It seems I was putting to much info on this one specific car in my Autography thread, so I am starting a progress thread just for the Nova.

 

Well...so far this is all fail. Start the thread when you have progress to show!

 

Post up all of your pics!
What are you going to do with the car once you're done working on it? Is this a restoration or just a fun hot rodding project?

 

 

Please welcome Number 38 and my return to muscle cars. This is a 69 Nova Yenko SS tribute. I picked her up at the end of September (2010) from IL, and had it shipped in. I wanted to get back in to muscle cars again, but wanted something close to turn key. The car has been rotisserie restored within the last two years including a complete rebuild of the drive line; and includes:


Drive line:

• <LI itxtvisited="1">1970 Chevy LT1 350 Bored .030 Over (355 cu. in.)<LI itxtvisited="1">Pete Jackson Gear Drive<LI itxtvisited="1">Edelbrock RPM Airgap Intake Manifold <LI itxtvisited="1">.202 heads<LI itxtvisited="1">Holley 700 CFM Double Pump Carb <LI itxtvisited="1">570 Lift Cam <LI itxtvisited="1">HEI Ignition With Curve Kit <LI itxtvisited="1">Headers with 2-1/2" full exhaust<LI itxtvisited="1">Flowmaster 40 mufflers <LI itxtvisited="1">Turbo 350 With shift kit<LI itxtvisited="1">2800 rpm stall speed converter <LI itxtvisited="1">B&M Megashifter
• 355 12 Bolt true posi rear

Body:

• All original body with no almost no filler.
• 87,000 original miles
• Solid trunk and floor boards
• Sub frame connectors

Interior

• New carpets
• perfect headliner, door panels and rear dash
• Original dash panel
• Front split bench needs recovering

 

For the impatient ones, these are the pics from the original listing:



















Buying a car 1000 miles away, you always worry that it won't be what you expected when it arrives...

 

When it arrived, it was pretty much as shown, but there seemed to be a bit less blue in the paint color. It is the factory forest green or a metallic silver base coat.
The interior pic sent didn't show any of the tears in the front seat, but the previous owner told me all about it before the sale went through.

Some video of the delivery:





or not? i still cant get the videos to come up, but you can click on the red x's.

 

Seriously though NJ, car looks good.









Terry

 

Love it! I'm a sucker for anything early 70's muslce car, the Nova being no exception. I worked with a guy when I was a kid that had a '71 Nova. Cool little car.

 

Thanks Terry, can I get a little help with the videos?

 

Why the gear drive? Curious.

Oh, and subframe connectors FTW.

 

Now for some real pics:

1. Taking her off the delivery truck:

Complete with the old school "Mr. Gasket" diff cover. Hard to see here:

 

Straight gears instead of a timing chain. No chance of snapping a chain and it makes her sound like she's blown.

 

She needed a good cleaning once off of the truck:

Before




After:

 

subbed!!!

 

Color matched rims

 

Body Shots:

 

Videos?

OK, I'll try. I'm and idiot when it comes to stuff like this however.







Terry

 

First Step:
Remove and replace drivers armrest. Purchased from PUI, and installed Nov 1st. No pics...not pic worthy.

Step 2:
Recover drivers seat. Really the worst part of the car and one of the only things not replaced. Now that I've bought the replacement cover, I understand why.

 

In post #7 I put up links, but they're showing as red x's. Civicdriver tried to help me on my other thread, but I still can get it right.

 

One piece of the new cover with the original: The pic looks way off, but it is pretty much spot on. This is what comes with a bad camera.

 

I'll take a look. To me they're just green boxes with question marks.





Terry

 

Yes, indeed. I guess I'm asking because timing chains on SBCs are pretty stout and gear drives are typically reserved for racing engines. They sure put out that wild noise though! Fun.

 

I love me the sound of some timing gears and a big cam!

 

She may hit the track every now and again I wouldn't classify it as a race car, but the previous owners rwhp estimate is 400. I think he's a bit shy, but the posi does break loose on a roll when punched. If I had to guess my 0-60 I would say mid to high 4's .

Can't wait to get her on a dyno.

 

A little rumble

 

And now a new Yenko badge...




The original Yenko badge was put on the rear trim next to the SS badge. They actually moved the SS emblem over 3 inches and sat the Yenko badge next to it. I don't like the look and put it on the opposite side of the trunk from the Nova emblem.

Hey, it's a tribute...I'd rather it look good than correct

 

Respectfully NJ, I think 400 horsepower with the modifications listed may be optimistic. The components listed are for a very good drivable street motor, but I think it would probably be less than what's quoted. Without knowing if anything else was done to the engine, however, it's hard to determine an exact figure.




Terry

 

That engine would look sweet with the headers wrapped. Is the exhaust H or X-piped?

 

Said in my best Marisa Tomei voice....
"But Terry, what you didn't see is that the 1970 LT1 engine, is a factory stock 350 hp rated (actually 370 bhp) high compression engine. With the alternate heads, hotter spark, Holley 700 and Edlebrock...plus the 570 cam it's certainly possible to attain the aforementioned hp rating"

Not sure, but that's one of the next things in line. Either a wrap, or replace with coated headers.

 

Please don't get me wrong NJ, I'm certainly not knocking your engine. I love the sb Chevrolet. Keep in mind, the horsepower ratings you quoted above are in gross, rather than net. The horsepower to the rear wheels as you stated earlier would certainly be calculated net horsepower rather than gross. Most, but all Chevrolet engines, before 1972 were measured in gross horsepower. After that, and continuing today, horsepower is more precisely measured in net. The rating from gross to net horsepower of the LT-1 was measured to be 255 horsepower in 1972.

Engine building is a very precise method, and normally aspirated engines often require everything to be matched and working as a complete package. Some of the older stuff often sacrificing torque for horsepower or vice versa, it is at times a challenge to find a workable setup.

 

Ok, here's some good Internet plagiarism on the 1970 LT1 currently residing under my hood.
1970 350 LT-1 was 11:1 and used the "30-30 Duntov" cam. 360 in a camaro 370 in a vette. (better exhaust manifolds)
1971 was the same motor but with 76cc open chamber (first smoggers) heads and 9:1 cr. and 330 gross HP rating.
Also got the revised LT1 "178" cam with 10deg less intake duration and wider 116 LSA. For better low end torque with the reduced cr and better idle in gear with an auto trans.
1972 same motor as 71 with 9:1 but with a new "Net Hp" rating 255HP

73 no more LT1 No more solid lifter cam No more hi rise intake and holley carb.
Best motor you could get in a Vette or Camaro was the neutered L-82 350 245 net HP

70-71-72 the car (Camaro) was RPO Z28. The motor was RPO LT1.

A 350 LT-1 built to spec with the good 64cc 2.02 valve heads, intake and 750 holley and revised LT-1 "178" cam and modified with flat top pistons instead of domed pistons for a 9.8-10:1 cr for pump gas, headers and bit of head porting clean up will run low 12sec quarter mile times with 4.10's or 4.56 gears and a 4 speed and sticky tires in a Vette or Camaro.
A auto trans would be happy with a 3500-4000 stall converter behind this motor.
The origional 1970 spec 11:1 cr is bit much for todays pump gas."

I know it's not a Hemi, but the high compression engine used in the 70 had real potential. The best bet will be just throwing her on a dyno after I get her tuned properly. I actually plan on trailering her over the northern border to a friends operation that builds race cats this spring. I want to get her running clean and tuned for bear before I hit E-Shift's dyno. I didnt take the gross hp in to consideration and that certainly makes a difference.

 

And this is a bad thing? Many of the Chrysler guys prefer the 440 V-code. A good friend has both the V and the 426. On the street, the 440 pulls on it and keeps it.




Terry

 

Awesome! Subscribed, as well.

 

You know why the "Nova" never sold well in the spanish speaking countries, right?

 

Nice!

 

No va means 'doesn't go' in Spanish.

 

 

Next is the two additional badges and the beggining of installing the rear diff cover.








Off to Advance to pick up some Permatex black and finish the cover tomorrow.

Next are some weld on exhaust tips. Nothing flashy, just pencils to clean up what shows and bring some more contrast in to the back of the car.

 

looking good.. i love classic american muscle...