With a 12 bolt rear, someone hopped up that car in the past, it didn't come that way. In it's day, that (post performance) vintage of Nova was just an econobox. But you can make it anything you want now, and can do an engine swap with your eyes closed.....almost!
As far as what engine, what is your budget? B.B. is going to cost you more, comparing an apples to apples build. But if you go with a small block stroker, you'll probably spend more than a stock rebuild of a b.b. But....rebuildable small blocks are a dime a dozen, and good big blocks, not so much and they generally cost more in the first place.

 

Heck, if that 74 Nova has a 12-bolt, crawl under it and tell us what other mods have been done. They must have done some stiffening and suspension work.

Did they change the brakes to disc when the rear end was swapped?

 

Now we are getting some where. I had written this post off as going no where cause there where just to many variable. Now you have a project that matchs your experance with pletty of room for learning.

If I may, Do a simple build with the motor you have. Learn from it. Have some fun with it. If you want to do a massive build get another block and do it while you are enjoying the ride. I would suggest a 383 build before you mess this the Big Block.

Small story: Neighbor Kid bought a 73 lime green Challange 318/904 with a set of old school Keystones on it for like 3K, nice looking car, ran fine. His Dream was to have a big block touring car. He found a K-member 440 and trany but ran out of funds. For the next three years he worked as much OT as possible he even decided not to tag and insure the car to save some extra money. All that to build this Big block. He finish school and got a job. His job made him a great offer 3 states away. He had to sell the unfinshed project for about 1/2 what he had in it. He drove the car about 15 miles. The whole three years during the build he drove a POS FWD car. My point was he should have chased his dream but not at the cost of the present.

BTW is it a hatch back or trunk? I am a huge Camaro fanboy but Nova's are right there. If I have a 4th gen shell and someone offered a clean 74 Nova for it I would not have turned it down even if it was not a SS. If the 12 bolt is in working order it alone is worth more the shell you traded.

 

I actually really love nova's I would like to have a 1971 or a 73. For some reason they look almost identical but the 72 is different.

 

I only wanna spend like maybe 4 grand total that way it stays in the near future catagory. But like I said I'm putting the engine that I have now in and it'll be pretty much stock so ill still be able to drive it and what not while I'm building an engine for it. So a 383 stroker then. I honestly know nothing about them. I know they use the 350 sb. But nothing else. How much on average would it cost to build it and make a bullet proof engine. I already have pistons that retail at like 1100 bucks(looked them up at checker). But they are oversized pistons so I would have to bore the block 0.30 over. And I ready have the oversized cam. What else do I need other than a new block obviously

 

And I will crawl under it and tell you guys what other stuff they did when I get home. I'm on the road right now should be home in an hour an a half

 

need a stroker crank and different connecting rods

 

A 383 build is already based on an .030 overbore. You'll have to check and see if you can use the pistons you have.
I'll bet if you Google "383 stroker motor build", you'll find all the info you need.
Here is some good info from another forum I belong to. Reading it should keep you busy for at least a minute and a half (give or take an hour): http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/sh...hp?tid/131229/

 

Call around to your local machine shops. Word of mouth at a car show is a great way to find a shop. Many shops sell a kit they like to work with. If you buy the kit from the same place that does the machine work you do not have to worry about finger point if something is not right. You can make it so you assemble what you want. Anything your not sure about you can have them do it. If you want to use your pistons they should not have a problem with that.

 

Ok so there isn't really any other mods on it except a muffler lol. But it does have a 12 bolt with front and rear disc brakes except I think they came stock with them by that year. Cuz I was looking around and its actually a 76 and its not an ss. Oh well didn't really matter much either way. I took the seats and carpet out and found 2 good sized rust hole that I'm going have to cut out and rewield a panel there but oh well. And I have to go get the engine block bored out and everything sometime. I wish there was a way I could do it myself so I don't get charged 50 bucks a cylinder. That's seriouslu the cheapest I could find it. But yeah this build is going to take a lot longer than I hoped. I'm gonna go out and find a running 350 tho so I can get this thing going while I work on the new engine.