The Finish Line Is In Sight: Checking Off Final Details on the Return of Doug Cook’s 1972 Nova
Some say the comeback can be bigger than the setback. In the case of a wreck, it can not only affect the car but the driver as well. It’s been widely discussed that the quicker a driver can get back behind the wheel, the easier it can be to put the incident behind you and get your confidence back.
Doug Cook has made the moves to get seat time in a few different vehicles, including jumping behind the wheel of his recently re-acquired 1993 Ford Mustang at this year’s Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive.
But while his 1972 Chevrolet Nova hasn’t been seen as much, it’s never left Doug’s thoughts, as he is making moves to get the former Rocky Mountain Race Week Outlaw Street class winner back on the street and track.
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After the Nova suffered a devasting crash in the fall of 2021, Doug enlisted Free Form Motorsports shop to upgrade the roll cage and a slew of additional changes to get him to his goal of a 6-second pass on stock suspension.
Doug didn’t want to return without the power to get him to that goal, and he will debut a new combination based on a fifth-generation LT Chevrolet platform between the Nova’s frame rails. Pete Harrell at Harrell Engine and Dyno was tasked with the engine, which will employ a pair of 79-millimeter turbochargers from Garrett. and a Haltech Nexus to control the chaos.
With the car back in hand for about four months now, Doug and crew at Motion / TBM Brakes have been making steady progress on several fronts.
Engine and driveline have been installed, as well as a large chunk of Motion Raceworks items, creating the opportunity to brainstorm a few new ideas for the team. The car is now in the hands of Barely Able Racing with Eric Gash tackling the wiring.
In one of our first updates on the Nova’s rebuild back in late 2022, Doug had mentioned hopefully getting it done in time for Sick Week. Upon realizing the details would require a bit more time, Doug has elaborated that the process is taking a bit more time, but he sees the lights at the end of the tunnel a little better now.
“We tentatively are planning to head to Haltech in mid-September to put the car on their dyno,” said Doug. “Once the final details are complete, we will test and make sure everything is lined out before stepping back into the drag-and-drive arena.”
The latest video on the Nova’s rebuild process is below:
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Motion Raceworks and Doug Cook.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com