First Chevy ever. 1978 Nova w/305 - cheap upgrades?

Looking for any advice on this, especially on a bootstrap budget, you know, the free stuff... It's a 305... I come from the Mustang world.

I'm going to pull off all the chrome over the wheels and the side things, sand it down (it's that ugly brown), and DD it. My other car died, so it's my driver for now. Really straight, just a barn car, so need new interior stuff eventually (I have a 5yo)...and wanted to hear what the deal is on these from the experts here. Starts right up, needs a little throttle in the morning to warm up a bit, but afterwards, runs like a top, tracks straight - mileage says 53k LOL, but it looks like it just rolls around and around.

My speedo is way off, temp gauge seems to remain lit, and my carb is stuck open. That's not right, right!? LOL, first carb, too...

Any Oregon guys? Suggested junkyard pieces? I have a Haynes for it, but seems kinda slim on some places, I'm used to Chiltons..

Thanks all!

Is the car still stock, or was somebody hot rodding it before?

With the speedo way off, if the car is stock, I'd bet the trans was replaced at some point and the correct speedometer gear isn't in there.

Is the carb 2 or 4-barrel? When you say it's stuck open, are you talking the butterflies at the base of the carb, or the choke plate up top? If it's the butterflies at the base, look around the linkage for the fast idle cam. There should be a set screw for it. It may not be coming off fast idle and holding the throttle open too far. The choke might be sticking causing the fast idle cam to not move.

I think the late Novas (X-body) shared most of the suspension bits with the 2nd gen Camaro/Firebird (F-body). I could be wrong, I'm a bit rusty in that area. But if I'm right, some Trans Am WS6 parts could bolt up.

pull 305

insert 350

After market gauges, thrash it for a month. Check water and oil.

Sounds like fun! I'd pop an aftermarket temp gauge in there ASAP. Does it have a fan? Clutch? Shroud?

hotrodlarry wrote: pull 305 insert 350

+1

Flat black paint, jacked up in the back, with 15x10 Cragars and 295/50R15's, Guns & Roses flag over the back seat, and Deep Purple on the 8-track. Booyeah.

My wife has the same car, we got it because he first car was the same. Th200R4 will pretty much drop in to get you overdrive and front end parts are pretty much one generation older Camaro/Firebird stuff so lot out there.

You cannot make power cheaper than with a 350. My Camaro still has it's stock 305, and although it is planned to be pulled, with 176K, it still runs oh so good.

I love x bodies, the unsung muscle car.

IMO, I'd leave it poop brown.

EFI conversion, big turbo on each bank.

Don't listen to to people telling you to pull the 305. It is a small block Chevy. Its smallish bore is comparable to the bore for the 454, and those engines don't seem to have upgrading issues.

Here's a good article: http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/chevrolet/0667_phrs_305_chevy_engine_blocks/viewall.html

edit: So what happened with the El Dorado?

hotrodlarry wrote: pull 305 insert 350

Forget 350

Get a 400 SB! (yea I know they are hard to find) I did this with a friends Z28 quite a few years ago - found a 75 Pontiac Parrisienne with 400 Chebbie - fun times.

NGTD wrote:

hotrodlarry wrote: pull 305 insert 350

Forget 350 Get a 400 SB! (yea I know they are hard to find) I did this with a friends Z28 quite a few years ago - found a 75 Pontiac Parrisienne with 400 Chebbie - fun times.

You're both wrong. LSjuan or GTfO

Upgrades? Sell it and buy a Ford.

I'm kidding. Drop a 350 in. You can find them all over the place.

I like how the guy asks for cheap to free upgrades and everyone tells him to replace the engine.

I'd make sure the throttle linkage is adjusted correctly so the butterflies open completely, make sure the choke is functioning properly, get a good set of replacement plug wires and plugs on it, and then make sure the suspension & steering & brakes are in good condition. If you want to spend a bit of money I'd go after the exhaust side first; find a shop in your area that can actually do real work and bend tube on site, etc etc and do headers, replacement cats that are modern and not restrictive like they once were, and run true dual exhaust. Maybe with an X or H pipe in there if you can find the coin.

pres589 wrote: ...replacement cats that are modern and not restrictive like they once were...

Que? IIRC, 1980 was the first your for cats, my 80 280Z had them but 79 Camaro did not. A 78 Nova shouldn't.

Fuzzylogic wrote: Starts right up, needs a little throttle in the morning to warm up a bit, but afterwards, runs like a top and my carb is stuck open. That's not right, right!? LOL, first carb, too...

choke is stuck open

Javelin wrote:

pres589 wrote: ...replacement cats that are modern and not restrictive like they once were...

Que? IIRC, 1980 was the first your for cats, my 80 280Z had them but 79 Camaro did not. A 78 Nova shouldn't.

GM started putting cats on all 1975 and later cars. A 78 Nova and 79 Camaro would have a cat, the horrible flow restricting pellet kind. Any new style cat would outflow the original by a lot.

In reply to 81cpcamaro:

Are you sure that was nation-wide and not just Cali or something? I owned a 100% stock 79 Z28 and it didn't have cats...

pres589 wrote: I like how the guy asks for cheap to free upgrades and everyone tells him to replace the engine. I' If you want to spend a bit of money I'd go after the exhaust side first; find a shop in your area that can actually do real work and bend tube on site, etc etc and do headers, replacement cats that are modern and not restrictive like they once were, and run true dual exhaust. Maybe with an X or H pipe in there if you can find the coin.

I'm not arguing with you but I do feel the desire to point out that you can buy a junkyard/CraigsList brand 350 to put in the car for less than the exhaust work (with or without the headers) you describe. Of course...it takes a few hours to install...and then you'd want to do other stuff "while I'm at it."

Personally, I'd rock the 305 while cleaning the car up, making sure it's reliable and safe, etc. Do some upgrades as you get the chance. There are very few things you can do to the car, performance wise, that won't work well with a 350 if you upgrade later.

Alternatively, you could put a 350 in and get to the other stuff later...it's your car.

How I would proceed, ideally:

1. Cooling system (clean/flush, all new hoses...heater too...thermostat. An old cooling system WILL strand you and destroy the engine in the process)
2. Brakes (check, flush/bleed, put penetrating oil on ALL the fittings for ease of future maintenance)
3. Carburetor/fuel system rejuvenation (rebuild its carburetor or find a spare to rebuid and have ready to swap. Check hoses and clamps and replace as necessary. Change the fuel filter(s)).

Everything else is just luxury

Clem

Javelin wrote: In reply to 81cpcamaro: Are you sure that was nation-wide and not just Cali or something? I owned a 100% stock 79 Z28 and it didn't have cats...

Yep I'm sure, the passengers side floor got that awful hump in 1975 for the cat. Here is more info:
http://www.nastyz28.com/2gcog/exhaust.html
http://www.nastyz28.com/camaro/camaro75.php

1) hit up the paddock, npd, year one, etc and get allll their free catalogues

2) steves nova site - http://www.stevesnovasite.com/ - this is now your new hangout besides grm

3) comb craigslist listings for 305 engine parts (a q-jet isnt a bad idea/upgrade), electronic ignition wont hurt (jacobs, msd, etc), and any cheap stuff for a 350 that you might feel like springing for (headers, chrome valve covers, whatever) will fit right on the 305. i've seen turnkey L69 305's go for giveaway prices...

4) 5x4.75 bolt pattern wheels are easy to find all over - fbody and s10 wheels are a direct fit, with 4" to 4.5" backspacing being what you need i think. later 3rd gen fbody wheels have different offsets front to rear, so keep that in mind, nova guys/nova forums will know which you need (example - 69 camaro guys need 4 fronts for them to fit, but on some other GMs you can be alright with the 2 offsets front to rear, or switched around).

5) interior stuff - i, fairly sure first gen fbody stuff and anything from the novas back to 68 will fit right in there. that said, fiero buckets are a nearly direct fit as well for 1st gen fbodies, with only minor "fabrication" needed to align the front bolts to match the floorpan.

6) fiberglass panels for later novas like yours go for almost free (from what ive seen on craigslist and swapmeets). could be a nice cheap weight reduction if youre inclined to swap some panels/hood.

7) if u ever get to the point of brake upgrades, discs from the 2nd gen fbodies will go on there, if i remember correctly.

8) paint it black and put this on the hood: http://www.whatisblik.com/shop/sad-psycho

9) do a burnout

10) do it again, this time remembering to have someone snap a pic.

bla, bla, bla. Just throw on a set of Cherry Bombs and it won't matter how fast it is because it will sound so bad ass

<img src="" />

Yeah I know it is not the same body , but I would "Death Proof" it.

mguar wrote: In reply to Fuzzylogic: It's a Camero without the cool body.. Camero stuff will fit and work but don't get carried away. Ya Ain't a gonna increase it's retail value a whole lot..

CamAro... CAMARO! It's only "camero" if you live in the trailer park, smoke marlboro's and drink PBR while dreaming of one day owning one of those IROC-Z Camero.

To the rest of the world it's CAMARO. CamAro.