Words: Tommy Parry Images: J-Rod & Custom
J-Rod & Custom took delivery of this bronze Nova with simple instructions to give it a quick respray. As it turned out, the car was advertised as being more mechanically sound than it was, and that quick trip to the paint booth quickly became a comprehensive overhaul. One tweak led to another, and within a few months, the upgrade list stretched across the room.
First, they cut some of the unsightly rust out of the body, which turned out to be most of it. They even found a road sign making up some of the bodywork! Off to a hilarious – and frustrating – beginning. After sandblasting the entire body, they replaced the aging floor with an Art Morrison chassis – a complete work of art.
J-Rod & Custom built some modestly-sized tubs for the rear, since the owner wanted a decent rear seat for his kids. Alongside and twisting through the chassis like vines went the 3” exhaust, and at the other end: hardlined heater and A/C lines inside the inner fenders! What a work of art.
Chuck on a chin spoiler, trim the front bumper to fit the body, and give it a coat of primer, and the Nova is that much closer to being a pro. Then, being a dedicated show car at this point, it received some snazzy bodywork in the engine bay to nest the LS displacing 427 ci. The Nova also got a few hood vents to help keep things cool, and they had the visual effect of making the body appear wider than it is.
With the bodywork sorted out, J-Rod & Custom shipped the Nova off to the paint booth for a gray base with a burnt orange and black stripe running the length of the Nova and, finally, a satin clear coat over it all. To add a sense of cohesion, some subtle pinstriping runs along the edges of the body. A spray of copper on the rear bumper complements the burnt orange striping nicely.
The valve covers and the intake manifold received the same sort of color scheme, and the LS coils were mounted near the oil pan for a cleaner look by keeping the plug wires concealed.
The interior was stripped and upholstered by Classic Instruments with subtle touches that don’t attract too much attention. Nevertheless, the detail-oriented among us will notice a modern font tied to a classic layout to look near-factory. To finish off the interior, a sheetmetal console was made to mimic the standard SS piece.
The seamless integration of parts, clever choice of paint and superb metalwork earned J-Rod and his team a GM Design award at SEMA 2014. Hardly surprising with this sort of build quality!
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