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.