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I built my '75 Nova SS...in 1975!!!  
Rick LaGrasta
New User | Posts: 2 | Joined: 03/05
Posted: 03/28/05
08:35 PM

Hey Guys...it is about time you finally recognize what a great "Street Machine" that 4th. Gen. Nova really can be!  I built my Nova SS 350 while working on the assembly line at the Van Nuys, California GM Plant. This car has been in the family since Nov. '74 and has only a little over 80 thousand miles on it (it has been sitting covered in my back yard for over 10 years!) and now it is time to "Rock and Roll" with that Nova Super Sport now that the smog laws allow 1975 vehicles to bi pass the annual smog certification.  The Nova will be done like an early 1970's Camaro Z/28 with a small block 350 LT-1, solid lifter high (11.25 to one) compression small block, built 350 Turbo Hydro trans, 4.11 posi gears and of course, the famous "F-41" suspension set up just as the Z/28's had theirs set up!  Everything Camaro, but in a Nova SS body!  My car is being called "Project Mellow Yellow" (can you guess the factory color?) and because I was at the factory during the building, I was able to use a lot of the "9C1 Police Car equiptment" that was used on the "Police Nova's" back in 1975-1978, such as special frames, brakes, cooling, engine, gearing suspension, ect....what a "one off car" was built that day back in November 1974!  Watch for it on the roads in Southern California this summer!  It will do "everything", from carving the canyons to racing at LACR!  I will be leaving the factory air conditioning, bucket seats with console (black vinyl) Power windows and everything else that this baby came with originally...and make it all work!  The car will be lowered about 2 to 3 inches all around and will have 15x7 inch American Torque Thrust "D's" with BFG T/A Radials all around too!  Koni shocks, will on board along with a Trans Am WS4 steering gear box to quicken up the steering a bit.  The original engine and trans are being stored and a 1972 Camaro LT-1 engine has been built up, balanced and blue printed to manufacture specs, a set of Hooker Comp "coated shorty headers" go back to a 2 and a half inch mandrel bent exhaust with a set of Flowmaster mufflers all going "up and over" the rear end and out behind the rear wheels!  I could go on for ever, but you get the idea...build a Chevy Sleeper that will "kick some booty" on the strip or in the canyons!  The little Chevy Nova SS is finally getting some "Balls" and this will be "no trailer queen", but will be clean enough for Super Chevy or dirty enough to get down with the best of them!  "Disco" my ass!  It is more like "Dirty Harry"!  So, tell me punk...do ya feel lucky...well, do ya!  The 1970's are back...and with a vengence!  Whooo wheee, we are going to have fun this summer!  I have waited over 30 years for this chance to come along now that I have retired from General Motors (38 years of service) and it is time to "put my money where my mouth is" and build a Chevy Nova (Z/28) that I can be proud of, a one of a kind vehicle that will be "street-neat" and will run with the best of them, be it show, strip, or track...I'll be there, and so will that little Yellow Chevy Nova Super Sport 350...ain't it cool!


 

 

 
Steve70
New User | Posts: 46 | Joined: 03/05
Posted: 03/30/05
08:36 PM

Bring your rocket out to the Street race shootout at LACR april 30th and I will race your rocket. heads up 70's style.  


 
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