Finished in Lemans Blue with Baldwin Motion style stripes, this 1968 Nova is one mean street machine bursting with modern power and vintage racing appeal. The body of the car is an all original metal, laser straight, rust free beauty, with an aftermarket 4-inch steel hood. The doors, hood and trunk are gapped perfectly and close with ease. The car has Detroit Speed mini tubs that retain a factory style finish in the trunk. The cage is an S&M 8-pt cage with a camera mount and custom floor plates and the interior floor pan is covered in Fatman sound deadening material and cuts down on vibration and heat.
The Nova uses QA1 billet coil overs up front and an Addco 1.125 inch sway bars with urethane mounts. The front brakes are SSBC with billet calipers and slotted rotors. Steering comes via a Unisteer manual rack and the system uses a polished stainless link kit. Connecting the front of the Nova to the rear is a set of Competition Engineering subframe connectors. The rear suspension consists of inboard Eaton leaf springs with Competition Engineering mounts. The rear shocks are also Comp. Engineering with lowered shock perches to achieve optimal shock angles and the Nova has custom traction bars with adjustable links. The car rides on Centerline Testar billet wheels that are 15×7 up front and 15×10 in the rear.
Powering this beast is a 2003 all aluminum LS1 with TEA ported heads. The motor uses a Thunder Racing Trex 2.0 cam (242/248 .608/.612 110 LSA) with a new LS2 timing chain with matched valve springs, locks and retainers. The pushrods are Comp Cams heavy duty units and the coil packs are 6.0L heavy duty with Taylor plug wires. The intake is an Edelbrock Victor with a custom Holley 750 carb built by Competition Carburetion of Nevada. The engine uses an MSD 6010 timing controller that can hook up easily to most laptops. The motor exhales through a set of custom headers that flow into a 2.5 inch x-pipe exhaust system with 3.5 inch electric cut outs, and Bullet Mufflers. Cooling the engine is a Meziere biller electric water pump with an in-car adjustable speed controller. The radiator is a custom ordered Griffin radiator with 1.5" tubes and 1600 CFM fan keeping operating temps between 175 and 190 degrees at all times.
The transmission is a T56 6-speed with a Hurst billet shifter that uses a Monster 3 clutch with a billet steel flywheel. The Nova has a Quicktime SFI scattershield and steel driveshaft with 1350 spice joints. The rear end is 9″ with a Strange Pro-G third member with 4.33 Richmond gears. The Chevy also has 35 spline Moser axles.
Engine:
- 2003 LS1 (all aluminum)
- TEA ported heads
- Autokraft oil pan
- Edelbrock motor mounts and coated headers
- Thunder Racing Trex 2.0 cam- new LS2 timing chain-matched valve springs, locks, Ti retainers etc
- Thunder Racing new ported and polished LS6 oil pump
- Comp Cams Heavy duty pushrods
- 6.0L heavy duty Coil packs and Taylor plug wires
- Edelbrock victor intake manifold and custom Holley HP 750 carb built by Competition Carburetion of Nevada
- MSD 6010 timing controller with easy to use laptop software, custom billet bulkhead harness plate
- 2.5 inch exhaust with 3.5 inch electric cutouts, Bullet mufflers, X pipe, and over the axle terminating under the bumper tailpipes
- Meziere billet electric water pump with in-car adjustable speed controller
- Holley blue fuel pump- (-8 delivery line, -8 to carb, Holley reg. with gauge, -8 return line,20 gallon aluminum cell with AN beathers and sump)
- Custom ordered Griffin radiator with 1.5" tubes (-20 AN water lines, 1600 cfm fan) car runs 175-190 on even the hottest days in traffic
Transmission:
- T-56 trans with Hurst billet shifter
- Monster level 3 clutch
- Billet steel flywheel
- ARP hardware
- Custom tubular trans crossmember with drop out center
- Quicktime SFI scattershield
- Driveline service driveshaft with all 1350 Spicer joints
- Custom billet capped center console/ Lokar boot/ Hurst pistol knob with line lock
Chassis
- QA1 adjustable front billet coilovers
- Addco 1.125 inch sway bar with urethane mounts
- SSBC front brake kit- slotted rotors and billet calipers- Wilwood billet master cyl.
- Unisteer manual rack and pinion steering system with polished stainless link kit
- New urethane bushings, new ball joints, wheel bearings etc
- Competition Engineering subframe connectors
- Inboarded Eaton Detroit leaf springs using Comp engineering rear mounts
- Custom rear shock mounts with Comp Engineering adjustable shocks/ custom lower shock perches for optimal shock angles
- Custom traction bars with adjustable links
- Custom ordered Currie 9 inch rear diff. with 5 inch narrower track to optimize DSE kit (gives more wheel options and a far wider rear lip) – spine braced, filler cap, drain, vent
Rear End
- Strange Pro-G nodular third member
- Detroit Locker, Richmond 4.33 gears
- 35 spline Moser axles, new bearings and seals
For the Chevy enthusiast looking for a Nova that shows well, rips down the road that you can drive straight to the track, this 1968 Nova is straight mean looking.
