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4th Generations Pictures and Story

230K views 309 replies 159 participants last post by  Armychief2009 
#1 ·
Hey everyone,

I would love to see and here about all yalls 4th generation projects. This includes Projects, Race cars/Drag cars, Finished Cars, any 4th generation pictures or storys are welcome. Im sure the rest of the members would love to read stories and/or see pictures of your car.

Thanks,
Chad
 
#2 · (Edited)
76 Nova Concours

This is a great idea for the 4th generation's to show off their cars. Well, I guess I'll start things out.

I factory ordered my Nova Concours in April 76, a 18 year old so excited that I drove past the dealership every day, checking to see if my Nova had arrived. When the big day came , there was a little problem.The driver's door had a bullet hole in it! Apparently when it was being transported on a rail car, somebody was shooting at the passing train cars and hit my Nova. The bullet hit the side beam inside the door skin and did not go all the way through, so the only damage was to the outer skin. The dealership asked if I wanted to re-order or to have the hole repaired. I had it fixed and still have the Nova today. Some unique features of my Nova :
- Nova Concours 2 door coupe
( less than 7 % of Nova's produced were Concours)
- Cabriolet roof
( less than 5% had Cabriolet roofs)
- Factory buckets
- Factory console + guages
( less than 1% had console guages)
- posi-trac, 2.73 gear ratio

Seeing as Concours was a "luxury" Nova, most cars were produced with a bench seat and column shifter.


Here's a link to some pictures of my Nova
http://rides.webshots.com/album/234721307EcJIGf

Don
 
#114 ·
This is a great idea for the 4th generation's to show off their cars. Well, I guess I'll start things out.

I factory ordered my Nova Concours in April 76, a 18 year old so excited that I drove past the dealership every day, checking to see if my Nova had arrived. When the big day came , there was a little problem.The driver's door had a bullet hole in it! Apparently when it was being transported on a rail car, somebody was shooting at the passing train cars and hit my Nova. The bullet hit the side beam inside the door skin and did not go all the way through, so the only damage was to the outer skin. The dealership asked if I wanted to re-order or to have the hole repaired. I had it fixed and still have the Nova today. Some unique features of my Nova :
- Nova Concours 2 door coupe
( less than 7 % of Nova's produced were Concours)
- Cabriolet roof
( less than 5% had Cabriolet roofs)
- Factory buckets
- Factory console + guages
( less than 1% had console guages)
- posi-trac, 2.73 gear ratio

Seeing as Concours was a "luxury" Nova, most cars were produced with a bench seat and column shifter.

Here's a link to some pictures of my Nova
http://community.webshots.com/album/234721307EcJIGf
Don
Very cool! I just bought a 76 concours cabriolet. I also have the orignal paper work where the guy bought it new in 76 for $4,200.

It had been kept in a barn for several years and was recently moved out of the barn for space (that's when I spotted it!). It's in absolute great condition (has some fender-bender damage on the d side rear qtr/ bumper). I stole this car for $1,000.
I had intended to do away with the cabriolet roof and convert to a SS type, but after seeing your pics (and statistics) I think I've changed my mind.

Mine does have the bench seat / column shift. Currently is all original except hurricane wheels.
I guess I'd better start looking for someone who can re-do the vinyl (hard to find in this area), because your ride looks sweet!!!!

skynyrdcat-76 concour cabriolet (second owner!).
as soon as I get an account set up where I can upload pics, I'll add them!
 
#5 ·
Here are some pics of my 77 --> http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ray_mcavoy/album?.dir=7124

After I finished the restoration of my 74 Nova, I started looking around for another Nova that would be suitable for a daily driver. My searching turned up quite a few rust buckets as well as a few high $$ completed restorations. Then I heard about this 77 that was for sale. I actually found out about it right here on Steve's site (back when it used to be the old style format). It was right here in Maine (only a few hours away) so I went to take a look at it one weekend. While I was there I also got to see the seller's 72 Nova SS restoration project.

Anyway, the 77 turned out to be pretty solid (and 3 parts cars were included with the deal) so I decided to buy it. That was a little over 4 years ago and I've been using it as a daily driver (except in the winter) while slowly working away at fixing it up. So far I've done the following:

-rebuilt the engine (original 305).
-put in a rebuilt TH350 (car originally had a metric 200).
-rebuilt the front suspension.
-replaced the rearend (old one had some bearings starting to go bad and make noise).
-repaired the rusty trunk floor (welded in a patch panel cut from one of the parts cars).
-stripped the old paint off and primed the front fenders, hood, and doors.
-swapped the warning light instrument cluster for a gauge cluster I bought off eBay.
-had the seats re-upholstered.

It was originally silver with firethorn interior (same color combo as Don's 76). I plan on putting it back to its original silver color when I get around to painting it.
 
#6 ·
Ray,Stovebolt, great looking cars.
It's nice to see pic's of 4th generations. I hope we can get more members cars posted so more people will see what we see in these cars. This was the last of the Nova's, lets keep them alive.
Don
 
#7 ·
78 9c1

http://public.fotki.com/9C1Nova/nova_9c1/

Here is a link to photos of my Nova. It is an original 9C1, originally purchased new in July 1978 by Los Angeles County. The Nova's first assignment was to the District Attorneys Office, and was equipped with a red light, siren, radio, and shotgun rack. This was an undercover car, and never a marked patrol vehicle. Originally the Nova was light metallic blue, and after it's tour was completed with the D.A., it was taken in as a County pool car, repainted white, and eventually assigned to the County Library Department, where it remained in service for over 20 years! Finally, the county bean counters caught up with it and decided it was time to send the Nova to auction where I bought it. From information by my L.A. County sources, I am fairly positive it is the last known 9C1 Nova Los Angeles County owned! After I bought the Nova at auction for well under $1000, I had the rear axles replaced, tuned it up and drove home to Maine from L.A. with no problems except for having to replace a tired old battery and some wipers. The Nova will be restored to as it was when in service with the D.A.'s Office.
 
#12 ·
Kyle
That's great that you are going to restore your Nova. I like that they left the spotlight still on your car. All you need now is the red light for the top. I don't imagine there are many 9C1's left anymore.
Don
 
G
#15 ·
How i got my 75 SS Nova, well it was xmas eve ever one was sleeping except my Mom and Step-Dad. They woke us up at 5:30 am to do xmas i was like wow .... well they pulled back the blinds and there it sat with all its glory
I was shocked and stunded.

This car was oringanly my moms before it was mine but she bought it from a guy. He had just blown up the engien so it was no use to him at the time she had another nova not a ss but a nova she traded her nova for his and he gave her some cash. Well he never paid the rest of the cash so now she had both cars ^_^!!!! The motor in my car came from a old chevy that was a race car used in the raceing style called "bump to pass" (you have to hit some one atleast once around the track ever lap) So i don't have the oringal motor but this thing is well SWEET ^_^

~Fin (The End)
 
#16 · (Edited)
how i got my 75

hi all. ive been on this site for awhile and ive wanted to post my own story for awhile but i didnt have pics. now i have pics. thanks stovebolt.

anyways, when i was 16 and just got my liscense i purchased a 75 4 door nova with a 350 that had one cracked head on one side of the engine and a blown head gasket on the other side. i bought it cuz it was cheap and all i could afford. i rebuilt it and it ran great and i was the envy of many fellow high school kids cuz my car was fast, although ugly. after being rebuilt, it had 2 diff head casting numbers, a summit 224@.050 cam, performer intake, carter afb 600 cfm carb, headers, accel supercoil and dual 2.5" glasspacks. to this day, ive still not had a car YET that provided me with the unforgettable memories that i made in that car. but time waits for nobody and eventually that car got older and worn out and i buckled to the rising gas prices and purchased a 6 cyl car to replace it. the guy who bought it did so only for the engine and i knew, while i was watching that car being loaded onto a flatbed, a chapter of my life had been completed.
years passed and although i had a couple hot rods during that time none "grabbed" me like that first nova.
then, in november of '04, out of the blue, i bidded on a 2 door LN on ebay and won the car. i went to pick it up 3 days later. i talked to the guy on the phone and since this was my first ebay purchase, i got a walk through on how the transaction would go. basically, i said id be paying with cash and driving it home. he(chuck p.)said the car would be waiting. after 6 hours of driving one way i finally arrived at the address i was given only to not see the car anywhere in sight. right away i was nervous, thinking i was about to be mugged for the money i had on me. so i rang the doorbell and chuck hit the button for his garage door opener.
this is strange to have an epiphony about a car, but thats exactly what it was. AS the garage door opened i, for the first time in person, laid eyes on the most pristine, beautifully restored nova i've ever seen. im telling you it looked like the guys at OVERHAULING had finished the car just a few minutes before. it was brown, which i am not normally a fan of. but this car "grabbed" me. although it was totally restored to almost stock, i didnt see it for what it was. i seen it for what IT WOULD BE. chuck provided me with receipts for everything he had done to it, and the only deviations from stock was the wide tires and 4 brrl carb. since that day ive been methodically building a parts pile in my dining room with visions in my head of a stock appearing car with the heart of a racer. that heart will measure 400ci, have AFR 195 heads, 1 3/4" headers into 2.5" dual flowmasters, a racey 700r4, and 4.10 posi. there isnt a day that goes by now that i dont scheme for ways to get this car to completion in the quickest amount of time possible.
but before i can do that, i have to thin the stable of hot rods ive built up over the years. anyone looking for a 383 s truck or 78 malibu rolling chassis(donating its 400, alum rad and slapshifter) or g-body perf parts?

http://www.frontiernet.net/~irishhills/novacovered.JPG
http://www.frontiernet.net/~irishhills/novaside.JPG
http://www.frontiernet.net/~irishhills/novadriveside.JPG
http://www.frontiernet.net/~irishhills/novaengine.JPG
http://www.frontiernet.net/~irishhills/novainterior.JPG
 
#17 ·
Original 76SS

Can't beleive I haven't posted in here yet, I have everywhere else. Been a member since last year. It was may of 2004. My dad had owned a 67SS for about 2 years. Saw it in the auto trader and flew from ONT to NB to get it. Bought it sight unseen and drove it home. Now this is a sweet car, red, 327, 4spd muncie (tight ratio) and 12 bolt posi. We were coming home from somewhere, I was pissed that day, and he took me for a boot. Driving home, saw a Blue 76SS that had been for sale in the hometown for 4 years. Never really knew what kinda muscle car I wanted, but I had crashed my truck a year before and was currently driving a 73 Super Beetle. Don't get me wrong, it was a fun car to drive, BUT, in the winter, with only a gas heater, and 165s on teh wheels, its not fun. We stopped in to look at the car. Its baby blue silver (like on corvettes, not sre of the colour). White vynl top and sat pretty nicely given its age. Seller was in the driveway and came to us right away. popped the hood, and I saw a clean 350 with headers. No leaks, etc. Said it was all original, painted once, and interior done once but too original specs. On the plus side he said they found the build sheet in the springs under the front seat and was with the car. Now I was loving this car, it sounded tight, it looked good, and was the same colour as my beetle (chicks dig it :cool: ). The key factor yet is that I had not looked inside the car. The owner got out (second owner in fact, I am the third, and the first was a woman who lived in North Carolina). I looked in the car and saw the stick shift! Unreal, an original 350 4spd novaSS to go along with the old mans 67ss. I bought the car before driving it, and got in ad loved every minute of it. Gas milage doesn't bother me, I just like to hear the whine of the gears and engine as I rocket around. Nothing beats owning one of these. PLEASE take alook at the pics and let me know your thoughts, if you need closer pics let me know :)

Pics avail soon!
 
#19 · (Edited)
Sweet76SS
Your car looks great. I am glad to see that you left everything as origional and did not remove the factory console or the "Cabriolet Roof". That's what makes your car unique and one-of-a-kind. The padded roof was part of the era in the 70's,as was hood pins and rear window louvers of the muscle cars.
Don
 
#20 ·
One day I decided I needed a car and went to buy an auto trader. There I saw an ad for a 1976 2-Door Nova w/250 L6. Also came with a rebuildable 350 long block and a parts car with no motor. I went to see it the same day and bought it. It needed the transmission replaced, which I did the next day. Used the tranny from parts car. Its been along time now and I have done alot of work both inside and out, and I am barely finishing up body work. I do have a 350 sitting in it now.



 
#21 · (Edited)
1976 Nova

My Father bought it new in 1976
I bought it in 1979
I Pro Streeted it in 1989
It has a 12 bolt narrowed rear with 4:56 gears and posi, Had,Turbo 350 trans with Shift Kit and Super Holeshot B&M convertor Now it has a Bowtie Overdrives Level 3 200 4r ,It runs a 350 Small Block for now with all the dress up goodies, All stock with Catalyistic convertors, Due to Emissions Laws in my Home State. Had a killer Big Block in it until a few years ago but had to switch for emissions reasons. Hope to put a 502 in it in Future. Paint was redone 2 winters ago and wheels updated same time Run 14x15 Torque Thrust 2s on back with same in front but 6x15 Back tires are Hoosiers Pro Street Radials 31x18.-15 Front are futuras















Add My WebShot Pics of the last 3 years of car and repaint and carshows I attended with it
My Pics
 
#196 ·
1976 Nova

My Father bought it new in 1976
I bought it in 1979
I Pro Streeted it in 1989
It has a 12 bolt narrowed rear with 4:56 gears and posi, Had,Turbo 350 trans with Shift Kit and Super Holeshot B&M convertor Now it has a Bowtie Overdrives Level 3 200 4r ,It runs a 350 Small Block for now with all the dress up goodies, All stock with Catalyistic convertors, Due to Emissions Laws in my Home State. Had a killer Big Block in it until a few years ago but had to switch for emissions reasons. Hope to put a 502 in it in Future. Paint was redone 2 winters ago and wheels updated same time Run 14x15 Torque Thrust 2s on back with same in front but 6x15 Back tires are Hoosiers Pro Street Radials 31x18.-15 Front are futuras
.]
That has to be the nicest Gen IV I've seen to date!
 
#22 ·
family heirloom

My mom purchased a used 75 Nova coupe (3 on a tree/250) back in February 1976 as a replacement for a 65 Chevy II 4-door. The vehicle has been in the family since, and was once driven when I was in high school. Since 1997, it has been parked in the garage after a grenaded 350 totalled a $1500 powerplant.

Since then, the squirt job (done back in 1988) has been abused to the point where I have considered turning my vehicle into another art car. I have been working on the vehicle since June 2001, usually on and off, and lowered in a rebuilt 305 (from my other art vehicle) along with a THM350-C tranny (also rebuilt with new parts). As of this writing, the interior has been stripped awaiting a rewiring job, along with a tilt column salvaged from a derelict 75 Ventura.

Current status - under construction (future plans include Vortec 520s or 059s in place of the 601 cylinder heads on a rebuilt 305, along with a 700R4 swap and 30X9.50R15s on 2 derelict Chevrolet truck rallies (will consider the use of Cadillac Seville axleshafts).
 
#23 ·
Hi everyone,

As another newbie, I'd like to say hello to all the 4th gens as well as all generation Nova folks.

My first car at 16 was a base 2 door '78 6 cylinder that had a 3 speed column shift with the rear pop-out windows. Dad ordered it in silver with a black interior and 2.73 posi rear. I still remember when he picked it up from the dealership and went directly to the gas station. (Back then, they only gave you 1/4 tank of gas. The rest was up to you!)

Dad used the car to tow a 15 foot bowrider from home to the water (about 20 miles.) He parked the car in 1985 after getting a bigger boat and realizing he needed a bigger engine. Needless to say he found a 78 305 4 door, and the 2 door was mine a year later.

First partial resto I learned the bad and ugly of bondo and not having a good place to paint. Second resto I learned the good about a partial quarter panel (other side got a full replacement thanks to some dude in a Chysler blowing a stop sign) and bad about rivets. This time paint was a little better after having it sprayed by a professional.

Sadly, I had to part with the car when I lost storage but am currently looking for a replacement.

Thanks to all who host, moderate and participate in this site. Keep up the excellent work!
 
#24 · (Edited)
My story (taken from the May 1997 issue of The Nova Times):

I have always been a car nut for as long as I can remember. My first encounter with Novas came from my friend Chris Wood. The first car Chris ever owned was a '73 Nova with 307 V8. First we added a 4bbl and dual exhaust. Then came a 350 and a posi rear. When I started looking for my first car, all I wanted was a Nova because I was so familiar with them. Chris and I worked at a gas station at the time and one day this old lady came in and told us that she was interested in selling her Nova. I bought it from her for $800 in 1988 with 33,000 miles on the odometer. She had gotten it in 1981 with 16,000 miles when her brother (the original owner) passed away. Except for a bad carburetor and a sagging rear, it was in good shape. The original color was silver but the lady had it painted gray a few years before. The body had no major rust but was starting to show signs in the lower quarter panels and under the back windows.



I replaced the leaf springs and the 1 bbl carburetor on the 250 straight 6 to get it running healthy and level. New quarters were welded on and other little imperfections were fixed. The car was left in multiple shades of gray primer due to the lack of funds to get a good paint job.



As a car nut and a drag race fan, I wanted to find out how quick my Nova was. In stock condition it ran a best of 17.9 at 76 mph in the quarter mile. This was too slow for my taste. At around 50,000 miles I hot rodded the 250 a little with a 390 cfm Holley 4 barrel on an Offenhauser aluminum intake, a 1965 230 cid cylinder head, a .502" lift Crane cam, Hooker headers, and a 3.42 open rear from a 73 Nova.




It ran a best 16.1 at 84 mph with all the changes I made. Not bad but still nowhere near the 14 second range I was looking for. As hard as I tried it would not break into the 15's. I drove it like this for a while until I got fed up with 5 liter Mustangs kicking my tail. With 80,000 miles now on the original block and pistons, the poor 6 was becoming tired. The last 30,000 were really hard with all the changes I had made. The time had come for a more appropriate power plant for my quarter mile desires.

In 1992 I put in a rebuilt small block from Speed Equip Engine Shop in Andalusia, PA. It's a 69 Camaro 327 with a 66 L79 cam and stock heads. I also installed a TH350 trans from a 71 El Camino (rebuilt by Jerry's transmission) with a shift kit and a 2500 B&M HoleShot converter. Later that same year I installed a 3.90 posi rear built by Wayne Jack Rearends in Johnstown, PA. The exhaust system consists of Hooker headers and a Flowmaster Force II system. The Flowmaster system is listed for 67-74 Camaro/Firebird and 68-74 Nova but it will also fit 75-79 Novas as well. It has a 2 1/2 inch aluminized H pipe, a single 2 chamber dual inlet and outlet muffler (that fits in the stock location up and behind the rear axle) and 2 1/2 inch aluminized tail pipes.

The interior needed some going over so I installed a new carpet from Auto Custom Carpets. I salvaged bucket seats from a 81 Monza and had J&J Seat Covers reupholster them and the original back seat. I installed them with a 76 Nova console and a Hurst Pro-Matic 2 shifter. To reduce the weight I replaced the hood with a fiberglass cowl induction hood from Unlimited Fiberglass. I also replaced the bumpers with fiberglass duplicates from VFN and I added Weld DragLite-II wheels. For traction I relocated the battery to the trunk and installed Lakewood traction bars. The Competition Engineering subframe connectors and Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro tires also help the car run 13.5 at 102 mph. Now it had some power but it still needed paint.



From May until August of 1994 The Uni-Body Shop Inc. in Philadelphia dismantled the body, removed all glass, sanded it down to bare metal and painted it the original shade of silver (GM code 13). The parts department of Bryner Chevrolet in Jenkintown, PA found me numerous small items such as door handles, tail light lenses and bezels, weather-stripping, body bushings etc. to make the finishing touches. Although mine is not an original SS car, I learned that a 76 SS Nova was only a stripe kit and SS badges that could even be ordered with a straight six. Because of this I found a Rally Nova grill and added Nova SS emblems. Future plans for the car include better heads (aluminum, 64cc chambers with 2.02"/1.60" valves) and detailing the engine compartment more.




 
#25 ·
Hi all, guess I will take this spot to introduce my project. I was working on a '83 Caprice as kind of a cheap version of a Mercedes E55, and then a friend took me out for an open track day at Buttonwillow Raceway (road racing). I was hooked, and the Caprice was on it's way out because of it's weight. I had a pretty nice front suspension and brake setup, so what better car to put it on than a nice light 4th gen Nova?

I found my project on Craigslist- $150 for a clean shell of a 1977 hatchback. I towed it home, cleared up the title, and now I'm in the process of stripping it and prepping for paint. Here's some pics.

I think that I will be building this a little differently than most folks here, I hope I'm not thrown out as a heretic! Straightline performance is fun, but I'm one of those guys that enjoy getting around the corners fast too! With that said, this car will be built up to handle, with performance first and looks secondary-"plushness" is way down the list! It will be used as a street car primarily, so the build-up will be a balancing act. I'm hoping to keep the weight around 3000 pounds, I'd be curious to see if you think that is realistic.

Here's some more pics, so you can see the front brakes and some of the crazy guys I hang around with.

Looking forward to learning as much as I can here!
Brian
 
#26 · (Edited)
Hey everybody. Just joined this forum, figured id post a little about my 4th gen.

I have a 1976 Nova 2dr. Im guessing it was one of the cheapest models you could buy because it had no emblems at all on the car, and its not because somebody shaved them because I have had the car all the way to the metal and saw no body filler or places they may have welded up. It also does not have back up lights, or wiring for them. When I first got the car it was lowered. I couldnt stand it when it was lowered, it drug on everything in sight. I pulled a reflector up out of the road once. It was dragging my mufflers and headers flat, I said to myself "this **** has got to go". For the front end I just put stock nova front springs under it (mine had been cut), and put all new bushings under the front. Then I had to set the rear up, since it looked like it was doing a wheelie going down the road. Whoever owned the car before me had welded 3" blocks on the rear end to make it sit lower. They were welded in badly and made the rear end set out of alignment making the car vibrate. Not only that, but the shocks (right where they bolt to the plate) wore the inside of the tires out. So I took the rear end out and cut the blocks off, didnt have to worry about finding new mounting plates and U-joints...the traction bars I bought took that place :) . I went ahead and added some 4.88's while I was at it, the car already had a LSD.

This is the 2nd of 3 4th Gen Nova's I have owned (btw im 19), this is the only one I still have. The first was a 1976 2dr I ended up trading to my cousin for a 77 camaro and he later trashed the nova out and ended up pulling the engine for a s10 v8 swap and the nova ended up being a dirt track car sadly. The 3rd was a 1978 2dr nova custom. My other cousin ended up with it, same story....ended up trying to fix it up but really trashed it, blew the engine and long story short ended its life as a dirt track car. I dont think im going to do any more trading to family. Im also going to hang onto this nova and make sure the same thing dont happen to it.

It has a 350 4 bolt main, with a few "goodies" such as 2.02/1.60 valves, 280 dur. .490 lift comp cam, edelbrock intake and carb....etc. Has a TH400 with a B&M shift kit backing that up, and following the transmission up is a posi trac 8.5 10 bolt with a set of richmond 4.88's. The car is painted competition orange, looks good but since I had no nice paint booth I had some overspray...im going to fine sand that off and put a few more layers of paint on soon. Here are just a couple of pics, its currently orange...so most of these other pics are older ones ill have to get some new ones up soon. I need a bigger aircleaner, but dont have much room. I put a carb spacer on but took it off because I couldnt run a air cleaner and close the hood.

Newer pic:


Engine:


Playing around (burnout)



Older pic while primed black, water can really make primer shine lol:


Just a couple I took during body work and paint...good excuse for me to take a break :cool:






BTW: How many Novas had metal trim around the side window's instead of "chrome"? The other 2 novas I had, had chrome, and most novas I see around have chrome. This one has metal trim though.
 
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