Back road driving creates opportunities for many interesting finds. Among those are antique automobiles decaying in backyards. This might be an eyesore for some, but for others like Anthony Smith these yards are treasure troves waiting to be mined of their valuable resources. Smith had always been fond of Chevrolet Novas, having owned a 1971 model that was an award-winning show car. On one of his back road excursions, Smith noticed a line of cars behind a house and spotted what looked like a 1964 Chevrolet II Nova. The owner told him the car was for sale. Without a second thought, Smith was on his way to pick up his trailer and bring the car home.
The Nova had certainly seen better days. But before he could take an inventory of any damage, he had to strip the paint to see the condition of the body. His next step was to remove the front clip. Smith purchased a car rotisserie, which allowed him to view the car from any angle to survey structural damage or rust spots that might have escaped his notice had the car stayed planted on his garage floor.
He spent many hours cleaning and sandblasting the undercarriage and found that he needed to replace two quarter panels, fenders, trunk lid, and trunk pan. For a more aggressive look, he opted to remove the original hood and replace it with an updated cowl hood. But the project was not as simple as linking building blocks.
| Stats box |
| » Engine: LS1 V-8 |
| » Performance: Street & Performance serpentine belt kit and Vintage Air, 4L60 automatic transmission, Hiedts 4-link rear suspension, 9-inch Ford rear, 350 gears, Wilwood front and rear disc brakes |
| » Paint: Viper Silver |
| » Wheels: Vintec with BF Goodrich tires |
| » Interior: Optima red upholstery, custom console with Classic Industries gauge cluster, Pioneer audio system |
| » Exterior: Hiedts front end |
“The biggest challenge was getting the aftermarket parts to line up,” said Smith.
When the time came for the car to be painted, Smith spent more countless hours wet sanding and buffing. The final stages included the installation of a new front end and rear-end kit, followed by the engine and transmission.
Smith also designed the entire interior console and had the car treated to new upholstery.
What do you drive? A 1964 Chevrolet II Nova. On occasion, I drive my 1971 Nova.
Why do you drive it? I am a classic car/street rod enthusiast. My Nova is a fun car to drive on sunny days. It’s a smooth riding car, and when I drive it, it gives me so much pleasure to know that this is my ride and I built it.
What makes this car so special? This two-door hardtop Nova is a 400 series V-8. It is considered a “home built” classic car. It did not have a motor or transmission, nor did it have an interior. When I first spotted the car I had a vision of what I could do with it. Of course, initially my wife did not have the same vision. All she could see was a rusted car that had no interior, no motor and no transmission. Her first question to me when I brought it home on my trailer was, “What in the world are you going to do with this?”
What is your most memorable driving experience with this vehicle? I actually have two memorable driving experiences. The first was when I started my ’64 Nova for the first time and backed it out of my garage to take it for the first test drive. What a good feeling that was! After five years of building, it seemed like that day was never going to come. It was a very good day. When I started building this car, my goal was to take my car to one of the well-known “big” car shows. Therefore, the second memorable experience was at a car show in Columbus, Ohio. I registered my car in the “Pro’s Pick” class.
What was the first vehicle you owned? My first vehicle was a 1971 Ford six-cylinder Mustang. I removed the six-cylinder and replaced it with a 351 Windsor motor.
What kind of music are you currently listening to in your car? Contemporary gospel and some smooth jazz.
And your first ticket? What was it for? I have not gotten a ticket while driving my car.
