Vintage T/A Themed Big Block Nova

[SoopernovaAJ]

Well, here's my Nova's back story. I got this Nova in 2003 when I was 14. Been building it ever since. It's taken so long due to being on a high school, then college kid's budget. I hope to finally put some serious miles on it this summer after engine troubles the past couple years.

Basics:
1969 Nova SS396
502ci BB
Richmond 6-speed
Hotchkis 2" drop springs
Factory style front discs



The story:

The day I brought it home (no engine or trans, but a factory big block car)


Getting to work


Stripped and blasted it. Extremely solid car, the floors are spotless. Needed a quarter though, and front fenders. Dash, package tray, and little random stuff like that too.



Skip to around 2008 and some new metal, ready for paint.


Chose the color "Blazin Copper" off the Ford Edge based on a quick photochop that I did.



Putting the (first) motor together. 1972 402, bored to a 406 backed by a muncie 4-speed.
So what happened was, my dad gave me this engine as my high school graduation gift. It was a fresh rebuild, but was done around 1980 then wrapped and stored. So obviously we knew some work had to be done. Pulled it out and sent it to a machine shop to be honed and tolerances checked (keep this in mind for what happens later).


Bought a bunch of brand new trim, and decided to give it the brushed look. They thought I was crazy ruining brand new parts I paid good money for!



Dash kit



Motor in and running, spring 2014.


Keeping with the brushed theme, I vinyl wrapped some other trim. Ended up removing it from the door handles, I didn't like the look.



New goodies! 17" Vintage Wheel Works V48


Nitto NT555 with red lines by Diamondback.


Ok so here is where the "fun" began. This is the week before the Woodward Dream Cruise in 2014. So excited! I get to drive my 12 year project! Well turns out when the machine shop honed the block, it was done poorly. The piston rings never seated and I went through 2 quarts of oil in a 50 mile drive to Woodward and back. Smoked so much it looked like when a NASCAR blows a motor. Fouled two plugs that trip also. I was absolutely crushed. I still drove it down there another day, but it wasn't any fun making a scene for all the wrong reasons. So out came the motor again, to prepare for the 2015 Detroit Autorama.


I added a few more details before Autorama too, trying to keep with my vintage racer theme. I work in motorsports, so I was kind of going for a look that if you were an engineer at Penske in the Trans-Am days, this may be how your daily driver was.



Damaged my beautiful header wrap on the way out, so had to re-do it!


Here's the rebuild on the dyno. Pretty mild motor, came out at 433hp with 8:1 compression and ran on 87. Enough for a few years (I hoped) until I got bored with it.


More Autorama prep, window tint!

[SoopernovaAJ]

Looking pretty! I figured if there was ever a time to show it, it was now before I drove it a ton and got rock chips, etc.



I took home some hardware. Third in Conservative Hardtop 68-69 and "Rising Star" (basically a young guns award) for best engine.


After Autorama, I still had a few things to finish before all the driving I was going to do that summer! Like these big boom tubes



Then I loaded up to head to the car show in St. Ignace, MI. I'd been going for almost 20 years. Its basically my family's summer vacation. Had to tow it there though because the relatively small tires and a 4-speed with 3:73's made it rev to about 3500rpm at 60.


Beauty shots




Here's a photo of the car blowing up again. I signed up for a parade they have in town, and as I was idling in traffic i started hearing a knock. Louder and louder until I had to shut it off.


Got home and pulled the motor again. July 2015. 140 miles on the car. Some metal in the oil pan this time. Spun a rod bearing. I'm done with this motor, so I ordered a 502 partial crate.


But wait! There's more! UPS decided to drop and destroy the crate, damaging the motor in the process! This is how it looked at the distribution center as they tried to load it into my truck. Luckily I was able to refuse delivery.




Another month later, and this is how it should look. To think the last one began looking like this...



Picked up a Richmond 6-speed.


So that's where I stand now. Just got the 502 back from the dyno, 526hp and 592lb-ft. Finding time and doing research on what I need to do to put this trans in. If anyone has any advice on that or has done it, let me know! Stay tuned for more issues I'm sure. I'd like to do brakes soon, and more suspension in the future, but between all these motor issues, the car mods account is pretty depleted.

[rchaskin]

Nice Car!!

Man you are having some trouble with BigBlocks!!

[Fahrenschnell]

Looking Good. Should be a riot to drive with all that torque and a 6-speed

[F-Body International]

Nice work...crazy engine story

[twosaturns]

love it, love the wheel choice, great look!

I spun a main bearing once, in a cheap 283 'rebuild' I did when I didn't know anything. clank clank clank BOOM!

[bs46488]

Looks great!

Hopefully this motor works out better for you.

[Motown 454]

The car looks beautiful, sorry to hear all the head aches with the other motor. It should be a stout runner with the 502 in it.

[SoopernovaAJ]

Thanks guys! Yeah it's still been fun though. Wouldn't change a thing! First gear should be pretty useless with that Richmond and 502.

[vwmopar]

Most cars today are overbuilt not yours less is more! I like the brushed looked. Did you just scotch brite it?

[Dave B]

I started reading the thread. Thinking...I've seen a car just like that...which I did, yours at Autorama. Nice car! Always had a thing for Nova's.

[SoopernovaAJ]

Most cars today are overbuilt not yours less is more! I like the brushed looked. Did you just scotch brite it?

Kind of. Actually had to start with 200 grit sandpaper to get through the plating on the new trim. Then followed that up with scotchbrite, and a satin clearcoat over it all.

[SoopernovaAJ]

Just a small update (and this pic does a crappy job of showing it) but I finally painted my engine. Ford Dark Shadow Gray Metallic, same as the old engine.

Now to begin figuring out this hydraulic clutch install for the Richmond.

[Aficionado]

Looking good!!

[Crestronwizard]

I love these Novas. Looks great.

[Nine Ball]

Great project. Something is trying to tell you that the car doesn't want a big block in it. LOL

[Yelcamino]

Nice Nova! Gotta love a big block Chevy!

[Centerforce]

Wow that's a serious bummer about your motor, but its good you didn't get discouraged. That's just part of the game. Things like that give you the opportunity to change to an even better setup!

[SoopernovaAJ]

Great project. Something is trying to tell you that the car doesn't want a big block in it. LOL

No kidding! Trust me, it would be LS based if it wasn't a factory BB car. Felt sacrilegious to go with anything else.

Wow that's a serious bummer about your motor, but its good you didn't get discouraged. That's just part of the game. Things like that give you the opportunity to change to an even better setup!

That's the attitude I've had to keep for the past three years! My credit card company sure loves it!

[andrewb70]

....

Now to begin figuring out this hydraulic clutch install for the Richmond.

....

That should be pretty straightforward. I like the new Tilton 6000 series bearing. I would also use a firewall bracket that allows the use of a "Girling" style MC that has 1.4" of travel, such as this one:

http://www.wilwood.com/MasterCylinde...ter%20Cylinder

Andrew