Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Yesterday I was like a kid on Christmas morning. My NOS 68-69 grill showed up. The box shows its age but the only thing that matters is what’s inside! All the trim on the front of the L79 will all be NOS. This was the last piece I needed. I didn’t think that would be possible 40+ years later.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...hale/grill.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ale/Grill1.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ale/Grill2.jpg

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Nice!!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

x2 Nice!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Great..................

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Nice find!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Jealous!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

What are you going to do for the rivets?

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Found a Nos set on ebay. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/shocked.gif[/img] They were the exact same measurements as the originals I took out. The originals are aluminum. You can find the steel ones but the aluminum ones seem to be harder to find. My guess is they installed these with some sort of air clamping tool to give that flat top and rolled over rivet on the bottom side. Just a guess on my end. What I ended up doing is using my vise and another set of hands. I just crushed the rivet in the vise. It is almost impossible to get a punch in from the back side with the angle of the grill. The vise worked great. It gave it that flat top and almost perfect rolled flat rivet look on the backside. I will post some pictures after I paint the top of the grill black. A 68-69 nova detail....

Jason

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

hey jason, whose valve covers did you use and your take on them. or did you rechrome the originals? thanks.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I re-chromed an original set of valve covers that came with the car. A previous owner had bought them. Actually I had a lot of parts re-chromed. The valve covers, air cleaner lid, the rear nova emblems, my door handles (outside and inside) the floor shift trim ring and fender bezels. I still have to have my original bumpers and bumper guards re-chromed. Re-chroming is expensive but with what I have been finding out about aftermarket fit and finish you are so better off in the end. Not all parts you can restore and have to resort to aftermarket. It all depends on what results you want in the end I guess.

A quick story on my green 68 L78 nova, I used the aftermarket fenders for the restoration. (That’s all that was available to me at the time) I thought less work. Ya that was a mistake! I returned the passenger side fender 3 times until I got a door gap I could live with. So about 6 years later a guy stops by to buy some nova parts. I show him the 68 and he looks down the side of the car and says you have aftermarket fenders. I say how the hell can you tell. He said been there and done that. He was doing a 69 and had it at the body shop, the car was all painted. When they went to put the side trim on, they noticed the front marker light opening on the fenders was like a half inch higher. it fell in line with the side trim. Oh did he sound like he was ticked off. He said the way to tell is look down the side of the car, on a nova the side trim goes under the door handle and above the key lock. I never noticed that before because the 68 didn't have side trim.. So since then I always try to inspect all aftermarket parts before I purchase them. Just a heads up on aftermarket 68-72 nova fenders. Maybe they have changed them since I purchased mine 6 or 7 years ago?
Sorry I got off the original topic. I have been screwed so many times on aftermarket parts. Don’t get me wrong some are good but the bad outweigh the good.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Who replated your valve covers &amp; air cleaner lid?
Did they flash chrome em properly &amp; do you recommend them?

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Not sure what they did? I never asked for flash chroming??? I am pretty sure they are just triple chrome plated. I guess I learned something new today. Thats what's great about these forums. Maybe you can explain flash chroming and what parts got this?

The company I use is New England Chrome Plating in CT. They have done a lot for me in the past couple of years. The last order took a bit longer than I expected 8-10 weeks. But I didn't need them back asap either. Lead time is around 4-6 weeks to get your parts back usally.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

These are the rivets I bought. The heads are a little bit smaller in diameter but if they were clamped or riveted at the factory the heads would have been flattened out more like the original rivet pictured. After I crushed them in the vise the head is real close to the original rivet.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...rillrivets.png
After I painted the top of the grill tonight. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...tinstalled.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Passenger side fender is on. I just couldn’t resist putting the NOS headlight bezels and NOS eye brow moldings on the car.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...sidefender.png
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...e/frontend.png

I installed my original AC pump that I had rebuilt. Now it’s really tight on this side.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../enginebay.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Looks great Jason!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Well I have some good news. The L79 is now runing and man does she sound Good! Very very responsive! The bad!!!!! The dam heater core is leaking. It was a brand new GM unit. I was so sick to my stomach knowing I have to take that dam AC box back out just to get to the heater core, which is located in the inner heater box. I am hoping I can just remove the inner fender to get the ac box back out without removing the dam passenger side fender.. Just took 10 steps backwards.

Make me feel better and someone tell me this has happened to them before????

Jason

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Oh yea. Air conditioned Corvette. I do feel your pain [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/mad.gif[/img]

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

That does make me feel better knowing some else has had it happen to them!!!!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I feel your pain...I had to pull the heater core out of my 69 428 CJ Mustang one time.....thankfully it was only one time! What a royal PITA that was.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

What a great project! You hve dome some great work. I look foward to seeing some more photos as you finish up.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Finally the car is back together with all the bugs worked out. The L79 has a very good tone to her.
Now onto the dash install so I can install the steering column and take this baby for its first ride down the driveway!
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...toJPGmotor.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...h_IMG_0256.jpg

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I remember getting to this point in the restoration, could not wait to drive it, looking good

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Looks and sounds great!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Looks awsome!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Looking good and nice.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I have been taking small steps in getting the car back together. I finally got all the AC duct work and dash back into the car. I installed the steering column in the car last night. Tonight I actually moved the car for the first time using the clutch and steering wheel. Sure did feel nice to take that big step. I took a couple pictures of the car outside. It sure does look nice. I can’t wait to get the side trim on the car.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...vaoutside2.png

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...vaoutside1.png

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

I actually came across a NOS rear bumper. I just had to have it and I got a good deal on it.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...rearbumber.png

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...earbumper1.png

The dash all installed.

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

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

great on the bumper Jason. Great on everything really!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

That's a really sweet looking car Jason and done right!
Rick

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Simply Awsome!!!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Absolutely &quot;Awe-Some&quot;........... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif[/img]

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kwhizz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Absolutely &quot;Awe-Some&quot;........... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif[/img] </div></div>

X2 to that!!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Love it! I really like the whitewalls.

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I have been picking away at the interior slowly. I finished up the headliner and sail panels today. Overall it came out good a couple of small creases that will come out over time. I also finished up the dash and A-pillars.
I just got a phone call from the chrome shop that my bumpers are done. I should have them next week. I think I see light at the end of the tunnel.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps225ce6d2.png
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psca3cc1c0.png
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...pse1bc8d27.png

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Looks great! Fwi, a heat gun and ever so gentle movement will make those wrinkles disappear. I just wish I had something that original to restore!

Jed

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I love the dark blue, the car looks great!

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

I was going through my interior pieces which the previous owner bagged and tagged real well. I only found 5 female seat belts, two for the front and three for the rear? This car is a bench seat car. Are 2 for the front seat correct? Was the nova considered a 5 passenger car? Being a bench seat car I would have thought, it would have had a center seat belt in the front?

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

Another thing I need a little help with is; in the above picture of the dash looking at the shifter trim ring. Does the carpet go over the top of this trim ring then the chrome ring over the top kind of sandwiching the carpet between the two? Or does the carpet go under the above picture trim ring then the chrome trim piece? I didn’t remove the carpet, so I really don’t know what is the correct way to install the shifter boot assembly? I wonder if it is in the assembly manual shows the correct way.
Jason

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonL78</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I was going through my interior pieces which the previous owner bagged and tagged real well. I only found 5 female seat belts, two for the front and three for the rear? This car is a bench seat car. Are 2 for the front seat correct? Was the nova considered a 5 passenger car? Being a bench seat car I would have thought, it would have had a center seat belt in the front? </div></div>

69 Nova bench, two seat belts

Re: My new 1968 Nova L79 project.
 

The rubber boot goes onto the sheetmetal, the black ring screws to the floor, then the carpet tucks under the tabs on the black ring. Finally, the trim ring goes over top of it all.

Hope that helps?

Jed