Norbert has had this 1971 Nova since 2011 and will continue to own it for many years to come. It is a replacement for the 1969 Nova that he used to own in the mid seventies while he was dating the woman that eventually became his wife.
The two started a family during this time and that ’69 Nova had to go, but Norbert never quite got over it. Forty years later he was able to acquire this 1971 Nova, an unmolested 6-cylinder / Powerglide car at the time when he bought it.
Norbert wasted no time in bringing it up to spec, first installing a disc brake conversion. This would be followed by an engine swap to a GM 350 HO crate motor along with an Autogear M22 4-speed manual transmission. Next came an Eaton positraction unit with 3.73 gearing to round out the powertrain.
With the mechanicals taken care of, Norbert turned his attention towards the interior. He chose Scat Pro 90 front seats along with matching upholstery for the rear. The stock Sandalwood interior was dyed black wherever possible, and any of the metal trim was painted as well. He opted to also change the exterior paint to black in order to match the freshly redone interior. Next on the checklist were some classic Cragar wheels as well as chrome traction bars and a line lock to aid in hooking up during launches.
In the nine years since purchasing this 1971 Nova, Norbert’s been constantly tweaking and adding to his project. Other odds and ends that he’s installed include keyless entry, power windows, cruise control, satellite radio, and aftermarket air conditioning. The initial drivetrain has been improved with 3.55 gearing and a Tremec TKO 600 in place of the Autogear M22, which makes the Nova much nicer to drive on the highway.
“When the light changes to green we GO!”
Norbert C
Norbert’s been using this Nova every opportunity he gets, having put over 40k miles on it since 2011. It has been on five Hot Rod Power Tours over the years, and he & his wife have driven it to 18 states in that time. It isn’t just a grand tourer either, as he’s taken it to ten different drag strips and many oval tracks during those trips and driven at every track he visited.
“Ten thumbs up per mile”
Norbert C
This 1971 Nova will continue to receive new goodies and other upgrades as the opportunities present themselves, and Norbert is all too happy to continue his project. One big upgrade he’s been considering is a conversion to rack and pinion steering over the factory steering gearbox.
“It will never be finished, to much neat stuff out there!”
Norbert C
