Restarting My '70 Nova Project

[MossRoad]

Spent all afternoon and into the evening getting some things done on the Nova.
The radio was not setting squarely in the opening and my OCD made me take it out and use some SS fender washers to get both sides even with the opening. Little thinks like that just bother me, even though 99 out of 100 people would never notice it. I had to rearrange and resecure all the radio cables under the dash and mount the SD card/USB drive reader under the edge of the dash with one of the dash screws.
That done, I decided to install the kick panels with the fresh air vents. I bought new ones as the PO had hacked holes in originals and installed speakers which really didn't fit and looked like crap. They are rather fussy to get in and out, either you have to fight with them for 10 minutes to get them in or our, or they almost fall in or out, no in between. I had screwed to dimmer switch to the floor and it had to be removed to install the kick panel. Unscrewed it and when I tried to pull the connector off it, the switch came apart. Damn cheap crap! I was able to get it back together, the two little crimps in the case let the connector pull out rather easily and I was able to get back together and applied a couple of much more secure crimps to hold it together. I don't think it'll come apart again.
I test fit the kick panels to make sure all the screw mounting holes lined up with the holes in the cowl openings, which they did, then took them out and put a bead of butyl sealant around the openings and reinstalled them.
After that, I installed the emergency brake pedal assembly, and had to adjust the little plunger switch that operates the dash warning light. It's really close quarters between it and the fuse block and I had to adjust the plunger a couple of times so it doesn't rub on anything and slides freely.
I had made an aluminum bracket to mount the MSD EFI display/programmer under the dash and had bent it in my little brake, but apparently the bend was too sharp and it broke through the bend when I went to reattach it. Found another piece of 0.060" aluminum, sheared it down to size and made a couple of bends using a sacrificial piece of 0.020" aluminum, the bends looking much better this time. I Scuffed it up with some 320 sand paper and painted it with a couple of coats of satin black.
While that was drying, I decided to install the rest of the Dynamat on the floor. I managed to get that done and only cut myself once with the Stanley knife. Of course I had just put in a new, razor sharp blade, so it make a nice clean cut! Electrical tape to the rescue.
By then it was almost 7:00PM, so I gathered up a bunch of tools and put them away, closed up and went to the house.

Got quite a bit done today, for a change.

View attachment 818249View attachment 818250View attachment 818251View attachment 818252

I had forgotten about the little pull vent knobs on the Nova's.

 

[BravoXray]

Looking good. Any estimate on when you will be taking it out for a shake down run ?
Will it be late this fall, or next spring ?

Thanks.
It just all depends on how everything comes together. This fall would be great, but I just figured on a year to get it together. It also depends on how **** and finicky I get in the process. If the process so far is any indicator, it'll be springtime, but as long as the weather doesn't get too cold this fall, I'll keep working on it.

Camaro, Nova, and RWD Corvette drivers should remember/note that besides from windows the most road noise heard inside is from the rear tires and comes in through the wheel houses.

I'd put Dynamat there if nowhere else.

I'm going to work on that today, but I'm running low on Dynamat. I ordered another box today from Summit, so I should have plenty to finish the job. I'm trying to decide on whether to try putting the Dynamat on the inside surface of the quarters against to outer skin, but it may be a real challenge working through the holes in the inner walls. I'll give it a try, but if it's too difficult, I'll just put it on the inside, under the interior panels. I'm going to do the bulkhead behind the rear seat, the package tray, and am considering doing the trunk also, although I want to put a mat/carpet back there and maybe that would help some. Maybe just covering the wheel houses in the trunk would be sufficient.
I found the Summit receipt in one of the two boxes I have had since 2013, for $139.00 per box of nine sheets. The box I just ordered was $229.00 per box. Talk about inflation!

My 5 year project

Oh yeah, an LS conversion! I considered that, but decided to stick with a small block though, so the original 350 could be stuck back in with little work. My 434 should be exciting enough for me. Isee tubular control arrms, what else did you put on the front suspension?
I see the subframe is silver, what color is the car going to be? What year?
5 years? Better toss out those cancer sticks laying on the frame rail!

Time to head down to the shop, lots of work to be done!

 

[Darth_DMack]

Great thread!!!

I have a 1972 two door Nova that I bought when I was 14 years old (I'm 54 now) and I still have it. It is a true SS, got it in Texas. It's a 350 car, had high back bucket seats, in dash tach, auto (with the four gauge cluster and T Handled shifter on the transmission tunnel) and factory radio delete. Pretty good find, back then.

I still have the car, but it has a 406cid small block that my brother and I built. Dart block, Callies Crank, Scat H beam rods, Ross forged flat top pistons, Air Flow Research 220 heads, fully ported and angle milled to 58cc combustion chambers. T&D Shaft Rockers, Engle roller cam, single dominator carb, MSD ignition, TH400 trans with an 8" Coan converter (5800 stall), now has a Mosier 9 inch, Spool, 4.33 gears with 4 link rear suspension. We cut the floor pan and tied the front / rear subframes together, full cage with the down bars going through the rear package tray. It's been mini tubbed, but we did it with a plasma cutter, and retained the factory trunk hanger... it has an 8 gallon fuel cell in it now, but it's all metal except for the hood. Factory glass, and rear seat is still intact. Even the horn works!

29x10.5x15 slicks with skinnies up front.

The car is consistent at low 10's at around 128 mph off the foot brake through the 1/4 mile.

We are talking about doing a full resto-mod, and going to a pump gas big block. It is a true SS, but they stopped putting the 396 in them in 1970.

Your Nova is going to be amazing when done. Definitely giving me some ideas... I will post a few pictures when I get home. My car hooks up really well, pulls the front tires off the foot brake. Runs straight as an arrow, and is very consistent in the brackets.

 

[BravoXray]

I used up the last of the Dynamat today doing the passenger side wheelhouse and quarter area. I decided to just put the mat on the inside surface of the area rather than try to install it onto the inside of the quarter panel. I won't have the new supply until Monday or so, which is a good thing as it will let my thumb heal up from the pretty bad cut from the Stanley knife when I was cutting up one of the pieces of Dynamat. I was using a metal yard stick as a guide, and the knife jumped up on the top of the yard stick and into the side of my right thumb. Bled like a stuck hog until I got it wrapped with electrical tape, an essential supply in a mechanic's first aid kit.
Brian was away for the week end, so he picked up the ash tray and glove box lid to repaint them this week. I ordered some more of the SEM Hot Rod black, and he's going to repaint the steering column and a few other parts that don't match.
I've been trying to decide on the carpet color for a couple of weeks, and though most people would go with black to match the rest of the interior, I think I'm going to go with silver carpet. It should lighten up the interior and coordinate with the silver paint.
What do you think?

Tomorrow, I think I'm going to get the fuel pump assembled and installed in the tank, then get the tank hung on the car. Hopefully.

 

[BravoXray]

I unboxed the new tank this afternoon, it looks really nice. I also assembled the in-tank fuel pump and fuel level sending unit. Installed both in the tank and connected the tank and fuel pump vents to the Y that was supplied. I didn't have enough small hose clamps, so I had to make a run to NAPA to pick up a box of them. I installed the clamps on the Y hoses, but until I get the tank in the car, I'm not sure just how I'm going to run the lines. The vent line has to go up in the differential well and has a roll over valve that will prevent fuel leaking in the case the car is rolled over. I hope that's never used!
I laid the new SS fuel line in place and found a couple of the clips that hold it to the rear frame rail, but I can't fine the little plate that attaches to the frame rail behind the axle and secures the end of the line where the hose from the tank outlet attaches. I'll look some more tomorrow for it, if not, I can easily fab one up out of some 1/8" X 1" flat stock I also have to get the fuel filter mounted in that area between the tank and fuel line. There are a couple of holes that were used to mount the Holley external pump, and I think I can fab up a bracket and use those holes.
I found the insulation straps that go between the body and the tank and straps to keep them from rubbing or corroding the tank, but they're really cheap, thin material, and I don't think I'm going to use them. I have some material used on Peterbilt tanks and straps that is much better, so I think I'll use that.
I didn't get the tank installed yet because I want to give the underbody a coat of undercoating first, but that entails masking off most of the body so it doesn't get on the paint. I may test assemble everything first and then apply the undercoating.

Jeez, tomorrow's Wednesday already!

 

[BravoXray]

Laid he new SS fuel line in place and spent an hour bending and tweaking it into the right position. I had a couple of new bends that were made during shipping that needed to be straightened out. Secured it with three factory style clamps to hold it in place.
Put the gas tank in place to check for line routing, I'm going to use the stainless braided PTFE line to connect to the rigid line that runs to the front. Also made a bracket for the fuel filter and one to support the end of the fuel line. Going to have to order some fittings to get it all hooked up, I only had a couple left from installing a Fi-Tech EFI on Brian's 440 Charger. Plenty of hose left though.
Sure is great to have the body on a rotisserie so I can position it any way that makes the task easier.

 

[BleedingOrange]

Excellent work, as usual. Out of curiosity, what trade were you in for your working career ? I really admire your attention to detail.

 

[BravoXray]

Excellent work, as usual. Out of curiosity, what trade were you in for your working career ? I really admire your attention to detail.

Thanks for the praise, I appreciate it.

I went to Purdue for aviation electronics technology, was going to work in the aerospace industry, but when NASA ended the space program that job fell through. So in 1970 I went to work as a dozer and earth mover operator in my father's heavy construction business, but in 1973 we got into the trucking business, eventually operating a fleet of 14 semi-dump units. I drove on and off, but mostly worked in the shop maintaining the trucks and dump trailers. I did all the electrical repair and installation on them, which was a constant problem up here in the rust belt. As they all were Detroit Diesel powered, I became an expert on maintaining, tuning and overhauling Detroits. During that time I acquired three Peterbilt cabovers and flatbed trailers hauling general flatbed freight and some prefab building panels for a local company. Since they were all CAT powered, I learned a lot about them by maintaining them also. In 1981, I went to work for a local freight broker and worked for him until he decided to get out of it in 1993. I took over the brokerage and kept my trucks running doing all but a little work on them myself. I finally sold the trucks and trailers in 2019, closed the brokerage and retired. I don't miss the transportation business even a little bit, it had become so competitive and regulated, especially with the ELD (Electronic Logbooks) mandate, that it was no longer enjoyable.
As far as my attention to detail, I just enjoy doing something right, so it doesn't have to be done again later. Maybe, like I have commented before, I have OCD, or even as a friend told his mother that he thinks I'm on the autism spectrum. I can't count the number of times I have gone back and redid something that after I was done, just didn't suit me. I don't know, that's just the
way I am, and at 73, I don't think I'm going to change.

Edit: I just went back and corrected the spelling and
punctuation errors in my previous post. Missed them the first time.

 

[BleedingOrange]

Awesome, I was guessing Aviation. I,m kinda the same way. All my vehicles, all 5 of them are spotless, and stay spotless, as much as possible. I,m 73 as well, and really enjoy any motorized stuff, as long as it it ICE. Have putted around a few electric golf carts, but prefer ICE in boats, cars, trucks, and tractors.

 

[BravoXray]

Awesome, I was guessing Aviation. I,m kinda the same way. All my vehicles, all 5 of them are spotless, and stay spotless, as much as possible. I,m 73 as well, and really enjoy any motorized stuff, as long as it it ICE. Have putted around a few electric golf carts, but prefer ICE in boats, cars, trucks, and tractors.

I didn't mention that I'm a pilot and bought a 1963 Cessna 172D in 1992. It was pretty sad looking, so I had it painted, then a couple of years later gutted and replaced all the interior, the instrument panel and all the avionics. That made it a really nice plane to fly trips in.
Then in 2001 I sold the 172 and bought a 1960 Beechcraft Debonair that was in similar need of restoration. Did the same thing to it, had it repainted, gutted and replaced the interior, panel and avionics. Then in 2005 I replaced the tired Continental IO-470J with an IO-520BB and a McCauley 206 three bladed prop. With 285 hp, it was like flying a completely new airplane. It would cruise at 160 kts at 8-9000 feet on 13 gph.
A friend, who has built and rebuilt several planes in the last 60 years looked at the Deb when I had the panel torn out and said "If you die, they'll have to scrap this plane."