Cruisin' Around Town with Ronnie Setser

Best of the Best

September 2004

John and Jean Dubois' 1963 Nova SS
I have always had a soft spot for the Nova SS. I had one in High School and have owned three more since. I have recently found this '63 that was calling me to rebuild it. I soon had an idea of what I wanted to achieve. Some changes are obvious and some are quite subtle.

The body modifications include: two new quarter panels, new right front fender, gas filler, side moldings, door handles, trunk lock, bumper bolts removed, front floor pans, entire trunk floor, replaced and new enlarged wheel tubs and wheel openings enlarged 4". Interior modifications include: smoothed dash, leaving only the original cluster and glove box, hard paneled under the dash, and all switches hidden. I installed a TCI front sub-frame assembly with adjustable coil-overs, sway bars, and tube A-arms replace the stock assembly. The sub frames have been tied together and narrowed. Twelve bolt with 350 gear posi is installed with triangulated four-link and adjustable coil-overs. Sixteen inch front and eighteen inch rear Intro wheels with 215x50x16 and 295x45x18 BFGoodrigh tires roll the car. Four wheel power disc brakes and rack and pinion steering stop and turn the car. Tunes are supplied from a six speaker Sony Xpolid System with a ten CD changer and a 600 watt amplifier. Also included is tilt and telescoping steering column, remote shut off for interior lights, and electric fuel pump. A 350/350 combo powers the Nova block hugger headers and ceramic coated exhaust. A serpentine belt system drives all the accessories and the motor is cooler by an alunimum radiator and electric fan.