Well guys, I finally got pictures of my 1973 Chevy Nova. I just bought it last Monday, and I got it last Thursday, and so I finally got pictures before its going into the body shop to replace the rusty areas...fender...quarter panels...then hopefully I'll have enough money to repaint it. It's got a 400 small-block right now... thats about it. The guy sold it to me for $1700 bucks, along with all the replacement parts needed for the car. One thing I did not enjoy was the stickers he had placed on the windows. Most of them are gone now, you should have seen it when I first got it. I started peeling them when I saw the car.
I'm not quite sure if thats the original bench seat in the car or not...how much do you think it will cost for me to redo the seat? What some of you guys prefer? Bench? Buckets? Just curious...
The Vinyl top is actually in really great condition, I was surprise when I saw it. I started running my fingers across the top, and near the back window, I started feeling bubbles - to my knowledge, that means that there is starting to become surface rust ... right?
Also... don't mind the 350 emblem... I am currently searching for a 400 emblem... but to my luck, I haven't found any...I've found 502, 454 and 350...
I would enjoy to hear everyones ideas and input on what they think I should do to this car...
Bubbles under a vinly top = rust. But at least you will be saving another Nova.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j14/chester1117/70%20Nova/IMG_0411.jpg
sixtyII
30th-July-2006, 09:46 AM
Not a bad way to start..
I prefer buckets. Are you looking to redo the seats back to stock? If yo are going to do them yourself there are several vendors that sell kits to redo the interior. JC Whittney is the cheapest for a non stock interior. I redid mine in about a week. (bench) If you want topend interior work, there is a member here who really makes a killer interior. Hotrod Gary is his name I believe. Im sure a quick search of interior will find him.
Welcome to the site also!
Good luck!
RatNova71
30th-July-2006, 11:14 AM
My advice is take a good hard look at what you have and find out exactly how much its going to cost to replace all those rusted panels. Also pull the carpet up and check the floor pans. That car has ALOT of rust repair. It isn't going to be cheap.
Jason628
30th-July-2006, 12:27 PM
Greetings,
While you do have a nice car to start with, the first thing I'd be worried about is the rust repair. Yank the vinyl roof off of it and see how bad it really is. Got any friends that are bodymen? If so, pay them and start buying partial quarters, outer wheelhouses (if necessary), and any other body replacement panels you'll need. If you don't have any friends in the industry, go to a local shop with your panels and have them put on. If money's tight, have them do one panel at a time here and there. At least you'll slowly get it to where it won't totally rust in your garage. Once the bodywork is done, the rest is easy and definitely a lot cheaper and can be done a little here, a little there.
Jason
bowtie0069
30th-July-2006, 01:14 PM
Living in Southern California, I wouldn't even slow down to look at a car with rust like that. You could have saved a lot of money by flying out here and spending a day or so to find a nice rust-free car.
Nova N8
30th-July-2006, 02:18 PM
Living in Southern California, I wouldn't even slow down to look at a car with rust like that. You could have saved a lot of money by flying out here and spending a day or so to find a nice rust-free car.
But then we'd have one more '73 rotting somewhere, likely never to see good times on the road ever again. :(
Real McCoy
30th-July-2006, 02:41 PM
I figured I could find some decent cars living in SC but I swear the sorry windshield and rear window seals allowed water to get in these type cars and rot them out even without the salt and snow. The 71 Nova I bought in 1999 and cut up was perfect, no rust in the floors or anywhere and I only paid $500.00 for it from a friend but it had been inside for 20 yrs before I got it. I wish I wouldn't have cut it up but I can't go back. The 72 I bought 2 1/2 yrs ago seemed solid til I got it apart. Had to replace the full floors both sides, the truck floor, tail light panel, rear window to truck panel and the DS quarter panel, patch the bottom of both front fenders and the front edge of the hood, Other than that it was OK........LOL. Just getting hard to find a decent old body anymore. If you do find something decent they want an arm, leg and your first born for it. I can't see paying 10 grand for a no nothing Nova that you'll have to spend another 10 grand to make a car like I want. I spent 3 yrs and 15 grand fixing a 67 Camaro RS with A/C and it was very nice but all I could sell it for was 15 grand. I ain't doing stupid stuff like that anymore.......LOL. RM
Funkmaster Zachy
30th-July-2006, 06:01 PM
I think I am going to put bucket seats up front and hopefully restore the back seat since its not as in bad shape as the front. But one person will do it for 350 bucks. Another guy in our town has a '72 Nova and he wants to trade his Camaro bucket seats when I restore my bench seat..
Billy_Pilgrim
30th-July-2006, 06:10 PM
Looks like an OK project to me :confused:
I've seen the so called rust free Arizona projects first hand. YES, many are rust free, however, they are also 33 year old cars. Some have dents so bad it is POINTLESS to repair the 1/4, you will need a new one welded on anyway. So if you have a dented up rust free '73 from AZ or CA, and you live in Montana, and you spend $1700 on a car in AZ, what do you have? $300 for a plane ticket, $300 for hotel and food, $600 for Penske truck with a trailer, $150 for gas for that truck, on top of the $1700 for the car?! And it STILL needs work to boot? Hmmmm....That's already over $3000 for a car he hasn't even touched yet! You guys are being to harsh, IMHO. Its fine and dandy to get a CA or AZ car, but it isn't free to get them home. NO one in their right mind would drive a project car from AZ to MT. You might as well tack on towing charges to the 3 grand BEFORE you realize you WILL have to rent a truck and trailer to get it to your door.
Its a decent project, IMHO. I have seen less sell for more, and more sell for less, but that is the way the cookie crumbles.
1quik69
30th-July-2006, 08:24 PM
I have seen worse condition cars come back to life. As for the "400" emblem, look in some of the impala catalogs. Classic, Hubbards etc. impalas came with 400 emblems on them. If the script suits you , buy a couple of emblems.
RatNova71
30th-July-2006, 11:15 PM
I have seen worse condition cars come back to life. As for the "400" emblem, look in some of the impala catalogs. Classic, Hubbards etc. impalas came with 400 emblems on them. If the script suits you , buy a couple of emblems.
I would check the codes on the engine and make sure it is actually a 400 before i bought any emblems... :)
fastcar
31st-July-2006, 12:32 AM
Hey, don't feel like the loan ranger, I bouht a 66 Nova, drove it home and noticed some paint chipping off the quarter!!! Took her all apart and had it media blasted and was called half way through!!!!! Hey buddy; you might want to scrap this out..... NO Way!!!! I replaced the complete floor pants both front fenders, the hood, and the quarters, rockers and a-post and the lower a-post for the door hinges. Found out that someone had cut apart a 67 and welded the 67 front end to the 66 rear part of the car. Had to get all the parts for the 66 that I didn't have, which was everything!!!!!!! So to make a long story sort, It can be done, I did it!!!! VERY costly........ good luck.. alfred.
Funkmaster Zachy
1st-August-2006, 03:32 AM
Well after tonight, we replaced the passenger side's fender. I did some measurements and I might attempt to cut the old fender to attempt to make it fit for the backside quarter panel. I did measurements and they both came out positive, so I'm going to take it tomorrow and cut it and see how we go from there, a picture will be posted tomorrow. I got home around midnight, so its kind of dark to take pictures. I also put my traction bars on. Project "Rust Remove" is underway :)
Chucks71
1st-August-2006, 09:05 AM
As your probably finding out 73 quarters are hard to come by. Skins are
available as are the outer wheelhouse's. One company does have full
factory 1/4s available but are very expensive.
Your rust is no worse than mine, just take your time and get it all out as
it will come back and bite you later. My 72 is stripped down to nothing.
Classic Industries has a patch panel for the piece I need for 40 bucks... Should I spend the 40 bucks to not risk people laughing at me if it looks stupid? or attempt to use the fender for the quarter?
brownie
1st-August-2006, 10:58 PM
I'd go with the patch panel will save you time trying to get the wheel lip right.
Dawg
2nd-August-2006, 01:07 AM
Leave the Nova emblems where they are.
As for the 400 emblems, full size Chevy trucks from '70-'79, Firebirds from '69 to '78, Impalas from '70-76, Chevelles from '71 to '75.....all had 400's......one of them should have the emblems you are looking for, though all but the truck I believe were slanted....
Chucks71
2nd-August-2006, 08:56 AM
I dunno about patch panels on that side,they may not be big enough. I
would just buy the skin and cut what you need. Its not that much more
and you would be safe. Looks like you could use an outer wheelhouse too.
Chuck
2doorpost
2nd-August-2006, 12:06 PM
Ditto the skin and wheelhouse route.
BTW- Its looks like your car has a nice solid dashtop......the last Arizona builder I saw up here had so much swiss cheese in the top of the dash you could have made a sandwich.
Funkmaster Zachy
2nd-August-2006, 04:45 PM
Yes, I knew that wheelhouse would be a problem. They're both 99.95 a piece at Classic Industries, just for the wheelhouses. I have patch panels for everything else, but the rear on the right (passenger) side. I wish I would have taken pictures before I took them to the shop.