Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m going to build my dream car someday”? Of course you have—we’ve all heard and even said it before. The real question is, how many of these folks (ourselves included) have lived up to that statement? Most of us can locate and buy the model vehicle we want, only to spend an entire lifetime slowly chipping away at achieving the dream. Very few people actually build these “dream vehicles” up to world-class status—but when they do, it sure is a sight to behold.
Jeremiah Belk of Spring, Texas, has always been a fan of the second-gen Nova. It wasn’t until he had the means to build a car worth bragging about that he was able to forge ahead on his journey. “I was inspired by my late Uncle Bryan,” Jeremiah says. “He had a 1966 Chevelle that I grew up working on and playing with, so I naturally fell in love with Chevrolet muscle cars.”
While Jeremiah already knew the exact car he wanted to build, being able to pay for it presented the issue many of us are already familiar with. “My first 1966 Nova was a post car, but I sold it back in 2015 to fund the startup of my oil field distribution company, Total Depth Tools,” he states. “Once business started taking off, I finally had extra funds to acquire another 1966 Nova from my uncle’s lifelong friend, Tom Henline. [Henline] had owned this car since 1994 and I was able to buy it from him in 2017. It was originally set up as a Pro Street car with a hot stroker engine, but I wanted to do something different. I ordered a Roadster Shop chassis, a Wegner 427, a Bowler-prepped T-56, and shipped my Nova off to Driven Speed Shop in Gilbert, Arizona, to get started on the build I had always fantasized.”
Mikey Dascoli at Driven served as the main contact point and main builder of Jeremiah’s Nova. The first portion of the project was to remove the factory frame from the body and prep the Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis for assembly. Obviously, the new frame is designed for high-performance cars, which this Nova was quicky becoming. Once the frame was together, Dascoli dropped the Wegner LS7 engine between the ’rails and then custom built an impressive dual-sided air cleaner system, 3-inch headers, and an exhaust setup to boost the horsepower. Also helping in that department is a Whipple supercharger that Jeremiah was all-too excited about when he purchased it. That T-56 transmission from Bowler was soon mated to the 427 to complete an exhilarating drivetrain situation.
While all this work was being handled, the Nova’s shell was given a full body massage at Kandy Shop Creations in nearby Mesa, Arizona. It was here that all panels were straightened out and given some custom attention in the way of a smoothed and raised cowl, tucked bumpers, deleted trim and driprails, the body line being matched into the front bumper, flush-mounted glass, and a full custom dashboard. PPG Audi Daytona Pearl paint was then applied to the shell. Mikey then took control of the reassembly process by adding his own custom grille, Dapper Lighting LED headlights, and Fesler taillights to properly update each end.
The interior then received a complete overhaul that now features a 1-1/2-inch DOM rollbar setup, and two-tone, leather-covered TMI seats, dash, and panels by Sew Cal Rods, in Ontario, California. A Holley Pro Dash displays the car’s vitals, and a booming sound system featuring Morel and JL Audio components makes for exciting playback of Jeremiah’s favorite jams. Of course, a Vintage Air climate-control system was a must-add to help beat the sweltering Texas summer heat.
“Seeing the car complete for the first time in 2024 when we unveiled it at Triple Crown of Rodding in Nashville was the best experience by far,” Jeremiah admits. “Even though Mikey handled the entire build, a car of this caliber takes dedication from the builder and car owner with time and financial obligations on the line. The project took a little over four years to complete, but, man, it was worth the wait!”
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
Tech Check
Owner: Jeremiah Belk, Spring, Texas
Vehicle: 1966 Chevy Nova
Engine
Type: Chevy LS7
Displacement: 427 ci
Rotating Assembly: Mahle pistons, Callies Ultra connecting rods, and Callies crankshaft
Cylinder Heads: Wegner Motorsports CNC-ported LS3 heads
Camshaft: Callies DragonSlayer
Induction: Whipple 2.9L supercharger, custom air cleaner by Mikey Dascoli at Driven Speed Shop (Gilbert, AZ)
Cooling: Autorad radiator with electric fans
Assembly: Wegner Motorsports (Markesan, WI)
Exhaust: Custom exhaust and headers by Driven Speed Shop, Borla Pro XS mufflers
Dress Up: Wegner front accessory drive, Ringbrothers hood hinges
Output: 1,000 hp, 900 lb-ft
Drivetrain
Transmission: Bowler-prepped T-56
Rear Axle: Strange Engineering 9-inch with 35-spline axles and 3.70 gears
Chassis
Chassis: Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis
Front Suspension: Independent with coilovers
Rear Suspension: Four-link with coilover shocks
Brakes: Baer 14-inch rotors, six-piston calipers, Tilton master cylinder
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: 18- and 19-inch Forgeline CV3C wheels
Tires: 255/35R18 and 325/30R19 Michelin Pilot Sport
Interior
Upholstery: Leather upholstery by Sew Cal Rods (Ontario, CA)
Seats: TMI
Dash: Custom
Steering: Sparc Industries wheel
Instrumentation: Holley Pro Dash
Pedals: Tilton
Climate Control: Vintage Air with Restomod Air vents
Safety: Custom rollcage
Entertainment System: Pioneer head unit, Morel speakers, JL Audio amps and subwoofer
Exterior
Bodywork & Paint: PPG Audi Daytona Pearl by Kandy Shop Creations (Mesa, AZ)
Grille: Driven Speed Shop
Bumpers: Driven Speed Shop
Headlights: Dapper Lighting LED 7
Mirrors: Ringbrothers
Body Mods: Smooth and raised cowl, tucked bumpers, deleted trim, shaved driprails, body line continued to front bumper, flush-mount glass
