# long overdue project



## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

so a couple weeks ago when I checked in here and saw the Tow Truck/Rollback thread, it got me motivated to do drag out a couple of old projects and do a little painting and get some things finished. besides the Lindy tow truck, I fished out the Nova I've had sitting around forever. but first, a little history. this is what I drove senior year of high school:



















'73 Nova. it had been my dad's, and he traded it to me for the '77 Cougar that I shouldn't have bought.  it was originally silver with a black roof, but a few years before I got it, he had had it painted by Earl Scheib (oh yes he did) and they put a new vinyl roof on it too. you can't really tell from the pictures, but the roof is a few shades lighter than the paint. sadly, these are the only pics I can find.

it had a 250 c.i. six/PG in it when i got it, but soon after that, a girl in the neighborhood wrecked her '73 4-door with a 307/TH350, and after it sat in her driveway for a couple months, i bought it from her dad for 50 bucks. did the swap in the street in front of the house. from there, it got all the ugly cheap stuff that all my friends put on their cars back then: Gabriel HiJackers, used Quadrajet and 4-barrel intake, cheap headers, B&M shift kit, factory steel rally wheels from a swap meet, hacked-in bucket seats out of the wrong car (mine were from a Cougar and mounted on two-by-fours). I even put a console and shifter in from an early '70s Camaro. and the reason the doors don't seem to match is that I put doors on it off a '71 Ventura that my uncle was parting out. hey, I liked the wing windows and they were free. the first pic was before the door swap, the second was after.

it was really ugly in lots of ways (far too many stories to tell here), but man, did I love that car.

then I went to college and met a girl and had to get something sensible. and so i got on with my life.

years later, after I had forgotten about and then rediscovered slot cars, AW released a '68-'72 Nova for Tjet chassis. yeah, it's the wrong year, but I had always intended to paint one up like my old Nova. I've had an extra sitting in my project box forever now. and over that time, I picked up two different Dupli-Color metallic grays and set them aside, but I never got around to finishing up... till now.





































I was considering adding the primer patches and blue doors, but I think I like it better this way, the way I wanted it to look if I ever got around to painting it. I tellya, the paint colors are a dead match to what I remember, right down to the Earl Scheib patented orange peel.

so after everyone goes to bed tonight, I think I'm gonna put on my Spotify '80s playlist in the dungeon and just go run laps...

--rick


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Looks great, Rick. Love to see somebody modeling personal memories. Too bad the chassis takes up the whole interior - I would have loved to see you model those 2x4s under the seats. :wave:

-- D


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

i did up a 69 chevelle to match my first car, silver and primer spotted, lol


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## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

My first new car was a '76 Cougar my Sr. year of high school. Black with a white half vinyl top and white interior. Very classy. Only ever saw 1 other like it. I would love to model one in HO. I think the best chance is to re-do a Montego AFX stocker.

Love what you have done!


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## midnight5 (Dec 23, 2008)

Looks awesome.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Class... :thumbsup:


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## XracerHO (Feb 6, 2008)

Nice build, always liked that style of Nova & Acadian (Pontiac version) ! :thumbsup:  ..RL


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## Gerome (Sep 25, 2011)

Cool story.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

Gerome said:


> Cool story.


agree on story :thumbsup:

my folks helped me get a cherry '70 Nova for graduation (1976)....
oh, the memories... wife took her driving test w/ it (we were just dating @ this time, celebrating 23 years in May.. LONG "Courtship" LOL!! )

1st "Car" w/ an IHC Scout PU-version... standard 4x4....
she remembers; "...The CLUTCH!!, The CLUTCH!!!...USE the $#@%^*## CLUTCH!!..." ROFLMAO!!!!

Nova's rule!! & TY 2 CJ, for getting me the HO body for my; "W/ I drove in Life" Collection :thumbsup:

Bubba 123 :wave:


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