My 70 Nova project (Formerly looking at this mustang)

Been out in my shop all day working on the Nova. Wife came home from the hospital yesterday and she's walking better than before. Slowly, but not limping. Used the walker once, now is using just a cane. I can't believe how well she is doing.

I drug a chair into the bedroom and she asked what that was for? I said I'm going to sit with you to make sure your ok and to help you. She in no uncertain terms told me that I'm not going to sit there and stare at her. Told me to go work on the Nova, so I did.

Today I got the ford brake rotors drilled for a chevy pattern, modified my six speed for a cable speedo drive, got both rear leaf springs pulled out and pressed out the old front bushings. Did a lot of bead blasting and painted a few parts. I'm waiting for some chassis paint to come in and do the brackets and rear axle housing. I'm going to have the front sub frame sand blasted and then paint it also.

When I took the springs out I found more of the amazing work the PO did. I like the inventive use of flat washers. Not sure what they actually do, but he must of thought they helped somehow. With the quality of the welds nothing would have helped it.

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Also picked this up on Facebook marketplace for $50. 670 CFM Holley with center hung float bowls. Just the right size for the 6.0 The only thing I can find wrong with it it the accelerator pump diaphragm is hard as a rock.

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Now that's a carburetor! Electric choke, quick change vacuum secondaries- exactly what you want for a street-driven car. Externally adjustable float height, four corner idle system, and primary metering that you can change without taking the air horn off... Boggles the mind why folks spend money on any other carb. The only thing better is EFI, but there's something about driving a carb that makes a car feel like a muscle car.
 
Yeah I have an edelbrock that the PO put on but for the reasons you describe I got the Holley. I still can't believe I got the Holley for $50. For now since the engine ran with the edelbrock I'll get it started and then go to the Holley. I don't want to put an unknown carb on I just rebuilt until I get the wiring and the MSD box sorted out.

I am a die hard Holley guy. Back in the day at the drag strip I was known as the Holley guy. I'd tune guys carbs and get the car to run right. Their biggest mistake was putting a big cam in and that dropped the idle vacuum and the power valve was open at idle. I'd measure idle vacuum and put a valve in that was closed at idle. Then at tip in the car wouldn't fall on it's face. After that it was easy to swap jets and get it down the track.

I plan on eventually going to EFI, but there are so many other things to buy now to get it driving I'll spend the $1k for the injection system on other hard parts I need.

I'm going to pull the engine and trans out today, then I'll take the subrame out and get it sandblasted on Monday. I've got to find a way to support the front of the body on my lift and have the subframe free to take off. Right now my lift arms are under the subframe.
 
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Got more work done on the Nova. Finished modifying my T56 trans for cable drive and converting it to an LS1 style. Funny I've been working long days and I can't hardly remember what I've done. Thankfully my wife is doing fantastic after surgery and I'm able to go out to the shop. She used her walker for all of 5 minutes and then went to a cane. Now 6 days later she's off of pain meds and not even using the cane now. And she's got cabin fever, a sure sign she's feeling better.

The Hooker swap cross member came in a couple of days ago. It's a thing of beauty. I don't see how they can sell it for $230. There is no way I could ever build one like it for that price.

I pulled the sub frame today and discovered a lot of damage on the drivers side. It's been welded on (not very well) and has cracks in it. I was going to sand blast it and paint it, but it's not worth saving. Summit has one for $1049. I think considering what it is that's a really good price.

I was planning on getting the sub frame back on during my vacation, but unfortunately plans changed. I'd like to actually be putting something back together and not tearing it apart.

I also found another PO screw up. The tubular front a arms have these inserts in them on the upper arm. I'm assuming that's so they can fit different applications. Well one of them is missing, but he put it back together anyway.

Update: I found a sub frame in Tacoma for $250. Hopefully it's in good condition and that will save me $1k by the time you add shipping to the new one.
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Got the sub frame and it looks great. I dropped it off to be sand blasted. I was hoping they would do it while I waited, but no such luck. Sometime next week I'm told. Also got a complete wiring harness for $60. I'm going to use the new harness the the PO bought, but it doesn't have any plugs on it, but now I have everything I need.

Just when I thought I'd discovered and fixed all the things the PO did, I found some more things. He apparently ran out of fittings to plug up some vacuum ports in the carb. So he "improvised". Did this twice on two different fittings. And I found out I need a new gas tank, again courtesy of the PO. He removed the return line on the tank to pull the tank out, and instead of cutting the old hardened off with a knife, he just reefed on it. Broke the fitting in the tank. Thankfully a new tank is only $111 with free delivery from Amazon prime. I'm finding many parts on Amazon. With prime I get free shipping, at Summit I have to spend $99 for free shipping. On the tank Summit wanted $144 plus a $40 oversize shipping fee. I saved about $70 going with Amazon. Yeah, I sound like an Amazon commercial, but every buck counts and I buy where my money goes furthest.

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That was the car I was looking at initially, but bought a Nova instead. Decided the Nova was a better fit for us.

Wish I could change the title of the post to Nova instead.
 
I've been away from your thread for a while, but have "Watch"ed it now and all caught up.
It's great to hear that your wife's surgery/recovery are going so well.
I'm enjoying your journey through the Nova project. Thank's for keeping us posted.
 
alloy said:
Wish I could change the title of the post to Nova instead.
Click to expand...

I can fix that if you like

Looks like you're making progress. Remind me never to take a vehicle to the PO for any mechanic work :rolleyes:
 
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