My "SS" Rant

I don't like how when people make "SS" clones out of their nova's....they do a half a.s.s. job. I'm okay with clones, but only if there done RIGHT!!!

My biggest thing is the grill's. Alot of the time people don't bother to paint them black and just slap on a ss emblem. I think it looks absolutley retarded and should be punishable by law :D

Am I the only one that feels this way? What do you all think??

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p183/car_087/frontSS.jpg http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p183/car_087/fackkkk.jpg

Proper "SS" Grill's ^^^


__________________

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p183/car_087/bottom6.jpg

I don't think the blacked out grills are for all years of SS. I think those are 68/69( someone correct me if Im wrong. 70-72 list a silver grill for SS models. I have no idea if mine is an ss or not being that its a 71 but it has all the trim now.

I blacked mine out because I like that look better.
Just Personal preference.

When I got my car
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y121/monk75/nova2.jpg

Today
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y121/monk75/HPIM0885.jpg

No all models 68-72 were blacked out.

When it's as easy as applying some paint I wonder the samething,when come to cloning.Especially with 3rd gens they're easy to make the visually correct.

I agree, do it right if you are going to do it. I looked at cloning mine, but after much thought and a whole lot of input from members advising not too. I kept her as is. Happy with the decision. :)

I have to agree. I actually removed my 'SS' badge the week after i bought mine. I got fed up answering the "...so is it a real SS?" questions with an obvious 'no'.

IMO the non SS cars are just as worthy of the respect as an SS car.I enjoy seeing a car like Steelrat's that are brought back to the original look;)

I like the look of the SS front end, so I put a grill and emblem on. I have the taillight panel too, but I don't know how I feel about drilling holes into my nicely painted taillight panel (paint 1 1/2 years old, Taillight panel 2 years old).

Its like I say: "When you have a Nova, people look, when you have an SS Nova, people look again."

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/2532000-2532999/2532222_64_full.jpg

IMO the non SS cars are just as worthy of the respect as an SS car.I enjoy seeing a car like Steelrat's that are brought back to the original look;)

Garsh, thanks Taz :o

i remember back in my earlier years i'd get bagged on for takin' a '55 Bel-Air and turnin' it into a 150 !!! :eek: :eek: :eek:


no cloning UP... cloning DOWN !!! :rolleyes:



no matter what ya do, in someone's eyes ya screwed up ;)

i say if it's yours ??? do what ya want ;)

but be HONEST about it ;)

Im guity!!!! I havent got to painting the new headlight bezels yet - guess I should! I like it when people do it they do it right but still its their car turn. But I dont like seeing low production #s cars done 1/2 way

I like black grilles, I like the rear SS panel, but I don't really like the SS on the grille.


Joe

i remember back in my earlier years i'd get bagged on for takin' a '55 Bel-Air and turnin' it into a 150 !!! :eek: :eek: :eek:


no cloning UP... cloning DOWN !!! :rolleyes:



no matter what ya do, in someone's eyes ya screwed up ;)

i say if it's yours ??? do what ya want ;)

but be HONEST about it ;)

I wanted to remove my SS emblems and put 307 badges on my 396 car,Jr won't let me though:mad:

I don't like how when people make "SS" clones out of their nova's....they do a half a.s.s. job. I'm okay with clones, but only if there done RIGHT!!!

My biggest thing is the grill's. Alot of the time people don't bother to paint them black and just slap on a ss emblem. I think it looks absolutley retarded and should be punishable by law :D

Am I the only one that feels this way? What do you all think??

I completely agree! I am taking the ss off of my grill this summer, but am stuck with the hood louvers :(

I think people can and will do as they please, just remember that not everyone can do a first class job, right away. Some times it takes time, and things may not get done the way YOU want, or think someones car should be done.

Yes I have a low buck heater, radio and P/S 6 cyl. But I put an SS tail panel and grill, still saving for the bezels, and a ton of other things.

But hey I'm not doing a stock, show concours points car either.:D

JMO

I like em all (except more doors)..... I haven't given a non SS the SS treatment but probably would. If I did I would make sure I blacked the grill and bezels (all but the top and bottom row) and make sure I used the right type paint which is not a high gloss black. I like to see what people do to Novas because it gives me and others cool ideas for ours. My 68 is a real SS and my 72 isn't. the 68 will remain just about like it is but the 72 is gettin some weird stuff later :eek: :cool: :cool:

Tommy :)

My 3 door is an SS clone. Getting there anyhow. And I just sold someone a 74 SS grill on eBay, so I've probably created 2 in the last 30 days. Guilty.

My car a a rag tag driver that deserves a resto. Unfortunately, that aint in the cards for now. So, hats off to the high dollar cars and I have no room to bag on MOST of the stuff thats out there.

It makes no differance to me one way or the other. I don't even know if mine is a true SS. Don't really care, it is a Nova. I like them even if they aren't an SS.

Taz...I changed the emblems on my 68 Chevelle to 307.....boy did I have fun. :D


Don

i really don't mind if people make their cars into clones as long
as they don't try to pass them off as the real thing.
i'm keeping my SS stuff since it it.:D

friday!!!


http://www.aircraftmechanic.org/nova004.jpg

Im with you....if you cant do it right don't do it at all...id be almost embarassed to take my car out if things were half ***** on it.The grills are a peev too. They have to be blacked out and the correct lines must be left silver. The bumper filler must also be the correct silver. No painted ones. I'll post pics of my car after i get it cloned correctly:D

The bumper filler must also be the correct silver. No painted ones.

I like the painted ones better.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/2532000-2532999/2532222_57_full.jpg

I like the painted ones better.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/2532000-2532999/2532222_57_full.jpg

I like the painted ones too! That is one sweet ride ya got there!

I agree with most of the folks here: Badge it and build it the way you want, just don't lie about it. Character counts!
http://www.novarod.com/rodsnova.jpg
(my 72 Nova SS clone: 406sbc, 3.73 posi 12-bolt, 200-4r tranny, Flame Red with Black Rally Stripes, 2" cowl induction hood, deluxe interior. Some say it's built better, performs better and looks better than an original SS.)

Rod

I agree.. Mine is a clone BUT, it was done right (would not have it any other way)............right down to the dash and console... The only thing I need to replace is the bumper filler. It has a crack and its not the correct color.

SS cars and clones are a PITA anyway to prove from 68 - 71.. Unless you have all the documentation to substantiate the SS status, its just another clone in my mind.

i love the look of some SS traits... im not a fan of the hood louvers, but i painted my grille to look SS, and i want to get the ss trim panel,and i absolutley love the ss wheels... but im not putting badges on mine

I like the grille also. no badges for me (be kinda silly on a 6 cylinder Nova...:p)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j148/ratnova/4-26-07%2072%20nova/newpics42607011.jpg

So, how do you blackout the grill, if you want to have it like an SS grill? I like the look of the SS grill and might do mine, if it's do'able.

As far as customizing our rides, for me the fun of owning them is fixing them up the way I want to. It seems silly to me that someone might care how I choose to customize it. Of course, no one should be deceitful in trying to sell a car, so caveat emptor....

Pop-A-Top
Nashville

So, how do you blackout the grill, if you want to have it like an SS grill? I like the look of the SS grill and might do mine, if it's do'able.

Just mask off the top & bottom fin and hit the rest with some black spray paint.

I bought a black SS grill but I did touch up my headlight bezels and tail panel with black paint. Easy to touch up in the future if you need to as well.

Here is my tailpanel for example. It was all silver when I got the car. A little masking tape and black spraypaint and violla! Needs a little touch up this year but its not too bad. I think I may change the type of paint when I do it again. Obviously it has a few spots chipping off.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y121/monk75/HPIM0887.jpg

As far as customizing your car I say do what you want to it. The only thing that really irks me is when people try to sell cars as clones on ebay and elsewhere when they are not even close to being a clone. A clone is an exact copy, not a car with badges.

Greetings,

I agree....I hear all the time "Why didn't you make yours a SS?" It's very simple: It's a Nova Custom with factory bucket seats, disc brakes, radio delete dash, tilt wheel and power steering. I dared to be different...I kept my appearing kinda stock!

Jason

One each way. Earl

One each way. Earl

thanks, i'll take the green one.:D

thanks, i'll take the green one.:D

I'll take the other one!;) :p

I agree, do it right if you are going to do it. I looked at cloning mine, but after much thought and a whole lot of input from members advising not too. I kept her as is. Happy with the decision. :)

I agree leave that bad boy just the way it is. It looks GREAT :)

Meh, I don't really care. If I did, my blood pressure would get pretty high from looking at Civics with erector set wings too. Everyone has different tastes.

Once a car is modified do what you please.

I guess I have a pretty odd Nova to some folks in my neighborhood.............blacked out grille............NO Nova emblems at all..........327 badges...........2 1/2" exhaust (and will still rattle yur' "winders" [462 cu. in. BBB] as I cruise)...........street /strip tires.............and I LOVE driving it every day just to see the faces of FURD guys as they go by trying to figure out just what the He(( I got!!!!! Fun world in my neck o' the woods!!!! LOL!!!!:D :D :rolleyes:
jammon73

Well my car is a true SS, but I was thinking about trying something a little different on it. Instead of a chrome grille or a blacked out one, I was thinking of color coordinating it with the car in the blacked out fashion (I.E. leaving the top and bottom fins chrome.) and seeing how it looks! Now I have a long way to go before I get to that point let alone before I really start thinking hard on it, but it is something different I would like to try.

True SS's are bad ***** but i could really care less about those little emblems and stuff. I would probably actually rather have a car that has nothing on it. and is fast *** hell and is CLEAN! clean is much more important to me that SS anyday(not that most SS cars aren't clean). There was a guy in High school who had a ss camaro and i used to stomp his ***** with my chipped brown paint job and slapper bars. he hated it.

guess im not much of a "originality" guy.

My 70. Before.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/2532000-2532999/2532222_22_full.jpg

After.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/2532000-2532999/2532222_57_full.jpg

I like it both ways, but the SS grill looks more performance. I think the 70-72 non-SS grill would look better if it had fewer vertical bars, like the 68-69 Novas.

The "SS" trim looks a whole lot better in my opinion.

Some of us don't know if we have a real SS or not. From what I've been able to determine, on '71's there is no way of knowing unless you were lucky enough to have the original build sheet. I didn't get that lucky. When people ask me if it's a real SS - all I can say is that "the car has the SS options - but without the build sheet it is impossible to tell." "It could be...."
I'm not lying or trying to hide anything - cuz I don't know one way or the other.......

I always thought if you did a vin search or something you could tell. But when I tried doing a search on the internet it wont let me cause the vin is only 14 characters (off the title) instead of 17.

I think the ss looks better than without even if its a close, it grabs ppl's attention its another detali to add to the car.

WOW!, what a beautiful thread!!

I agree FULLY with everyone here on SS trim and such.

After my dad sold his 70 SS for the 73, he painted the grill black and left 2 silver lines to give the grill on my nova the SS look.

I don't ever think I would clone mine ... I get enough questions about the 'Custom' badging on the sides.

Aren't the grills for 73/74 SS casted in a black plastic as oppose to the silver colored plastic?

I have an actual SS grill (black plastic) at home, in my room .... GOLD! : ) incase I do decide later on to clone it.

I am not "cloning" mine but, I did do the SS grill and rear panel with the badges. I won't be doing a console or any of the other stuff. I like the look, if people want to know that's the answer they will get. It'll have a cowl hood as well. I think that will do it for the SS stuff. Who are you trying to please? I am doing it for ME!

P.S. Nice looking rides. I also prefer the Silver filler panels, but color is good too! :)

The "SS" trim looks a whole lot better in my opinion.

Some of us don't know if we have a real SS or not. From what I've been able to determine, on '71's there is no way of knowing unless you were lucky enough to have the original build sheet. I didn't get that lucky. When people ask me if it's a real SS - all I can say is that "the car has the SS options - but without the build sheet it is impossible to tell." "It could be...."
I'm not lying or trying to hide anything - cuz I don't know one way or the other.......


I agree on this one. My 71 has all the stuff, tach, gauges, console, buckets, 12 bolt, muncie 4 speed, SS hood and all the badges, manual steering and power discs. The original engine is long gone and no build sheet. I looked under the gas tank and under the rear seat and no build sheet.. Maybe I will find one under the door panels or somewhere else.
I do have the protecto plate, but I dont know how to decode it.
I have had people at the track say im crazy for building up an SS and racing it etc. But I tell them its my car an I will do what I want with it.

I still have the build sheet for a 1970 1/2 Z28 I had back in the 1980's.
It was a special order heater delete car with the 3 piece spoiler on back. Someone told me its a COPO. The guy is letting it rot in his driveway, so maybe he will sell it back to me.

i ditched the ugly custom emblems on mine and replaced them with 454 emblems, it now reads NOVA454 , the SS emblem on my grill is only for icon status, i may take it off and put the bowtie back on or keep it naked if i start getting to many dum questions, i already get hatchback questions but they are positive.

I I have had people at the track say im crazy for building up an SS and racing it etc. But I tell them its my car an I will do what I want with it.



Why did you build a real SS into a drag car?

Why, because its yours and you can do whatever you want with it.

I remeber about 10yrs ago a buddy of mine beating the life out of a Black on Black #'s matching LS6 70 Chevelle it ran 12's flat with only the tires changed.He didn't care he wanted a car to race and that's what he did.Like alot of guys say you bought you enjoy it the way you want!:D

I completely agree! I am taking the ss off of my grill this summer, but am stuck with the hood louvers :(

I removed all the SS emplems off of my car as well. I too am stuck with the louvered hood. I was planning on getting a 2 in cowled hood in the future but I dont know now. My wife really like the hood thats on it:p So if she says it stays, it stays! but i agree if your gonna do it, do it right. Even then though, it not my cup of tea to clone cars. Different strokes for different folks I guess. I just cant believe how much money some people spend on cloning them. Some of the emblems are outrageous:eek: