Re: Nova Research Project
 

here is something for you to research. insde of the trunk, on the trunk latch brace, there is always a paint mark usually an X i've seen the mark be white, red, or orange. any ideas ? the seam on the trunk weather strip is alway offset 6 or 7 inches to the drivers side of the car. I have never seen it centered on the trunk latch on any of my original cars. it might take me a while but i will try to start documenting as much as i can with the cars i have now. mark

Re: Nova Research Project
 

I've researched the trunk weatherstrip on several 1970 Novas and have found a light blue and a white id stripe.This stripe is similar in size and location to the Camaro stripe,again 6"-8" off the centerline of the trunk,top right side.I began to save all the stripes I found to document/restore a 1970 L-78 car.All have had the rope cord in the origional weatherstrip.Most of all the cars I have id'd this trait from were untouched junk cars.It may not be crystal clear,but if you know where to look you will/may see it.On a side note,it does appear on 1970 Chevelles as well.Again, found on junk or unrestored cars.A good friend just sold his survivor 11K 70 396,the marks were there.Hope this helps......

Steve

Re: Nova Research Project
 

Mark and Steve,

I do not remember seeing the mark on the trunk latch of my 70 Nova.

I will have to see if I can find the original weatherstrip. I kept everything. I do remember that the weatherstrip joined at the bottom. Is the usual?

There was a circle of white or yellow paint stick on the rear of the car behind the drivers bumper bracket.
Thanks for the info. I will add these to the list of things to check. Greg

Re: Nova Research Project
 

standing at the back of the car looking into the trunk the seam will be on the bottom and 6 or 7 inches to the left of the trunklatch. mark

Re: Nova Research Project
 

I have several trunk detail shots, some came in handy this past weekend at the Nova Nationals during judging!!

The trunk seal rubber seam is offset just like you guys noted, and is not the real puffy, cushioney type.
The colored stripes that I have seen are green and yellow, at the top, by the glass, offset to the passenger's side. They are not always in the same order, sometimes it is green - yellow, other cars it's yellow - green.
I have not seen an original car with any 'X's on the trunk latch, so without a photo I didn't put it on my car. If someone has a pic, I could use it [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Same with the white 'X' on the washer jar lid.
We have found white 'X's behind both of the rear bumper brackets, I have a pic from an 11k mile car.

The Nova judges and I had some discussion regarding the trunk spatter paint. I have pics of several cars and their spatter paint patterns on the inside of the q/panels and backseat structure. The factory only spattered about 3/4's of the way up the inside of the 1/4's, then turned the gun upside down and blew it up onto the underside of the trunk gutters. The spatter paint then ran down the inside of the quarters, and it looks really ugly. So, I redid mine this way, and some of the judges really took exception to it - to the point that they called Wayne over. Wayne said he had never seen it that way before, but Lanny Weatherford was also judging and he bought his '70 Nova new. Lanny's car is the same way, so it was accepted. It was not a big deal, but pictures are worth a thousand words in that situation.

The sealer around the inner wheel houses should be 'pushed out', and not smeared flat. So many details.... [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Nova Research Project
 

Guys, After reading the last posts, I went into my trunk and low and behold, a red/orange X or A scribble on the inside trunk latch. I thought that was cool. Marlin, My trunk spatter is exactly as you described it, right down to the runs on both sides. At least they were consistant !

Re: Nova Research Project
 

Well, Mine must have been made on a Monday. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] It does not have any splatter paint from a hand width down from the top crease of the quarter. Just a light coat of rust. I would have taken a pic with my digital, except it will not be back until the weekend.

Now, the car has already been repainted and the trunk re-spatter coated. I was very specific about not putting paint or spatter where there was none before. I guess I should have checked this. They did not blast the trunk. One thing I noticed then and now was that the spatter did cover the trunk catch tube. It is now body color. Is this where the x is? Greg

Re: Nova Research Project
 

Here is a theory about the stripes. If they are supposed to be used as a center line guide and the seam is installed offset to the drivers side then the center line stripes would be offset to the passenger side. What do you think?

The roll of film I used on the trunk did not turn out (one of the reasons I got a digital) So I put the weatherstrip in with the seam centered at the bottom. Now before I rip it out, I need to play devils advocate here. This is great information, BUT (I am sure Kurt would back me on this), it does not do much good if we can not organize it and compare it to lots of facts. I would really like to get everyone's date code and body number (minimum) to put in the database (email it privately). Then we can look for a trend. My nova was built several months before Marlin's. What if the guy that installed weatherstrip quit in march and another took over and did it different? What if it was always done offset? If Lanny and Wayne are not there, what do we do with the judges? Normative Practices are what was normally done. If 90% of the research of original cars shows an X on the washer cap, then it is safe to do. If 10% show an X then you should not do it unless you document that it was there.

Help me out here, If you can see proof or absence of anything we discuss here email me at least the Body Number and Date code of the car. These discussions are fun, but lets take it to the next step. If I put a form on a website asking the questions we come up with, would you use it? If not then I will keep at it here, but it misses what I am trying to accomplish. If this is the wrong approach let me know. Thanks, Greg [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

Re: Nova Research Project
 

New question (99 thousand to go [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ).

What would be the first 5 things you would look for if you could look over a 0 mile Nova? Greg

Re: Nova Research Project
 

here are a couple of trunk pics of an untouched car. mark