1973 hatchback ground up restoration (girls) doing all

[dansker]

As the title says. I have posted some questions here recently. I will probably ask a million questions and as time goes by, be able to answer a lot. Anyway, my daughters have decided they want to get dirty and completely restore a project car. Their ages are 22, 21, and a pair of twins almost 16 (gettting their license in one week so stay off the sidewalks guys).
We have already started and are taking a lot of pics. I will need to figure out how to post among other things.
But here is the dilema. It is stock, has minor body work, will need new hatch and maybe quarter panel fixes. 350 engine 2 barrel. Automatic column. I'm thinking big block, SS package (even though I know it wasn't offered in 73). Convert to manual tranny? Use existing engine with mods or what. Money aint the issue, I have 4 girls that want to learn. Most of the work I can do and teach them. So what do you guys think, try to find everything for an SS, including buckets, console, steering wheel, trim, etc. Or leave it stock?
I could go on and on and I think that I will post some of the questions in other post as we go on. Just would love to hear your input.
Thanks, Dann

[the FLYER]

i have a daughter who likes ta help me and my vote barely gets the 51%... i feel for ya buddy. the women, if they get together are gonna run ya outta town !!!

Way Ta Go Girls !!! :D :D :D


i'd check the consensus of yer "partners" collect pics of an SS equipped car so the choices can be made by them (or have some say)

they're gonna be driving it ??? or just helping ???



i'd say, bottom line, ta get 'em involved in all facets of the project, planning, pricing, ordering... the greasy work... everything ;)

stock or upgraded... ultimately the decision is yours (actually theirs ;) )


ENJOY !!!!

[dansker]

Oh, these girls are into everything. Go cart racing in past. Riding quads (400 Hondas). Flying lessons, (twins) can both fly and land a plane. So stick or automatic isn't an issue. I feel confident they can handle anything and everthing, whether a small block or big block with some guidance. My older girls drive the Vipers all the time and it just p####es the guys off. But that's not what it's about. I am tickled pink to teach them and know they can't be swindled later in life by a mechanic.
Dann

[bowtie0069]

gettting their license in one week so stay off the sidewalks guys

Thanks for the warning--I've been working in the Valley lately. Sheman Oaks next week, I'll be on the lookout if I get closer!

[dansker]

lol, how about coming by and checking out the project? Would look forward to meeting you.
Dann

[dansker]

Can someone give me step by step instructions for posting pics? I will have a lot for the project.
Dann

[the FLYER]

hosting at the Site can be done a number of ways... for a donation to the Site for maintenance and upgrades, the Admin will turn on image hosting priviledges. prior to submitting your post/thread, you'd browse yer picture files and upload a shot of 800x600 size (best fit for our format)

or you'll need your own hosting service, some are by yearly subscription, some are free...

most of the regulars here have multiple hosting services... the Site, webshots, photobucket, cardomain... there's numerous to choose from...


once you decide the type hosting service you'd like to utilize... we could be of more help... but it's rather simple...

some allow imaging and linking, some allow only linking... you should check 'em all out and decide who's going to host yer images...

[CDJr]

They sound pretty resourceful...buy em a welder and a good set of tools and turn em loose and see what they come up with! :D

[bluehat]

Way to go!

You and the girls all five!!! :eek: :D

There is no finer car, IMHO, than the 1973 Nova Hatchback!! :D :D

It's your/their car so take it to committee and come up with a plan and fog ahead on!!

[BillsNogo]

I agree, build the car you guys/gals want, then attack it, if you hit a stumbling block, ask and someone here will be glad to give advice. If they are used to driving the viper, I say a big block is a must ;)

[dansker]

So going with big block and manual shift, it would take a lot longer to complete. What stumbling blocks will I encounter and what would I need to change? This car has factory air and power assist brakes. Thanks, Dann

[69NovaSS]

So going with big block and manual shift, it would take a lot longer to complete. What stumbling blocks will I encounter and what would I need to change? This car has factory air and power assist brakes. Thanks, Dann

Well I dont believe that the factory ever made a BB Nova that had AC BUT I know that is has been done. Its just a tight fit is all. You will need to swap out the SB frame mounts to BB frame mounts...the tranny crossmember is a little different too, though the SB can be modified to work. The heater core cover is different between BB and SB cars BUT since you have AC it will be different and I'm not sure a BB type is avialable...
The rad and rad support are different between BB and SB cars but a SB rad support can be modified to work...I'm sure there is more I am forgetting but that will get ya going.

Good luck and please keep us informed...its very cool that your girls are into this type of thing....very cool indeed:cool: :)

[BillsNogo]

I think a repo for the heater box with a/c might be available for a 67-69 camaro, as they were available in the L35 and maybe L34? If you are going with a manuel 4speed, you will need a different tranny crossmember, and all the linkages for the tranny, z-bar, maybe clutch fork, ect. Then if you run tall valve covers, a power booster might get in the way, then you might need a smaller diameter power booster, or just stick with the short valve covers, might need new front springs, matters the shape yours are in and the ride hight you want.

[bowtie0069]

Can someone give me step by step instructions for posting pics?

I use fotki.com. A regular membership is free, but I use it to sell photos and have a LOT of stuff stored there. Once you have it set up it's very simple to post pix from there-no resizing or fooling around needed. Just click on the shot you want to post, and it'll give you a URL that you use.

[bowtie0069]

A regular membership is free

I forgot to mention an unlimited membership is $30 a year. That's the one I use.

[Jason628]

So going with big block and manual shift, it would take a lot longer to complete. What stumbling blocks will I encounter and what would I need to change? This car has factory air and power assist brakes. Thanks, Dann

Greetings,

On the 4 speed items...Make sure you get the correct 11" GM Bellhousing (the part number ends in 681) along with the Z-bar, frame bracket, and such. Unfortunately I just sold off all my 4 speed stuff so can't help you on the parts end of things!

Jason

[Mad Fred]

Hi!

i would go with a stick! mutch more funnier..
I like smallblocks, but it is cheapier to build a BB with much tourqe...

Good luck!

//fredrik :devil:

[chriss68]

WOW! This was a long lost thread! now 2 years later! So where's the progress pics anyway?

[2 black ragtops]

WOW! This was a long lost thread! now 2 years later! So where's the progress pics anyway?

no kidding chris!
i thought johnny rotten(the flyer) had returned until i looked at the posting date.
leftcoast carl.

[2doorpost]

Your a lucky guy!!!!
Sounds like a good crew.


My help (2 boys) - away at College ; so its all on me.

My 74 Hatch is MY project. Coming together , but slowly.

My 73 Hatch (Buckets, 4 speed car btw) is gathering dust.


Good Luck

2door

[chriss68]

i just checked up on this guy(dansker) and he hasnt posted since june '06!
i wonder how his girls are doing working on the car:rolleyes:

[dansker]

Well after having surgery and a lot happening here, I'm back. Now onto the project. I have time now to get to work. Computer died with all pics on it so it will be tougher to assemble after bodywork is done. Sorry for not posting any progress but just had so much on the table. I hope we can put a big dent into her now. I know I will have a thousand questions and hope to meet friends and get knowledge.
Thanks for all the help, Dann

[autopat]

I have had several 3rd gens, 5 to date, and I've had a big block, with auto, and air, in a 74 H/B, it can be done, but you have to use very specific parts to keep the A/C box out of harms way. Start with a 73-74 Ventura/Omega/Apollo, A/C box and internals (evaporator, expansion valve, hoses), they angle more toward the passenger side of the engine compartment due to the wider Buick/Olds/Pontiac engines. In 73 and 74 Novas switched to the subframe mounted later style "caged" mounts with clamshells on the block, so it's no problem getting it in there, and you have fewer issues with the height of the engine, headers are lots of fun though, I'd consider doing a bolt in rack and pinion conversion, just to free up the space for headers. If you are dead set on a stick, I would seriously consider a T56, 6-speed, just for the ease of use, availability, and strength. The T-56 uses a hydraulic clutch, much more "user friendly" in traffic (ask me how I know), or if an auto is an option, I'd consider an Art Carr 2004R, either way you get the benefits of an overdrive to keep your final drive ratio sane. If I can help you to locate any of these parts, holler at me, I live across the street from a "classic car" wrecking yard, he has 30 X-body's to choose from including at least 4, 3rd gen Ventura/Omega/Apollos.
Good to see some girls, or young ladies, getting interested in this hobby:yes:.

Hope this helps, Pat

[autopat]

The best way to aproach this:

1. Decide exactly what you want on this car, engine, trans, rear, exhaust, interior, suspension, cooling system, sound system

2. Acquire the necessary parts, you can do this as you go

3. Mock it up, everything, engine, trans, rear end, exhaust, sheet metal, have the car basically complete, so you know everything fits, and your ride height is set

4. Tear it down, taking notes how everything fits together

5. Do your body work and paint, you can do this with suspension installed, but you may have to tape most of it off, to reduce overspray.

6. Install drivetrain, cooling system, exhaust, wiring, interior, preferably in that order

7. Enjoy!

It's a huge undertaking to say the least, but it's all worth it, at least thats what I keep telling my wife. :devil:

Pat

[autopat]

The pros: strong (the ones out of the Vipers are the strongest), plentiful now, easier to install (hydraulic clutch= no linkage problems), shifter placement in a Nova would be closer to the driver (3" farther back than a Muncie or Saginaw), bell housing from a Camaro/Corvette bolts right up to a BB.

The cons: A little more expensive than a Muncie or a Saginaw, a little heavier than a Muncie or Saginaw, you'll have to shorten your driveshaft ( no biggie, $200 at the local driveshaft shop), have to convert pedal to actuate a hydrulic cylinder (also no biggie)

Pat

[autopat]

If you're still in the developmental stages, consider a newer LS2 small block, they are almost cheaper to buy, on ebay, than building a big block dollar for dollar, and they make good power with big block style torque. Not to mention you could actually see some decent mileage from it with a 6-speed. Oh, and the SS package was available in 73, there are several here in the forums.

Pat

[dansker]

Thanks for all the info and parts location. Next week we start that body, sanding to bare metal. Some sheet metal (quarter panels need replacement) Have the car at work now, girls graduating from hight school and on to college. So I guess it will be mostly me and friends tackling the project.
Front end needs to be removed and gone through. She has disc brakes which I'm happy about, but I think I will need to get heavier springs for BB. Motor coming out of my ski boat (rat) and I have a saginaw. I know that hydraulic clutch is sweet, but there is something going back to the old days. I know I will have a million questions along the way with parts and fitting and locating. This site is great and thanks to all for any help.
Dann

[kagibbs]

good luck with the car

[dansker]

Getting all tools together to strip her down. I will have to mount fenders, radiator support and get all lined up before starting body work. Stupid us didn't mark down all the shims for alignment. It will give me good foundation for final assembly anyway.
Dann

[autopat]

It would be a good idea to have your engine mocked up before you put the front end sheetmetal on, with a full framed car this step is not as crucial, but with a unibody car it's pretty important.

Pat

[450HP]

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/images/smilies/lurk.gif

[dansker]

Yes, I have that in mind, mocking up the engine without the fenders on. I have to say that I will be installing small block after all. After reading all the posts, it will be a much longer project with big block. Sanders have been ordered and will be in this week. Then on to the inside to srip down. New mounts for bucket seats will need to be welded on. Hole will need to be cut for saginaw, I will have to be careful on that one, hopefully someone can guide me to the proper location. I have the hump already. Can't wait to install brand new hatch, the old one has a lot of cancer.
Dann

[sagacious]

well to be perfectly honest with you.. your direction with the car making it an SS and all is great. you know they did make an SS in 73. they made them for several years after that too. in fact i have a 73 SS grill for sale. *hint hint* :) but anyway i would get all the SS trim for it if u like but as far as the original SS console and original seats i think you'll end up paying way too much money for these original parts when there are much cheaper and better looking alternatives. as far as making it a manual trans.. sure, but the driver better have little feet :) not much room to play around with in my opinion. i'll have some pics posted up in a week or two with my 73 interior thats almost done at this point. I used a console out of a 91 camaro--chopped it down to fit and bucket seats out of a 98 firebird. i think the combination looks great. all gauges are white faced with blue LEDS and the speedo is silver faced. the car also has an aftermarket AC that uses the original ducting, i bought it from Oldair and just finished installing recently. personally i think if you're looking for a car to work on theres no better way than to go than the custom route. it'll end up looking better, be one of a kind and you learn how to really make things work when you have to do a little customizing to get your vision right. i think the most important thing in a build is direction, after that all you have to do is make everything work. best of luck to you, i'd like to see some progress pics.

[taz3]

He should be able to locate a 73 console,they're still fairly easy to find,The 72 and older are getting tougher to find though.

[dansker]

I purchase original buckets and floor mounts cut out of a 73. Just need to locate and weld to floor. Doesn't look to be all that hard to do. I'm thinking that the outside bench seat holes will be my guiding point for the buckets. Still waiting for air tools to arrive, should be today I hope. Still need a few more tools to start the sanding process. I know I could have gone many directions with this project but wanted to go mostly original. I thought about the center consol but I also no that not all SS's came with that option.
Dann

[chevynuts88]

I forgot to mention an unlimited membership is $30 a year. That's the one I use.

A donation to steves will accomplish the same thing