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sniperbp 1969 Nova Project

5K views 13 replies 1 participant last post by  sniperbp 
#1 ·
Hey guys thanks for checking out my thread. I pick this car up somewhere around the end of 2009. It actually had the front fenders and hood on it but i never got a picture on my good camera with it all assembled.




Pictures

http://s810.photobucket.com/albums/zz28/sniperbp/My 1969 Nova Project/

Year: 1969

Model:Nova

Engine:400ci sbc

Body/Exterior:

Front End:disk conversion with new everything bushing and steering wise

Transmission: Turbo 350

Rear End: Havent decided might stick to stock or might go with a ford 9 inch

Exhaust: Heagers and going to install a 2 1/2 inch exaust with flowmasters

Wheels/Tires: undecided

Interior: black and red

Electrical: uknown

Accessories/Options: 4 inch cowl hood

Sound system:

Comments:


I took this car off the trailer and put in my shop. I took everything off that would unbolt except the rear end and gas tank because i started with the front of the car and i wanted to be able to roll it around. Me and by buddy Joey cut the floorpans out and welded repacements in and i did a rubber undercoat underneath. I took the subframe and cleaned it up primed and painted it and put all new subframe to body mounts on it. I put all new upper and lower ball joint, and a- arm and control arm bushings and new coil springs . When i got the car it had no spindles on the front becuse the guy i had got it from was drag racing it and had racing disk brakes on the front and they werent included in the sale so i ordered a new disk conversion kit and installed it. now the pictures ive got up until today show just the spindles and the rotors and the steering arms that was so i could roll it around if i needed to, but i put all the dust shields and calipers on it yesterday because i finally got my steering arms and you have to have those to bolt everything together. I havent taken a new picture yet because i still have to install the sway bar but ill get to it this weekend. I also kept the drag link bar and cleaned it up and put new inner and outer end links on it and painted the steering box and hooked all of my steering up too. So right now i ve got a good looking front end of a Nova with all new stuff and is waiting for some body work.



As for the motor... I bought a 1979 GMC van from my father it had a 400 smallblock with a 350 transmission. I took it to the machine shop and had inspected , I left it stock bore and i put it back stock on the bottom end except the cam. heres my specs on whats on it

World sportsman II heard 64 cc with sainless steel valves 1.94 2.02
comp cam kit 230 duration with .480 inches of lift with matching springs
.010 over pushrods
1.5 roller rockers
weiland stealth intake
holly 770 street avenger carb
double roller timing chain

i painted it chevy orange and and the valve coves, timing cower, and oil pan black ive still got to buy water pumps and what nots for it but the expensive part is taken care of.

As soon as i can get my money right im going to take the car to a buddy of mine`s body shop and start on it. It needs the whole back glass area redone with new metal , lower rear fenders, trunk area and wheel wells but i hear that typical in these cars especially that old but honestly its a pretty soild car . Anyways if you have any questions please ask ill try to keep everyone up to date but its slow process so just be patient.

Thanks for looking
Ben
 
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#2 · (Edited)
UPDATE!!!! New Pics

The last six pics in my photobucket account is what i did yesterday i finished up the disk brakes and installed all of the steering!! plus you get a sneak peek at my little helper and possible future owner !!!

P.S. Please excuse all of the pollen on the car , its impossible to keep off of anything

http://s810.photobucket.com/albums/zz28/sniperbp/My 1969 Nova Project/
 
#3 ·
Rolling Chassis Tomorrow?

If everything goes to plan i have some old rims and im going to put some old used tires on there tomorrow and make it a rolling chassis. It will be the first time its had all four tires on the ground in four or five months. Im going to get pictures of the engine too and post them on my photo bucket account and then its off to the bodyshop for a little sheetmetal repair, fiberglass, and bondo.

well ill keep you guys updated and hopefully be back on here tomorrow.


Ben
 
#5 ·
I have got 8 more pictures up on photobucket. I got her on the trailer and we are off to the bodyshop so this will be the last time you guys see her like this. I'll be sure to post some pictures right after i get her back. Thanks for following my build and I'll see you guys soon!!!



Here is the Link!

http://s810.photobucket.com/albums/z...ova Project/
 
#6 ·
I snuck down to the body shop and got 8 pictures and i posted them on photobucket on the last page. If i quit coming up with different stuff to keep doing to it ,it should be out by this weekend but im sure ill want to do something else and will stay for a few more days. I'll be sure to post some pictures right after i get her back. Thanks for following my build and I'll see you guys soon!!!



Here is the Link!

http://s810.photobucket.com/albums/zz28/sniperbp/My 1969 Nova Project/
 
#7 ·
No more rust!!!!!!!!!!

I got my baby back Friday!! I just got time to take some pictures. Both front fenders were replace with the correct ones. It had 1972 fenders but i bought another 69 and stole the fenders off of it. I cut the stock hood and added a 4 inch fiberglass cowl and fiberglassed it all together. I put new hinge pins in the doors, both rear quarters panels were replaced, trunk lid had some cancer on the bottom side, and the track that seals the deck lid had to be made so i can put my weatherstrip back in and seal it up, the trunk floor had a few spots so it was just fiberglassed, the back glass track was eat up so bad with cancer it was terrible but it got some fresh metal and a little fiberglass and its looking great, one of the doors had a big dent and it was pulled and fixed and the other was full of bondo and i didnt even know it so we repaired it. and we got the bad dent on the drivers side rear quarter by the back glass fixed up and she is looking great, It is still gona be a while until it gets paint. I did the cam break in and run into a little glitch and ill post a copy of it on here from the other thread here it is..........

i completed my cam break in and right after the twenty minute mark i noticed some smoke coming off of the passenger side header then the motor started to bog and i killed it to prevent anymore damage. it was the spark plugs fowling . i had it narrowed down to about 4 things it could be and decided to pull it down because that was the olny way to truly know anyway and i was hoping on it to be an intake gasket and thank god i was right. its wierd how it did tho, on the exaust ports numbers 2,6,and 8 had traces of oil and number 4 was dry and the whole driverside was dry. i still did a compression test and everything was good hell it was better that i thought it was gonna be. so i bought a new set of felpro gaskets which is what i had on it the first time and im going to get some of that gasket sealer that sprays on because i put the last one on dry except the black permatex that goes on the front and back and clean it up really good and it if leaks again i guess ill take it to the machine shop and have the do what they can. its an aluminum weiland stealth intake but it was installed on another engine before i got it. but i know that he only ran that engine it came off of one time because he nver had brakes installed on his car. i havent hears of to many people having oil problems with intakes it usualy water but i guess im *** backwards LOL.

if you have any tips or tricks on these intake gaskets let me know becuse im ready to get it off the test stand and in the car!!!!!

thanks
Ben


...... Im going to paint my inner fender wells, coresupport, and firewall again it got overspray from the primer on it but its no big deal and then hopefully ill have the transmission back from the transmission shop i think its gonna be done this coming up week and i can get the motor and tranny in her. I got some seats out of a Camaro im trying to find out if i can use the tracks on them or if i need to buy Nova tracks. well thats really all for now im going to get he in the shop and start tearing the front end down again and get everthing under the hood painted. ill keep you guys posted. thanks for following my thread.


Thanks
Ben

Here is a link to my photobucket account with the new pics in it they are on the last 2 pages.

http://s810.photobucket.com/albums/zz28/sniperbp/My 1969 Nova Project/
 
#8 ·
ok as i stated before i finished my cam break in i also found out it was the intake gasket leaking and i replaced it and ran the engine for a while and had no problems, so hopefully its ready to go I just have to get a new set of plugs from where it fouled them out last time and get new plugwires because i burn up this last set on the headers....... I got my transmission and stall converter yesterday from the transmission shop its a turbo 350 . i painted it black today and im waiting on it to dry. also picked up a set of used seats i think they are out of a 1st generation camaro but im not sure im going to google some pics and see if i can identify them because i need new tracks. i got the fenderwells in the shop and im going to get them sanded down and primed tomorrow i hope then ill pull her in the shop and start pullling the front end down and repainting under the hood because i got some overspray from the fenders and cowl. i have got a transmission crossmember but i am not sure if it is the correct one for a 350 but i will check it out and see and after i get that done i guess ill marry the motor and tranny and sit them in the car. I took a few pics today of the transmssion before and after , the torque converter and the seats if you want to check them out click on my link at the bottom for my photobucket account and they are on the last page.

Thanks for following my build i will be sure to keep you updated.

http://s810.photobucket.com/albums/zz28/sniperbp/My 1969 Nova Project/


Thanks

Ben
 
#11 ·
Update... I know its been a WHILE since i posted on here but i have had my hands full for a while.. i finished priming and painting everything under the hood, the motor and tranny is in , i put all new bushings in the rear suspension and i rebuilt the rearend, it got a new set of bearings and seals and a set of 3.73 gears with a mini spool i hope to get a little traction with this baby!!!! I also got a pair of those summit bolt on subframe connectors i got the passenger side on and started on the driverside but i have to mount the new brake line first it just hanging there. I got my fan shroud and transmission lines to run but that wont take but a few minutes to get done, hopefully the next time i get up there i will be able to slide the driveshaft in and put all of my fluids in and get her moving around ...we will see!!!
 
#12 ·
On the fouth of July!!

I actually took the day off to get some work done on the Nova today... i got all of the brake lines fastened and ran, all new wheel cylinders and brake hardware, they are all bled and ready to go.. got the new 3 row aluminum radiator mounted with new rubber mounts. i got the transmission lines , kickdown cable and dipstick tube in ... i had to take the damn header off to get to them.... i started it up and of course the ignition system went out i lost fire but hell it was the stock HEI i have been trying to talk myself into a MSD or something smaller now i have a good excuse if i go back with the HEI i will have to beat the firewall back about a 1/2 inch.. next its putting the steering column back in hooking up the shifter and finding some seats cause im ready to drive this beast.... i`ll keep posting my progress its not going as fast as i would like but im just staying at it when i can and doing it right the first time.... thanks for following my build
 
#13 ·
Update with video link

It seems like my updates keep getting further and further apart.lol

My sweety hasn`t seen too much love lately but i did get the motor and tranny in and got some suff buttoned up under the hood .. I took this video a while back and i figured i would share it with you all. I hope you enjoy!!!

 
#14 ·
Still here!! Another Video Update

I still ahvent done too much, I have so many projects going on, I just finished up my 69 GTO Judge, I have a 68 Charger im working on . I`m still messing with my 69 Lincoln Continental, I went through a 340 and 904 tranny in my 67 Plymouth Belvedere II but decide to use it as a parts car for my Charger so I started stripping it last night. I also have a 63 Chevy C-10 im fixing up for my wife and a chevy powered race car (Pinto) so i have been busy and need to get back on the Nova.

 
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