The Project Nova is complete!

As many of you will remember, we started Project Nova almost 2 years ago after my friend Matt lost his girlfriend’s ’64 Nova bracket race car in a rollover accident at the track. The car was demolished, with only the engine, tranny, rear end and fuel cell surviving. So we started over to build one better, stronger, lighter, and faster….

Here’s the start: A junk, rusty, partial ’64. Or maybe it's a '63. We don't know and don't care. We’re mounted up on the fab beam and ready to start building the cage.


Once the cage and frame was done, we got the engine and drivetrain into the car. A mild 355 putting out 433.7 horsepower.


All the interior sheet metal was fabricated and then painted prior to installation for a clean contrast with the cage. Painting round tubing overhead is not much fun.


As with the rest of the fabrication, all the bodywork was done by me and Matt in his garage and mine. Beer was the key ingredient. Note mine is empty. I'm sad.


The car is all together and ready for paint. Here is the first time we had the car running out in the street with all the panels on it. The neighbors really like me.


Me shooting the basecoat. It’s 2005 Lamborghini Pearl Metallic Orange.


Clearcoats are done!


Me and Matt doing final assembly of the car after paint. Starting to look good!


It’s assembled and ready for the track….all brand new reproduction parts make the car look sharp. Car has headliner, door panels, weatherstrip, and all detail trim to look complete. Total cost of the completed car: Under $10K.

 

Opening day at the Pueblo Colorado racetrack. Car is out of the trailer and ready to race. Initial comments: “Dude, too bad you chopped up such a nice Nova to make a racecar…”


First burnout.


Staged and looking wicked. Car ran 11.55 at 5,000 feet elevation (that’s a mid-10 for you sea level boyz) out of the trailer with no setup or changes. Car consistently draws a crowd looking at construction and workmanship. Pearl paint is a real eyecatcher.


On to the 64 Vette Roadster Project…!

 

Other than this part, a very cool story....

 

Looks great, Lars, congratulations! Clearly, I need to drink more beer.

 

That is awesome! Very nice work.

 

What do you do in your spare time?
Oh,
Beautiful car!

 

If drinking beer gives you this kind of skills, im on the right track

Cool project

 

I drink beer...

...and other than the comment, "Dude, too bad you chopped up such a nice Nova to make a racecar…”, the comment that really ticks me off is the one I hear all the time, "what kind of a kit did you use to build it?"....

 

hurry up and finish the projects i've got a carb and distributor that i want you to do.

 

for the sake of clarity, i was referring to the empty part lacking coolness..

 

What can I say....................

 

no wonder we are first in space. beautiful project!

 

Lars is Russian?

 

WOW!!! Very nice.

I must be drinking the wrong brand of beer.

On the carb waiting list, also.

 

What a great end to a very cool project. I was hoping you'd finish the project and post the final pics.
All it needs now is a big block, and then I'll just take that little old 355 off of your hands.

trw

 

How bout....." You did put Fuel Injection on that thing didn't you!"

Did I make the list?

Looks real nice lars

Bullshark

 

...no, but you'd make the list if you asked, "what kind if gas mileage does it get?"

 

To head off another stupid question you might get a sticker like I saw on another Nova, "Hell Yea it's fast, Dumb ***"

 

It looks like a lot of work and a lot of fun

How many beers did it take to "Get er done" ??

Chris B

 

Lars Rules All!