What's with all the chrome?? (69 "sleeper" Nova)

Just curious if anyone else noticed that the Nova's engine bay in the latest "sleeper" issue is anything but "sleeper" or stock appearing?

Why on earth did the owner go through such pains to make the car and engine look as stock as possible but then install a chrome brake booster, m/c cover, fan shroud guard thingy, alternator and alt. bracket?!? These would seem to be very obvious things to leave factory semi-gloss black, y/n?? I've seen some awesomely executed sleepers in my day, and I thought this one would be as well (granny wheels & tires are perfect), but the engine bay has more chrome than most show cars I see.

That abberation aside, I REALLY, REALLY love the sleepers! Keep 'em coming CC!  
68 Biscayne
13.48 at 100mph

Yeah,  everybody knows chrome makes atleast 20 HP a pound lol.



It's chrome junk not a blower through the hood, a sleeper is a fast car that dosnt look fast.  No amount chrome makes me think a car is fast.  

Agreed. No amount of chrome makes me think a car goes fast either. But it gives me pause and makes me question, what's going on here? Something you wouldn't want a would-be challenger to do.

I just thought it very counter-intuitive that he'd make any effort at all to change out the stock parts for chrome ones. Even if all those parts were junk and needed replaced out of necessity, it's often cheaper to get the non-shiny versions. Why go through the effort of faking that intake manifold bolt and using stock fuel lines in the first place?

Guess if he keeps the hood closed it's a full-on sleeper in my book. It's a very cool car to be sure. I've just seen the sleeper concept carried throughout the engine bay much better than what this guy did.  
68 Biscayne
13.48 at 100mph

he went through all the trouble to paint the aluminum heads but not the aluminum intake manifold
a stock type dual snorkel air filter housing would really set off the sleeper image if the hood was open while competition was stalking...if he really wanted to enhance the resto-geek appearance

if chrome adds hp, does that mean i need to change out my after-market aluminum heads for chromed iron units?

who makes/sells these?

there used to be a saying, if it don't go, chrome it  
-
the red-headed step-child of the mailing list

fuzzy dice, air shocks & N50's rule

I've got no bones with a chrome open-element air cleaner. EVERYONE runs those so that's not a demerit on the official sleeper checklist. I don't know the specifics, but Chevrolet sent lots of 396s and 427s (and 327 L79s) out the door with natural-finish alum. intakes. So that's cool too.

I've heard the "don't go, chrome it" line before. Maybe that's where the owner's head is at? Trying to make people think he's got nothing by chroming everything under the hood. But then that flies in the face of his whole "resto geek" philosophy.  

I'm gonna stop worrying about this now. I put it out there b/c I thought it very odd. I think I've got some random parts that need painted Krylon semi-gloss black.  
68 Biscayne
13.48 at 100mph

the comments concerning philosophy/reverse psycology is want i had in mind with the chrome remark

i'm too young to be real familiar with what GM did in the 60's an a first hand basis and had no mentor in this area , i've had to learn on my own....agreed on the open elemant air cleaner, i find myself to be an all or nothing type and have a hard time compromising on my own vehicle

i wasn't trying to knock the car...i'd be a HUGE sucker at a redlight if he even so much as hinted at rev  
-
the red-headed step-child of the mailing list

fuzzy dice, air shocks & N50's rule

AMEN BROTHER!  

Folks sorry about the chrome. It has been on the car for the past 20 years. I figured if I changed it out now the locals would suspect something.  My focus was to copy the look of a slightly dressed up stock 396.

I guess nothings perfect and respect your comments and input.  

Definitely not knockin' your car man. Just read the phrase "resto-geek" everywhere in the article and then saw all the extra chrome in the engine bay and found myself scratchin' my head. I'm just sayin' chromed accessories does not equal "Resto Geek", that's all.

I really do dig the car! Resto-sleeper or what-have-you, it's much nicer than mine to be sure.  
68 Biscayne
13.48 at 100mph

Believe me, I know where you are coming from and your points are well taken. Perhaps in the future I will make a change.

Of course in the old days we had a saying. "If it dont go, chrome it".

Thanks again for the input.  

Chrome on a clean car is actually a good way to hide speed.  Lots of folks figure if you're spending all your dough on cosmetic plating, you're probably cutting back in other areas (like heads, cams, compression, gears, etc.)

Chrome is only "bad" if you're going for the neglected beater look (unless it's cheap, peeling, rust-pitted chrome on dress-up parts).  A well-kept, sano "Day 2" appearing car can be a very effective sleeper, if the go-fast equipment is suitably cloaked.  And plenty of "Resto-geeks" overrestore their cars nowadays.

There's also the historic aspect. If this whip has survived for 20 years with all the plating under the hood, that "time capsule" aspect ought to be preserved.

And what fun is it to pop the hood to show off a bunch of painted, stock-looking stuff? (Unless it's ultra-rare, ultra-exclusive, nearly unobtainable stock-looking stuff (e.g. Boss 429, Boss 302, Hemi, L-88, Z-11))  That's the problem with most modern muscle cars, by the way. Too much boring flat black paint and needless plastic covers.  
--------------------------------
460_BBF_Turbo-in-CC (formerly Dr511scj) "This guy has no life other than posting endlessly on carcraft.com." -- Car Craft, July 2005
-------
October 1, 2003: " I'm thinking a couple of...turbos, blowing through an old Powerstroke intercooler...on a Super Cobra Jet-head 460 would be mad cheap and make sick power."
-------
"I have no problem with your...talking to several versions of yourself...or pointing out our failure to do a turbo story ...." --Douglas "CC/Rambler" Glad

yall want to see some true sleepers next time you go on youtube type in dfwss.org and check out some of the nastyest street cars around