposed to.
I tried to install some of the SS drip rail trim, but it won't fit. I believe it is made to go on before the vinyl top is installed, as it won't go on over the top material and them snap on over the bottom of the rail The top is installed so it lays down in the drip rail and up the outside edge so it makes a channel so that water can't get under it. I might be able to bend up the top inside lip of the trim and get it to fit over the material, but I haven't figured out how to do it without scratching up the finish on it. I'm going to have to cogitate on this for a while.
Checked the coolant, and it was only down a half inch or so, so the heater hose leak must have only started shortly before I got home. I also went over all the clamps on all the hoses, as they will almost always loosen up after a few heat cycles. Only a couple needed a half turn or so to tighten them up.
Looked under the car, and I don't see any leaks, so that's a good sign.
That's all for now, off to bed.
The clutch pedal cover wouldn't stay on, so I scuffed up pedal and then applied some black weather strip adhesive to the pedal cover and put it back on. I'll let is set for a day or so, but that should keep it on, I hope.
Next was to adjust the steering box. I had rebuilt it probably 10 years ago, and I hadn't adjusted it after I put it on, because it didn't seem to have any play. But as I drove it home, it quickly loosened up, until it had way too much play. I Loosened up the lock nut and ended up turning the adjuster screw in over a full turn. It has very little play now, but I'm going to have to drive it to make sure.
Took the torque wrench and went around and checked the torque on all the lug nuts, and they were all good, nothing had loosened up.
I installed the windshield wipers, and tried out the delay feature that I installed. It works just like it's supposed to.
I tried to install some of the SS drip rail trim, but it won't fit. I believe it is made to go on before the vinyl top is installed, as it won't go on over the top material and them snap on over the bottom of the rail The top is installed so it lays down in the drip rail and up the outside edge so it makes a channel so that water can't get under it. I might be able to bend up the top inside lip of the trim and get it to fit over the material, but I haven't figured out how to do it without scratching up the finish on it. I'm going to have to cogitate on this for a while.
Checked the coolant, and it was only down a half inch or so, so the heater hose leak must have only started shortly before I got home. I also went over all the clamps on all the hoses, as they will almost always loosen up after a few heat cycles. Only a couple needed a half turn or so to tighten them up.
Looked under the car, and I don't see any leaks, so that's a good sign.
That's all for now, off to bed.
IndyJay
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Here is a one of one 70 Nova, worth about half a million... if you can find it.
OP
BravoXray
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Well, so much for the no leak report from Friday. Sunday morning I took the car into town for breakfast, runs great, sounds good, and has plenty of power. (Sorry, no smokey burnout videos!)
Came back and parked it in the shop and did a few other things for an hour or so. When I glanced under the car, there was a 4" puddle under the rear of the engine, and some drips under the trans and diff.
Crawled under it and sure enugh, the oil is coming from the rear of the engine, dripping off the bellhousing. That kind of ruined my day.
Was busy yesterday, but today, I went down, moved it to the back of the shop and jacked up the front and put it on jack stands. Once under it, the oil is obviously coming out around the crank seal area, but when I pulled the bellhousing cover, the crank flange and front face of the flywheel are dry. I checked the bolts on the oil pan, and all are tight.
So, I did some searching on the problem, and I think I have it figured out. When I assembled the engine, and installed the rear main cap, I failed to apply sealant to the area at the rear of the cap. I did apply a small dab of sealant to the ends of the crank seal, but failed to apply any to the area between the seal and the outer edges of the cap. On Chevy small blocks, the oil from the pump is routed into the rear main cap and then up into main oil galley of the block. There is no seal between the cap and the block, other than the metal to metal surface between the two. The chance of that surface providing a perfect seal for the oil, is literally zero.
So now I am looking at pulling the engine to fix my screwup. Tomorrow I'm going to examine the area closely to see if there is any way to possibly clean the area with brake or carb cleaner, and somehow apply a coat of sealant to the parting surface to stop the leak, but I'm not hopefiul of that. If not, I'll get started pulling the engine and transmission.
I think I still have the box the gasket set came in when I assembled the engine, and I'm going to look in it to see if there are any instructions on applying sealant to that area when installing the rear main seal.
In my defense, it had been quite a few years since I had rebuilt a small block, so it was just a small, but important detail I missed.
On the bright side, I haven't seen any other leaks anywhere on the engine.
Pictures will document my task of shame.
Came back and parked it in the shop and did a few other things for an hour or so. When I glanced under the car, there was a 4" puddle under the rear of the engine, and some drips under the trans and diff.
Crawled under it and sure enugh, the oil is coming from the rear of the engine, dripping off the bellhousing. That kind of ruined my day.
Was busy yesterday, but today, I went down, moved it to the back of the shop and jacked up the front and put it on jack stands. Once under it, the oil is obviously coming out around the crank seal area, but when I pulled the bellhousing cover, the crank flange and front face of the flywheel are dry. I checked the bolts on the oil pan, and all are tight.
So, I did some searching on the problem, and I think I have it figured out. When I assembled the engine, and installed the rear main cap, I failed to apply sealant to the area at the rear of the cap. I did apply a small dab of sealant to the ends of the crank seal, but failed to apply any to the area between the seal and the outer edges of the cap. On Chevy small blocks, the oil from the pump is routed into the rear main cap and then up into main oil galley of the block. There is no seal between the cap and the block, other than the metal to metal surface between the two. The chance of that surface providing a perfect seal for the oil, is literally zero.
So now I am looking at pulling the engine to fix my screwup. Tomorrow I'm going to examine the area closely to see if there is any way to possibly clean the area with brake or carb cleaner, and somehow apply a coat of sealant to the parting surface to stop the leak, but I'm not hopefiul of that. If not, I'll get started pulling the engine and transmission.
I think I still have the box the gasket set came in when I assembled the engine, and I'm going to look in it to see if there are any instructions on applying sealant to that area when installing the rear main seal.
In my defense, it had been quite a few years since I had rebuilt a small block, so it was just a small, but important detail I missed.
On the bright side, I haven't seen any other leaks anywhere on the engine.
Pictures will document my task of shame.
dodge man
Super Star Member
In the late 80’s I restored a 70 Challenger. It took me about three years to get it done. I finally had it all put together and looking good and thought I’d enjoy driving it a while then the transmission went out. I pulled the transmission and rebuilt it myself but that took me over a month.
OP
BravoXray
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I had to mow the yard today, or get a visit from the lawn police.
After I finished, I got the Nova up on jackstands and pulled the cover on the bellhousing to take a look at the crank seal area. As the pictures show, there is no room to see where you need to apply sealant, let alone be able to apply it where it would need to be to stop the leak, so, it's engine removal time.
I got the exhaust and driveshaft removed, and drained the coolant before it was time to quit.
Tomorrow, I'll start in on the headers, coolant lines, electrical connections and fuel system.
Not sure how to get the trans out, the only trans jack I have is one for truck transmissions, and coincidentally I have been working on overhauling the hydraulic jack on it, and am waiting for a rebuild kit. It shipped from WA in Tuesday, but the tracking hasn't been updated to show a delivery date as of yet. When I get those parts and get is reassembled, I can fab up an adapted to bolt to the Nova trans and the jack to pull it out. There's no way I'm going to try to balance it on my floor jack to pull it.h
I ordered the anaerobic sealant to seal it up from Amazon today, and should have it on Friday.
I'm going to have to enlist a friend or two to give me a hand getting the hood off, but other than taht I should be able to handle the rest by myself. I also have to assemble the Snap-On engine stand that I had powder coated a while back, to hang it on.
What's the saying, "any job worth doing is worth doing twice."
After I finished, I got the Nova up on jackstands and pulled the cover on the bellhousing to take a look at the crank seal area. As the pictures show, there is no room to see where you need to apply sealant, let alone be able to apply it where it would need to be to stop the leak, so, it's engine removal time.
I got the exhaust and driveshaft removed, and drained the coolant before it was time to quit.
Tomorrow, I'll start in on the headers, coolant lines, electrical connections and fuel system.
Not sure how to get the trans out, the only trans jack I have is one for truck transmissions, and coincidentally I have been working on overhauling the hydraulic jack on it, and am waiting for a rebuild kit. It shipped from WA in Tuesday, but the tracking hasn't been updated to show a delivery date as of yet. When I get those parts and get is reassembled, I can fab up an adapted to bolt to the Nova trans and the jack to pull it out. There's no way I'm going to try to balance it on my floor jack to pull it.h
I ordered the anaerobic sealant to seal it up from Amazon today, and should have it on Friday.
I'm going to have to enlist a friend or two to give me a hand getting the hood off, but other than taht I should be able to handle the rest by myself. I also have to assemble the Snap-On engine stand that I had powder coated a while back, to hang it on.
What's the saying, "any job worth doing is worth doing twice."
the old grind
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BX, that we older guys can take our time we can have what we want. As for 'oops' and in say the last week, month, or year & a half to four it could be you and me competing for gold.
Anyway, I love the stock/sleeper config but if the rear suspension mods can get all that power to the ground have you looked into or considered frame connectors?
I've seen a street racer or two with 'em & auto vs manual. Might be overkill but it's almost like having a full frame in some ways &/so maybe its some rusty Novas & Camaros that want the security on the street vs the strip too.
Anyway, I love the stock/sleeper config but if the rear suspension mods can get all that power to the ground have you looked into or considered frame connectors?
I've seen a street racer or two with 'em & auto vs manual. Might be overkill but it's almost like having a full frame in some ways &/so maybe its some rusty Novas & Camaros that want the security on the street vs the strip too.
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Every time I pulled the engine/transmission from my 70, 71, 72 Nova's, I'd remove the hood, radiator, transmission cross member, engine mounts, etc... and pull it out as one unit. Those were all L6 engines. Is that not possible with your setup? Just curious.
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Like this guy did...
OP
BravoXray
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BX, that we older guys can take our time we can have what we want. As for 'oops' and in say the last week, month, or year & a half to four it could be you and me competing for gold.
Anyway, I love the stock/sleeper config but if the rear suspension mods can get all that power to the ground have you looked into or considered frame connectors?
I've seen a street racer or two with 'em & auto vs manual. Might be overkill but it's almost like having a full frame in some ways &/so maybe its some rusty Novas & Camaros that want the security on the street vs the strip too.
The stock sleeper look was kind of what I was going for, and I think I have pretty well accomplished that. As for the frame connectors, I actually have a set, but was torn on whether to install them or not. While it's up in the air, I might get them down and take a look to see how they might fit. I'll let you know.
I'm thinking about doing it that way, as I did set them in the subframe in one piece when I first installed them. As I get it torn down I'll make a decision on how to remove them.
On a lot of the YT videos they almost always install them together, but it's really a two person job to do so, and I'm mostly working alone.
If it had the Muncie trans in it, I could easily remove and install that by myself, but the Tremec trans is a lot heavier, well over 100lbs, too much for me to handle, so I'm going to need a trans jack if I pull it separately.
I'll see what I decide to do.
