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Brett's 3rd gen collaboration

27K views 248 replies 25 participants last post by  NorthernMainer 
#1 · (Edited)
Before you wonder why the title says 71 ss 4 speed, skip to page 4, the first few pages are about the Omega I started with

Hey guys, and gals. My name is Brett, and this is my 2nd "Nova" build. I'm dubbing this car the Nomega since it is an Omega, but really just a Nova as you all know. I finished building my actual 72 Nova this past spring, and enjoyed it all summer long, but wound up selling it to pay off debt.

The car is a 73 Olds Omega I picked up from a friend of mine for what I think is a good price considering what these are going for even being rotted out rollers. The pics you see are of the good side so please don't hate me too bad for ditching the Omega front end. There is kind of a gruesome story behind this car, but I believe some things are better left unsaid.

What's the plan?

I'm going to slap a carb'd 4.8 Ls in it with a 700r4. My last build I went with a 6.0/4L80, with fuel injection. This time around I'm going to keep it simple with a carb, and non computer controlled trans.

As far as the body I am replacing the entire floor from the firewall to the tail lights, as well as putting a 68-72 Nova tail panel in it. I'm going to try to track down the parts to put a 68-72 front end on it, but here's the kicker.. I'm going to put all the Oldsmobile emblems on the Nova front end, and leave the one on the trunk too mostly just to mess with people's head ;) Does anyone know if the Omega core support is the same as the Nova? I'm hoping so.. less parts to buy.

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#118 ·
What size balancer do you have on? I have a 408 small block which has an 8" balancer. I installed a 1 1/8" hellwig sway bar and it was hitting the balancer, called hellwig and their answer was to install taller motor mounts. Soooo got out my torches and sledge hammer heated up the sway bar and flatten it out a little just enough to clear the sway bar. Easier than installing taller motor mounts.
 
#123 · (Edited)
So I haven't gotten anything major done. To be honest I picked up a new hobby. Smoking. Smoking food to be exact 😆 I smoked some ribs yesterday for the first time, and they were DELICIOUS. I used hickory splits, I'd like to try some Applewood next time.

Today I got the hurst competition shifter installed, and I cut a hole in the floor.. I'll perfect the hole after I get the hump welded in. Don't mind the mess in my car, it's part work bench, part project. I need to find a new heater box, but this one does function, it just looks like hell.

Here's a few pics that might make you hungry, as well as shifter pics. For those of you that don't know, the pink is actually the smoke ring.

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#125 ·
Thanks man 😎 they were absolutely delicious. I want to try to smoke a pork butt or two next, and make pulled pork.

The shifter looks, and works awesome. I actually got under the car, and pulled the trans back out to install it. I'm glad I did, I was able to get everything bolted up, and adjusted perfectly, then back in she went. I ordered a few good bits over yesterday, and today.. but I might just keep you guys in suspense to see what they are 😆 let me tell you though.. it was not cheap.
 
#130 ·
Hey everybody, don't mind the messy floor (today is cleaning day), but I put new brakes on the rear end then threw a coat of por15 on it. Of course I got it on my hands so now I've got a temporary one week tattoo 😆

I've been busy hauling logs so progress has slowed right down, but the car will see the road this summer. The plan is to sand the car down then epoxy prime it, throw the seats, and glass in then enjoy it this season. We will paint it over the winter, and do the interior then as well.

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#135 ·
The car is finally back on all four tires for the first time in probably 30 years 😎 yes we had it on tires to bring it home, but nothing was bolted to it LOL.

I started working the fenders to prep them for epoxy primer, hopefully I can get over to the shop a few nights after work this week to make some progress. I'd like to hit the entire car with 80 grit so I can shoot epoxy on it next weekend. I might buy a new hood, the one I've got needs quite a bit of work, and I wouldn't mind one with a two inch cowl.

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#137 ·
Hopefully soon!

Although it will have to wait a little bit, I just bought my own truck for hauling logs (the red one) 😎 were actually going to use the sequoia green to paint this with, and I have another factory color for the Nova that I'll keep a secret for now 😁.

I had to haul the truck to a service center to get a massive oil leak fixed.. this truck isn't really set up for the woods, but it will do for now.

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#138 ·
So I made slight progress yesterday. I bolted all the sheet metal onto the car to see what needs work, and I've discovered I still have a fair amount to do before sanding it for epoxy primer.

The new hood showed up damaged, but it's nothing that can't be fixed. I'd rather just fix it vs risk waiting for another one to show up damaged. I think we're in for some fun lining everything up, but it shouldn't be too bad. I'd like to try to work the passenger door a little bit better. You have to slam it to get it to close all the way, but I've got an idea on how to fix it.

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#141 ·
Thanks man! There is still a ways to go, but I cant wait to see fresh paint on the car.

How does your hood trim fit with that cowl hood? I have an AMD 2" cowl, and I'm gonna have quite a bit of filler work to get the trim looking right.
I haven't tried it yet, but it will take some doing. During shipping it must have got dropped on the drivers side front corner, and it bent that lip in, so I have to straighten that out before I try to fit the trim.
 
#142 ·
Well folks I got back on doing some work to the car. I've been solely focused on my big truck trying to hurry to get it on the road, but I had to take it in for service the other day to have the blinkers fixed 🤦‍♂️..

Yesterday I did work to the dash where we spliced in the piece from the Omega. I was able to spray sealer on it after doing some mud work, but I managed to get a few fish eyes even though I thoroughly cleaned it with wax/grease remover so I'll fix those before spraying color. I want to get the car painted before winter arrives.

Anyway I'll show you what I've been doing to the truck as well. Some dummies tried to do a two tone paint job, but failed miserably so I'm sanding down their work, and doing my own two tone, leave the red up top, with a silver stripe, and black from there down, but it will be an 80s kind of paint scheme.. I was able to score a contract hauling wood chips from mill to mill which makes me happy.. I won't have to haul logs which would beat the snot out of it.. the truck has a 12.7L Detroit 60 series with bigger injectors, and pump work done. It runs like it's brand new, and has A LOT of power which is good considering I'll be 100,000 pounds loaded.

Hope you're all doing well! Soon I'll make a new episode on my YouTube channel, I'll post it when that happens.

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#145 ·
Well I fixed the few bad spots, and we shot some color on the dash this evening 😎 of course there is a few dust spots, but thats to be expected painting in a shop without a booth. I think it looks great, and will give me motivation to finish the body work every time I see it.

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#149 ·
Just read through the thread, well from page 4 anyways. I had been following along when it was the Omega but somehow got lost when you bought the Nova shell. I’m blown away at how much you have accomplished in 4 months! Hardcore is all I can say.

Did you ever get the heater box sorted? I may have the one from my 74 that’s not going back in. Non-AC but was in good shape as I recall.
 
#150 ·
It's a lot of work for sure! Splicing in the piece from the Omega was a big task. I would up fixing my heater box, but I might just order a new one for a big block car. I'm pulling the 307 to drop into another project, and I'm going to put a stock Ls setup in here so I'll have to move the heater hoses over anyway.

The omega may be gone, but it's parts live on 🤘 Progress on the Nova has been slow lately, but it will pick back up as soon as the freightliner is rolling. Speaking of which here's a pic I snapped today, it's a little teaser of how the truck will look 😎

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#152 ·
Been following the build and the progress considering what you have done and how fast is truly impressive. And I don't know if it's just me but seeing the pics of your shop with all the other stuff including old parts, beer cans, ect ect is beyond awesome. My good friend owned his own shop for years (he was from Houlton Maine originally) and his shop looked almost identical, I used to say "good lord EP how the hell do you find anything in here?" his reply was always the same "I put it there so how'd I forget?" Keep up the great work, truck is awesome too btw, and whatever you do keep the shop the way it is!!
 
#153 ·
Hey thanks! We recently cleaned up all the beer cans, and most of the other junk laying around 😆 but soon enough it will look like that again. I actually gave up drinking last month, I have stomach problems, and they seem to have gone away since I quit so major win there! Houlton is about an hour south of us (if you can believe there's actually life north of there LOL). The truck is coming out just the way I planned so I'm glad you like it! I should be spraying the cab today if the weather is decent. I want it done, and on the road so I can get back to the car.
 
#154 ·
Long time no post. I haven't touched the car in a few months it seems, life got in the way.. the trucking for myself gig isn't working out at all so that's going up for sale, and hopefully I can get my old job back.

I picked up a 350 off a friend of mine. It's had an aerosol overhaul at some point, and it's definitely a reman motor although it has stock bore pistons 🤷‍♂️. Some of the rods are stamped with A's, and B's. It definitely needs to go see my machinist after pulling the heads off then discovering you can rock some of the pistons back, and forth in the bore as well as being able to see the piston rings sticking way out past the pistons.. ah well.. I'll have it punched out enough to clean it up then top it off with the blueprint heads from the 307. The reason I'm not using the 307 is because I made a deal with my best friend, and the motor is going to him.

I think this weekend I will finish up welding the passenger quarter panel that way we can move onto body work, followed by paint before it gets too cold out.

I hope you're all doing well, this past few months has taken a toll on my mental health with the whole trailer truck deal, that's part of why I'm getting out of it. That, and I was barely making money. I'd have to work 80-100 hours per week just to make slightly more than I was driving someone else's truck, and not having the responsibilities associated with owning it. I'm not lazy by any means, but I enjoy being able to relax on weekends. Owning a truck is a seven day per week job. Anyway enough rambling.. here's a few pics of the 350. Its hard to see what I'm talking about with the piston rings, but trust me it's bad.. in my opinion at least.
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#156 ·
I actually hadn't bought an Ls for it yet! Thankfully 😆 I had plans to buy one off another buddy of mine, but I got to thinking about the expenses going to an Ls, and decided just to stay with a small block. I'll put a holley sniper on top, and maybe try their hyperspark system I believe it's called. I definitely learned a lesson with the trucking gig, I was getting screwed on the loads I was hauling.

My goal is to get this car done before next spring, and drive it to Florida.
 
#159 ·
Sometimes you have to try something to figure out if it feel right to you.. If it doesn’t work you reevaluate what direction you need to go.. I’m my own monkey and have to be responsible for it all.. Not everyone is down for that and want to have a normal life and schedule.. I’m not normal..! Lols.
 
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