Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I have been picking at the l79 little by little. I finally got the doors buffed out; the bright trim installed and put the doors back on the car. It is so close but so far away. My son made all stars for little league then pop warner football so my summer is shot. I am in no rush to get the car done but I really want to drive this L79. I can’t wait for that!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...untitled-1.png

One detail I have seen most people over look is the inner door frames are painted interior color. It’s hard to make out in the picture but my interior is black so I painted them black the same color as the dash. I know this is a done on 68 nova’s not real sure if it is done on other years or other GM models.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../Doorframe.png

The kids got me a perfect gift for father’s day. I love it!
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...herday2012.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Wow...beautiful Jason....It looks great! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jason, I will confirm your findings about the door frames. I have seen many a Nova that have the frames painted interior color. It seems that the earlier Novas got the paint and some didn't. My 71 had the frames painted black and my 69 had the same exterior color as the interior, but it was an eggshell opposed to a gloss, which leads me to believe that it was painted interior color.

Jed

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jason, my black 68 has a blue interior and the inner door frames and window frames are blue. Your Nova is really looking nice !!


Tommy [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/3gears.gif[/img]

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Any updates?

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jed,
Sorry to say not much has been done. With only one day a week lately my progress has been slow. It’s all the small things that seem to consume all your time. I spent 6 hours on Sunday cleaning up my inner quarter window tracks and installing the exterior quarter window trim on both sides. Man the day just flew by. I have my quarter windows all cleaned up and ready to go into the car I just have to attach the guide to the end of each quarter window. Then onto the vent window assembly, rebuilding and installing them. I have all my brake and fuel lines in place. Actually to fire the car up all I need to do is install the distributor and exhaust. But I can’t do that until I get both fenders back onto the car. I have my Ac suit case at vintage air in FL they are checking everything out to make sure I am not going to have any problems. Once I get the suit case back and installed I can mount both front fenders. Then check my front bumper alignment to see if the sub frame needs any tweaking left to right. Once that is all set I will be able to install the exhaust. Hopefully by then I will have my dash all back together. We will see.
I keep bolting parts on slowly. I did just get an order back from the chrome shop on Friday. I had the original door handles vent window handles and front foil badge bezels re-chromed. Its nice knowing original parts are going to fit when you go to bolt them back on. I was able to re-use all my original bright trim around the door and quarter windows. I just de-anodized them and buffed the aluminum back to a nice shine. They came out real nice. I can’t wait to see the body side moldings on the car. In due time it will all come together.

Jason

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I finished up the driver side glass and trim tonight. Very time consuming restoring all these pieces you will never see.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...e/glassl79.png


Accell wires installed
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...e/7-6-12-1.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Its all about the little details Jason. That's what makes a restoration a restoration. Good job! Looking great!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I am bringing my drive shaft to work tomorrow to blast it in our big blast cabinet. I knew I have seen the drive shaft stripes on other restorations so I figured I would look on mine. Sure enough I found them 14 inches from the back. Looks like three orange stripes? Does anyone know why these stripes are on the drive shafts??? I am going to duplicate these stripes are all three suposed to be orange??



Jason

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...aftstripes.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Why does the first one look yellow to me?

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jason...they are most likely 2 or 3 different colors....I believe the codes related to the engine/trans combo application for each vehicle. It will be interesting to see if any other 68 owners have color code info available. You need to rig up some rollers to hold the driveshaft and allow it to spin while you apply paint with a small brush....a foam one might work best.

wilma

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

In the picture it does look yellow. That would be the last stripe towards the transmission. The three stripes were 14 inches from the rear. Did you find any on your blue nova?

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jason,

Send the drive shaft to Quanta and have them reskin it. Much more correct than blasting and painting.

Dan

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

reskin it????

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I imagine they put it on a lave. The result is a high polished finish. Apply the driveshaft paint and then hit with a satin clear for proper protection.

Dan

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

That's what I thought you were referring to a lathe and have it turned and polished. I wouldn't call it a re-skin. They are most likely removing material which I don't care for. I would have one made before I go that route. Even a new piece of steel you buy has some sort of scale from the heat treating and forming process. Or something on it to protect it from surface rust. I'm sure they weren't that shinny when they were new. But that's just my opinion. I have a couple of ideas I am going to try.

Thanks for the reply.
Jason

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jason, I would have to dig out my driveshaft to check, but I think mine may have had green in it. I will check now that I am thinking of it.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Mine is an 05D 69 Nova. 6cyl Torque Drive car originally. 2.73 open rear. The stripes start 12&quot; from the end of the tube by the tranny yoke.

Colors are ( respectively going from trans to rear) orange, brown, and green.

Jed

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jed thanks for looking for me. With mine being a factory 3 speed car and 1 of 317 total production cars with this borg warner M13 3 speed transmission I don't think I will find another to compare it too. If the stripe has something to do with what transmission was in the car. Still very interesting. I am going to go with 2 orange stripes and one yellow I think.

Can you take a picture of yours and post it or e-mail it to me. I would like to compare yours to mine. Maybe the second stripe on mine should be brown? But to me the first 2 rings look the same color?

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I will take a picture tonight and email it to you and then you could post it.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Brent Johnson e-mailed me a picture of the drive shaft from his 1968 SS350 nova he used to own. Orange, brown, and green stripe. It was a 4 speed car. Interesting how jeds 69 automatic and the 68 4 speed car have the same colors?

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...rentsold68.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Email sent Jason

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jeds 69 drive shaft. What a great picture..

Thanks Jed

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...driveshaft.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Thanks Jason ! I took Marlins advice on finding that. Wipe it with wax and grease remover, let it dry and spray lacquer clear over it to preserve it. As you can see, it works.

Jed

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Well I think my drive shaft came out nice. I went with orange brown and yellow.


http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...driveshaft.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jason...very nice job!!

I want to know who turned while you painted? Like the wheel action on the dolleys!

Dave

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

LOL... I figured you guys would like my wheel set up. Some times you just have to think out of the box. No need for help, I am a one man show.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I need lessons Jason! Looks great!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jed is Benny coming out to leabanon valley labor day weekend to race? If so you should go and you guys can stop by the shop to see the car?

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Not sure Jason? That would be fun.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Not sure Jason? That would be fun.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I found something very interested on the L79 tonight. I would never think I would see a fiber optic wire on a 1968 nova. Was this common on GM cars in 1968? The fiber wire comes off the corner of the dash light over to the ash tray. When I pulled the dash out I seen this wire but never really looked at it until I broke the dash down over the weekend to clean everything up. I was shocked and thought it was a really neat option. On the 1968 nova ash tray which is a 1 year only part the fiber wire pushes into this little plastic tab. I guess when you pulled the ash tray out to clean the ashes out you would have to unplug this fiber from the ash tray housing. I have never seen this before at least on a 1968 nova.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...Dashfiber2.png
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../dashfiber.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

i had a '68 nova that had the same setup. it had custom interior but i don't know if that makes a difference on the ashtray optic.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Not as rare as I thought.... I guess 7,508 novas in 1968 got the RPO U28 ash tray lamp option according to the nova resources page. It had to be part of a package I would think. My car has custom interior also. Still kind of neat. They offered this option in 1969 also.....

Jason

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I pulled a couple of those sockets out of various year GMs over the years. It provides just enough light in the ashtray.

Jed

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I finally got my driver side fender bolted onto the car today. I have been real busy with all the small parts like the heater box assembly, steering column, dash, wiring harness etc. These things take a lot of time to detail out. I will have my AC suit case assembly Monday night from Vintage Air. Once I get my AC box installed I am going to install the passenger side fender and finish the front end assembly, the grill, headlight bezels etc. Then onto getting it running, I only have a couple things left to do. The exhaust, install the radiator and distributor then add coolant. I hope to have it running in a couple of weeks.
Pictures from today.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...le/fender2.png
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...rontfender.png
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ringcolumn.png
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ringwheel1.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

The &quot;Talent&quot; of the people on this site never ceases to amaze me......Great Job Jason!!!!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

The AC suit case assembly came yesterday. I installed it last night; man this engine compartment is tight. Not enough room to do anything. LOL! I hope I never have to change that Number 6 spark plug…..

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ale/Image5.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ale/Image4.jpg

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

You ain't kidd'n.....Looks nice.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Look at all that good stuff!