My Newest Project, It's been a while....

[HRSEPLA]

I have been in the mood for an old car again for very long time but have had fun building Mustangs for the last 17 years.
Only a few on here know that I started out with '69 and '71 Novas as my first cars in my teens and sold both of them back in 1990 to buy my first new Notchback Mustang.
I always had my eyes open for another one... it just had to be the right one, I'm not a perfect paint, flawless interior, 100pt showcar kinda guy. I've always been more into whooped up, street driven cars with some 'character'.
I went to a house in Cedarburg to pick up some subframe connectors for my Cobra from an older guy I met on another site and when the garage door opened there was this Nova sitting in the 3rd stall all dusty with boxes stacked up on it! We started talking about it some, told me he brought it with him from California when he moved here for work a few years ago but he said it was not for sale, it had too much sentimental value...
We stayed in touch for the last 2 years and in our last conversation he said that he was finally ready to sell it! I brought it home a few months ago and have been tinkering with it since.
The body is California sunbaked with a couple issues, 25 year old crappy paint job, chrome all weathered, kept outside for a bunch of years and a tore up original interior.
The motor is a 454, TH350 and a Dana 60, all built in 2002/2003 with only a few miles on them.
I have had it out a couple of times at Oscars and a few of you have had to look twice before realizing it was me.. lol
I have had so much fun with it so far, its been a blast.
A huge thanks to Guy and Josh for helping me get the body and the tuneup in shape!
Looking forward to some old school street fun :thumbsup
Sam

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/41010nova003.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/088.jpg

[A B4C Z]

Awesome! Looks good. 72?

If you start taking the original parts off let me know I would be interested in them!

[moels]

Now that's some nice old school muscle.

[Ricky Bobby]

nice looking nova man

[Crawlin]

fucking awesome! i'll say it over and over. although the grill emblem leaves something to be desired, hahaha.

love the look and it's "history" ;)

[Bobby "Big Daddy" Flay]

Nice project Sam

[PureSound15]

That thing is BADASS! I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Let me know when you get sick of it :)

[Prince Valiant]

That's a cool car sam...I think your stang's have always warranted the nut swinging they got ya...but this is beyond cooler than your best stangs.

At least to me, lol.

[SMOKDU]

nice sleeper;

[xxtremeteam]

Matt kings car right is that who you got it from?

[HRSEPLA]

Thanks guys, it is such a different 'feel' than what my mustangs had, (other than the manual steering and manual brakes.. lol)
It is a '71, and I didn't finish the rest of the story yet in my ramblings up top!
The guy in Cedarburg was Matt King, the old Editor for Car Craft Magazine and this was his car that was the project 'SuperNova' that ran in July 2002 through September 2003 Car Crafts, each issue documenting another portion of the build, or track testing diffent combos, etc. (He told me this portion about 6 months into trying to buy the car) My neighbor brought over all of the issues and it has been pretty cool reading the history and pics.
Here are a couple more:
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/32910Nova014.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/41010nova018-1.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/Nova31710020.jpg

[HITMAN]

Awesome NoGo Sam! That thing says "Street Racer" all over it. Put two kits on it and take it to Street Car Chaos... ;)

[HRSEPLA]

Awesome! Looks good. 72?

If you start taking the original parts off let me know I would be interested in them!

I don't have anything to sell, but FYI, I was drooling over you and and your dad's build, I love that car!

[HRSEPLA]

Thanks Brett, the motor that is in it now was dyno'd once with nitrous and once with a blower.... One will make it on eventually....
Just getting the cobwebs out of my carb side of my brain... bowlshet:goof

[HITMAN]

OI'd just put some nitrous on it. BBC's and spray go together like peas and carrots. You've already got forced induction and fuel injection covered. You wanted old school muscle, well what's more old school than fat block chebbie and the gun? If you can keep that weenie T350 from hurling it's internals all over the road, that thing ought to run in the 9's on one kit. :thumbsup

[Top Fuel Tom]

Welcome back to the Chevy camp Sam. :rolf

[HRSEPLA]

True...
I also got a fully built brand new TH400 by Kilgore in Cali, with a transbrake, reverse manual valve body, crossmember, etc. with the car, for when it let's go..

[HRSEPLA]

Welcome back to the Chevy camp Sam. :rolf

Thanks Tommy, I'll probably have a Mopar next year too...
I love too many cars!

[HITMAN]

Thanks Tommy, I'll probably have a Mopar next year too...
I love too many cars!

If you manage to land yourself a Mope with an B/RB engine give me a call. I might know someone with some experience with those engines...:D

[scaleracer]

Looks good Sam! You should've seen the kids next to you on hwy 100 when we were behind you and you got in it a little with 4 people in the car lol! Deffinately a cool street car!

[-stew-]

God, do I love that car! I love Novas. Growing up there was a guy around the corner that had a primered Nova (I think it was sitting on steelies) that I used to walk by all the time. I think that's where my love of weathered/aged/clapped out cars comes from. Here's one of my favorites.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/stewsquarenuts/hdrp_0612_02_1024x768hotrod_wallpap.jpg

[DoubleAron]

.................

[HRSEPLA]

Thanks again,
Just ready to have some fun!

Stew- I love that Hot Rod Nova, I wish I had that one!!! Definately one of my favorites!

[Prince Valiant]

lol...I remember that series of articles. One of the best they've done.

[SmokinRAM114]

Haha you put a cobra emblem on a nova... only sam!

[HRSEPLA]

Pm sent Aaron

[HRSEPLA]

Haha you put a cobra emblem on a nova... only sam!

Lol, Guy and Tina snuck that on!!!

[jbiscuit]

Sam - You know how I feel about it. That car is super cool man. I haven't been out yet to check it out in person but I can tell you I can't wait to see it.

And you are right...something about old cars is just "fun." My Subaru was probably faster than my Biscuit but I don't even care. Old cars are just a blast to drive. You will do right with this thing and I hope you enjoy every second of it!

[TheRX7Project]

Sam - You know how I feel about it. That car is super cool man. I haven't been out yet to check it out in person but I can tell you I can't wait to see it.

And you are right...something about old cars is just "fun." My Subaru was probably faster than my Biscuit but I don't even care. Old cars are just a blast to drive. You will do right with this thing and I hope you enjoy every second of it!

I had to quote this for truth. That is a sweet looking Nova and should roll like a bat outta hell. Kudos.

[86GUTLASS]

Were you out in Waukesha last Sat.?I was at the target on sunset and saw what looked like this nova in the parking lot.If this was the car,very nice :thumbsup

[Slow Joe]

Nice find Sam, and sweet history on it!

[Dr.Buick]

Very nice ride, Love that era if cars so many to pick from.

[Feature Pony]

Thanks Tommy, I'll probably have a Mopar next year too...
I love too many cars!

I think hell has offically frozen over LOL. Nice car Sam I love how it looks.:thumbsup

[Lv2xlr8]

Very Nice. Old Iron is awesome to have!

[97z2801ss]

awesome nova, the history is super cool! I seen it at oscars one of the nights

[SmokinRAM114]

Lol, Guy and Tina snuck that on!!!

:rolf nice!

[Reverend Cooper]

I used to have a old nova with hopped up lt1 in it it was a fun car to drive,it didnt last long,I pulle dthe driveline and put it in a firebird lol
I like it sam,as they say variety is the spice of life right? Just dont come on here and tell us your gay next and its all good.lol

[HRSEPLA]

I think hell has offically frozen over LOL. Nice car Sam I love how it looks.:thumbsup

Lol, the day I bought it there was the earthquake, tsunami and volcano...:rolf

[Moparjim]

Very nice Sam...

[HRSEPLA]

Were you out in Waukesha last Sat.?I was at the target on sunset and saw what looked like this nova in the parking lot.If this was the car,very nice :thumbsup

I was out and about this weekend!

[dr doom]

Nice car Sam. I have had a good time working on it:thumbsup
BTW if Brad didnt get your attention you would have never seen that COBRA emblem lol

[wheelsofsteel]

BTW if Brad didnt get your attention you would have never seen that COBRA emblem lol

Dam !!! I alway ruin everything. :crying

[dr doom]

It's okay Brad lol. Next time!

[Waver]

Sam, Like I told you the first day I saw it, nice car......trader! lol It is good to see you are getting back to your roots.

[wheelsofsteel]

It's okay Brad lol. Next time!

The grin and giggle must have gave it away.

[nismodave]

Very cool.

It will be wierd seeing you in a Chev. LOL

[Inspector13]

Very nice. I miss my old Nova. I think I may have those issues somewhere. If I have them and you want them they are yours.

[FoxStang]

Sam, Like I told you the first day I saw it, nice car......trader! lol It is good to see you are getting back to your roots.
You mean traitor?:thumbsup

Sweet car, I like the color.

[HRSEPLA]

Very nice. I miss my old Nova. I think I may have those issues somewhere. If I have them and you want them they are yours.

I appreciate that! But my neighbor brought them all over, thank you though!

[HRSEPLA]

Sam, Like I told you the first day I saw it, nice car......trader! lol It is good to see you are getting back to your roots.

Traitor, lol
I still got a couple Mustangs bud! Just broadening the fleet!

[DR.FORD]

Hey Sam, I've got a 598 with the distributor in the right place to go with that emblem:thumbsup
Looks sweet man!!

[HRSEPLA]

Nice car Sam. I have had a good time working on it:thumbsup
BTW if Brad didnt get your attention you would have never seen that COBRA emblem lol

Thanks for all your hard work, I didn't think the chalk paint would get kinda shiny!
And Brad did give it away, all gigglin

I hope this motor lasts a little bit Jim!

[Waver]

You mean traitor?:thumbsup

Sweet car, I like the color.
even spell check messes up some time :thumbsup

[Waver]

Traitor, lol
I still got a couple Mustangs bud! Just broadening the fleet!

I know man! Just have to give you some shit.........I think I also told you that hell must of froze over lol

[dr doom]

Thanks for all your hard work, I didn't think the chalk paint would get kinda shiny!
And Brad did give it away, all gigglin

I hope this motor lasts a little bit Jim!

No problem Sam. It has been fun!

[b4mytm]

Can't wait to see it in person Sam!!
Good to see you back in a Nova...brings back memories.