Gone Super Nova - Michael Nauma - This nitroused big block '70 Nova is not just another pretty face!

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Story by George Pich Photos by David Gates

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B

ack in 1999, with little to no cash in his pocket, Michael Naumann went out on a limb and paid $1,500 bucks for an x-bracket raced stripped down Nova. Needless to say, it spent the next several years in his garage while he earned some extra cash to do something with it.

Today, that same 1970 Nova could easily be mistaken for a show car, but that would be at least third on the list, after badass street car and completely off the wall radial drag car.

“At the time of purchase the car was yellow, had no motor or trans, no interior, other than a stock dash (which was important), a 12 bolt rear and the body was in good shape,” explained Naumann. He would slowly pick away at the car, first building a 406 small block and installing the factory interior, and then having a local chassis shop do a ladder bar setup out back. By 2010, the car became a pretty nice piece and was running solid low 9s in the quarter in various bracket class events.

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In the interest of some form of weight savings, the front and rear bumpers are chromed composite pieces and the rear wing carbon fiber.

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The Nova maintains its original steel body (except hood and trunk) and a complete OEM chrome and stainless trim package helping it keep that original muscle car look.

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During most of 2011, racing the Nova took a back seat to opening a family business, but late in the year Michael had the inkling to try his hand at heads-up racing at the local track’s monthly Friday night

deal. “I knew the car needed to be changed to go faster and that meant it had to go to the chassis shop and get updated, and it was also going to need more power,” he added.

To meet the class rules of the

Click here to watch the daytime pass video

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The 632 incher sports a Brodix block, Bryant crank, MGP rods, Gibtec pistons, and Jesel belt drive. Profiler 12-degree heads, an HRE billet runner intake manifold and AED carbs round out the top end.

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This series of shots shows what hides under the Nova hood….

A Nesbitt built nitroused 632 inch big block!

time, the Nova was sent to a local chassis shop to be backhalved while keeping the factory firewall and front frame intact. A 588-inch big block was acquired and sent to the engine shop for refreshing, 16

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however, the car itself ended up in chassis shop hell for the next 3 years before Naumann pulled it out and sent it to Precision Chassis in PA. “Doug and his staff at Precision Chassis jumped right on

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A single Induction Solutions direct port system is plumbed into the mix, giving the big block the extra ponies to produce near 3-second eighth-mile times on the track.

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Click here to watch the night pass video

it and were able to have the car completed within a few months, which also included a motor change from the 588 to a 632 Nesbitt engine.”

It was now 2016 and on the motor the Nova was turning 5.10 in the 1/8th and an 8.03 in the ¼-mile, which lead to joining the PDRA Outlaw 632 class the following year, and meant that Naumann would finally need to turn on the nitrous to compete. “We attended our first PDRA race in March of 2017, which was also our first time on nitrous, and the car went 4.60’s in the 1/8th and what a blast it was!” Naumann exclaimed “and then we went 7.03 in the ¼ later in the year!”

Most folks would be completely satisfied with this level of performance, after all, Michael was knocking on the 6-second quarter-mile door with a car that, for all intents and purposes, could still be street driven. Not Naumann though, in fact, not too long after that 7.03 pass, the car went back to Precision Chassis for yet anwww.rpmmag.com

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other transformation where it was stripped down to the bare chassis and completely updated yet again to run the now popular radial tire. With changing times, for the direction Michael was going with the Nova in heads-up radial drags, the stock front frame and firewall were no longer required, so a completely custom bolt-in strut front end and titanium firewall were constructed. By March of 2018, the Nova was back out running mid to low 4.40s in the 1/8th and 6.80s in the 1/4.

“It’s taken 20 years and it’s still not done,” Naumann said with a smile.

So here is what we do know about this drop dead gorgeous 1970 Nova as it stands today.

Body wise, one look is all it takes, and go ahead, look closely because you’ll be hard pressed to find a cleaner,

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Michael Naumann’s 1970 Chevy Nova 632 Radial Car Chassis Type & Mods:

Precision Chassis built Chromoly from the firewall back. Titanium fire wall, complete one-off Precision Chassis bolt-in strut front sub frame. 6.0 certified at 3000lbs.

Suspension:

Menscer front struts, Menscer rear shocks, 4-link rear suspension.

Body & Paint:

Car is all steel other than the hood, deck lid and bumpers, carbon tubs etc. Painted by Wes’s Customs (paint is 6 years old).

Engine:

Nesbitt 4.84 632, Brodix block, Bryant crank, MGP rods, Gibtec pistons, Peterson dry sump, Jesel belt drive. Profiler 12-degree heads, Jesel Stainless rockers, Bam lifters, Comp cam. HRE billet runner intake manifold, AED carbs.

Power Adder:

Induction Solutions direct port (single system) with the FT600 controller.

Electronics:

Fuel Tech FT 600, Speedwire switch panel, Race Pak.

Transmission & Converter:

M&M lock up 3 speed trans, lock up convertor and shifter.

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Rear Differential:

Carmack Engineering billet center section and a Precision Chassis built Fab 9, Strange axles and floater ends.

Best ET & MPH: 4.18 @ 172 at 2940lbs How Many Years Racing: 30 years Division/Class Run: PDRA Outlaw 632/ Pro 632/ LDR Thanks To: First and foremost my wife, Tina Naumann, although she refers to this car as the other woman and it’s been the topic of some rather heated discussions, she supports it. My oldest son Jake Naumann, I don’t race without him, he’s involved in every step of the way and in every decision made. Doug Kline (Precision Chassis) he’s with us at every race we attend, he tunes the car and makes sure it’s ready to go every time we leave the trailer. Joe Rivera (718 Motorsports), the entire staff at Precision Chassis, Ken Quartuccio Jr, his entire family and his entire team, Jamie Miller (the red hat mafia) a tuning genius , Nesbitt Racing Eng ines (Brett, Jared, John and Mr. Jeff), Mark Menscer (Menscer Shocks), Justin Carmack (Carmack Engineering) and Stu and Lindy Herman.

1970s factory look meets badass racecar

more well detailed car in the feature room at any car show, let alone at the drag strip. The nearly all steel body (except for hood, trunk lid and bumpers) is covered with 6-year old (that looks like it was sprayed yesterday) silver gray metallic paint applied by Wes’s Customs and is accented by a towering dual-scooped hood. Additional bling includes the complete

package of gleaming factory chrome and stainless trim, plus a the polished bullhorn pipes existing the front fenders and chrome 10-spoke wheels.

Inside, Naumann chose to continue with keeping an assortment of factory goodies in place, including the dash panel, door panels and headliner which includes the OEM dome light.

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If you think we were exaggerating about the Nova being show quality, check out the trunk and underbody.

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The high gloss wood steering wheel is about where the 1970’s factory look meets badass racecar, as it is attached to a lightweight quick-release column. From there, Naumann is protected by a maze of bars that make up

the Precision Chassis-built 6.0 certified chromoly cage, and monitors and controls the massive amounts power afforded by the 632 mill via various components from Fuel Tech, Race Pak and M&M Transmissions.

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Now about that 632… Nesbitt Performance Engines built the 4.84 bore space mill using a Brodix block.

Inside, a Bryant crank spins MGP rods partnered with Gibtec pistons while a Jesel belt drive synchronizes the rotation with a Comp cam that bumps BAM lifters. Profiler 12-degree heads are equipped with Jesel stainless rockers and an HRE sheet metal billet runner intake manifold is topped by twin AED Carbs. Nitrous oxide is the power adder of choice for Naumann and a single

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Induction Solutions direct port system supplies the charge.

A lock-up 3-speed M&M transmission transfers power rearward to the billet center section fabricated 9 inch rearend with Strange axles and floater ends. All-in, the Nova weighs-in at a healthy 2940lbs and has clocked a best elapsed time of 4.18 at 172mph in the eighth, gaining ground and consistency with every outing.

It might come as a surprise, though, that with a machine like

this at your beck and call, that the most memorable experience with the Nova has nothing to do with Michael driving the car. Naumann explains; “While every time we take this car out, whether highest of highs or lowest of lows, is memorable, if I had to choose one favorite, it would be the 2019 Shakedown race where my son Jake drove the car for the first time. He went a 4.30 on his first hit, now that was a super proud Dad moment!”

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