By Nick Licata – Images by NotStock Photography
There are car guy shenanigans that most of us can relate to or have done ourselves at one point in time, but the fact that Wayne Long went through eight engines in his 1962 Chevy Impala within a year’s time is a number that even the most hardcore car guys can’t claim. “I was 18 years old back then and always loved to go fast, so I was either blowing up engines or doing whatever it took to get more horsepower out of the next one. Some things worked and some things… not so much,” Wayne laughingly confesses.
Wayne admits to living a wilder lifestyle in his younger years, but today he’s a bit older and considers himself a whole lot wiser than he was back in the late 1960s.
These days owning his own contracting business takes up most of his time, so Wayne has resorted to having his cars built by shops that he has the utmost trust in. One of those is Hayman Creations in Uniontown, Pennsylvania—a small, two-man, father-and-son outfit run by Mike and Brad Swaney who have built or worked on about a dozen of Wayne’s cars over the years.
Wayne has a tendency to gravitate toward restorations with mild upgrades more so than wild street machines, but this time around he gave the Swaneys creative control on this 1966 Nova as long as they stayed true to the car’s original spirit without going too far outside the lines.
Brad gives us the lowdown on how Wayne’s car came to be: “My dad was in the process of building a 1965 Nova, a car he’s had since he was 15 years old. Wayne fell in love with it when we first started doing work for him back in 2012 and would always try to talk my dad into selling it to him even though it wasn’t even finished. For years we tried to talk Wayne into going ‘all out’ on a build instead of just the restored or mild restomod cars we had done for him in the past. Finally, we were able to talk him into it even though he didn’t know exactly what he wanted. He initially said he’d like the car to be red with a lot of chrome, and we basically said ‘no’ to both those ideas and instead got him to buy in on going with some variation of blue. He agreed as long as we kept the Nova looking like a Nova, and to make it competitive enough on the car show circuit to make the Steel City Six at the Pittsburgh World of Wheels. Done deal!
“To make things even more interesting, we told him we would build the car our way and if he didn’t like the final product, he could have my dad’s Nova instead. Another part of the deal we made is that he wasn’t allowed to see the car until it was finished. Throughout all the fabrication and bodywork and paint process Wayne had only seen the engine once it was finished. Needless to say, Wayne was floored when he saw the completed project, so my dad got to keep his Nova and Wayne got a killer hot rod that he’s very proud of.
The Swaneys had a great start as the Nova was a rust-free example that made it easy to dig right into the bodywork, fabrication, and paint process. Body mods include body fasteners with over 400 hammer fab “crater makers” incorporated throughout the car, custom front valance, modified stock grille, custom rocker panels and ground effects, bellypans, rear fuel tank cover/diffuser, grille filler panel, and deleted cowl vents. From there they laid down a brilliant coat of Axalta Pacific Blue pigment, giving the Nova a dark deep vibe. The front and rear bumpers were tucked for a modern aesthetic while the BBT Fabrications side mirrors contribute to the Nova’s streamlined look.
The car is powered by a 454ci big-block built as a Super Stock race engine Wayne purchased quite a while back. Since then the engine builder has died, so the specs are not known, but the Swaneys dressed it up in Billet Specialties valve covers, Billet Specialties accessory drive system, and a Borla Eight Stack injection system. The mill is managed by a Holley Terminator X and TCI headers expel waste through a 2.5-inch stainless exhaust system topped with Summit Racing mufflers.
A TCI Automotive–prepared 700-R4 transmission is back by a 9-inch Ford rearend stuffed with 3.50 Currie gears, Truetrac posi unit, and Currie 31-spline axles. A TCI Outlaw shifter was employed to coordinate aggressive gear changes.
A TCI (Total Cost Involved) Engineering Pro Touring front subframe coupled with TCI control arms and spindles matched with Ridetech coilover shocks and 500-pound springs bring the Nova’s suspension to the modern era. Out back, the TCI treatment continues with their torque arm suspension also dampened by Ridetech coilover shocks.
The braking system consists of Wilwood disc brakes on all four corners along with a Wilwood master cylinder for a smooth and precise braking experience.
Billet Specialties Hydro wheels with black centers and polished outers give the Nova an updated and aggressive look while not interfering with the car’s timeless vintage style. The Swaneys stitched in a set of mini-tubs to make room for the 11-inch-wide rollers wrapped in fat Yokohama rubber.
Stepping inside the Nova reveals an interior that blends classic styling with modern comfort. The cabin is wrapped in Relicate gray leather upholstery while Relicate German square-weave carpet adds a touch of style underfoot. A few shops took a swipe at the interior, but those failed attempts led to Hayman taking care of the installation, including building handmade interior trim and sill plates painted flat black, a custom center console that seamlessly integrates with the overall design. A pair of Procar by Scat seats provide excellent support, paired with Safe T Boy seatbelts. Steering is smooth and accurate, thanks to an Ididit column and a Billet Specialties steering wheel, while a modified stock dash houses Classic Instruments gauges, delivering accurate engine vitals in a functional layout.
Electrical components are powered by an American Autowire harness, installed by Hayman, while climate control is handled by Vintage Air, ensuring year-round comfort. For entertainment, a JVC head unit and speakers, also installed by Hayman, provides crisp, high-quality sound. Overall, the interior is designed for both performance and comfort giving Wayne a superb driving experience.
The Swaney duo set out to build Wayne a car that includes an exceptional driving experience coupled with an award-winning appearance—both aspects have been achieved as the car made the World of Wheels Steel City Six at Pittsburgh, the Select Six at Chicago, took top honors at Indy, and most recently the Nova won the 2024 ISCA Street Machine Champion—high accolades, for sure.
At this point Wayne couldn’t be happier with the car and how it turned out, and as it stands today he has no intention of swapping out that mysterious Super Stock engine. There’s really no reason the mess with perfection … for now.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
TECH CHECK
Owner: Wayne Long, Hopwood, Pennsylvania
Vehicle: 1966 Chevy Nova
Engine
Type: Big-block
Displacement: 454 ci
Camshaft: Comp Cams hydraulic roller
Induction: Borla Eight Stack
Fuel Injection: Borla
Controller: Holley Terminator X
Exhaust: TCI headers, 2.5-inch stainless exhaust, Summit Racing mufflers
Valve Covers: Billet Specialties
Accessory Drive: Billet Specialties
Ancillaries: Edelbrock water pump, Proform fans, MSD ignition, MSD plug wires, Eddie Motorsports hood hinges
Output Est.: 575 hp
Drivetrain
Transmission: GM 700-R4 by TCI
Shifter: TCI Outlaw
Driveshaft: Fayette Welding and Driveline
Rear Axle: Currie 9-inch, Eaton Truetrac posi, 3.50 gears, Currie 31-spline axles
Chassis
Front Suspension: TCI Pro Touring subframe, TCI control arms, TCI spindles, Ridetech coilover shocks, 500-pound springs, TCI sway bar
Rear Suspension: TCI torque arm system, Ridetech coilover shocks, 300-pound springs, TCI Panhard bar
Brakes: Wilwood 12-inch rotors four-piston calipers, Wilwood master cylinder
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Billet Specialties Hydro 18×9 front, 18×11 rear
Tires: Yokahoma 255/35R18 front, 315/30R18 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Relicate gray leather
Carpet: Relicate German square weave
Installation: Hayman Creations (Uniontown, PA)
Center Console: Custom by Hayman Creations
Insulation: Dynamat
Seats: Procar by Scat
Seatbelts: Safe T Boy
Steering: Ididit column, Billet Specialties steering wheel
Dash: Modified stock
Instrumentation: Classic Instruments
Wiring: American Autowire by Hayman Creations
HVAC: Vintage Air
Stereo System: JVC head unit and speakers
Installation: Hayman Creations
Exterior
Bodywork And Paint: Hayman Creations (Mike and Brad Swaney)
Paint: Axalta Pacific Blue
Grille: Modified stock
Front Bumper: Modified Stock
Rear Bumper: Modified Stock
Door Handles: Eddie Motorsports
Headlights: United Pacific
Taillights: Eddie Motorsports
Side Mirrors: BBT Fabrications
Glass: Fesler flush-fit
Body Mods: Firewall smoothed, custom grille filler panel, custom inner fender panels, removed cowl vents, rocker panel ground effects, rear diffuser, front valance
