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C & D Nova Project
 WE BUILD AMERICAN PERFORMANCE 
This is the story and pictures about building the 1971 C & D Performance Nova project that belongs to Dan the "D"!
This '71 Nova was purchased from EBAY in 2003. It was supposed to be street worthy and have a 383 stroker small block under the hood. We packed up and drove to Houston to pick up the car after winning the auction. Upon arrival we discovered the carb was in pieces and the Nova was not road worthy. We bought it anyway (we saw potential), loaded it onto the trailer (with a fork lift) and took it home. When we got it home we discovered the 383 was really a 350 and that the electrical system was a big mess. It does have a great body with new sheet metal at all four corners and a nice fiberglass cowl hood. The transmission is a solid shifting TH350 with a 2600 RPM stall converter. The 10-bolt rear end has been worked and is a way nasty spool or tight posi-unit with what we think houses 4:10 gearing. All in all, the deal was okay. We were told that the Nova used to be one nasty ride in the Houston area before the BAD engine was swapped out for the wimpy 350. We pulled the 350 engine and discovered it was just thrown together with an odd ball piston in number 7, go figure.
We are building up a monster Super Street small block 400 (0.040 overbore = 408 ci) to drop in the Nova. The engine will have a large by huge Crane Cams small base circle hydraulic roller cam, a True Roller timing set, CDP ported SuperFlow 192cc heads, an Edelbrock PermaStar coated Performer RPM Air-Gap manifold, Pro Magnum full roller rockers, an Eagle crank and rod package, Keith Black pistons, Speed Pro file fit moly rings, a 750cfm Holley double pumper carb, an Edelbrock fuel pump, Hedman Hustler Racing ceramic coated headers, An Accell ignition, Moroso wires and much more. We estimate about 495 HP from this potent rodent. The custom Phoenix Transmissions 2600 RPM converter is just right for the hyd roller cam. We have already installed a groovy 2 1/2"dual exhaust system with Flowmasters which sounded great with the old 350. Wait till the 400 booms to life! Thanks goes out to Felix at Bartosh Mufflers. Dan installed cool cast iron gray painted Chevy Rally wheels with police caps on the Nova with new rubber.
The engine is finally in the car and now we need to, fix the electrical gremlins with a new Painless wiring harness, install a new tach and gauge set, a new B & M ratchet shifter, a custom roll cage and RJS racing belts. The goal is to make the Vernon cruise in Aug '06. The car is very light and should run great in the 1/8th mile at Wichita Raceway Park. We are shooting for mid to high 6's!
We will post more on the site as we progress. Stay tuned!
The NOVA
The NOVA Engine
 Dan and Robert building the 408
The 408 motivation that is completed!
 Drop us a line at: CandDPerformance@aol.com 
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