Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

this is a stock eliminator car?

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

No sir, those pictures are of a street car I'm building with my oldest daughter. I was only highlighting the removable k member.:D But in some odd way, I think you knew the answer to that.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

I think I may have found a rotisserie to borrow, so today I went and bought some paint degrease prep and some seal primer just in case we get lucky this weekend. Tomorrow I'm going to blast some more suspension parts so I have something to work on if everything else fails miserably.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Got a few more pieces blasted and washed today for powder. I picked up the old rusty rotisserie that may or may not work, we'll see tomorrow.
https://i.imgur.com/DfeTODm.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Had some help today for the heavy lifting. Today started out a little shakey as I busted the windshield as soon as I started to cut the sealant, luckily I broke it and not the rear glass which is harder to come by and 3 times the $$$. We spent most of the day cleaning grease, grime and rubber sealant but I wanted it to be prepped and ready for media blasting. I cannot for the life of me get the lower hinge pin out of the drivers door, just zero room to swing a hammer so I gave up and will get it tomorrow morning.
Here it is coming back into the daylight, cleaning sealant, and just a little suprise hidden in the passenger quarter panel.
https://i.imgur.com/jSJMcMU.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/HqKwgPR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QygNldn.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/PzgqxVW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/yIYF6z5.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Next we tackled the fitting of the borrowed rotisserie that had been stored outside so all the fasteners were locked up plus some missing parts. We were however successful after a bout with penetrant and a sawzall. More cleaning and grinding then we load it up for blasting which will commence tomorrow.
https://i.imgur.com/9m5vra2.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/mJ8cEJL.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1aVXEHK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/M1DwqBN.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Zero envy here for that job! :p

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

It's a sickness! I love doing this, and I always have something torn down. My last two projects before this were a 1978 Pantera 24 re-do and a 900hp 22mpg 2005 GTO I built for Hot Rod Drag Week.
https://i.imgur.com/5bo4ZhA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/gWXVMVD.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Whew, what a weekend. Started out early this morning and got the car stripped, spent a long time cleaning it out to no avail, this thing will have sand pouring out for a while. Had to move on and get the epoxy sealer on but all in all had a very productive weekend.
https://i.imgur.com/HIxydiR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cF9XfHQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/up1MzeW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9aWwki9.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

This afternoon I'm converting "back to a 12 bolt".
https://i.imgur.com/BtFTFEL.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dYZUkpe.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

A chat with the chassis guy this week has taken a little pressure off, he can't take it till the 18th, I was hoping for the 11th. I'll have a little extra time to get it on the ground and I'll probably need it, I'm extremely busy at work and so far haven't done a whole lot with it this week, trying to work on it a little tonight though.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Parts are showing up and I'm off to hit it for a few hours.
https://i.imgur.com/s8dxptf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CQpeVyg.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Todd , what color is her ride going to be? This is a great thread , I wonder if you all a having as much fun as we are watching? Hahaha

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

She's looking at blue, I honestly don't like blue but I told her not to pick anything for me, get whatever she wants. Yes we are having lots of laughs along the way, I figure posting progress is the least I can do with all the help I've gotten from the forum as a whole.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Well it's a school night so my partner isn't here tonight but I needed to get a few things done in prep for the weekend. I got the firewall and floor sanded down and I coated a few more pieces so I could get the a-arms done, as I need to get the ball joints in.
https://i.imgur.com/fjvlfZ9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/C5rcWbi.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/BqI7Fl5.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

That's gonna be 1 Fine Looking Stocker when your done Todd.
God Bless.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Thank you sir!

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Your parts are almost too pretty to use. I powercoated everything that I could unbolt 10 years ago in a black satin. I look at it today and it is still the same. Best investment I could have made.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

It will look awesome for years. Gloss black isn't the best choice as it will show scuffs. We wanted some contrast of a medium black and a gloss black. It only looks perfect the first day, ain't no show car. :D

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Last night was a wash, worked till 11pm and just couldn't start painting, too tired, I'll try again tonight. Parts are still showing up.
https://i.imgur.com/b6ErPi8.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

OK, today is shaping up a little and some sandblasting got done. The nice thing about grease is, it hides stuff, pretty rough but we're gonna jazz it up a bit.
https://i.imgur.com/hRSPwxr.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Your doing a awesome job on this car. Wow

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Thank you James!

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Got some small parts and the rear blasted and coated today. Still had a little snaggle tooth spot on the floor we fixed from when I had to do a quick notch job when we moved the shifter back in a hurry. Painted the bottom floor and firewall with about 4 coats of SEM Hot Rod black, the pictures are of it just tacky so I expect it will dull up just a bit.
https://i.imgur.com/ytoxcN7.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/fObVkju.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/fdH5gum.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/tcaFYIc.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Didn't have a full day to work today but we got the ball joints in and the rear built.
https://i.imgur.com/QEUqpE9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/O2pA7nY.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Another short day today so here we go. Put the car in the oven yesterday to help with the paint that was still not cured, glad we did, it got into the 40s last night, seems nice and hard now.
https://i.imgur.com/AQwx5hi.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Start out with the good stuff, apparently my coil spring compressor has teeth and it DOES bite! Luckily I had some work done before the "incident".

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Leaf springs, Caltrac brackets and rear went in first. Then the front subframe and new bushings, a-arms, spindles and springs. Just threw the wheels on to roll it around.
https://i.imgur.com/8M4E55s.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9oUhY6U.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/EBrseYV.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/JTW59rl.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

I bet "Captn" Bill is LOVING seeing his old Ride Restored!

Wish you lived around here, Your work looks OUTSTANDING!
Good Luck with the Project.....

Keep the "Progress Reports" & "Pictures" coming!

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Sent Mr. Bill an e-mail in hopes he will see this thread. Should be able to get back into it in a couple days when the finger stops throbbing to keep the updates coming.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Like the results and impressed with your progress. Question, because your in the biz. What's the procedure for removal and touch up on a steel panel if welding is required after p coat?

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

The only real option is to get the color matched at a paint store and touch it up. I had a roll bar built once and coated it mostly together then welded it in, I touched it up at a couple welds and it looked good. Powder can also be sanded and buffed after touch up, just be careful you don't use a heavy grit paper, start with 1000 and finish with 1500-2000 and buff with a wool pad.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

The only tool I trust when working with springs Todd... https://www.otctools.com/products/fr...ing-compressor

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Todd, G.M. used to have one available that used a plate like the OTC on the bottom and the threaded rod came up through the shock mount hole in the upper control arm. I believe Kent-Moore made them for G.M.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Yes one that would run through the shock hole would be the hot ticket, the plate ones are far better than the one I have.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

I have a compressor for well over 40 years.

J hook style with a center bolt. One short and one long hook on each end.

Slips in thru the shock hole and just spin it apart to get it in or out.

You can pull a spring down straight or curved by moving the hooks.

GM cars were often curved in the front nd makes it real easy.

Just position the spring right during install to get it to seat properly top and bottom...

It has never failed me.

I even did springs without a compressor using the lift and a jackstand......got a little iffy at times...

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Did just a little yesterday, started cleaning brake parts and got the steering parts prepped and painted.
https://i.imgur.com/2eyjtfw.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/a3Mkm5y.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Powdercoat cleared the rear cover yesterday, I think I liked it better raw but they just don't clean up so this will make it easy. Picking up some parts now then gonna get a few things done today.
https://i.imgur.com/55XRRrx.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Front end is buttoned up, shocks are in, steering is all back in. I put the rear backing plates in backwards so the e-brake cable holes were backwards so fixed that and installed the rear cover and shocks. Quickly threw the pedals, dash, a seat and doors in so we can get the cage in next week. Doing some family stuff tomorrow and putting some lights on the house so no car time tomorrow.
https://i.imgur.com/VhMaXRJ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/F5D4KLm.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RrYPYhG.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/e1Z4KoP.jpg

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Dropped off to get the cage in this morning, should have it back end of the week.