1976 Chevy Nova Street / Strip Replica

Well, I bought this AMT/ERTL 1976 Nova Hatchback about 6 years ago along with a couple of other kits for $1.50 at a yard sale. The doors and hatch were already opened, a few fiddly bits were off the sprue but nothing really assembled. So, I'm going to try my best from memory to build the one of 2 1976 Novas I had. One being a Hatchback the other a 2 door Sedan. So lets get started shall we?

First Box Shot along with the kit and various parts.



Trying to figure out stance. The front is almost spot on, rear needs a tad bit of work.





Empty Bay! Lots of potential, now if I can find the right engine in my spares.



I dug around in my spares box and found some better tires (front and rear) than the lethargic tires that came in the kit. Something a lot meatier like what I had on my Nova.





Enjoy!

That chassis almost looks tubbed. Good Subject.

Zbuckster wrote:That chassis almost looks tubbed. Good Subject.

This thing is so tubbed it makes a bathtub look like a bathroom sink! LoL Thanx Buck!

It is a tubbed chassis. The original issue of this kit was a 2 or 3 'n one kit and the reissue just gives you the drag chassis. I am using the revell 1969 Nova chassis under the one I am building.

 

 

Thanx everyone first off!

Now down to business. On my 1:1 '76 Nova I had everything tucked in nice and tight. So I took the second axle in the kit and narrowed it down to bring things in closer to the frame. Then I opened the rear wheel arches some so the tires wouldn't be obstructed by them. Did this just like the original car.







I had 10 lug/hole aluminum look wheels on the rear. So I wanted to imitate that here. So found some rims with li'l indentations in them and drilled them out with a small bit. Left the lugs in tacked then painted the rims silver/aluminum in color.



And then I moved on to sorting out an engine and transmission. But first I had to do something about the plain, faintly detailed firewall. So dug around in the spares box and found the engine from the 70 1/2 B/M Camaro and heater box/brake booster system assembly from the 67 Chevelle. Got them all tidied up and mocked everything up. The brake system is close to what my car had so it'll work. Radiator support needs work and might get changed out.



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I'm slowly making progress. Enjoy!

Looks like a big block Chevy engine. Nice work so far.

I reckon you've got this nailed Jason. My only gripe is the M/cyl looks like a single circuit one.
I'll shut up now...............

Chris

NICE !   

I have one of these in my stash, so keeping an eye on this build.
  

LOVE the stance on that !

Looking good Jason.  You're off to a good start.

Buck, your right! I believe the Baldwin cars had 454cid BBC engines.

Thanx everyone for the compliments and comments. Well, y'all were warned. The radiator support wasn't up to my criticism. And to whom ever told me "If you don't like the current mousetrap, then go build a better one!" didn't know me to well. LoL And that is what I did. I made a more reasonable rendition of the radiator support using a few 35mm photos I do have of my Nova. I even scratched out the hood latch support and bracket. Simple, but effective. LoL The hole in the grill is next to be fixed. Mine wasn't a standard grill. ;)









And yes the hood still fits and shuts like it's suppose to.





Now let the radiator hunt begin!! LoL

Enjoy!

Nice work !!!   

Nice work, Jason. The Baldwin cars had L-72 427's in them and are considered my many to be the rarest Nova out there. Not sure on the total number built but it was less than 12. I think it was 8 but could be wrong.

Oops! I miss read my information. LoL Thanx Buck!!

Ok, I thank everyone who has been following along this wild ride. This build was suppose to be simple, but quickly turned into a monster.

My 1:1 76 Nova wasn't a standard, so the grill had to go. I took some flat stock, round stock, window screen, and some clear sprue to come up with a presentable representation of a Nova SS grill.





But then it hit me! Those hideous headlights! They had to go! Too small, and looked like doll eyes. So I routed around and found a pair of lights and second hand buckets to go in their place. Much better in my book!



With that sorted, I found a radiator in the spares box, but the shroud was all wrong. So I found a second radiator, but it was too short, but right shroud. I carefully dissected the shrouds from the radiators, test fitted, and then glued everything to the radiator support. Then added a new brake booster and reservoir, and added the side walls. Next will have to be the heater box as after all this, it needs to be correct as well. Also redid the hood latch and support bar. (You can see the grill better in this pic too.)





Back to the bench. Gotta make the radiator plate and a new heater box. Enjoy!   

Looking good as always Jason. The grille rocks.

Improvise overcome and adapt..... The perfect modeling motto and you've certainly done that here.

It does look good so far.