1973 Nova Project
cooltc2004
09-22-2004, 09:35 AM
I'll give you a little background history first:
In 1969 my dad purchased a 1969 Camaro Indy Pace Car, you know, white with orange stripes, 396ci/375hp, aluminum heads, all the good stuff. Anyways, like normal people back then, he raced it a little bit, nothing hard, cuz he was in LOVE with this car. After a few modifications (nothing that couldnt be taken off, since the car is stock today with 6k miles) he ran 10.69 quarter. Anyways, this car was his daily driver, until he was at the bank. This guy backs into a spot, and hits the car, putting a dent in the quarter panel. My dads mother sees it, and tells him not to tell my dad. My dad was known for winning the fights he got into, he never started, but he finished. ANYWAYS, he goes and tells him anyways. My dad jumps over the railing (those polls with the cloth string to make isles) and jumps on the guy, which took 4 local cops to pull him off. After that, his mother says why dont you buy another car, so it something happens to it, you wont kill anyone. He buys the 1973 Nova, new, for $3k (still has the window sticker). Drives it, and is basicly his daily driver until 1989, when his mother dies. After that, he parked the car, until 2 weeks ago, when I decided I wanted to fix it up, and start driving it. (Haha, you see where its going NOW, dont you?).
The cars frame is beutiful (sp). Just the tad bit of surface rust, but even the brakets were in great condition. This is a car thats been sitting outside, rain and snow, for 15 years, and wasnt rust proofed. Anyways, I start doing the minor things, like removing all the gauges and the dash pad. After that, we see that because the window leaked (it leaked from day one, my dad put silicon around the windoshield to try and stop it, but it didnt work), the dash where the windshield sat, and part of the cowl is totaly gone from rust. So, my dad bought a dash, and right now im searching for the cowl peice i need (i think i found one, the guys gotta get back to me). We take out the windshield, which decided to crack right when we finished cutting it out within the last 5 inchs. So the windshield will be replaced as well. After that, I cleaned where the windshiled sat, painted with rustolium, and its currently ready for patching and the windshield. Last week we removed the 307ci/200hp motor from it, and cleaned it up with the preasure washer. I recently bought an edl intake, carb, and cam kit. As well as valve covers, timing cover, and oil pan. The heads were zipped off and sent out to be redone, and new springs put in. The pistons need to be cleaned off because carbon built up on them. One problem with the oil pan tho, when the factory put it on, they cross threaded one of the bolts, so when we zipped it off, it broke. My dad drilled into the bolt, and tryed to unscrew it with a special tool, but it wouldnt budge, he even heated up the block around it, still wouldnt move. We will fix that later on tho. Anyways, right now we are waiting for the heads, and when the motors together, we are going to take the front end off (fenders and bumper) and redo the brakes and cowl. We havent started yet because we dont have the cowl, and if we cant find one, we have to fab one up.
Sorry I wrote a book, but, if you dont mind, I plan on posting progress, for all you to see, and so I have a record somewhere. Ill post pistures of the car and the cowl when I get home.
In 1969 my dad purchased a 1969 Camaro Indy Pace Car, you know, white with orange stripes, 396ci/375hp, aluminum heads, all the good stuff. Anyways, like normal people back then, he raced it a little bit, nothing hard, cuz he was in LOVE with this car. After a few modifications (nothing that couldnt be taken off, since the car is stock today with 6k miles) he ran 10.69 quarter. Anyways, this car was his daily driver, until he was at the bank. This guy backs into a spot, and hits the car, putting a dent in the quarter panel. My dads mother sees it, and tells him not to tell my dad. My dad was known for winning the fights he got into, he never started, but he finished. ANYWAYS, he goes and tells him anyways. My dad jumps over the railing (those polls with the cloth string to make isles) and jumps on the guy, which took 4 local cops to pull him off. After that, his mother says why dont you buy another car, so it something happens to it, you wont kill anyone. He buys the 1973 Nova, new, for $3k (still has the window sticker). Drives it, and is basicly his daily driver until 1989, when his mother dies. After that, he parked the car, until 2 weeks ago, when I decided I wanted to fix it up, and start driving it. (Haha, you see where its going NOW, dont you?).
The cars frame is beutiful (sp). Just the tad bit of surface rust, but even the brakets were in great condition. This is a car thats been sitting outside, rain and snow, for 15 years, and wasnt rust proofed. Anyways, I start doing the minor things, like removing all the gauges and the dash pad. After that, we see that because the window leaked (it leaked from day one, my dad put silicon around the windoshield to try and stop it, but it didnt work), the dash where the windshield sat, and part of the cowl is totaly gone from rust. So, my dad bought a dash, and right now im searching for the cowl peice i need (i think i found one, the guys gotta get back to me). We take out the windshield, which decided to crack right when we finished cutting it out within the last 5 inchs. So the windshield will be replaced as well. After that, I cleaned where the windshiled sat, painted with rustolium, and its currently ready for patching and the windshield. Last week we removed the 307ci/200hp motor from it, and cleaned it up with the preasure washer. I recently bought an edl intake, carb, and cam kit. As well as valve covers, timing cover, and oil pan. The heads were zipped off and sent out to be redone, and new springs put in. The pistons need to be cleaned off because carbon built up on them. One problem with the oil pan tho, when the factory put it on, they cross threaded one of the bolts, so when we zipped it off, it broke. My dad drilled into the bolt, and tryed to unscrew it with a special tool, but it wouldnt budge, he even heated up the block around it, still wouldnt move. We will fix that later on tho. Anyways, right now we are waiting for the heads, and when the motors together, we are going to take the front end off (fenders and bumper) and redo the brakes and cowl. We havent started yet because we dont have the cowl, and if we cant find one, we have to fab one up.
Sorry I wrote a book, but, if you dont mind, I plan on posting progress, for all you to see, and so I have a record somewhere. Ill post pistures of the car and the cowl when I get home.
cooltc2004
09-22-2004, 03:24 PM
Fyter87
09-22-2004, 08:31 PM
WOW MAN!!, I wish you good luck in doing all that work. Thats some bad rust on their. Have Fun doing it. I would enjoy seeing what it becomes. Peace!
cooltc2004
11-05-2004, 11:59 AM
Haven't kept my word on the updates, so I'll update it right now.
About a month and a half ago we pulled the engine and started to rebuild it. Once the heads were off, we were greeted with carbon buildup on the pistons. We disassembled the motor enough to get the pistons off, and saw that the rings were frozen to the pistons from the carbon. The pistons have been soaking in sulvent for about 2 weeks now. At first we were just going to get the heads machined, put in a cam, oil pan, and all the gaskets, but with the carbon build up and the mucky anti-freeze, we are going to redo the entire engine. Right now all the parts are in a box, and the engine block is bare. We will scrape off all the gaskets and clean the block soon. We plan on putting a higher performance eldebrook cam, edlebrook 4-brl and intake, and all the covers on the old 307 as well as headers instead of the exhast manifolds. When we are done I should have 270ish (notice the ish) hp.
After that comes the body work, if we can't find a cowl for it, we will fabrocate one. As of right now we are planning on buying a rearend for it with 3.73 gears and posi, and are still debating weather to put in a 4spd or the automatic back in.
/edit: Pictures coming as soon as I take some.
About a month and a half ago we pulled the engine and started to rebuild it. Once the heads were off, we were greeted with carbon buildup on the pistons. We disassembled the motor enough to get the pistons off, and saw that the rings were frozen to the pistons from the carbon. The pistons have been soaking in sulvent for about 2 weeks now. At first we were just going to get the heads machined, put in a cam, oil pan, and all the gaskets, but with the carbon build up and the mucky anti-freeze, we are going to redo the entire engine. Right now all the parts are in a box, and the engine block is bare. We will scrape off all the gaskets and clean the block soon. We plan on putting a higher performance eldebrook cam, edlebrook 4-brl and intake, and all the covers on the old 307 as well as headers instead of the exhast manifolds. When we are done I should have 270ish (notice the ish) hp.
After that comes the body work, if we can't find a cowl for it, we will fabrocate one. As of right now we are planning on buying a rearend for it with 3.73 gears and posi, and are still debating weather to put in a 4spd or the automatic back in.
/edit: Pictures coming as soon as I take some.
76455Firebird
11-15-2004, 03:05 PM
sounds and looks like you have a heck of a project on your hands. Personally I'd go for the 4 speed just for the fun to drive factor, but if you sit in traffic alot then I'd go with the automatic. But if you're gonna stay automatic then why not throw in an overdrive transmission like the 4L60E.
novaforlife
12-10-2004, 09:16 PM
car looking like needs help
novaforlife
12-10-2004, 09:18 PM
have hood cowl email me and lets talk
ILOVEMY69
12-13-2004, 08:17 PM
Good luck with that. I have a 69 nova that originally came with a 307 but when i bought it, it had a 350 in it. I will give you mad props if you finish this project!
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