Resurrecting an old race car - phase 1
#1
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Resurrecting an old race car - phase 1
My old Nova has left it's sitting spot of the last few years. It is now resting on dolleys on the opposite side of the garage. I pulled the fibergalss nose, hood and decklid off. Found two mouse nests, one in the trunk, the other in the intake. Right now, "it ain't nuthin' purty to look at". Honestly, it looks alot like some of the junkers they dig up for the Sunday morning shows on Speed. Mice even chewed the threads out of the headliner.
I think the very first thing I want to do, pull the front brakes off (they're locked up) and set it back on the ground, roll it out of the garage and give it a good scrubbing. Just alot of dust and birdsh-- built up over the past few years.
Next step will be to find someone to do the suspension. Have a guy that I used to race against that may be interested. I haven't spoken with him yet but he's doing some work on a friend of mines Dakota bracket truck. He has brought it up to him and he is receptive. One positive by product, I had built a new driveshaft loop to replace the "less than perfect one" currently in the car, I had forgotten all about it. So, that'll save me a couple dollars, if we can utilise it.
Once that is complete. I have to fix the body. At a minimum, new quarters, door hinges and I have an original back glass to replace my lexan. Yeah, I know the lexan would be lighter but the original will look much better. As I've said, it will never be a show car. It's very simply, an old warbeast that I hope I can salvage.
Overall, it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Pretty much everything about the car will have to assessed. I imagine by the time I'm done with this thing, I'll have removed virtually every nut and bolt on it, at least once, LOL!
I think the very first thing I want to do, pull the front brakes off (they're locked up) and set it back on the ground, roll it out of the garage and give it a good scrubbing. Just alot of dust and birdsh-- built up over the past few years.
Next step will be to find someone to do the suspension. Have a guy that I used to race against that may be interested. I haven't spoken with him yet but he's doing some work on a friend of mines Dakota bracket truck. He has brought it up to him and he is receptive. One positive by product, I had built a new driveshaft loop to replace the "less than perfect one" currently in the car, I had forgotten all about it. So, that'll save me a couple dollars, if we can utilise it.
Once that is complete. I have to fix the body. At a minimum, new quarters, door hinges and I have an original back glass to replace my lexan. Yeah, I know the lexan would be lighter but the original will look much better. As I've said, it will never be a show car. It's very simply, an old warbeast that I hope I can salvage.
Overall, it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Pretty much everything about the car will have to assessed. I imagine by the time I'm done with this thing, I'll have removed virtually every nut and bolt on it, at least once, LOL!
#3
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Nova
Originally Posted by hotrodharley
what year is the nova?lets see pics of now and progress as you move on with it.
It's a 1966. I've owned it since 1978. It was backhalfed in 1979, Front halfed in 1984, Backhalfed again in 1985. I parked it in 1988. Then it sat in my garage until 1995. Then it was parked on my trailer at my Dad's for about 3 years, we moved out here in the country, I finally got another garage built in 1998. It's resided in the corner of it for the last 10 years.
If I can figure out how to size them, I'd both take and post a few photos. That's just something I've never learned.
#4
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Join Date: Jan 2006
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Re: Nova
Originally Posted by Oldewalnut
Originally Posted by hotrodharley
what year is the nova?lets see pics of now and progress as you move on with it.
It's a 1966. I've owned it since 1978. It was backhalfed in 1979, Front halfed in 1984, Backhalfed again in 1985. I parked it in 1988. Then it sat in my garage until 1995. Then it was parked on my trailer at my Dad's for about 3 years, we moved out here in the country, I finally got another garage built in 1998. It's resided in the corner of it for the last 10 years.
If I can figure out how to size them, I'd both take and post a few photos. That's just something I've never learned.
Zip.
#5
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Re: Nova
Originally Posted by zipper06
Originally Posted by Oldewalnut
Originally Posted by hotrodharley
what year is the nova?lets see pics of now and progress as you move on with it.
It's a 1966. I've owned it since 1978. It was backhalfed in 1979, Front halfed in 1984, Backhalfed again in 1985. I parked it in 1988. Then it sat in my garage until 1995. Then it was parked on my trailer at my Dad's for about 3 years, we moved out here in the country, I finally got another garage built in 1998. It's resided in the corner of it for the last 10 years.
If I can figure out how to size them, I'd both take and post a few photos. That's just something I've never learned.
Zip.
Like I said, regarding my old Nova, "it ain't gonna look purty"!