help motivate me!......moth balled 71 nova

[jasonsnova]

OK guys been a long time since ive posted here I've been thinking lately of digging my nova out of the cellar and starting back up on it....so far just a thought tho....lol. little back ground some of you may remember it...maybe not anyway I've owned the car since I was 15(38 now) and last time I drove it was 09. It was all stock suspension 355/t56 6 speed 12 bolt. Last time I worked on it I got as far as selling the 355 and 12 bolt I then built a 9" rear strange axles/center section/deposit trutrac and Wildwood disk brakes, then I got a lq4 lower end added ls3 heads Texas speed cam and .vic Jr intake (carb) and the corvette accessories, dynamic headers and 3" exhaust. Etc I basically have all need ed parts to complete ls swap. I got the motor set in car with the nose off and interior out .....and that is how it has been sitting since Winter of 2010
Part of my problem is I deal with cars all day. In 2010 I bought out my father from the family business of auto body/ mechanical and towing so I've been preoccupied with that but am now starting to get the itch again to get the nova out...
So here's how she looked before I took it apart
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/02/nova00021-1.jpg (http://s78.photobucket.com/user/deerslyr1/media/nova0002-1.jpg.html)

here's the link before install(still never been fired)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/ACCDRIVE3-1.jpg (http://s78.photobucket.com/user/deerslyr1/media/ACCDRIVE3.jpg.html)
So if I do this I'm gonna do it right just gotta make time and get my self motivated lol.
I'm thinking about giving my self a budget of 10k and that will have to cover suspension, mini tubs, wheels, wilwood front brakes and a hydro boost set up....think that's doable? I've been out of the hot rod stuff for a few years and I've seen/noticed a few vendors on here have come and gone.....so come on help motivate me help me work out a parts list....:)

[silvermonte]

10k seems like alot but if you dont plan everything out you will burn thru pretty quick. I think it can be done but you will have to pick and choose. I bought 17" rims for my s10 and didnt get anything fancy, add in the tires and you are creeping close to 2 grand,so right there is a 5th of your budget. Best advice I can give is to go out to your garage one day and make a list of the things that it NEEDS and the things you would like to update. Then take that list and look up prices and go from there. Little things that you dont think cost alot add up, an example that I found out was how much quality guages cost, sure they look pretty and stuff, but you can spend $600-$800 pretty easy just on them. So plan ahead and then pick from there.

[jasonsnova]

I here ya.....nice thing is car already has a lot done to it .....mostly needs suspension and wheels. My biggest problem is too many hobbies....offshore fishing, hunting, snowmobiling .....and of coarse work and 2 homes....uhg!

[srh3trinity]

What is your daily driver? If it is a mind numbing transportation appliance, that should give you a push.

[jasonsnova]

Well just went down into cellar and snapped a as is pic....here you go for reference lol https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/02/20140211_190423-1.jpg (http://s78.photobucket.com/user/deerslyr1/media/20140211_190423.jpg.html)

Pretty soon with all the dust I will be able to call/consider it a barn find.....lol

[dairdvl]

her is some motivation....
same boat as you. my nova was my first car that i bought when i was 16. been sittin for over 23 years since i got married. farted around a few years ago putting floor and trunk pans in but that was it. finally said it was time to work on it or get rid of it. i just wanted to get her back on the road but found pro-touring.com and my plans have changed drastically. have fun and keep us posted. check out my build link

when i first bought her
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/01/DSC01895-1.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/dairdvl/media/nova%20-old%20pics/DSC01895.jpg.html)

in primer now
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/01/IMG_2051-1.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/dairdvl/media/nova/IMG_2051.jpg.html)

[jasonsnova]

Nice project!
Funny I guy I know was just in said he bought a Camaro for his wife and he also has a nova same state ....A d offered to buy a bunch of the stock suspension , wheels and other oddball stuff I won't be using......got me thinking....

[Josh@Ridetech]

Very cool man, clean car! Pull that thing out of storage!

[srh3trinity]

That awesome carb'd LS motor should get you motivated. Half the battle is fought.

[jasonsnova]

What is your daily driver? If it is a mind numbing transportation appliance, that should give you a push.

daily driver is a 11' Toyota tundra
but sure would be nice to drive the nova to work in the summer ( again..)
ok so heres a im tryin to motivate my self parts list , feel free to add your 2 cents to my list.... and its not set in stone yet

ridetech level 1 suspension $3900
ridetech tru turn $650
ccp hyraboost system $750
willwood front brakes $1500??? guess....
dse mini tubs $399
dse weldin frame conectors $190
wheels $2200 ( total guess on $, but I really like the vn327 rally's in 18")
totals $9589
not totally sold on what suspension,ridetech, speed tech or alliston....but all are pretty close $$ wise and still not sure on front brakes , rears are already wildwood 12" discs...
input??

[bs46488]

I'd take a different approach if it was me....

I would get it back on the road and running before throwing $9589 worth of parts on it. It looks like you just have a couple hundred dollars worth of misc parts (fuel pumps, lines, fluids, etc) and a couple solid weekends of work. Given your background in the auto industry, you could easily have it running for summer cruising.

Sounds like its stored for the winter months, at which point you could easily do the Ridetech, hydraboost, brakes, and wheels.

Silvermonte is right, $10k seems like a lot buy it will go fast. I bought knock off Summit 17" wheels and tires and have about $2.5k. Sure the mini-tubs are only $399, but then you got prep and paint work to deal with, etc etc

[silvermonte]

Another pointer on the rims I forgot to mention. Decide what size tires you want. If you are going much larger then 275 or 295 then you will want to pony up some extra coin and make the jump to 18" rims as the tire selection for anything wider then that size is pretty limited in a 17" size. I got 17s and now wish I had spent the money for 18s. BFG is a sponser of alot of events but they dont really make anything in a wider size and it kinda sucks knowing you are not eligible for any door prizes because of your rim size.

[jasonsnova]

I'd take a different approach if it was me....

I would get it back on the road and running before throwing $9589 worth of parts on it. It looks like you just have a couple hundred dollars worth of misc parts (fuel pumps, lines, fluids, etc) and a couple solid weekends of work. Given your background in the auto industry, you could easily have it running for summer cruising.

Sounds like its stored for the winter months, at which point you could easily do the Ridetech, hydraboost, brakes, and wheels.

Silvermonte is right, $10k seems like a lot buy it will go fast. I bought knock off Summit 17" wheels and tires and have about $2.5k. Sure the mini-tubs are only $399, but then you got prep and paint work to deal with, etc etc

Ya I could actually have car up in running in a day or 2.....I have all the needed parts for to complete the ls swap....but if I do it I kinda want to take it all back apart.....The paint and prep work for mini tubs is no thing being that I own a body shop.
2 hurdles I need to cross is get rid of the 69 gto we just painted and finish up a 63 Buick so I can have room ! Lol

[MrQuick]

maybe this will work?

[71RS/SS396]

I don't see a fuel tank listed. I no nothing about that vintage of Nova but don't you need the narrowed tank once you mini tub?

[jasonsnova]

I may be wrong but I belive u only need to narrow tank if you move springs in board like the dse kit....I don't think it's needed with a 4 link set up....
Nice clean novas Mr quick!

[sixgunsuperman99]

Ya I could actually have car up in running in a day or 2.....I have all the needed parts for to complete the ls swap....but if I do it I kinda want to take it all back apart.....The paint and prep work for mini tubs is no thing being that I own a body shop.
2 hurdles I need to cross is get rid of the 69 gto we just painted and finish up a 63 Buick so I can have room ! Lol

If you're that close, put it back together and get it driving again for the summer! Then you can enjoy it (there's your motivation!) while you take your time to get a build plan together and hopefully find a few other owners that have done what you're thinking about, and you can hopefully bum a ride while you pick their brains.

If you never get to drive it, all it is is work with no reward!