Suspension upgrade becomes full frame off resto

I purchased my current 1972 Chevy Nova off Ebay in the spring of 2008. I had fallen in love with Nova's from the time when I bought my first one way back in 1985. As circumstances would have it, I sold it in 1999 as my wife and I had bought a house and just couldn't afford to do the things we really needed to do to the house so I made the gut-wrenching decision to sell my car in hopes that I would someday be able to afford another one.

Well as luck would have it, in early 2008 I bought my second Nova off ebay. A freshened up '72 Nova with a 355hp ZZ4 crate motor. (Pictured below before restoration)

I didnt' do much to the car from 2008 to 2018 when I decided that I wanted to put a new suspension under it. In my research I found that a suspension from Heidts would be my best choice. It features an independent front and rear suspension that would allow it to handle like a brand new car. After getting the car in the air and starting to tear the suspension apart, soon it was discovered that my beautiful car was not so beautiful after all. Many areas of the current frame and body mounts were completely rotten and there was no way a new suspension would hold up with the way it was.

So began a tedious 28-month journey to not only install the new suspension but replace quarter panels, floorboards, firewall and the list goes on and on. Then came the engine...At first, I was going to keep the ZZ4 and the TH350 tranny but thought, I am way over budget already so why not go all out. I decided on a GM Performance LT4 with the 8L90E connect and cruise package. I added AC, electric windows and an electric push button shifter. What an amazing engine and it looks so good in the engine compartment that people are in awe when I pop the hood. Still got a few bugs to work out with shifting, but we will get that sorted out.

I am very pleased with the finished product, and I am already planning my next set of upgrades. Those upgrades include a ligenfelter cam, whipple supercharger and adjustable exhaust.