goeduck
Super Member
My hat is off to anyone that can restore an airplane !!!
Restarting My '70 Nova Project
- Thread starter BravoXray
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dodge man
Super Star Member
A Nova and an airplane. What other cool toys are you hiding from us?!
OP
BravoXray
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Well, I sold the Debonair two years ago, I was losing interest in it, and the last two years I owned it, I only flew it about a dozen hours. Like anything else, it's worse to let something set than to use it regularly. Besides that, when I turned 70, the insurance company doubled the insurance rate, even though I had never had a claim, kept my medical certificate current, did my bi-annual flight revues, and annual inspections on the plane. Those are a real joke, you have to tear the plane apart, look a bunch of stuff and put it back together again, even if it never even flew in that year. They do more damage in the process than it's worth. At $3K a pop, it just wasn't worth it any more.
No other toys, other than my BX2230 Kubota and my 430 Diesel JD LGT.
I think once I get the Nova done, I'm going the pull all the metal off the BX and get it repainted or powder coated like I did to the 430. It's 18 years old and could use a little freshening up.
There's always some new project to be found.
OP
BravoXray
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Actually, In the late 80s I bought a Flightstar Spyder ultralight plane. It had been sitting in a barn for a while and was in pretty sad shape. I bought it for a pretty reasonable price, took it apart, hauled it to my shop and spent six months rebuilding it. I replaced a few of the aluminum tubes, replaced almost every bolt on it, installed hydraulic brakes (the old ones were draqging your feet on the ground), installed new sails (wing and tail surface coverings) and replaced the Rotax 447 single carb engine with a low time Rotax 503 dual carb, dual ignition engine and a tuned exhaust system. That gave me another 15hp, which was really nice. I flew that thing a lot, and kept it at a rural grass strip where there were several other ultralights and we flew together a lot. I sold it in the early 90s, and in '97 I bought another Flightstar, a two seater model and went through the same process on that plane. I sold it a couple of years after I bought the Debonair.
Then there was my friend Wally's Cherokee, but that's another story.
The Flightstar Spyder, cool little plane.
The 2 seat Flightstar Experimental N2693A
Last edited:
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BravoXray
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Well, back to the main subject, the Nova.
Did a few odds and ends, made a bracket for the roll over vent valve, located all the anchors for the seat belt bolts and removed the sound deadener around them, applied silicone to the four covers for the floor drains and put them in place, built a harness for the fuel pump and sending unit, laid out the rear section of the brake line and massaged it into the correct shape.
Like I said before, I'm going to apply undercoating to the underbody, so I spent a while taping and masking off the area to keep any overspray off the paint. I have two cans of the POR15 undercoating, but according to what I could find out, each can only covers about six square feet, so it's going to take a total of eight cans to do the job. I have the other six cans on order, and they should be here on Thursday.
Once that is done, I can install the fuel tank, fuel lines, fuel filter, rear brake line, pinion snubber and axle bump stops.
I have to finish up applying the sound deadener on the wheel house, trunk partition and package tray, so I'll probably work on that tomorrow. Then I'll work on applying it to the insides of the doors.
I guess I could order the carpet, as it won't be too long before I'll be ready to put it in, along with the rear upholstery panels and package tray.
Making some progress.
Did a few odds and ends, made a bracket for the roll over vent valve, located all the anchors for the seat belt bolts and removed the sound deadener around them, applied silicone to the four covers for the floor drains and put them in place, built a harness for the fuel pump and sending unit, laid out the rear section of the brake line and massaged it into the correct shape.
Like I said before, I'm going to apply undercoating to the underbody, so I spent a while taping and masking off the area to keep any overspray off the paint. I have two cans of the POR15 undercoating, but according to what I could find out, each can only covers about six square feet, so it's going to take a total of eight cans to do the job. I have the other six cans on order, and they should be here on Thursday.
Once that is done, I can install the fuel tank, fuel lines, fuel filter, rear brake line, pinion snubber and axle bump stops.
I have to finish up applying the sound deadener on the wheel house, trunk partition and package tray, so I'll probably work on that tomorrow. Then I'll work on applying it to the insides of the doors.
I guess I could order the carpet, as it won't be too long before I'll be ready to put it in, along with the rear upholstery panels and package tray.
Making some progress.
goeduck
Super Member
My kitchen pots and pans are not that clean, and I do the dishes. Nice job! 
OP
BravoXray
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The six new cans of undercoating came via UPS today. Yesterday, I used up the two cans I had on hand, and once applied, it looked more like slightly thicker than normal black paint. I was able to cover all but about a foot of the underbody with the two cans, giving it a pretty liberal coat. Pulled out the new cans and started applying it, it was completely different, much thicker and making a pebbly surface. I used four cans to cover the whole underside, giving it a liberal coat, with an extra coat on each rear wheel well. Once dry, the surface looks like spray-in bed liner, less texture than while it was wet. Looks much more like real undercoating than the material from the other cans.
After an hour or so, I pulled off all the masking paper and tape, and only had one little stripe around the right rear wheel opening from a gap in the tape. A little naptha cleaned it right off.
I had gotten the new box of Dynamat, so I decided to finish up applying it to the interior. I covered the left wheelhouse, then the bulkhead behind the rear seat, and the package shelf. The new stuff doesn't have any shiny aluminum showing like the older (10 years older) product, which has the Dynamat logo in a matte black. The new material is the same thickness and the sheets are the same 18" X 32" size.
To cover the package shelf, I had to remove the speakers, then cut out the speaker openings and the access holes in the bulkhead to get access to reattach them. I'm thinking of making some thin metal covers to close off the openings, since they serve to defeat the purpose of the sound deadener, and put Dynamat on them too. I have some 18ga. or 20ga. sheet that should work fine for the purpose.
Now I can permanently mount the fuel tank and fuel line, then make up the harness to attach to it for pump power and fuel level signal.
Thank goodness it cooled off, much more enjoyable working in the shop when you're not sweating profusely.
After an hour or so, I pulled off all the masking paper and tape, and only had one little stripe around the right rear wheel opening from a gap in the tape. A little naptha cleaned it right off.
I had gotten the new box of Dynamat, so I decided to finish up applying it to the interior. I covered the left wheelhouse, then the bulkhead behind the rear seat, and the package shelf. The new stuff doesn't have any shiny aluminum showing like the older (10 years older) product, which has the Dynamat logo in a matte black. The new material is the same thickness and the sheets are the same 18" X 32" size.
To cover the package shelf, I had to remove the speakers, then cut out the speaker openings and the access holes in the bulkhead to get access to reattach them. I'm thinking of making some thin metal covers to close off the openings, since they serve to defeat the purpose of the sound deadener, and put Dynamat on them too. I have some 18ga. or 20ga. sheet that should work fine for the purpose.
Now I can permanently mount the fuel tank and fuel line, then make up the harness to attach to it for pump power and fuel level signal.
Thank goodness it cooled off, much more enjoyable working in the shop when you're not sweating profusely.
goeduck
Super Member
This is art we are witnessing, pure art.
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BravoXray
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- Kubota BX2230, John Deere 430 Diesel
I got the fuel tank and lines installed today, looks pretty good. I'm still cogitating on just how to run the wires though. Originally, the only wire, for the fuel gauge ran to the back by the filler neck and then on top of the tank to the sending unit. I'm thinking of a shorter route, going through the trunk floor in front of where the spare tire sits. That would save probably eight or 10 feet of wire, I just have to decide exactly on where to put the hole.
When I installed the headlight switch, I foolishly stuck the supplied shaft and knob in so I could operate it so I could test all the light circuits. I found the original knob and shaft, but with the switch installed, there was no way to get my hand in to push the little button to release the shaft. Sooo, fortunately the new knob was held on with a set screw, so I could remove it and use a deep socket to remove the nut holding the switch in. I got the switch fished out and removed the shaft, made sure the old one was the correct length, removed it and spent another 15 minutes getting it back into position, clocked correctly and getting the nut started into the switch. There is just no room to work in that corner of the dash.
I didn't get much else done, as three different friends stopped by, not all at the same time, to check on my progress, and shoot the bull, and that killed at least an hour and a half.
I can't believe it's Friday already.
When I installed the headlight switch, I foolishly stuck the supplied shaft and knob in so I could operate it so I could test all the light circuits. I found the original knob and shaft, but with the switch installed, there was no way to get my hand in to push the little button to release the shaft. Sooo, fortunately the new knob was held on with a set screw, so I could remove it and use a deep socket to remove the nut holding the switch in. I got the switch fished out and removed the shaft, made sure the old one was the correct length, removed it and spent another 15 minutes getting it back into position, clocked correctly and getting the nut started into the switch. There is just no room to work in that corner of the dash.
I didn't get much else done, as three different friends stopped by, not all at the same time, to check on my progress, and shoot the bull, and that killed at least an hour and a half.
I can't believe it's Friday already.
OP
BravoXray
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Had to mow the yard today, didn't want the yard police to hassle me. So, i Didn't get started on the Nova until after 4:00PM. I deided to address the rats nest of wiring in the trunk where the dome light wires, the trunk light and release wires, the fuel tank wires and the tail light wires all converge. Had to undo a few feet of tape I had wrapped the harness with to get the fuel tank wires separated out. Shortened a couple of wires were too long and then covered all the groups with braided sleeve to make it look better, and used a couple of loom clamps to hold them in place.
I finally decided where to drill a hole in the floor to run the wires to the fuel tank. I put it on the left side just inboard of the rear frame rail, dhould be pretty much out of the way there. I put a self sealing grommet in the hole and ran the cable through, cut everything to length and installed the 3 pin weather-pack connector. There was a 5/16" threaded hole close by so it used that to provide the ground for the pump and sending unit. I even gave it a spritz of undercoating to seal it up.
By the time I got that done and everything put away, it was after 7:00PM so I called it a night. I'll be back at it tomorrow afternoon.
Oh, I ordered the silver carpet from Rock Auto, it should be here on Tuesday. Going to be interesting to see how that looks. Good, I hope.
So, i Didn't get started on the Nova until after 4:00PM. I deided to address the rats nest of wiring in the trunk where the dome light wires, the trunk light and release wires, the fuel tank wires and the tail light wires all converge. Had to undo a few feet of tape I had wrapped the harness with to get the fuel tank wires separated out. Shortened a couple of wires were too long and then covered all the groups with braided sleeve to make it look better, and used a couple of loom clamps to hold them in place.I finally decided where to drill a hole in the floor to run the wires to the fuel tank. I put it on the left side just inboard of the rear frame rail, dhould be pretty much out of the way there. I put a self sealing grommet in the hole and ran the cable through, cut everything to length and installed the 3 pin weather-pack connector. There was a 5/16" threaded hole close by so it used that to provide the ground for the pump and sending unit. I even gave it a spritz of undercoating to seal it up.
By the time I got that done and everything put away, it was after 7:00PM so I called it a night. I'll be back at it tomorrow afternoon.
Oh, I ordered the silver carpet from Rock Auto, it should be here on Tuesday. Going to be interesting to see how that looks. Good, I hope.