Planning on purchasing a 68-72 Nova, but need help

I plan on getting a 68-72 Nova and was wondering what are the typical areas I should look for regarding rust.

thanks

most places to look for rust would be along the roof line (drip rails) bottoms of your fenders and quarter panels, trunk floor (bang the trunk floor with your fist and that is usually a pretty good way to determine the overall condition of your car seeing whether you have pieces fall through or flake off or not) check the lip of the quarter panels for rust bubbles, look under the weatherstripping in the trunk and see how that all looks.

Bubbles in the paint means there is little rust holes under it so try keeping those minimal if possible.

Rust...we don't allow that here in So.Cal. I had a 68 a guy gave me that had been covered in plastic and towels, sheets, etc. It collected moisture over the 10+ years it sat like that, and leaked around the bottom corners of the rear window, and almost took out the right side trunk hinge! It also leaked inside taking out the drivers side floorpan near the pedals.

My 69 came from Colorado, but spent most of it's life here in So.Cal. It leaks around the right side windshield area and leaks onto the floor. Since I don't have carpet the moisture isn't trapped and just evaporates leaving just very minor surface rust that wipes right off. Mine has basically NO rust.

The number one spot I've seen here is the rear window area under the molding, other than that, we don't see much unless you live near the ocean, or have a vinyl top the traps moisture.

Bottom rear section of both fenders.
Rear quarter panels behind wheels.
Bottom of car basically from above differential back.
All locations that rocks tear off rust proofing.

New Mexico,Arizona and California are good states for "Possible" solid Novas.My L78 68 Nova SS 4speed with its a original California Black Plates was rust free from Stockton California!! Good luck!

All the places previously mentioned - plus make sure to look at the top dash panel and the instrument panel. Water gets in the windshield weatherstripping and rusts the dash top and down into the cluster....

Depending on the area and how the car spent it's life. All 3 of my cars have different rust on them, my Canadian can is good because it was stored most of it's life, the driver side floor has rust and trunk where the shocks are, my Ohio car has plenty around the windows, and my Kansas car the roof and trunk.

East coast cars, rear subframe. Lets face it, almost all other rust area's can be repaired with after market sheetmetal, and although you can buy replacement sub-frames, its a huge job. Thats why most rotted out cars are back-halved and end up on the race track.

you are close enough...
might just consider getting a car from a rust-free state such as arizona.
even if you have to have it shipped- it might be worth the money.
rust is very expensive to fix. one could spend 5-10K on rust repairs!

buy the car with the least amount of rust- even if it means paying a couple thousand more up front.

my .02

steve

behind the fenders and quarters man.

my 69 came from new mexico. I can tell it sat for a while but for the most part its pretty solid. Except for some slowhead cut the quarter lips out to put bigger tires on it.

Wow! Thanks for quick and detailed replies guys. This post will definetely help me out when I go look at Novas.

thanks again :)

look at the floor pan for sure, I passed up a bunch of novas before i found mine because the rest all had really rotten floors.

Rust can affect different areas in different parts of the country.
I have been bringing cars back from Alabama and nearly all have rust around the windshield and back glass. There are holes after you take off the moldings, even at the top and sides.
For all the rust we get here, I have not seen these areas bad so often on local cars.

New Mexico,Arizona and California are good states for "Possible" solid Novas.My L78 68 Nova SS 4speed with its a original California Black Plates was rust free from Stockton California!! Good luck!
Don't forget Colorado.

Bring a magnet...

check passenger side floor first, bad heater cores will kill this first.

Bring a magnet...

This is what I was planning on doing. :yes:

The guy who said to bring a magnet is right on the money. I used one of those kinda rubbery magnets like you would stick on the refridgerator door. They really don't scratch anything but they don't stict to well either. So if there is a thin layer of Bondo anywhere, it won't stick at all. I hate the BS story that there is no rust meaning a hole was cut and filled with Bondo also known as AGENT B. The cover ups are the worst. Obvious rust is an easier decision.

Sonny

I bought my 68 in pheonix and had it shipped to Pittsburgh..I was worth every penny.It cost me less in the long run than replacing all the panels on my 69.

steelcitysix,Still have the 68 Nova you bought from Phoenix Arizona? Dan

I got my 69 from Southern Idaho, floor pans were good but it did need a driver side Quater Panel. It had some undercoating in the wheel wheels that had become brittle and split allowing moisture to accumulate. There was a couple small rust through (holes) under the rear window and windshield trim. Outside of that considering where the car was, and had been sitting outside, I consider myself very lucky.

Look in all the mentioned places for rust and do not me enchanted by the sound of a cammed hot rod chugging at idle. That's how I got sucked into the first Nova I bought from Indiana and it needed, after getting an estimate a year later, close to $12,000 of body work. I then took all that money I saved up for the body work, flew to So Cal, and bought me a 99.9% done car with no rust/paint issues. It has got to be the best decision I have ever made. When I took it to the exhaust shop to get the turn downs and hangers welded on the first words out of the guys mouth once having it on the lift was "Arizona or California?" :D. If you find any evidence of rust in an area you won't feel comfortable repairing or you know will be expensive to fix you may want to walk away. Sometimes if you see rust you can bet there's a lot more somewhere else that you can't see.

It also helps to if you can find a car on here from another member in your price range. Dealing with Mike (Hawk1) was the easiest, most stress free car buying experience ever!!

Good luck in your hunt and don't forget to post pics once you find The One.

I second that !!! I just purchased a 72 Nova out of San Diego for 1500.00. It has no motor/trans, rough interior,but more importantly.NO RUST:yes: The time and money you save on sheet metal repair is priceless. Be patient, dont pull the trigger to quick. 3rd Gen.Novas are about the only true muscle car left that are still plentiful and affordable, and in some cases, relatively rust free.