The Supercar Registry

The Supercar Registry (https://www.yenko.net/forum/index.php)

- Member's Rides (https://www.yenko.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=100)

- - My '65 Nova (https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=133580)

I've owned this car since 1986 (before I was even old enough to drive). Factory 230, PG, Ermine white on red. Current configuration is a mid-60s "day 2" theme, though I am not particular enough to run all period-correct parts. Just going for the vibe.

Engine: 1969 350 L65 Block, Vortec heads, Hydraulic Roller Cam, 9.6:1 CR, Q-jet, Dougs Tri-y headers, GMPP roller rockers, GMPP Intake, etc, etc.

Trans: M20 - GM gears in an autogear supercase (with iron midplate and autogear tail). Hurst Comp Plus shifter, Centerforce II clutch

Rear: 8.2" 10-bolt, Eaton Posi

Other: 69-72 Chevelle front discs, stock rebuild Nova front suspension, Global west multi-leaf rear springs

http://home.comcast.net/~john.sm/Nova2015.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~john.sm/Nova20152.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~john.sm/Nova20153.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~john.sm/Nova20154.JPG

That is clean and clean. Great to hear you have had it all of these years!

Really neat cruiser. Nicely done. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Thanks, guys. The car looks a little better in pictures than in person. Body and Paint was done when I was 16 yrs old and still learning. The car had a lot of little dents and dings, and I really didn't know what I was doing with block sanding when I was that age. It's a little wavy and has a cheap home garage enamel paint job. Everything else has been through several iterations (230 I6 to 283 to 327 to current 355, etc, etc), but it's still wearing paint from 1988. One of these days I'd like to do it right, but I really hate to pull it off the road, as I am having too much fun with it as-is.

Sweat ride for sure and what a sleeper. I bet it stops WAY better than the 63 Chevy II I have here!

It stops really well with the factory Chevelle discs up front and stock 9.5" drums in the rear, I had it on a scale, and it weighs 3080 lb w/ a 1/4 tank of gas, so much lighter than a stock 69-72 Chevelle.

It's a bit of a sleeper. Small 14" whitewall radials are no match for the drivetrain. Nail it from a 20 mph roll in first, and it will keep them spinning and squealing all the way through 2nd. With 3.36 gears, that's like 60 mph before they actually bite. Lots of fun. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img]

John, keep it on the road......at least you're one of a few with a 30 year old 'driver'

Build another car you've always wanted.
I know you have at least a short list.....

There's nothing like Red interior in a White car.! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/3gears.gif[/img]

Funny story about this car... Tom - you will appreciate this, being familiar with the area.

Back around 1990, I took it to a small car show at Batey Chevrolet in Carnegie, PA. I had some "before" pictures displayed. When I got the car, someone has added '64 style Nova emblems to the front fenders. These showed in the "before' pics. A salesman that worked there came up to me very excited, and said "That's my old car!". I thought... "yeah, sure". He ran into his office and came out with several pictures that showed those front fender emblems and other tell-tale signs that this actually WAS the car he owned.

Story is that his Grandfather bought it new at Bill Heard Chevrolet in Columbus, GA. It got passed to his sister, and then to Stan (salesman). Stan ended up going to college in Grove City in the early 1980s, which is how the car came to Western PA. Stan drove it all through college, and then left it parked at his mothers house in Elizabeth, PA. He planned to eventually restore it or do something with it someday. His mother ended up selling the car to someone in the neighborhood that kept asking about it. It suffered some minor collision damage in the hands of this owner, as it had a willow green hood on it when I got it.

I actually found it in Lincoln Place. I was over my Dad's friends house and we were working on his '66 Impala in the back yard. This car came driving down the alley to visit a neighbor. Walked over to look at it, and it turns out the driver was a used car dealer who just took it in on trade. As far as he was concerned, it was just a junky old white car with a green hood. For $375 (1986 money), we drove it home (actually, my Dad did - I was 14). [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

The initial $375 investment was my graduation present from high school. The deal was that I would fund any restoration work with money earned from an after school job. If I did well in school, they would give me the car when I graduated. Being on a LOW high-school kid budget, the body and paint is pretty bad, but the car still presents well from a distance. The Engine, undercarriage, and interior look a lot better than the body! LOL

I honestly think I might just leave it as is. There is something nice about a car you can drive without sweating every rock chip, etc.

I do so love the simple look of chrome rims.....

Awesome Nova! Keep driving it!

Jason

I really like this car. Nice job and a great story behind all your work.

I love the look. Very traditional, yet rarely seen in-real-life these days. Nice job!

The only thing that I would have to do is add valve cover adapters so you could run some period cal custom 6 rib units.

The ww tires do a great job of bringing the whole feel together. What size are you running out back?

Thanks for the compliments on the wheels. I wanted a "period" feel, without running the torque thrusts that everyone else seems to use on mid / early-60s cars.

Chrome steel wheels / chrome reverse were very common back then (heck, they were even factory optional equipment on '63 Impalas, and 65 442s). For some reason you seldom see them today. Also, I think a thin-stripe whitewall was still "cool" in the mid-60s in certain parts of the country. You see a lot of old photos from the 64-68 period with guys running whitewalls - even with cragars and other "mag" wheels.

These are wheel vintiques series 64. 14x5 up front with a 185/75R14, and 14x6 in the back with a 215/70R14. For the price, they are really nice wheels. My only gripe is that they are not hub-centric, but that has not caused any problems at all. Wheels spin very true, and the wheel tire combo balanced easy with just a small weight on the inside of each wheel. Chrome plating quality is very nice.

Me, August of 63, fresh back from a trip out to visit my Aunt and Uncle in sunny California. Was a very worthwhile trip. Maybe this is where my liking of chrome wheels came from.....

John, that is an awesome picture! Wheels look great on that vette!