66 Nova

[noname]

Yup, I think what you are describing is very normal for many.

 

[noname]

Started working on the front end. Just thought I'd post a progress photo. Still a bit to do yet.



Usually car without inner fenders use fender well headers. So I thought while I was at it I'd redo the engine. Clean it up a little. I will reuse the manifold and carbs as is.

 

[CTspeedshop]

Nice work on the front end. Looking good!

 

[noname]

Thanks CT.

 

[Junkie]

Very cool. I like where this is going.

 

[noname]

Thanks Scott. Got the engine in some Simple Green to see if I can loosen up the paint for a fresh start. Also trying to clean up the front chassis add all the doo-dads.

 

[letsgobrowns82]

You are doing some great work on this, keep it up.

 

[noname]

Thanks Letsgobrowns.

You'll see here a few changes I made to the chassis. I attached the frame to the firewall the more typical way. Added some hex styrene for bolt detail and added the kit steering box. I also made the spring perches and the springs. Not all springs have the curve and I left mine straight to the front end wouldn't be too high.



I just remembered the rear rims. I forgot to take a pic. Maybe after some primer.

 

[noname]

Finally got the chassis finished. Well, not quite, still need shocks and traction bars. I used stick pins for the suspension joints and now I can pose the wheels the way I want to.







Made some big fat rims.





Thanks for looking guys.

 

[letsgobrowns82]

Man you are kicking this thing in the butt. Great custom work on the suspension.

 

[Quaralane]

Nice custom work. Interesting to see this one evolve

 

[noname]

Thanks for the comments guys. I have the front end pretty well done. I will make shocks, add master cylinder and a radiator after paint. Here it is in primer.

 

[Junkie]

Looks great man.

 

[CTspeedshop]

Looks great man.

Ditto!

 

[noname]

Thanks guys. Got some paint on it. Got some detail painting to do. It is gonna be nice to be able to pose the wheels how I like. The hardest part of all this will be making headers.

 

[CTspeedshop]

Thanks guys. Got some paint on it. Got some detail painting to do. It is gonna be nice to be able to pose the wheels how I like. The hardest part of all this will be making headers.

Solder?

 

[noname]

No, I usually use styrene. Solder is great but I have nothing at hand to fit the bill. Styrene is nice and light. Here is a set I built years ago.



In reality some guys use to use upside down boat headers. How cool is that! They sure were ingenious back then.

 

[CTspeedshop]

That's awesome Matt! Yea, I miss the originality that the old hot rods and gassers had back in the day. "The Good Ol Days"

 

[noname]

Yup,"The Good Ol Days". As far as cars go anyway.

This build has been quite a bugger. A lot of little snags. The last thing I did was the traction bars. Glued them on with holes drilled in them for brackets etc. before I realized one was taller than the other making it hang different than the other side. So I had to adjust that. A lot of messing around like that with this build. Here is a pic of the shackles, shocks and kit traction bars.





Painted the front end with Alclad steel and made the shocks. I will do a bit more painting here. Maybe a bit of rust. I added some silver colour paint to some joints as if recently welded. A few do dads to add and then it's engine time. Yahoo scratch built headers. :



The tires above were looking horrible in the backside so I repainted those.



Had to open the wheel wells.



I've done this plenty times before but this time was troublesome. Had to add a bit back to this side. If all else fails I have another body to make a fresh start.



That's all for now. Thanks for looking.

 

[Quaralane]

These mods are looking really good