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This project started last summer when I got interested in an IHRA class called Top Stock. It is a really neat class where you run a pro tree start with no breakout. The guy with the fastest car wins. It is a class that has a weight factor to equal the cars out. If you run an SBC, you weigh 3000 lbs. If you run a 502 crate motor, you have to weigh 3900 lbs. Those numbers could be off a little, but you get the point. The cars have to be totally stock as far as suspension goes - no ladder bars or coil-over shocks, no tubs or anything. They run a small tire that has to fit the stock body. They have to have a stock interior and seats, glass windows which have to work. Cars are all steel with only a fiberglass hood allowed and it can only have a 2 inch cowl, no scoops. Engines, transmissions and rearends have to be the same make as the car. These cars pull huge wheelies when they leave the line and they run as fast as 9.80s in a quarter. So I shopped around and found the best old '72 Nova I could find. It looked pretty solid, had a motor, trans interior and it was within my budget, so I bought it. When I got it home and took it apart, it was not as solid as I thought. I had to replace the floor pans on both sides, trunk floor, tail light panels, rear window lower panel and one quarter panel. I was working very hard to complete this project because we had our first race in March of 2004 in San Antonio, Texas. I had a new bow tie block and 2 sets of new heads and was waiting for IHRA to post the rules for 2004 so we could start on the motor. About Thanksgiving of last year they posted a note stating 2004 would be the last year for T/S. Well no sense spending a lot of time and money on something that was going away so I mothballed the car. I have gone back and I am going to complete the car, which will be legal for any stock eliminator classes in IHRA or NHRA as well as legal for several outlaw classes. When completed, this car will be a totally stock-appearing '72 Nova with a 12-point chrome-moly rollcage certified for 8.25 quarter mile times. With all that said, let's see how I did this.... These photos show the car with the doors, windows, fenders, subframe, and trunk lid removed. It's already sandblasted underneath with the floor pans, trunk floor tail light panel, rear window to trunk panel and driver's side quarter cut off. All these parts had more damage than I could live with which required replacement. The sub-frame, control arms, inner fenders, radiator support and related stuff were all sent out and acid-dipped to get them clean.
Phase 2 -- Body Fixture & Fitting New Panels |
