FEATURE
Images by NotStock Photographyhe fact is that not many people can say they still have the car they drove in high school, and even less can claim they bodyworked and painted that car in their high school Vocational Education class and then drove it to their high school graduation. Well, Joe Van Nus, owner of this 1971 Nova, and co-owner of Dutchboys Hotrods in Vicksburg, Michigan, is able to make all of those claims.
“I’ve owned this car since 1983, which was my junior year of high school. Originally, the car was from Alabama and I bought it in PawPaw, Michigan. My dad and I went to purchase the car right after a snowstorm, so we had to dig it out of the owner’s driveway to get it on our trailer and haul it home, but it was totally worth it,” Joe laughingly tells. “The car ran, but it had a bad transmission at the time, so I swapped out the trans and drove the car throughout my high school years.”
In its latest incarnation, Joe and the Dutchboys crew gave the Nova a top-tier, Pro Touring rehabilitation, including a stout modern powerplant. Starting underhood they meticulously smoothed the firewall and fabricated a set of custom inner fenders prior to dropping a powerhouse LS7 built by Performance Engineering in Jenison, Michigan. They gave it a 4.135-inch bore then fitted it with a 4-inch stroked Callies crank, H-beam rods, and Wiseco 12.1:1 pistons for brute strength and a hefty punch. LandSpeed Development in Brownsburg, Indiana, massaged the Chevrolet Performance LSX heads for increased flow and paired it to their matching cam with a custom grind for optimal performance. The result is a blend of precision engineering and raw power that hammers this machine to the next level.
The engine exudes a menacing aura with a black MSD Air Force intake, Vintage Air Front Runner drive system, Ringbrothers hood hinges, and additional black hardware. The Katech cast-aluminum valve covers pierce through the darkness, adding a flash of light to the sinister scene. Stainless Hooker Blackheart headers provide a smooth escape route for spent fuel leading to a custom 3-inch exhaust system with Blackheart mufflers. At idle, the system establishes a subtle rumble, but when Joe hammers the loud pedal, this 713hp LS7-powered Nova comes to life and announces its presence with authority.
Underneath the Nova lies a high-end Pro Touring recipe boasting a mix of Detroit Speed & Engineering (DSE) suspension components. Up front resides their hydroformed subframe, while out back lives a tried-and-true QUADRALink system. It’s all tied together with DSE subframe connectors. JRi double-adjustable shocks with remote canisters and Hypercoil springs grace both ends, giving the car track-inspired performance blended with daily driving comfort. With sway bars front and rear, body roll doesn’t stand a chance. This Nova’s ready to handle whatever the road throws its way.
Giving the Nova a split personality, Joe employs two different sets of wheels–wearing Forgeline OE1 gives the car a more subtle, almost sleeper vibe, while the Forgeline FF3c offers a more modern, contemporary look. “I like how the car looks with each wheel combination,” Joe says. “I typically use the FF3cs wrapped in Bridgestone rubber on track days and the OE1s sheathed in Diamondback redline tires are used for long hauls and in around-town street driving.”
The interior features a blend of custom nuances combined with factory style, crafted by Bohdes Custom Auto Interior in Ligonier, Indiana. Custom door panels and center console pump up the cockpit’s racing vibe and perfectly complement the Recaro Specialists racing seats. The stock dash fitted with Dakota Digital RTX gauges keeps track of the engine vitals while maintaining the Nova’s classic spirit. An Ididit steering column topped with an MPI steering wheel integrates seamlessly into the sharp design. A Schroth racing harness hangs from the Dutchboys custom-built chromoly six-point rollcage, adding safety and boosting chassis stiffness for an all-around badass setup.
Getting the car in its current state was a two-year process, a procedure that Joe gives credit to everyone at the Dutchboys shop. “We have an amazing crew here and while customer cars come first, as time permitted, everyone here had a hand in making this amazing project come together,” Joe says. “As far as looks, driveability, and performance, this is hands-down the best version the Nova has seen. It’s an unbelievable driver and has plenty of power to be competitive at track days and autocross events, but the most fun I’ve had with it so far was driving it to and from the 2022 Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, with my son, Paul. There’s nothing like taking a 50-year-old muscle car on a weeklong 2,330-mile road trip and having it perform flawlessly there and back.”
Owning and running a hot rod shop is no easy task, yet Joe and Paul Van Nus, along with the rest of the crew at Dutchboys Hotrods, have earned a reputation for building some of the industry’s finest muscle cars, and after years of focusing on customer builds, Joe’s 1971 Nova finally got the attention it deserved—it just took a while.
Vehicle: 1971 Chevy Nova
Type: Chevrolet Performance LS7
Displacement: 430 ci
Compression Ratio: 12.1:1
Bore: 4.135
Stroke: 4.00
Rotating Assembly: Callies crankshaft and H-beam rods, Wiseco 12.1:1 pistons
Cylinder Heads: Chevrolet Performance LSX by LandSpeed Development (Brownsburg, IN)
Camshaft: LandSpeed Development hydraulic roller
Induction: Ported MSD Airforce LS7
Fuel Injection: Holley Dominator EFI
Exhaust: Holley 1⅞-inch Hooker Blackheart headers, 3-inch custom exhaust (Dutchboys), Blackheart mufflers
Machine Work and Assembly: Performance Engineering (Jenison, MI)
Valve Covers: Katech Performance
Accessory Drive: Vintage Air Frontrunner
Ancillaries: Custom aluminum intake tube, K&N filter, Dutchboys spark plug wires, Ringbrothers hood hinges, II MUCH differential vent system
Output: 713 hp, 647 lb-ft of torque
Transmission: Bowler Performance TREMEC T56 Magnum
Clutch: ACT twin disc
Rear Axle: GearFX driveline 9-inch, 3.73 gears, Truetrac posi, 33-spline axles
Front Suspension: Detroit Speed & Engineering hydroformed subframe, DSE spindles, DSE rack-and-pinion steering, DSE tubular control arms, double-adjustable JRi shocks with remote canisters, Hypercoil 650-pound springs, 1¼-inch sway bar
Rear Suspension: DSE QUADRALink, JRi double-adjustable coilover shocks with remote canisters, Hypercoil 325-pound springs, ¾-inch sway bar, Panhard bar
Brakes: AP Racing 14-inch rotors with six-piston calipers front, AP Racing 13-inch rotors with four-piston calipers rear, GM master cylinder, DSE booster, Baer Brakes proportioning valve
Suspension Mods: Raised rear coilover crossmember
Wheels: Forgeline FF3c and OE1 18×9.5 front, 19×11 rear
Tires: Bridgestone RE71R and Diamond Back FKV Redline 275/35R18 front, 305/30R19 rear
Upholstery: Black Daytona weave carpet, custom leather door panels, custom console
Installation: Bohdes Custom Auto Interior (Ligonier, IN)
Insulation: DEI
Seats: Recaro Specialists
Steering: Ididit column, MPI steering wheel
Shifter: Bowler Nightstick
Instrumentation: Dakota Digital RTX
Wiring: American Autowire by Dutchboys
HVAC: Vintage Air
Control Panel: Vintage Air
Entertainment System: JL Audio Bluetooth amp, JL Audio speakers by Dutchboys
Bodywork & Paint: Joe Van Nus
Paint: Mitsubishi Banzai Blue
Headlights: Truck-Lite
Taillights: DIGI-TAILS LED
Side Mirrors: Morris Concepts