My brother's Nova
 

Started back on my brothers 72 Nova. He bought it years ago and it had an oil leak in the pan.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...s/IMAG0473.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...s/IMAG0472.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...s/IMAG0470.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...s/IMAG0469.jpg
We put the engine back in and it had another leak. It sat like this for a few years.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

We didnt take any pictures of the front suspensioon upgrades. The front end was updated with disc breaks, drop spindles, and new control arms.
I finally convinced him to start on it again.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...625_194930.jpg
I started patching and shaving the firewall.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...625_194946.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...702_182107.jpg
Someone caught me welding.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...7515050371.jpg
Little epoxy until I can do the bodywork.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...716_151625.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Changed out the master cylinder.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...129_180049.jpg
New stainless lines.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...181042_001.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Then started an LS swap. Running a LQ4 with 243 heads and a 230ish duration cam. Sorry for the shtty Instagram pic.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...113-223159.png
Tried 3 different oil pans. None fit well enough to run without modifications.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...108_204312.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...108_193610.jpg
Tacked in.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...112_213044.jpg
Boxed in.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...112_213102.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Looks like a great project. :metal:

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Thanks Zoomin. Since I am spending my brother's money this one might get done a bit faster than my build.

Put the pump and sending unit dropped in the tank
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...115_202133.jpg
Mated the engine and trans
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...121_130728.jpg
Dropped the engine in on the stock stands
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...123_095118.jpg
Engine fit fine but the pan hung too low
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...123_095059.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Decided to make new motor mount towers rather than buy all new mounts. Made a jig to hold everything in place.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...121_170727.jpg
Cutting some tabs
http://s20.photobucket.com/user/Tiny...43741.jpg.html
Picked this up at the craft store. Works great for laying out radius.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...122_141915.jpg
Also got these tab magnets from Strong Hand Tools. Makes holding the tabs much easier.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...122_141943.jpg
Mounts burned in.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...124_092048.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Engine going in.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...123_095136.jpg
Engine in.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...123_095004.jpg
Moved the engine up and forward one inch. Seems to clear everything really well. Need to make the trans crossmember next.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Cool project, tagging along.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Well,, there goes the new neighborhood...lol

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Very nice welds!!

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Thank you, hopefully you will like what you see.

This neighborhood was gone before we got here. I am in a constant battle with people abandoning their cars on my street...

Thank you. I had intended to tig it all together but it was such a tight fit in the engine compartment I got lazy and mig'd it all in.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

I think my brother is pretty motivated since we have been making good progress. He has been coming home from work to get **** done.
I filled in all the extra holes that were drilled in the floor and raised up the tunnel just a bit to give us a bit more space around the transmission:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...205_123454.jpg
My brother stripped all the rust and brushed on some epoxy (we were too lazy to strip the floors):
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...225_165106.jpg
Got some knock off dynamat:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...205_215743.jpg
Applied it to the areas that sounded hollow when we knocked on them:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...227_210849.jpg
Put a layer of closed cell foam to act as a decoupler:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...228_202226.jpg
Then mass loaded vinyl on top:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...228_230407.jpg
Still need to work it down on to the floor more. The stuff is thick and hard to shape.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

He ordered his headers (didn't get a chance to take a pic yet). I welded in his O2 bungs while he was doing the floors.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...228_200037.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...228_201244.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...228_230416.jpg
Not the prettiest tig but it will do.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Long weekend of really crappy work! Pulled the engine and stripped the engine compartment and underside of the car for paint.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...304_202202.jpg
The car hand an oil leak for years. There was so much crud we pressure washed and degreased multiple times.
I thought the car was black underneath...apparently it was just dirt and grease.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...304_202135.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...306_003143.jpg
My brother wire wheeling away.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...305_124739.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

I did a bit of body work on the firewall.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...304_171125.jpg
Blocking to check for highs and lows.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...304_202110.jpg
Did a bunch of hammer work and first pass of filler.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...304_202222.jpg
Masking.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...306_003046.jpg
Spraying.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...306_003124.jpg
First coat and bad lighting.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...306_003018.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Here is a better pic of the engine compartment. Broke all three bolts to the wiper motor so now we need to deal with that.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...308_092208.jpg
The nice thing about working on his car is that I don't have to do any of the dirty work. He spent the last week finishing stripping, cleaning, and painting the underside of the car.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...314_181801.jpg
Didn't bother with the rear end or the leafs because we will likely pull it out at some point to either rebuild it or replace it with something stronger.
He started pulling the engine apart for paint.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...314_181815.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Lookin good....

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Nice Nova and cool project! Nice welding and fab work too. That will be a sweet ride when you guys are done with it. Do you plan to heat up the foam to get it to lay down better? I haven't tried any of that but may some time.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Thank you sir.

Thank you. The foam laid down fine. It also has a sticky side so it conforms to the floor where it is applied.

The MLV on the other hand was a pain! He cut it in sections and laid it down horizontally. Once it was cut to length he used a combo of heat gun, a few relief cuts, and aluminum tape to get everything in place and sealed down.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Started putting the fuel system together. Never used push lock hoses before. Not as hard as everyone says. Froze the fittings, heat gunned the hoses, a bit of tranny fluid for lube and ta da!
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...319_183942.jpg
Modified an old exhaust bracket to mount the roll over valve.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...319_170754.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...319_171305.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

My brother started to assemble the engine. New TCI converter and flywheel.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...326_153833.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...326_154125.jpg
Together.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...326_160932.jpg
No pics but my brother started scrubbing it clean and scuffing it for paint. Hope to get it in by this week since I am out of two for the next two weeks.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

You're doing it right...very cool

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Thanks. He wasn't initially planning on doing this much work but it has been coming out well and I think that has been motivating him to keep doing more work. Not bad for a garage build!

Re: My brother's Nova
 

My brother finished prepping and masking the engine.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...328_194343.jpg
Then shot it with Eastwood's 2k Aero Spray Ceramic Engine Paint.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...329_075550.jpg
The paint sprays out like a gun but has quite a bit more overspray. There isn't much paint in each can as you would think. He got about one coat per can. It has isocyanates in the paint to so be extra careful. He is going to add an additional coat today. Kinda regret not buying a clear for it.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Forcing a prisoner to lay under a car to scrape would be unconstitutional.

The rest will be fun, comparatively speaking. :chevy:

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Along for the ride here, I love the Novas, I have had a few in my life time and about to go look at a 73 tomorrow for my next project. Just missed out on a 71:smoke: I like the ls swap though , very cool :chevy:

Re: My brother's Nova
 

He is still giving me **** about convincing him to do it! Looks good though and much nicer working under it without all the crap falling in your face.

I am partial to the 66-67 but man they are hard to find without breaking the bank. We spend a few months looking before finding this one.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Painted some of the accessory brackets black with the same paint. Covers well and looks really nice.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...330_184651.jpg
Got the engine, brake lines, and trans crossmember in. Managed to do it without scratching it up too.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...331_093952.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Your right, you used to be able to buy the early 70's models fairly cheap but not anymore. That is why I want to snag this one before it is gone. I like all of them myself :chevy:

Re: My brother's Nova
 

I'm away for work. My brother is still chipping away at it. Did the valve covers, exhaust, and brake lines to the rear.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...1338875800.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

New parts!
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...oads/4155.jpeg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...oads/4154.jpeg
Ordered a harness and PCM from PSI.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

I was gone for work so my brother kept assembling.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...oads/4162.jpeg
Huge throttle body for the smaller LS6 intake required an adapter
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...oads/4159.jpeg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...oads/4157.jpeg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

So the truck accessories are a bit more difficult to fit. The alternator sits too high and water pump interferes with the throttle body. We knew this going into it and had planned on running a taller intake and hood if necessary but luckily with a few mods it seems to fit.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...oads/4156.jpeg
Notched the hood support. I will likely rework it later.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...oads/4160.jpeg
The radiator hose is tight. Going to try to run it and will either cut and weld it or change it later.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...oads/4161.jpeg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Very cool work..

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Not many picture worthy updates but we got most of the wiring harness in, fuel lines almost done, brakes are in and bleed, etc. Hopefully get it running in the next few weeks.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...430_111152.jpg

Re: My brother's Nova
 

That looks very nice and sounds like you guys are making great progress on it.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Thanks Diesel. Its definitely faster than my build. Nice thing about his is that he had been buying parts along the way and had money saved to do it. Plus having two people working is a lot quicker than one.

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Planned to work on it last night to try to get most of it ready for the first fire and have the rest of this week to order parts and try to fire it on Sunday. As we started getting everything together I figured we could try to fire it just to ****s and giggles.
Harness going together.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...502_195947.jpg
Hotwired the fuel pump to check for leaks. The top of the fuel tank has a leaky fitting so we will have to drop the tank again. Cranked it over three times and you can tell it was trying to fire. Almost gave up for the night (it was super late) and figured we'd turn it over one more time. And....
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...502_231423.jpg
Ran it for a few seconds because we didn't have the cooling system hooked up yet and we were leaking fuel in the rear. Super loud and the neighbors walked over to check it out and say congrats (they have been stopping by when we worked on it).
Here is the video
https://youtu.be/DgWKdch25hI

Re: My brother's Nova
 

Sounds great! That is a great motivational booster!