My new 1968 Nova L79 project. - Page 2

**markjohnson** · #1 12-08-2010, 06:31 AM

I had one of these '68 L-79 Novas that I sold just a few years ago. It was a solid red car with black bucket seat interior,327-325 HP, 4-Speed, and 3.55 gear'ed 12-Bolt. I purchased it from the original owner with it's original Protect-O-Plate. It even came with the original Goodyear Blue Streaks slicks that it was raced on when it was new and came with all the original smog equipment that was removed in one piece as an assmbly and placed in a box in the attic! As mentioned above, in '68, ALL the L-79's including 'Vettes, Chevelles, and Novas came with cast-iron intakes/Q-Jets. Heck, the '68 Q-Jets had a higher CFM rating than the earlier 1965-66 L-79's with small Holley's and may have even been faster! Anyway, I hope the original selling dealer replaced that short block properly. The '68 L-79 has a VERY RARE, low production crankshaft in it. It should be a forged 3.250 stroke, large journal crankshaft and would be a very difficult piece to find these days. Anyway, neat find and don't forget.....one of these cars would make a great Pure Stock terror!

**92646** · #2 12-08-2010, 07:25 AM

Talk about rare, I worked at an engine rebuilder for 5 years and never saw a large journal 327 steel crank. It makes complete sense because 68 and 69 327 motors were large journals but every one I ever saw was cast. The only factory steel cranks I saw were small journal 327 cranks, small and large journal 350 cranks and small and large journal 283/302 cranks. Does this motor have forged pistons and deep groove pulleys also?

jasonL78 · #3 12-08-2010, 01:57 PM

Mark, so who bought the car? Is it being restored?

Jason

**YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY** · #4 12-08-2010, 03:12 PM

I thought the red one ended up with Jeff L in Nashville. I think he was going to resto it now that he finished the GG one that was from SD.

I knew Mike in NY had your blue one Jason, and heard it was at Wayne's for awhile but didn't know it was owned by a guy in FL.

SSRSBOB · #5 12-08-2010, 03:47 PM

That is a very cool car!

Bob

**markjohnson** · #6 12-09-2010, 12:16 AM

Mine went to a fellow here in Missouri and is being restored. He's a big fan of '68 Novas, and from what I've seen of the one he was finishing up when he bought mine, it went to the right person. It's gonna be a great car after resto. It was amazingly complete and numbers-matching: Born-with engine, transmission, rearend, carb, dist, smog equip, Muncie shifter. I can't think of any of the hard-to-find components that were missing. It's was a great restoration candidate.

jasonL78 · #7 12-09-2010, 02:04 PM

Great can't wait to see the car done.

Jason

al8apex · #8 12-09-2010, 05:23 PM

I would rather see it left as is ...

too many "restored" cars and not enough left to remind us of what they all looked like after years of use ...

IMHO anyway, YMMV

**WILMASBOYL78** · #9 12-10-2010, 12:37 AM

Found this interesting Super Chevy article on L79...very well done.

wilma

http://www.superchevy.com/features/c...ine/index.html

jasonL78 · #10 12-10-2010, 01:55 AM

Thanks for the link Tom that was a real good article.

This is the radiator a past owner took out of the car it is suposed to be original? One tank has the letters I /A embossed into the tank. The tank with the cap had C /D along with a triangular tag with the numbers 7 79 31? Anyone have any idea what these codes are. It also looks like it might have been repaired next to the cap at one time? I don’t think that is original?

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