L-78 Nova fan spacer

[92646]

I was reading in one of the magazines this month that a spacer was installed from the factory on a 1969 and 1970 L-78 396/375hp Nova between the water pump pulley and the fixed blade fan to put it closer to the radiator. Somebody said the same thing to me when I had a L-78 Nova on e-bay awhile back. Has anybody ever seen this from the factory? I do not see how there is enough room because the fan looks pretty close to the radiator to me.
Mark Sheppard

[Mr. Chevy]

I don't believe this to be true Mark. You are exactly right, the distance between the radiator and fan is very close already. I think a spacer would put the fan right into the radiator.. I never saw anything in the assembly manual either to indicate there was a spacer on the L78 cars, nor have I ever observed one on an original L78 car.. Mine never had it!! Maybe the magazine meant Chevelles. I think there is a considerable space distance on those cars from the fan to the radiatior vs. the Novas...

Rich

[JRSully]

Should be no spacer on the 69-70 B Nova fan, bolts directly to face of pulley into the WP

[92646]

Thanks for the response. It was in the same magazine that featured the blue 1968 Harrel 427 nova this month. They were using a orange 1969 L-78 Nova to show how you could tell a real big block car and they mentioned this spacer. They also mentioned a nut that was used to mount the radiator on the left side that had a rubber grommet attached to it.
Mark Sheppard

[firstgenaddict]

Those stupid well nuts... just like on a 69 Camaro Rad...

[Mr. Chevy]

Mark, the rubber grommet and nut are correct and help mount/support the radiator and do mount on the drivers side of the radiator. Should be 2, one on top and one on the bottom of the radiator. I can post a picture of the grommets if you are interested..

Rich

[92646]

Rich, please post a picture at your convenience. A couple of other questions I have is if the F-41 rear sway bar come on all 1970 SS 396 novas or was it optional from some point in the model year? Also I was told that the drive shaft is different on a L-78 Nova, maybe something to do with the lack of a taper at the ends? I bought the blue 1970 Nova from Stefano. It is a very nice car but like many old cars it has a few little things that need to be corrected.
Mark Sheppard

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

The F41 package was optional on the SS Novas.

[396L78canuck]

I agree!When I installed the original fan on my 70 L78 Nova after having the radiator rebuilt I could barely get my hand between the fan and rad to get the fan bolts started.Bob http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ricks69l78]

Hi, new to the site this is my first post/reply.
The hugger orange 69 L78 in the article would be mine and the no spacer would be correct as I don't have one as the fan is bolted directly to the pulley & pump. I guess from the June 2007 GM Nationals till the actual release of the article some things get a little incorrect and I'm sure it takes alot to put together so much info to do a magazine and they also stated it had a Hurst shifter and it doesn't it has the original Muncie and it states I live in Missouri (MO) and I live in Maryland (MD) but all that little stuff doesn't matter to me as I'm just honored to be in the Magazine with those other INCREDIBLE RARE NOVAS and still can't believe it.
Hope this clears up any confusion anyway.

Thanks
Rick

[firstgenaddict]

Welcome Rick... great looking Nova

[ricks69l78]

Thank you, Glad to be a member of the site.

[JRSully]

Memo to BB Nova restorers. "install fan before dropping in radiator" will save lots of curse words and blood

[Mr. Chevy]

[ QUOTE ]
Memo to BB Nova restorers. "install fan before dropping in radiator" will save lots of curse words and blood

[/ QUOTE ]

Excellent idea.. I have been down that road before!!

Rich

[Mr. Chevy]

Mark, here are the pictures of the rubber grommet well nuts. I picked these up at National Parts Depot. I also enclosed a photo of the NPD Part # off the packaging for the grommets. I think these were listed under Camaro but they will work for our cars... NPD does not have a "Nova Line" yet so if you order from there just give them this part#. The little bolt that goes into these is just a small hex head style...

Rich

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj37/RICHRUTT/Picture1532.jpg

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj37/RICHRUTT/Picture1533.jpg

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj37/RICHRUTT/Picture1534.jpg

[deuce-less]

not having a copy of the mag to puruse http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

i'm curious about the hugger orange 69 nova mentioned, was it a hugger orange car, factory produced in that color?

where might a copy of the mag be purchased? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ricks69l78]

No it wasn't a original hugger orange car it was paint code 71 like your Camaro. The car was repainted several years ago before I purchased it in 2004, The person who had it before me said he like the color so he had it done as the original paint had faded and the vinyl top was replaced also. I like the orange also as it stands out with the black trim and maybe some time down the road I'll repaint it or total frame off the car. You might be able to get a copy at a book store like Borders or Barnes & Noble.

[92646]

Welcome aboard Rick, you have come to the right place and you have a very nice car. Allen, I just got home and went to the library (bathroom)to find the name of the magazine. It is Muscle car review, April 2008. The article states that the car was originally blue and was repainted orange awhile back. Rick, just so you know the reason for the question. Allen is having restored an original 1969 L-78 Nova that came orange from the factory.
Mark Sheppard

[92646]

Rich, thank you for the pictures.
Mark Sheppard

[ricks69l78]

Thank you Mark, Would I be correct to say that a original hugger orange nova L78 in 69 would have been special ordered or was it a standard color? I know you could get a chevelle,corvette which was same paint code but called monaco orange and the camaro was hugger orange.

[92646]

Allen's car has -- as the color code on the trim tag. I had a orange 1968 SS350 Nova about 25 years ago that had the original orange paint still on the car but I never bothered looking at the trim tag.
Mark Sheppard

[Schonyenko2]

Rick, if you go to the 2nd page under tech/resto discussion, theres a thread on the -- nova of Alan's along with some pics. We have the car at our shop for the resto.

[jasonL78]

Rick,
Was this car at the Atlantic City nova show 2 years ago!

If so I do remember it! Very very nice car.

Jason

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Welcome Rick, where in MD are ya?

[ORIGLS6]

Welcome aboard Rick. We've all seen inaccuracies in magazine articles so it's no big deal to most of us. Although, many of the members here (me included http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif) get pretty picky on details. That's one of the blessings/curses of this hobby. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif But the overall plus side of this place is the people and the endless information and learning potential it offers.

Nice Nova! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[ricks69l78]

Hi and thanks Jason, Yeah its me and I missed your company at last years show, I was hoping to see that 68.

Thanks ORIGLS6,
I agree about picky details and having a site like this with members that are so informative is great.

Thanks Marlin,I'm in Gambrills, Md.

[ricks69l78]

The -- code for paint would have been for a special order color like the hugger orange and like I thought it wasn't avaliable on a nova in 69 unless ordered. That is some real neat stuff being uncovered on the car and thats the kind of things I like to see and hear about, like a history lesson of sorts. Really neat car Alan hope to see it when its done.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

My '69 Nova SS spent most of it's early life in the Kent Island area - so I'm always trying to find folks that neck of the woods who might remember it. The K.Island owner met a tragic end in Stevensville several years after selling the car to a guy in Cambridge. Now it's in PA! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

[Nova Jed]

Cool! Another Nova guy is added to the long list! Welcome aboard!

[ricks69l78]

I had a co-worker that lived in stevensville and spent many summer days at cookouts and never heard anything and I go to a car show at the western auto put on by the kent island cruisers and never heard anything there either but I will ask now that I know and maybe I can find out some info if you don't mind marlin.

rick

[ricks69l78]

Thanks Novajed

[deuce-less]

i got a copy of the april muscle car review....

nice informative articles on several nova's...

i especially enjoyed reading about ricks L-78 nova, complete with helpful tips on identifying original L-78 nova's. welcome to the site rick http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[ricks69l78]

Thanks X-11 71 71,
Your name is Alan right?
I'm glad you like the article I tried to let people know as much as possible with what little space they were going to print in and hope it helps when buyers are looking at L78 novas and just bigblock novas in general.

[deuce-less]

some of the info presented in the article is not that well known and should be quite helpful to people looking at un doc'd cars. you didn't give away all of the little known tips as well. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

hard to beat a nova for ease of entry into the muscle car market, a lot of value for the bucks. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

the great nova people in the hobby are a free bonus!!