The Nova Project according to John-The Whole Story

I guess I might as well start up a thread with my project build! I posted some in Hot Rod Talk/Everybody that is currently building...... but I guess I might as well just start my own.
A little background! I bought the car a year ago with the idea of building a Road Race/Street car hybrid! I am in the process of having a custom tube chassis built for it along with using the suspension and drivetrain from a ZO6 Corvette. Hope you enjoy it!

The Book of the '66 Nova Genesis!

In the beginning there was only rust.......

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...e/PICT0049.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...larcloseup.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...rockerpane.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...eldchannel.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ndCpillarc.jpg

God(OK! Me!) saw this rust and didn't like it but saw there was a light!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...e/PICT0017.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...e/PICT0012.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...e/PICT0020.jpg

And from this rust God(Me again!) said let there be a stance!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...cs12-15017.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...cs12-15019.jpg

He saw this stance and it was good!

And God(Guess who!) said let there be a Full tube chassis with hidden cage, Corvette Z06 Diff w/ 3.73's, T-56 Six Speed Transaxle, Torque Tube and 505 hp LS7 and it was so........

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...-2-2007018.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...1-27-07003.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...s3-7-07029.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...s3-7-07028.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...1-14-07008.jpg

To be continued..........

:LOL: John:LOL:

wow..that is a hell of a start. ... awesome. are you doing the chassis work?
i'll definitly be watching this thread

cool doesn't even scratch the surface of the meaning. looks great!

I agree, they are doing a first rate, truly professional job on the chassis. You can tell by the cleanliness and organization in that shop the kind of work they must do. It is also apparent in the layout and planning that is going into the framework. There is much for us home builders to learn from guys like this.

Keep the pictures rolling as it goes........you are going to have one mean rod there.


Don

yes it's a '57. ironworks looks like they do some fabulous work. with that z06 drivetrain, are you stuck with the vette wheelbase, or is it the same, or can it be altered to fit without major changes?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rc57

yes it's a '57. ironworks looks like they do some fabulous work. with that z06 drivetrain, are you stuck with the vette wheelbase, or is it the same, or can it be altered to fit without major changes?

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Actually the 'Vette wheelbase is shorter than the Nova one so we are going to lengthen the torque tube and have a carbon fiber driveshaft made in the longer length.

John

I want to go to your church......sounds like more fun then mine :LOL:

Nova great layout this will be easy to follow with your inserts and pics .

Don you are so true, I envy the skill and professional work i see going . Im sure we all have 30 plus years at the tinkering level i call it .

We all build very safe and enjoyable cars . This is just what it's like at the next level .

Nova if you need camera batteries let me know i'll ship some .

God looked at the setup and said "Let there be stainless headers so that the LS7 may breathe as it should"........

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...se/Headers.jpg

And there was.........

As God looked at what he created he noticed louvers in the dash and decreed "Let the louvers lay flat!".......

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ashCloseup.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...2-23-07007.jpg

And they did.....

God looked over his work and was pleased! He looked at all aspects of his work and when he got to the LS7 he noticed since he had set it back and down for better weight distribution that it would look like a bear in a cave along with the fact that he would be busting some knuckles getting back there so he decreed "Cut the cowl back and push the firewall back so that I may have room to work on my beloved LS7 and not skin my knuckles!!......"

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...2-28-07004.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...2-28-07003.jpg

And it was so.....

Vert interesting chassis! Looks kinda like a double rail perimeter or ? Interesting and VERY TRICK LOOKING. If its not too rude to ask a projected budget number would also be interesting. And again, from those pics it looks like top notch quality work.

I shouldnt look at these kinda threads. Just when I convince myself to keep my 67 nova stock, keep it stock, keep it stock, keep it stock I see a project LIKE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!

Extraordinary, that thing is going to be NICE!

Thanks!!! Post a pic of your car!!!

God stepped back and looked at what he had created and said "Let my creation be clothed and let there not be more than a 3/16 gap in the seam lines" and the trunk was put on to clothe the private parts of the machine!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...3-22-07025.jpg

As God looked at his creation he wanted to optimize the front suspension as only God could, Perfect! He cut away the down rails so that he could make way for the pickup points that would provide a perfect front suspension!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...3-22-07026.jpg

God looked at the front suspension and was pleased!!

John

thats going to be the best of both worlds when it is done, fabulous work for sure.

That look great.......I'm in the process of the finishing up of a 66 chev II C-dan pro-street car & have replaced the front with a morrison strut/ R&P plus a full frame....so I know the trials & tribulations of what your doing - keep it up.

Regs

Quote:

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Originally Posted by REGs

That look great.......I'm in the process of the finishing up of a 66 chev II C-dan pro-street car & have replaced the front with a morrison strut/ R&P plus a full frame....so I know the trials & tribulations of what your doing - keep it up.

Regs

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Got any photos you can share?

John

Hey John,

I've got STACKS of 35 mm pix & have yet to convert them to digital images. As soon as that is done I'll post them.

The only thing I lack now is aligning M/Trans. Install floor & firewall. Plumb & wire.

Not much but enough.

I's residing in my trl. right now.

It sits 4" off the ground to the rockers & I run 16/33/15 rear tires inside the wwells. I've move the driver position far enough back that you can't see me looking in the front windsheild. My seatbacks are right on the post & i'm sitting so low in the car that I have to hang my arm up & out the drivers window!!

I've incorporated a cage that ties into the dash corners so its a bit more sturdy. I'm also utilizing a 9" rear hung with a pro stock 4 link & wishbone locator. I was to cheap to purchase a housing brace so I made one.

The cage is mild steel. Motor & trans will be hung with almn. motor/trans plate. I've still got my old Liberty super T clutchless to use behind an almn. headed small SB chevy engine.

Time is the killer for me right now.....I'll be back on it as soon as 1 of my cycles is sold.

Regs

Quote:

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Originally Posted by joehalford01

I want to go to your church......sounds like more fun then mine :LOL:

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Yeah.....but the collection plate is a B*tch!!!:LOL:

John

Quote:

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Originally Posted by REGs

Hey John,

I've got STACKS of 35 mm pix & have yet to convert them to digital images. As soon as that is done I'll post them.

The only thing I lack now is aligning M/Trans. Install floor & firewall. Plumb & wire.

Not much but enough.

I's residing in my trl. right now.

It sits 4" off the ground to the rockers & I run 16/33/15 rear tires inside the wwells. I've move the driver position far enough back that you can't see me looking in the front windsheild. My seatbacks are right on the post & i'm sitting so low in the car that I have to hang my arm up & out the drivers window!!

I've incorporated a cage that ties into the dash corners so its a bit more sturdy. I'm also utilizing a 9" rear hung with a pro stock 4 link & wishbone locator. I was to cheap to purchase a housing brace so I made one.

The cage is mild steel. Motor & trans will be hung with almn. motor/trans plate. I've still got my old Liberty super T clutchless to use behind an almn. headed small SB chevy engine.

Time is the killer for me right now.....I'll be back on it as soon as 1 of my cycles is sold.

Regs

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Your's is a post right??

Check this one out!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...sengerside.jpg

You may want to check out a site called stevesnovasite! They have everything nova over there and may be of help as they are much more specific to your car!

John

Thanks John.

Yes my rig is C-dan. Originally a low H.P. car.

If funds permit I'll be droping the liberty in favor of a gen 1 Lenco 4 spd. My trans area tubes will be the last to be configured along with the flooring around it.
I have a sbc on the floor to go it it now with a strong top end & will be transfering that to a replacement block once I get the final bugs worked out.

I do have a spare BBC sitting in a 72 RAYSONCRAFT GN boat that might find its way into the nova. I'm not very electronic so basic card & msd will do.

I'm in the process of getting the pix transfered to digital so I can add to my web page.

Paul

God loved what he saw but knew his work was not done! A front end to support and stiffen the chassis and with a wave of his welder it was so.........

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...3-28-07019.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...3-28-07022.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...3-28-07021.jpg
(God had a few before taking this picture!)

When God finished the front end, he laid his welder down and thought "I have created the basic frame work for my creation! All that remains are details! I need to work on the minitubs so that I can fit the biggest tires I can!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...3-28-07023.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...3-28-07024.jpg

And it was so........

John,

Great looking work.........What ideas are you thinking of with the interior tin work??

How big a skin are running in the rear??

Paul

Quote:

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Originally Posted by REGs

John,

Great looking work.........What ideas are you thinking of with the interior tin work??

How big a skin are running in the rear??

Paul

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I thought it would be a shame to hide all that beautiful chassis work so I'm going to do insert panels to highlight the tubular frame! Something like this:

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...10-2007002.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...10-2007003.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...10-2007004.jpg

Trying to stuff 335's out back! Like this:

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...20-2006002.jpg

John

John

NICE.............I'm running a flat steel floor to stiffen the whole chassis up on top of the rails.

That looks VERY time consuming as it would appear that your metal dupster would fill rather quickly with minor calculation mistakes (LOL).

Is that a GN style tire or a drag radial? Looks good.

Paul

Quote:

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Originally Posted by REGs

NICE.............I'm running a flat steel floor to stiffen the whole chassis up on top of the rails.

That looks VERY time consuming as it would appear that your metal dupster would fill rather quickly with minor calculation mistakes (LOL).

Is that a GN style tire or a drag radial? Looks good.

Paul

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GN.................

That is one unique chassis.

The little individual panels looks neat but will be prone to squeak/rattling.

Projected budget? hmm?

Thats setting up to be the trickest nova ever.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike in Motown

That is one unique chassis.

The little individual panels looks neat but will be prone to squeak/rattling.

Projected budget? hmm?

Thats setting up to be the trickest nova ever.

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Thanks! The floor panels will be bead welded in and are acutally a subfloor so that we don't get the "drumming" effect at speed.

John

God saw his creation and as great as it was he knew to complete this portion of it he had to make sure it stayed on the track. The only way that would be possible would be to stuff as big a tire in the back!

Let there be Tubs!!!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...4-06-07028.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...4-06-07035.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...4-06-07036.jpg

God thought in all that is great of my creation, safety is also a concern so I will begin to close the firewall and make removable panels so that the headers will not be a problem to pull out!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...4-06-07031.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...4-06-07030.jpg

And it was so!

John:LOL:

Great job on the tubs John. I'm a bit surprised you didn't raise them up a bit more.

Running my 15x33x19.50's I went up into the actual trim panel & due to the overall size I had to trim into the panel below the 1/4 window.

I like the 1 pc. planished tub - nice & clean. I also like the wrap around panels on the front firewall corner - very stylish!

I'm going to get some of those pix done so I can "post up" soon.

Paul

Great thread and lots of great info and pictures.. I find the GOD stuff a bit overdone and i'm not even a religous guy, but hey keep up the good work..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Heaterman

Great thread and lots of great info and pictures.. I find the GOD stuff a bit overdone and i'm not even a religous guy, but hey keep up the good work..

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LOL! Sorry! Just trying to stay with the theme of the thread!!!:LOL:

John

Quote:

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Originally Posted by REGs

Great job on the tubs John. I'm a bit surprised you didn't raise them up a bit more.

Running my 15x33x19.50's I went up into the actual trim panel & due to the overall size I had to trim into the panel below the 1/4 window.

I like the 1 pc. planished tub - nice & clean. I also like the wrap around panels on the front firewall corner - very stylish!

I'm going to get some of those pix done so I can "post up" soon.

Paul

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Can't go any higher as they are already almost hitting the C-pillar down bar that goes to the back of the trunk! When you see them in person they are about 2" away from the package tray!

John

I STILL wanna know what GOD'S projected budget is................


crickets, crickets. crickets

I'm kinda right on the top of the package tray myself. I had to cut the 2" or so down bend off as it DID hit my steel tubs. I opted for the cheapie alston prefab/ pittsburg seamed units but would love to do what you did with the "finished" rounded side.

Keep the pix coming.

I've got 1 motorcycle in the shop now to complete & sell - after that its back to the chevy II.........and more progress.

Paul

Very cool project... beautiful work. Don't care for the God theme(I'm not religious) either but to each his own. Some one said budget. Doesn't look like there is one!
Keep the pictures coming!