1971 Chevrolet Nova

Coupe

307 2bbl

TH350 automatic

114271W172864

Clear

1971 Chevy Nova 2 door hardtop. 307 V8 with 2 barrel carburetor and TH350. This is an original California car. The current owner (my sister-in-law) has owned it since 1973, when she bought it from her aunt, the original owner. Until 2 months ago, this was her daily driver. I have been her mechanic for the last 10 years and as I am leaving the country for work, I advised her to sell the vehicle, rather than deal with mechanics ill-equipped to deal with a 40-year old car. The photos below show the solid nature of the body. This car is a relatively low option car, with power steering, but only manual drum brakes. It has been in minor scrapes during it's life, but is solid, with only minor areas of rust in the passenger footwells and the base of the right front fender. The car has been re-painted once many years ago and the paint is starting to peel, particularly around the leaded seams where the roof joins the quarter panels. The trunk is solid. The rear frame rails are solid. The front subframe is solid. The quarter panels are solid (notice a running theme here?). The future of this car is best served by making it a candidate for your next project. The underbody was recently steam cleaned prior to rebuilding the TH350 transmission.All new wear items, including clutches, bands, bushings, etc. were installed, along with a remanufactured converter. There are numerous small issues that are generally expected (i.e. the dash lights don't work, the radio doesn't work, the weatherstripping is rotten around the doors), but overall, this is a fantastic starting point. You will note that the bumpers are dented and the grille is damaged, but more than likely, you would be putting on new pieces, rather than trying to restore them anyway. The rust in the floor is limited to the front footwells and is a relatively small area, centered in the lower portions of the footwells. As far as floorpan replacement, this would likely be better served with a minor patch, rather than a full pan replacement, as the vast majority of the floor is completely solid. Other items to note about the car include: replacement Eaton Monoleaf springs (purchased from Eaton about a year ago); replaced wheel bearings; manual drum brakes; front and rear bench seats were re-upholstered in tan soft vinyl about 5 years ago; the factory rubber floor mat is installed. The trunk is solid. The window channels are solid...have I made my point? My recommendation? (I know you want my opinion, right?) Take the car apart, have it stripped to bare metal, patch the floors and a small area on the front fender and start your project with an excellent foundation. All the other stuff isn't worth worrying about because you already have an anchor for your boat (don't need the 307), You're going to install a bigger rear axle with bigger brakes and discs up front, and you want the trim to look good, so you are going to replace all the bright work and grille anyway. The only reason to worry about how this car runs is because you don't want to push it onto the trailer when you pick it up, or you may even want to drive it home. You can! I had it on the freeway not too long ago. I hate to delve into the typical "little old lady" cliche, because her hair isn't that gray and she's not particularly old (at least relative to me), but you figure she bought it in 1973...this is the car you've been talking about when you tell your friends you're looking for an old Nova project car. Look at the pictures...you'll see her in the background...but you have to deal with me. To the winner, please be aware that the car will be available for pick up through January 3rd. The car will not be available for pick-up between January 4-14.