Paul Summers has only had his 1969 Nova for the last three years. Even having it for such a short time, Paul has made a big impact on an already impressive build. He bought the car just four months before moving from Washington State to where he lives now in Southern California, and it was purchased with a built LS7 motor and finished in a stellar paintjob. While Paul liked the build configuration, he had some ideas of his own.

To start with, the motor needed a little attention. “It had this motor in it, the LS7,” Paul explained. “But it was tired so I had to freshen it up.” He also tuned it down a smidge so that he could take it more to shows and out on cruises. It wasn’t long though before he got the bug to race it. He got into the low 10-second range, and he was understandably excited. But getting into the first round when he let the trans-brake go it “scattered the rearend all over the starting line,” Paul said. “It took out the center section, driveline, and transmission.”

This isn’t the race that blew out the drivetrain, but it looks cool when his Nova jumps off the starting line!

It had to go back to the shop for some repair, and at a 3,500-pounds with someone in the driver seat, Paul thought it was a little heavy. He took the car to PMR Race Cars in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and they put in a Mark Williams center section, 40-spline axles, a rebuilt transmission, and added a Smith Racecraft chromoly tubular front end. He shaved off 160 pounds during the four month rebuild process.

The current build consists of the carbureted 600 horsepower 427 cubic-inch LS7 engine, a 9-inch rearend with 4.11:1 gears and a four link rear suspension system. It also features a T-400 3-speed transmission with a trans-brake and 4,000 stall converter. With all of that, the car remains street licensed, insured, and driven.

He has won over 50 awards with his car and is at the point where he is running out of trophy space in his garage. “My wife says that I’m out of room in the garage to put trophies and she tells me to stop going to shows,” Paul detailed. “That isn’t going to happen.”

Looking to the future with his car, Paul is thinking of back-halving it and putting bigger tires in the back with the intent of making it down into the 8-second range. Whatever he does with it, we can’t wait to see it down the line.

Just look at all those trophies!

Paul contacted us to see his car featured here, and you can do the same, we want to see more cars featured on our pages. If you want your car or truck to be a part of our Street Feature series, all you have to do is shoot us an email and tell us about your ride and we will make it happen.