After he had the car torn down, it was placed on a rotisserie and the underside media blasted. From there AMD floorpans and some widened mini-tubs were fitted, and once that was done a coat of paint was needed. Keeping with the “nice driver” approach, which in many ways translated into “budget-friendly,” Dan states, “I had to paint the underneath with something but I just didn’t want to buy more paint. I had extra Gray Titanium Metallic paint leftover from the other cars, so I put the basecoat/clearcoat down and it looked great.” At that point the slide down the rabbit hole had just started. High on the list of upgrades was a better suspension and brake setup, so that was quickly addressed with the addition of a Church Boys Racing 1962-1967 Nova modular front subframe kit, along with a 2×2.5-inch steel box frame that he fabricated and welded in.

The work performed up to that point was a one-man operation, but once things shifted to the body, Dan enlisted the help of his buddy Bob Brooks. As they addressed the body issues some of the original metal was replaced with aftermarket pieces. This was one of the frustrating aspects that Dan faced, and he notes, “It seemed like it was physically impossible to take the original panels and mix in aftermarket quarters and front fenders and get acceptable gaps that didn’t look ridiculous.” It was a big headache with much of the work being learn-as-you-go for the pair. Duane Mellinger, who would eventually lay down the paint, would stop by regularly and advise on what needed to be changed to get the car to the primer stage. On the color choice, Dan envisioned it in some House of Kolor orange, while Joan gravitated toward a shade of blue, and she subtly had to remind him “that would be a cool color, but it’s not your car.” Her choice ended up a mix of blues, and when it reached that threshold, it was torn down and sent to Superior Paint & Collision in New Holland, Pennsylvania, for the PPG basecoat/clearcoat Custom Midnight Blue laid down by Mellinger.

On the propulsion side of the build, the original plan was to have Ohio Speed Shops in Niles, Ohio, build a fresh LS3. As with the body and suspension parts, this build was moving forward during the COVID-19 lockdown, and getting anything in a timely manner became an issue. Dan recalls, “I waited and waited for the engine. I called to find out what was going on and was told that the factory was behind pouring the iron blocks for the LS3, but then they said that if I was willing to pay an extra $250 they had an all-aluminum 427 650hp long-block. Of course, I was willing to pay.” Backing that up, Dan went with a fresh GM 4L70E that delivers power to the Moser Ford 9-inch rearend.

Wheel choice involved some negotiations with Joan, but they ended up choosing modified Billet Specialties Vintage inspired Grinder wheels, measuring 18×8 in the front and a stout 19×12 in the rear. They were wrapped in Toyo Proxes R888 rubber on all four corners. The braking upgrade involved a set of Wilwood 14-inch rotors front and rear along with six-piston calipers front and four-piston rear.

The interior was the last major part of the build, and Joan wanted it to be clean, simple, and appear timeless. She looked at various swatches and came up with a tan color that she liked. When they took the car to J&A Custom Interiors in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, the shop owner said that her color choice was going to ruin the look of the car. His opinion was that it should be black; Joan stuck to her guns. After looking at it sitting in his shop, he called and said she was right on her color choice. Shortly before the work started, he called asking Dan if he was willing to spend an extra $500? I’m like, “What now?” he recalls. He was at the leather wholesaler and they had five skins of Rolls-Royce Kalahari leather that were rejected because they were too light. His answer was a simple, “Get it.” After the interior was wrapped up, it made one final trip to Quality Custom Rides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for the installation of a complete Ron Francis Wiring kit. That was the last hurdle before returning home. At that point Dan and Brooks started the task of putting the rest of the car together with the finish line at the end of 2022.

When asked of his impressions and what he would have done differently, Dan states, “This car turned out way better because one thing led to another. We’re not professionals, but we built it as best we could in our garage. One thing I might have done differently is opt for a turbo engine.” Freed of its “beater” label, the Nova is now a car that Joan enjoys regularly as it lives up to its “nice driver” status.