Seats and Quarters dont add up on my 69 Nova??

4741 Views 26 Replies 9 Participants Last post by MBZTECH, Jul 10, 2012

Mike69Nova

Discussion Starter · Jul 9, 2012 (Edited)

6

About a month ago my wife purchased a 69 Nova with a clean title. After tinkering here and there I've noticed some differences that I wouldnt have noticed before. First of all the quarter panels dont seem to match a 69. In fact I think I have two different quaters...They look like 70-72 quarters maybe you guys can help me figure this out.

I want to make this car a 1969 Nova because thats what I thought I was buying, and I want the car to match the title. I dont have front fenders, I do have a hood but it will probably be sold for a cowl hood later on. I just need to know if I will run into fitmant problems if I put 69 body panels on this car??

Also I need help identifying these seats. I have no idea if they are even Nova seats. All I know is they dont look like an 69 seats I've seen in pictures. Here are some pics of the seats and tracks that were in the car:

Thanks in advance for any help!!

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ovrdrive

· #2 · Jul 9, 2012

2

Mike69Nova said:
About a month ago my wife purchased a 69 Nova with a clean title. After tinkering here and there I've noticed some differences that I wouldnt have noticed before. First of all the quarter panels dont seem to match a 69. In fact I think I have two different quaters...They look like 70-72 quarters maybe you guys can help me figure this out.

I will tackle the quarter panel issue 1st. As you can see in this link:

http://www.ss396.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=Nova&Product_Code=RQS-X68R&Category_Code=QUARTERPANELSKIN

The rear quarter light hole is much smaller and what you've assumed is correct, the previous owner put late model aftermarket skins on your 69. I do have a connection that has a pair of rear quarter skins if you are interested....

As for those seats, they are definitely 73-74 style seats or maybe even later but, are they from a Nova or Camaro? I don't know.

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mwb71nova

· #3 · Jul 9, 2012 (Edited)

Like ovrdrive said you have 70-72 quarters. Look from inside the trunk to see if there is a weld bead along the top of the skin (if they replaced the skin only) or they could of replaced the whole qtr which would make it more difficult to tell. If they did replace the whole qtr then they probably removed the lead from where the roof panel meets the qtr, so if there is no lead and now filler then they replaced the full qtr.

Welcome to the site!!!! FYI - I grew up in the Raleigh/Cary area.

Mike69Nova

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 9, 2012

Thanks for the replies. I will check the trunk later for this weld. After some more research I found out 70-74 door hinges were welded on not bolted like a 69. Mine are welded... I also have the original speedometer. In 69 the numbers had a green tint to them. And early 70's were white numbers. Mine have a green tint so I'm thinking it's a 69. This car is obviously mismatched I just don't know what the correct year is?? I just hope I don't run into problems fitting 69 parts on this car.
If my seats happen to be Camaro seats. Do you think the will bolt correctly to 69 seat mounts?

Mike69Nova

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 9, 2012

@ mwb71nova I live in Raleigh

MBZTECH

· #6 · Jul 9, 2012

Check the firewall tag. It will tell you the year of the car providing it also been changed. RICK

Mike69Nova

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 9, 2012

My VIN tag and Firewall tag match up. They ate riveted on. Is this how they are originally attached? An app on my iPhone tells me a lot about the car using the VIN. Some research of the cowl tag indicated the car was a coupe with a 307 V8, with arctic blue paint. I've done some sanding and found a few different colors but the only blue I found was a powder blue, like UNC colors. I think the arctic blue was darker. Although the inside of one of my doors is a dark blue color.

I don't know... Maybe I'm worrying about this too much. I should just dig in and make it a 69.

ovrdrive

· #8 · Jul 9, 2012

You know what? MBZTECH, has a valid point there... If possible, please provide a picture of your VIN and your cowl tag. Hopefully the previous owner didn't hose you and changed a those items on his behalf.

Does the title of the car match what you have right now?

Mike69Nova

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 9, 2012

I will take some pics of the tags when I get home. As far as the two tags and title. They all match and our in my wife's name as of last week. The guy we bought the car from seems like a good guy. I dont think he knew of the differences because he also provided me with a whole box of brand new nuts, bolts,door locks,trunk locks, a few manuals. All this stuff is labeled 68-69 nova parts. The only work he did on the car was the front end. He had to sell his project because he's building a new house and didn't have the time.

luepke75

· #10 · Jul 9, 2012

If the quarters are in good shape it wouldnt be hard to make the marker light area correct if not you can get the correct ones, the 70-72 door will work just fine all dinterior and sheetmetal panel will fit fine even if the doors are from a 70-72.

72GreenRally

· #11 · Jul 9, 2012

Most likely whoever changed the quarters ordered the wrong ones, and either didn't notice the difference, or didn't want to wait to get the correct ones. Check the tail light panel to see if it will fit the larger '70-'72 tail lights, or the smaller '68-'69 tail lights. Check the trunk floor also. The trunk floor is different in '68-'69. Last, since the front fenders etc are off the car, you could pull the heater box off of the firewall. There is a hidden VIN under there. That will tell you without question if the VIN and trim tags where swapped.

Mike69Nova

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 9, 2012

Wow you guys reply fast on this forum! I pulled the heater core last week. I'll check that when I get home. Thanks guys!!

72GreenRally

· #13 · Jul 9, 2012

Here's a thread to help you out:

http://www.stevesnovasite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131922

NPHNP!!:yes:

brickyardboy

· #14 · Jul 9, 2012

Mike69Nova said:
My VIN tag and Firewall tag match up. They ate riveted on. Is this how they are originally attached? An app on my iPhone tells me a lot about the car using the VIN. Some research of the cowl tag indicated the car was a coupe with a 307 V8, with arctic blue paint. I've done some sanding and found a few different colors but the only blue I found was a powder blue, like UNC colors. I think the arctic blue was darker. Although the inside of one of my doors is a dark blue color.

I don't know... Maybe I'm worrying about this too much. I should just dig in and make it a 69.

Mike, you mentioned "Arctic Blue" paint color, which would not be a '69 color choice. In '69, to my knowledge, there were only three different blues to choose from, which were, Dusk Blue (dark blue), Lemans Blue (medium blue), and Glacier Blue (lighter blue/green).

sevenzeronova

· #15 · Jul 9, 2012

Azure,persian,turquiose(sp) mist,astral,sapphire,glacier,dusk,athenian,carolina. Are gm blues for 69. Think there's a few more. But no arctic blue,for 69.

Need a pic of the cowl tag.

Mike69Nova

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 9, 2012 (Edited)

I feel sick inside...

luepke75

· #17 · Jul 9, 2012

Yes just alter the marker light holes or install new quarters or skins. Make sure to buy 68-69 fenders. You may have to also replace the rear panel between trunk and bumper. The differences are not huge, its mainly the marker lights on the quarters and fenders.

sevenzeronova

· #18 · Jul 9, 2012

Does you title match your vin?

Mike69Nova

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jul 10, 2012

Ok I'll probably just replace both quarters because their both full of bondo. And yes before we bought the car we made sure the VIN and title matched.They do. Now I just wanna figure out these seats,I've looked at pics of Camaro and Nova seats but none of the pics I've seen have this flat headrest.

MBZTECH

· #20 · Jul 10, 2012

Take one of the seats down to you're local upholstry shop. I bet he can tell what they are. RICK

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