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Words: Tommy Parry
When Enrique first grabbed this Nova, he couldn’t quite believe his eyes. The original owner kept the car in the garage most of the time, and the machine was largely rust-free. Plus, for the price of just $3,500 — a price asked by a son selling his recently deceased father’s car — it was undoubtedly a bargain. His plan was to build an everyday car that handled as well as a new sports car and ran a current powertrain.
More specifically, he wanted to clean up the subframe, re-weld all the welds and seams and then install a Ridetech front suspension and Speedtech Torque Arm rear suspension with Ridetech coilover shocks. That would give him the sort of roadholding that could embarrass a current Camaro.
Where the powertrain was concerned, he went with a cost-effective but powerful Chevy motor which could both cruise and excel on road courses. The LY6 / Mast Cam swap, with full length headers and a full exhaust, would provide sufficient thrust for the street. The drivetrain: a 4L80E sending power back to a Ford 9” rear end for comfort and impressive levels of traction.
Of course, the body needed work, and his first course of action involved adding a firewall filler plate, homemade subframe connectors and DSE mini tubs, relocating the gas filler to between the tail lights and installing an aftermarket fuel tank. Power windows would come somewhere down the road and, of course, a proper set of wheels were in order.
Working with the grinder in such tight confinement, Enrique was able to get his forearms to Schwarzenegger-levels while installing his mini tubs. Just as muscular were the Rugotti wheels wrapped in 325-section meats he could now squeeze in there, and the Kore3 big brakes he’d fit within them.
Then the motor arrived. The LY6 was stout in stock guise, but thanks to an SS3 cam kit, a tune, intake porting, a cam phaser kit, a Borla exhaust and a converter from Gwatney Performance Innovation, it became suited for the demands of the autocross.
With the new tank in place, Enrique had something to route the exhaust tips around. The discreet turndowns keep a low profile, but please all of the metalworkers who sneak a peek underneath the busy undercarriage.
Next came the interior. With a set of custom Sparco rails, he was able to fit in a set of Pontiac GTO leather seats—though just barely. A Budnik wheel offers a greater sense of feel, and its smaller diameter helps increase the feeling of response.
By tailoring and trimming the rear bumper, which he described as having “Dumbo ears,” the car’s proportions were slimmed down slightly. With the centrally mounted gas filler, the car has a specialized, race-ready appearance that’s only complemented by the wide rubber. That athletic stance, the great paint, and tasteful modifications make this car an understated monster that should continue to turn heads in the future. To keep an eye on the progress of this ambitious build, you can follow Enrique’s thread here.
