What year/generation Nova are you swapping anyway? A 3rd gen will take truck accessories with a car intake just fine or you can use Gen 5 Camaro or a hybrid of accessories and/or spacers depending on what you want to accomplish. I am using the LY6 AC compressor and alternator with the gen 5 camaro waterpump and power steering and 4th gen F-body alternator bracket, but I also did a bit of work to make that all fit

 

VVT is like any other new technology just like anything else. I kept it in my 71 chevelle swap and it works great. There's a reason almost every modern engine runs it. BMW, Ford, Mopar etc. Just like electronic ignition, then EFI. People are afraid of what they don't understand. Kind of like slapping a carb on a modern engine just because of fear of the unknown.

DOD I can understand has its limits.

I'll update my dyno numbers once I get bigger injectors in my L92. Made 440rwhp with a small comp vvt cam, TSP heads and headers. That's cutting the pull short because injectors were at 95% at 5800rpm on the mustang dyno. Hate playing the numbers game but these are decent numbers for basically little more than a cam swap with sweet drivability.