71 nova... good deal?

[zx2guy]

i started the " whats the best muscle chevy" a while back... and i just found this 71 nova in the classifieds... built 350 (which could mean very little), 4 spd, for $1750. any thoughts? ill try to get more info.

[NOVA71]

Seems too good to be true. Especially if it has a "built 350". Hell, even if it has a good runing 350. Probably worth taking a look at though. Personally, I'd be more concerned with the body than the engine and tranny. Body panels and the related bodywork required to fix a rotted out body/floor/frame can be very expensive and very time consuming. Especially if you want it done right. However, dropping in an engine or tranny should be a piece of cake and only take a day or two. Also, if you got a good body and the car is drivable, you can drive it as is, while another engine is being built or bought, etc. If you got a car with a good engine and the body/frame is shot, you will probably have to lay the car up for a while to get the body fixed. Just my opinion. Even still it would be worth taking a look at. It don't cost anything to look and you never know it may be a great deal.

When I bought my Nova, it took me about 3 years of looking. Mind you I wasn't hell bent searching every day or anything. I'd check the local classifieds every now and again, and a few of my buddies would keep an eye out for me and tell me about a car to check out every once in a while. Looked at alot of crap too. Everything from a 70 1/2 Camaro that looked like it was sittng in the same spot for 20 years (sunk in mud up to the door bottoms), to a 71 GTO that needed pretty much every body panel replaced (The guy had all new panels that went with the car) and had a nice 455 in it, but still wanted $8000 and I'd still have all that body work to do, to a 71 Chevelle that had a gas jug in the engine compartment and the rocker panels were welded to the front fenders. He had all the panels to fix it too, but they were all rusty. In the end, a guy I worked with had a friend that had this Nova that he was thinking of selling. The body was in great shape and it had a "tired old 350" with some good heads and a few performance goodies on it. Well, I looked, I liked, and I bought it. She still has that "tired old 350" (8 years later) that still works pretty damn good. I guess I'm kinda rambeling on here but what I'm trying to say is don't rush it. Wait and find a car that you'll be happy with. Hopefully that Nova is a good deal. Let me know how it checks out if you take a look. Good luck!

PS. FYI - I have a pretty good book on engine and cylinder head casting numbers, so if you can get them I may be able to tell you what the engine and heads are from. The engine casting # is on a flat pad at the front of the passenger side cylinder head (usually some #s and letters), and the casting # for the heads is under the valve cover.

[sickpuppyz]

mhm look into it more

[99grandgt]

how much power does your nogo have, and have you taken it to a track? my buddy has almost identical car, plus silver stripes, plus centerline wheels, plus ford 9" plus ho383 from gm (425hp, 460fl/lbs) and wondered how it did on the track, since the track out here in hawaii closed

[NOVA71]

Never had mine to the track or on a dyno. I'm guessing it has around 325HP. I have another 350 motor in the works that should be in the 400HP range and 410FTLBS torque. I would think 400+ HP with the right gears (373s or 410s) and enough tire (slicks) to get some good traction should put your buddys Nova in the high 12s or low 13s. That would be my guess.