72 nova build

[aidanfancystang]

So I guess I will start my thread on here about my 1972 nova, enough just reading about everyone's projects time to document mine.

I picked this up last year from a buddy, it already had the Blue print 496 crate engine and turbo 400 trans, the quarters were done awhile back but very poorly, and I have found a lot of filler throughout the car.

here it is 2 weeks ago before tear down after the last car show of the year.

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/burnout_zpsd5011212.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/burnout_zpsd5011212.jpg.html)
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/burnout2_zpsbd5c6325.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/burnout2_zpsbd5c6325.jpg.html)
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/nova_zps637a8664.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/nova_zps637a8664.jpg.html)

1 week later here she lies in pieces.

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/nova1_zps51ed7c2c.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/nova1_zps51ed7c2c.jpg.html)
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/nova2_zps557d6df8.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/nova2_zps557d6df8.jpg.html)

here is the old turbo 400 behind the mock up hollow 4L80e case

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/nova4_zps68bf2e7d.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/nova4_zps68bf2e7d.jpg.html)


and lastly the 496 out and getting ready to be painted and resealed.
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/nova5_zps41a0b2e6.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/nova5_zps41a0b2e6.jpg.html)

[tubbed69]

Thanks for starting your build thread,what's your plans for it and we need more pics,good luck with your build:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[214Chevy]

we need more pics

Uhhh....and bigger!! :twak:

[WSSix]

Welcome to the forum! What all do you have planned for the car?

[andrew5]

I like it!

[aidanfancystang]

sorry my computer crapped out while posting that yesterday, as for the car I am doing tubular upper and lower control arms Qa1 coil overs, Willwood discs up front with a Willwood master, the rear is going torque arm style and am thinking about going disc on the rear just haven't fully decided on that yet (probably will). for the interior I am putting in 05 Acura leather seats front and rear, custom door panels and 1 piece head liner. outside the car is going 2 tone orange on the bottom ( from the new challenger ) and mineral grey on top (from the c5 vette line up). Wheels and tires have yet to be determined. I know the rear will be a 295 wide but that's as far as I have determined for now.

[aidanfancystang]

Forgot to mention, I am leaving the 496 alone just painting it and resealing it and will be running a 4L80E behind it. not sure about gears yet as they need to be changed ,its running a 2:73 gear right now.

[Sieg]

Welcome!

Sounds like a very good plan. :thumbsup:

Spend a fair amount of time assessing the majority of you driving time and get that rear end ratio right! It's the difference between a constant annoyance and always enjoyable.

You should be able to find a ratio calculator for the 4L80E that will let you play with tire diameter, RPM, and rear end ratio.

[aidanfancystang]

so I have the casting burrs on the block all smoothed and the block is just about ready for prime then paint, I am using a limco single stage on the block can anyone recomend a good primer for painting an engine block?

also my compressor died last night so progress may be a little slower till I can replace it.

[aidanfancystang]

I now have the block and tranny painted in steelmist metalic which will also be the top body color.
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/engine_zps985c0621.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/engine_zps985c0621.jpg.html)
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/trans_zpsd811d479.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/trans_zpsd811d479.jpg.html)

[aidanfancystang]

okay does anyone know how I can make the pics bigger? these are on photobucket.

[sebtarta]

okay does anyone know how I can make the pics bigger? these are on photobucket.

Make sure your "custom upload size" is set correctly. Top right, go to your account settings, scroll down to Upload Options. Change that to 1024x768 click on save and done.

[aidanfancystang]

I have been making slow progress on the car but nothing too note worthy just rust repair, but I do want to post something cool that happened, I won the ridetech shocks contest and got front shocks for my sons 72 ventura build, so he is very happy and motivated to get going on his car now.

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/shocks2_zps1f81cb7c.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/shocks2_zps1f81cb7c.jpg.html)

[frojoe]

What are these... pictures for ants?!!?

Haha just kidding.

Want my Speedtech tubular UCA's/LCA's? I'm looking to get hi-clearance ones.

Oh and PS.. I'm a fan of the color scheme!

[SAFASTRO]

Twins! Too funny.

Congrats on the Ridetech contest win!

[aidanfancystang]

well this is turning into rust monkey more then thunder monkey, found more rust last night along the whole bottom of the door, it was just packed with filler. at this point it looks like I will be replacing almost all the lower sheet metal on a car that was supposed to have been repaired already. all this gets in the way of the fun stuff but I thought I would at least post up some progress (or lack there of)

[clay69camaro]

Souds like some good progress, eliminating the bad is always good

[aidanfancystang]

Again not much progress, trying to get time to work on this car is like pulling teeth, I have 1 mini tub done and started on the other one last night nothing special just home built tubs, when I have them all cleaned up I will post some pics.

[Justin@EntropyRad]

Killer Nova...are those Axis wheels on it?

[aidanfancystang]

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj21/aidanliam/20150824_182547_zpstobxg9ty.jpg (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/aidanliam/media/20150824_182547_zpstobxg9ty.jpg.html)

time to start cleaning!

[aidanfancystang]

Wow haven't posted in a while. Some things have been done. The mini tubs is finished the sub frames is back in and the paint stripped and body work started. I have the 9" cut down and the torque arm install started. I am hoping to get the power train back in soon as well.

[aidanfancystang]

Haha i thought the pics loaded, here they are

[aidanfancystang]

so I got the nova up and running and was trying to get the mechanical all finished up when my body guy said he had room and to get it to him quick, so its now in paint jail and i am left twiddling my thumbs, i have a couple of pics i will upload when i get a chance but i am not one for taking pictures so i don't have a lot. I need to be better at documenting things:lmao:

[aidanfancystang]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180213/9d6a18134a50f152b8fc825d3fd35dd1.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180213/19673ea80f26ccf36f26648f25e79092.jpg


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[aidanfancystang]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180213/9411946c760a8596b167548423671b6c.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180213/e45fb29dc0217ff170d21d3647031739.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180213/6b287817e89e0724a00e19a9d079034a.jpg


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[WSSix]

Hope it's not there too long. Good luck. I'm glad to see progress being made.

[aidanfancystang]

Well I’m not as good at auto body as I thought. My painter is redoing all my work oupss. He has sent me a couple of pics. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180309/6a22fb14fa8c2e26b072714010dbfcc1.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180309/6a60351f008a371f63e2917c5625732d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180309/b75152b5c93140dcbfd97449b3ea8300.jpg


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[aidanfancystang]

She’s finally out of paint and looking sexyhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180902/c0766c151e53a248c7268bfe6274e340.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180902/f384697ed0cd4fd82c56982f37dc6a8e.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180902/43e5dcd7f06068c53628c5def2c9f24a.jpg


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[Zspoiler]

Its nice to see 68-74 Novas Pro-Toured.I had a 1973 Nova SS hatchback 4 speed car.Of which I was upgrading it to handle better.at the time

[Dave Pratt]

The car looks great.Really like the wheels/color you went with and the cowl hood looks mean.Looking forward to seeing this build complete...cheers

[syborg tt]

Love the color and I love that you kept the big block.


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[aidanfancystang]

Love the color and I love that you kept the big block.


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I had to keep the big block, just love the sound of it. I have a 6.0 ls and 4l60e trans but I just cant bring myself to make the change on this car.

[syborg tt]

I had to keep the big block, just love the sound of it. I have a 6.0 ls and 4l60e trans but I just cant bring myself to make the change on this car.

Save the LS for the future or another build.

[aidanfancystang]

well i found what im going to do with the 6.0 LOL, i bought a 99 chev quad cab dually with a blown motor 5 spd truck 2wd. will make a good hauler for the nova when its all done.:lol:

[aidanfancystang]

Well I got a little further ahead on this in the last few weeks. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190416/0bff764be499365486f9405325426209.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190416/cef95be9846008239597372c83adc156.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190416/bfd12f14991ce5ba83d52ce4ec33de4e.jpg


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[Goosesdad]

Nice!!!

[Roscoe03]

Your project has come a long ways. Looks great!

[aidanfancystang]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190528/9f59675d2300e1099ff87f3dd3bd80c8.jpg

Sorry it was getting dark out. But here’s the 496


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[syborg tt]

Looks great.

[aidanfancystang]

Well i took her out for the first drive, the transmission went out on her, made it down the block and lost all forward gears, had to back it all the way back into the garage.

[aidanfancystang]

Well this would explain the lack of movement https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190611/813ef23bb8383b58f6793e990d99b6db.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190611/a602c8d014d9857c0d3fc340bffe8cd6.jpg


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[waynieZ]

Ouch! That sucks. Sorry to hear this.

[aidanfancystang]

So I reinstalled the trans and she made it around the block!! twice!! yay, good day for me, but I have found out that I do not like the shifter I put in the car, so now I am looking for recommendations for a good one to use for a 4l80e, what are some of you guys using and what are the Pro's and Cons of them?

[syborg tt]

Well i took her out for the first drive, the transmission went out on her, made it down the block and lost all forward gears, had to back it all the way back into the garage.

That's not good

[pw2006]

I love your car! I bought my first car (71 Nova) when I was 13. I built a pretty sweet ride by the time I got my license. I’m still working on my 69 camaro with a 4L70e. Originally, I was going with a modified horseshoe shifter. But after getting my Fesler center console, i went with a Lokar electronic sport mode shifter (ESS64L60EFM). I don’t have it installed yet, but in my minds eye it is really cool. ;)

[CCS]

Nooo. Bad news.. Sorry about that. I hope you are nice.

[aidanfancystang]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191003/097bfeb77f5f306b5f3b6d265852ed5b.jpg



Got some miles on her now. Working well but I think I am going to put the ls in her Thai winter with a turbo set up. The big block drinks way to much and I want to be able to go on longer journeys with it.


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[WSSix]

Good luck with the swap if you go down that road. The car looks great. I'm glad you're able to get out and enjoy it.