That's a damn nice looking car, good luck with your build. Should be fun. 
I'll soon be joining the family...
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,378
Likes: 1
From: League City, TX
I'll soon be joining the family... I've been "shopping" for my first Pro-Touring project car for about a year now. Sunday I found a car at the Pomona Swap Meet that I couldn't pass up.
It's a rust free 1970 Nova with ~86,000 miles on the chassis.
Looks like the car has the original paint, exception being the areas that have been sanded off. The guy I bought it from had taken the paint off "to show that it was rust free car".
38 years old and no rust. Gotta love west coast cars!
The car was originally 6 cylinder 3 speed column shift car. Still has the dead pedal which should come in handy with my future plans.
Somewhere down the road a previous owner installed a fuel injected 4.3ltr V6 w/4L60. Not my choice for a swap, but certainly different.
I was told that the car had been sitting "for a while" but it ran good. So, to get it home I decided to "test" out how good it was. We loaded and drove the Nova 105+ miles to a friends house in San Diego. Even though the 4.3 wasn't singing to full song the car made the trip without issue.
Haven't laid out the exact plan yet, but the main idea centers around motivation from a LS motor w/T56 and a host of Pro Touring gear (brakes, suspension, etc).
For the short term. My buddy is going to throw some primer over the bald spots. Once that's done I will get the car home and start tinkering with it. Plan is to drive it while I collect parts. Should be fun!
Donations and sponsors welcome
It's a rust free 1970 Nova with ~86,000 miles on the chassis.
Looks like the car has the original paint, exception being the areas that have been sanded off. The guy I bought it from had taken the paint off "to show that it was rust free car".
38 years old and no rust. Gotta love west coast cars!
The car was originally 6 cylinder 3 speed column shift car. Still has the dead pedal which should come in handy with my future plans.
Somewhere down the road a previous owner installed a fuel injected 4.3ltr V6 w/4L60. Not my choice for a swap, but certainly different.
I was told that the car had been sitting "for a while" but it ran good. So, to get it home I decided to "test" out how good it was. We loaded and drove the Nova 105+ miles to a friends house in San Diego. Even though the 4.3 wasn't singing to full song the car made the trip without issue.
Haven't laid out the exact plan yet, but the main idea centers around motivation from a LS motor w/T56 and a host of Pro Touring gear (brakes, suspension, etc).
For the short term. My buddy is going to throw some primer over the bald spots. Once that's done I will get the car home and start tinkering with it. Plan is to drive it while I collect parts. Should be fun!
Donations and sponsors welcome
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,378
Likes: 1
From: League City, TX
Ummm, well that worked so good it almost didn't work at all! That pic is so small you can't see anything. Hmmm, try this. http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicl.../photo_10.html
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,378
Likes: 1
From: League City, TX
Parts I've collected in the last 2 weeks:
LS2 Long Block
LS2 Intake (Thanks Tony)
LS2/7 Throttle Body
LS2/7 Coil packs and plug wires
Complete T56 setup including Pro-50 shifter, clutch and hydraulics.
Just need to collect the rest of the small stuff for the motor. I'll probably order that today or first of next week
LS2 Long Block
LS2 Intake (Thanks Tony)
LS2/7 Throttle Body
LS2/7 Coil packs and plug wires
Complete T56 setup including Pro-50 shifter, clutch and hydraulics.
Just need to collect the rest of the small stuff for the motor. I'll probably order that today or first of next week
Ummm, well that worked so good it almost didn't work at all! That pic is so small you can't see anything. Hmmm, try this. http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicl.../photo_10.html
Where did you pickup those air inlet tubes from? Looks just about what I will need.
) but you might be able to still find them. They are off a Dodge Diplomat and other Chrysler cars that are that bodystyle, I got two of them at a pick-a-part for dirt cheap. If you go looking for them, you might not see them right away because only about an inch is visible in the car. They are IN the left front fender. They usually have a hose that hooks to them and to the air cleaner. They are plastic, and it's a snug fit to the maf sensor, but I put a hose clamp on them anyway. It's not real hi-tech, but it's functional. Hehehe, ok, are you ready for this? Keep in mind this swap was done almost 8 years ago, (and I'm cheap) but you might be able to still find them. They are off a Dodge Diplomat and other Chrysler cars that are that bodystyle, I got two of them at a pick-a-part for dirt cheap. If you go looking for them, you might not see them right away because only about an inch is visible in the car. They are IN the left front fender. They usually have a hose that hooks to them and to the air cleaner. They are plastic, and it's a snug fit to the maf sensor, but I put a hose clamp on them anyway. It's not real hi-tech, but it's functional.
) but you might be able to still find them. They are off a Dodge Diplomat and other Chrysler cars that are that bodystyle, I got two of them at a pick-a-part for dirt cheap. If you go looking for them, you might not see them right away because only about an inch is visible in the car. They are IN the left front fender. They usually have a hose that hooks to them and to the air cleaner. They are plastic, and it's a snug fit to the maf sensor, but I put a hose clamp on them anyway. It's not real hi-tech, but it's functional.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,378
Likes: 1
From: League City, TX
Found a surprise under the Nova.
Someone has installed a power rack. Don't recognize the kit.. might be something someone cooked up.
The "new" look
Black etch coat primer was sprayed to cover all the bald spots from previous owner. Not pretty, but MUCH better than bare metal.
3 point retractable seat belts install.
Got the car back from San Diego last weekend.
Had the windshield replaced and got all the DMV stuff done this past week.
This weekend I installed the 3 point seat belts, cleaned it up, did a tune up, and tinkered around with some of the small wiring gremlins.
The waiting parts list is growing. Picked up a subframe with DSE coil over conversion already done, along with the arms and Koni's.
Have the rest of the small engine parts on there way, just need to finalize my plans for the front accessories.
Someone has installed a power rack. Don't recognize the kit.. might be something someone cooked up.
The "new" look
Black etch coat primer was sprayed to cover all the bald spots from previous owner. Not pretty, but MUCH better than bare metal.
3 point retractable seat belts install.
Got the car back from San Diego last weekend.
Had the windshield replaced and got all the DMV stuff done this past week.
This weekend I installed the 3 point seat belts, cleaned it up, did a tune up, and tinkered around with some of the small wiring gremlins.
The waiting parts list is growing. Picked up a subframe with DSE coil over conversion already done, along with the arms and Koni's.
Have the rest of the small engine parts on there way, just need to finalize my plans for the front accessories.
love-it When you start with a nice car for a resto project, you will end up with a really nice car! I can't wait to see the progress. Shore wish rust wasn't an issue were i'm from.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,378
Likes: 1
From: League City, TX
Picked up some "new" shoes for the Nova today at the Long Beach swap meet. Got an killer deal on a set of Camaro SS wheels/tires & 2" adapters.
Threw them on the car for mock up. Tires are 245/45/17's.
2 of the rims came with 275/40 17 BFG drag radials. They fit in the back by a hair. With a lip roll they would have worked, but more than likely I'll just pick up another set of 245's and just run those on all the way around for now.
Threw them on the car for mock up. Tires are 245/45/17's.
2 of the rims came with 275/40 17 BFG drag radials. They fit in the back by a hair. With a lip roll they would have worked, but more than likely I'll just pick up another set of 245's and just run those on all the way around for now.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: El Paso, TX
Picked up some "new" shoes for the Nova today at the Long Beach swap meet. Got an killer deal on a set of Camaro SS wheels/tires & 2" adapters.
Threw them on the car for mock up. Tires are 245/45/17's.
2 of the rims came with 275/40 17 BFG drag radials. They fit in the back by a hair. With a lip roll they would have worked, but more than likely I'll just pick up another set of 245's and just run those on all the way around for now.
Threw them on the car for mock up. Tires are 245/45/17's.
2 of the rims came with 275/40 17 BFG drag radials. They fit in the back by a hair. With a lip roll they would have worked, but more than likely I'll just pick up another set of 245's and just run those on all the way around for now.
On The Tree
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Florida
How about a 4.2 out of a Trailblazer w/T56, now that would be a first for sure. Looks great and its nice to see another 3rd gen Nova gettin some attention. We're kinda out numbered around here, Camaro's get most of the swaps.