Restarting My '70 Nova Project

   / Restarting My '70 Nova Project #111  
Before you removed the hood, did you adjust the front up to match the top of the fenders? (Flush at front and probably back only) If so and it gave the appearance that the hood was bowed, being higher than the fenders in the center only? Sometimes old and non lubricated hinges will cause the hood to bow when forced to close. If it has bowed slightly, the hood would also pull back from the very front of the fenders. I hope I’m explaining in an understandable way. I just thought I would throw it out there as I have seen a bent hood from rusty hinges before. Could the hood have a tweek in it from a previous fender bender? Body alignment can be so frustrating...

by the way, the seat mounts look great! Looks like factory. I was hoping to see your jig for holding them straight during welding. (y)
 
   / Restarting My '70 Nova Project #112  
This is what you might want and could use, and IMO with a few alignment/witness marks sharpied-on before going in might help make the fender saleable if not usable. With a tad of practice/skill one can easily remove spot welds without drilling through both components. Grind the remainder of whichever side flush and puddle-weld once in position, either from pics shown or tacked while in situ, perhaps your way to a decent fit.


btw, IMO w/o the engine cradle (AKA sub-frame) to also check/align to any front clip fit can be a guess. 'Loose-assemble' as many things you can 'qualify' (AKA 'locate') to help get the other bits in line.
 
   / Restarting My '70 Nova Project
  • Thread Starter
#113  
Before you removed the hood, did you adjust the front up to match the top of the fenders? (Flush at front and probably back only) If so and it gave the appearance that the hood was bowed, being higher than the fenders in the center only? Sometimes old and non lubricated hinges will cause the hood to bow when forced to close. If it has bowed slightly, the hood would also pull back from the very front of the fenders. I hope I’m explaining in an understandable way. I just thought I would throw it out there as I have seen a bent hood from rusty hinges before. Could the hood have a tweek in it from a previous fender bender? Body alignment can be so frustrating...

by the way, the seat mounts look great! Looks like factory. I was hoping to see your jig for holding them straight during welding. (y)
Yes, before I took the hood off a friend and I spent quite a while adjusting and tweaking the hood and fender to try and get a good fit, but the fender's dimension from the firewall mount to the front edge next to the hood is 1/4" - 3/8" longer than the right fender, and the original fender. The fender shell is not only attached too high on the mounting reinforcements, but also shifted forward too far. I figured this out by comparing the amount of metal that is folded over and spot welded to the rear vertical reinforcement piece at the rear edge where it meets the door, with the amount on the other fenders. Again, its about 1/4" to 3/8" less than the others.
The hinges were lubed and work very freely, so they aren't a contributing factor, and the hood is new. It fits well back at the cowl, and has a consistent gap of 1/8" or so from the front to rear on both sides, so that isn't a factor. There is a slight bit of excess bow in the hood about a third of the way back, maybe 3/32" or so, but that isn't nearly enough to cause the amount misalignment present at the front, and it's the same on both sides.
The first image in post #104 shows the jig for positioning the seat mounts.
Thanks for your suggestions.
 
   / Restarting My '70 Nova Project
  • Thread Starter
#114  
This is what you might want and could use, and IMO with a few alignment/witness marks sharpied-on before going in might help make the fender saleable if not usable. With a tad of practice/skill one can easily remove spot welds without drilling through both components. Grind the remainder of whichever side flush and puddle-weld once in position, either from pics shown or tacked while in situ, perhaps your way to a decent fit.


btw, IMO w/o the engine cradle (AKA sub-frame) to also check/align to any front clip fit can be a guess. 'Loose-assemble' as many things you can 'qualify' (AKA 'locate') to help get the other bits in line.
I have a spot weld cutter like you suggested. I used it a few times over the years, and if used carefully, works pretty well. Yes, if using the removed piece again, you have to grind the remaining spot weld flush to get a good fit. I usually give it a coat of weld-through primer before plug welding the parts back together.

The fact is though, that it would be a large amount of work to completely disassemble the fender and supporting pieces and then weld it all back together again. Especially problematic is the rear edge next to the door where the skin is wrapped around the internal support, crimped, then welded again. Even then, the curve at the front next to the hood is wrong and would have to be cut apart and reshaped. I just don't feel like tackling that much work is worth my time and effort.

The subframe is bolted up in the proper position with new mounts, and was located using the alignment holes and 5/8" pins in the forward subframe mounts and the body mounts as spelled out in the assembly manual. Misalignment of the subframe will have more of an effect on the proper wheel alignment with respect to the rear axle than with the alignment of the fenders, because of the large holes at the front where radiator support sits on the subframe. The holes are ~1" and the bolts are 1/2", so there is plenty of tolerance at that point. The radiator support is new also, and when I compared it with the old one, other than it not being bent near the left headlight mount, it is nearly identical. It sets just where it should for the fenders to attach at the front.

At this point, I decided to order a pair of new fenders from a dealer that guarantees their fenders will fit and are very good quality, for only $50 more a piece than regular stock fenders. They expect them to be in stock in mid-November, so I'll have some time to work on other parts of the project like the seats and a few other items.
Near the top of the list is to drag out the engine I built up to put in it and get it fired up for the first time. It's a 434 cu.in. SBC stroker motor, built on a four bolt 400 cu.in. Chevy truck block. I'm going to mate it with a TKO600 five speed with a .64 overdrive. That with the 3.55 rear gear will give me a 60mph cruise at about 1900 rpm.
The original numbers matching 350/300hp L48 engine and M21 Muncie transmission are overhauled and pickled for storage.

Thanks for your suggestions.
 

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   / Restarting My '70 Nova Project #115  
Near the top of the list is to drag out the engine I built up to put in it and get it fired up for the first time. It's a 434 cu.in. SBC stroker motor, built on a four bolt 400 cu.in. Chevy truck block. I'm going to mate it with a TKO600 five speed with a .64 overdrive. That with the 3.55 rear gear will give me a 60mph cruise at about 1900 rpm.
The original numbers matching 350/300hp L48 engine and M21 Muncie transmission are overhauled and pickled for storage.

Thanks for your suggestions.
Very nice looking SBC. I also converted to the serpentine belt.
I would love to have a TKO! (y)
 
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   / Restarting My '70 Nova Project #116  
My god, that is a GOOD LOOKING engine !!!! Belongs on a calendar. Very nice work !!
 
   / Restarting My '70 Nova Project #117  
I am checking back a few hours later .... Did I mention that is a GOOD LOOKING engine? Absolute beauty !!
 
   / Restarting My '70 Nova Project
  • Thread Starter
#118  
I am checking back a few hours later .... Did I mention that is a GOOD LOOKING engine? Absolute beauty !!
Thanks!
I hadn't built a small block engine since I built a 302 Z-28 clone back in the '70s, so I kind of went crazy.

I'll have to post a link to a video when I get it fired up on the stand.
Should be kinda of lopey, I put in a hydraulic version of the old 327/350hp cam.
I pulled it out from the cranny where it's stored, and barred it over a couple of turns today. First time in a year or so. Gonna pull the plugs and quirt a little oil in the cylinders before I start it up.
 

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   / Restarting My '70 Nova Project #119  
OEM #3863151 cam? What a great choice for the 'package'. (y) (really 'comes on' at >2500 rpm, just right with 3.55:1)

Sign in front of passenger seat: "Hands of the grab bar, you're tearing out the dash!"

btw, traction bars if not a 4-link for that much muscle and IMO frame connectors are a must.
 
 
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