"Plain Jane" 1970 Nova Build

[jer]

I'd be confident it's mild steel rod on those headers. Silicon bronze is weak, and Mr. Lemon is not weak. 2.25" headers that fit and function are impressive af.

Back to the thread.....

[Arrowsmith]

An interesting part about Lemons Headers is that, in addition to the engine and chassis, the headers are built for the cylinder head exhaust port (size and location). This is particularly important with raised exhaust ports. In my case, the Brodix BB3 XTra exhaust ports are raised 0.600-inch. I had a set of Hooker Race Headers here and I tried them. They weren’t even close to fitting. The reason is they’re built for stock production line port heights. In the end, you do get what you pay for with Lemons.

[Xplantdad]

Thanks for the amazing build, pics and write up, Wayne! I enjoyed every post!


Such a cool Nova!!

[MonteMike79]

Nice job on your Nova. I look forward to reading your updates and seeing the photos.

What are you using for a transmission/bellhousing shield ? Just curious.

[Arrowsmith]

Thanks for the compliment. I’m not using a converter and/or trans shield. They can be a royal pain on a race car, and this certainly isn’t a race car. The car wouldn’t pass NHRA or IHRA tech anyway plus I’m not cutting it up to make it “track legal” .

[Arrowsmith]

Here are some added images of the build. You might find some of this interesting or useful.

This is the battery of choice. It's actually a modern AGM (absorbent glass matt) battery from XS Power. XS Power does a lot of race car and sound system batteries. They offer this "vintage" looking job with aged decals. I really dig it and it fits the car I think. By the way, that's the largest battery that fits in the battery tray. Also you can see I use XS Power adapters on the posts (posts are actually screw-on, underneath the reproduction spring ring cables). The reason is, the MSD 7 box is powered directly from the battery. This makes a huge difference in ignition performance.




When I mounted the electric fuel pump out back, I decided to use a doubler on the sheetmetal. I built this piece from composite nylon-plastic. The reason for using a doubler is twofold: It prevents cracking sheetmetal (single layer in this case) due to pump vibration and weight It also dampens the noise from the pump. Doubler is installed with AN (aircraft) hardware and I always make sure there is ample edge margin (distance from the drilled hole to the edge of the doubler plate).



When the spare is installed, most of the doubler is covered up. It also covers up the wiring for the fuel pump. I used a Heyco fastener for the wiring that passes through the sheet metal. This ensures it is sealed tight and doesn't chafe.



I used a huge capacity 25-amp switch from Quick Car Racing Products for the fuel pump. It incorporates a flip style safety cover (easy to turn off) along with screw-in terminals. The body is primarily metal. Great quality switch. I do have a relay on hand, but I don't believe (given the low demand of the pump) it is actually required. BTW, the switch installs in a slightly enlarged OEM hole in the dash structure.



While on the topic of the interior, here's a look at the front, from the passenger side:



Backseat (this car was pretty much phenomenal):



The engine compartment is done...Stick a fork in it...L-O-L...I think the mix of OEM and aftermarket parts came out great -- Exactly the subtle look I wanted:




On the nose of the car, I had these Korean Kumho P205-70R15 tires on the front. To me, they didn't fill up the wheel well sufficiently. It looked a bit goofy and I wanted a bit more header clearance. In this photo, the hood wasn't on and there wasn't any water in the engine/rad. As a result it dropped down even further:



This is the solution: A new set of Toyo P205-75R15 front tires. This provides approximately 5.5 of header clearance. They fill up the wheel well nicely. The same amount of tire is up inside the wheel well front and back and the rubber rake is now 1-inch front to back.



This is an older photo inside my old shop, but it shows the paint. Roughly 70% is original lacquer. Yes, there are a few paint chips that have been fixed, and yes, the rockers and the parts of the front fenders have been re-sprayed in lacquer. There are a couple of light scratches on the roof and deck lid from going through an automatic car wash (way back when) and there is a very (Very!) tiny door dent on the left front fender lip. Because of the age of the paint, I decided to leave this scratches alone. But to bring the original lacquer back to life, I use this mix of products. The big secret is Meguiars #7. I hand apply it, rubbing it into the paint surface and allow it to sit for 24 hours. Then I buff it by hand (not easy...L-O-L). According to folks in the know, #7 restores oils in the lacquer. I can't say that's right or wrong, but check out this photo of the hood:



My wife made this for me....Perfect!



On another note, I'm taking the car to a big local indoor show on Easter weekend. I don't really care if I get any awards. The idea is to see some old friends (I moved back to the prairies after 30+ years on the west coast). After the show, I have a hunch I'll put the car up for sale. I'm kind of set on doing one more car (while I can -- old age is creeping up... ). The Nova won't be cheap...L-O-L. And if it doesn't sell, it can live happily in my garage.

[BJCHEV396]

Great job Wayne,thanks for taking us along for the ride.I'm sure it will get a lot of attention at he show!!

[Arrowsmith]

Originally Posted by BJCHEV396

Great job Wayne,thanks for taking us along for the ride.I'm sure it will get a lot of attention at he show!!

Thank you. But you know what? I think the average person will just walk on by. I'm ok with that, because that's what I built. . FYI, I'm parking it right beside an old friend's silver over red '66 427 Corvette. It's drop dead gorgeous, so I know that will be the show stopper.

[BJCHEV396]

I think you'll be surprised at how much attention it gets.Have you taken the Nova out for a shakedown ride yet?

[Arrowsmith]

Originally Posted by BJCHEV396

I think you'll be surprised at how much attention it gets.Have you taken the Nova out for a shakedown ride yet?

I’d love to go for a rip…I’ve tested everything a couple of times over and it’s all a-ok. But we’re still in the firm grip of Winter here on the prairies. I’ll trailer the car to the show.