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"Plain Jane" 1970 Nova Build
I have to start somewhere with the build, so I decided to start at the beginning. I searched for the cleanest 1969 to 1972 Nova I could find. In fact, my evening, after-work "hobby" was searching all sorts of place for the right car. I eventually found the right car in Ohio, but it took me a year or so. A fellow from American Honda found the car and purchased it from the quintessential little old lady owner. When he bought it, the car had just over 12,000 original on the clock. When I bought it, it had just over 13,000 miles. In between, he stripped the car, put it on a rotisserie and detailed it. The exterior paint is now roughly 70% original: The rockers, front fender tops and hood have been lacquer blended. You'll note he lowered the car (cut coils, leaf spring spacers). Here are some photos of how when I first bought it:
And by the way, like some "restored" cars I've worked with in the past, it didn't drive or stop well...but the bones were outstanding:) https://i.imgur.com/wNf48Uyh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/I86Gimkh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/kf9W11Dh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/s5JaVPBh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/YSYa1fRh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/MEACULdh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/g4QDoeBh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/IvHRoc2h.jpg https://i.imgur.com/25iKkash.jpg https://i.imgur.com/4nT3mRwh.jpg [url=https://imgur.com/KhJIYnV][img] https://i.imgur.com/JCL1F7ah.jpg https://i.imgur.com/yp3ICz7h.jpg https://i.imgur.com/JRXzyyAh.jpg Here's a video link from my Lone Wolf Hot Rods site introducing the car: https://youtu.be/yHv1a06rgxw The only that really changed in the build plan from that video was the final transmission choice. Finding a streetable synchronized manual that would live behind the big block I built just didn't work out...:) I'll show build progress in the next batch of pix... |
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Wow, what a starting point. Looks amazingly clean. Around 1988 my dad bought a 1972 Nova with 16K original miles in Frost Green, 6 cyl, no carpet, AM, but completely bare bones. It drove, unlike you say about yours, amazingly well, and I drove it from Pittsburgh to Erie (about 2.5 hours each way) for my last year in college if there was good weather. I really should have kept that one, but we sold it unfortunately. I thought that one was clean until I saw yours, amazing.
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I'll get more photos and info over the next day or two. Honestly I paid stupid money for a six cylinder car (plenty of people thought I was absolutely nuts), but it was the cleanest example I have ever run across. Plus, while working on it, the clean factor has turned into a huge bonus. Anyway, after I pulled the original six and three speed, I went to work on the engine compartment, brake lines, etc. You'll see that next.
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Wayne, color me as a Have-To-Know Nancy but I couldn’t help but notice you didn’t include ‘68’s in your Nova search. They’re my personal favorite! Reason?
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Hey Mark! Pretty easy answer..I just like the dash better in the 69 and up cars😉
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Here's what it would look like with the 4sp lever through the floor.
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After driving the Nova for a bit and discovering it had some issues (brakes weren't stellar and the acceleration wasn't exactly awe-inspiring...L-O-L), I decided it was time to get started. This is a photo of it in my old garage on the west coast:
https://i.imgur.com/lxHoI4lh.jpg This is what the bones were like from the engine compartment side. The undercarriage was and is the same -- clean and nicely painted. Everything was painted individually, including the fasteners. https://i.imgur.com/wvransTh.jpg I pointed out in the original "just finished this" post that the rad support is a reproduction. It needed one extra hole drilled, but otherwise fit like a glove. In order to get the support in, much of the front end had to come off, along with the inner fenders. That gave me the opportunity to replace all of the freshly painted hardware with more correct phosphate plated hardware. Here are two photos of the DeWitts "black ice" aluminum rad I selected. It's an awesome high quality piece. https://i.imgur.com/w7WEsdGh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/UCf5hbXh.jpg While the front end was apart, I replaced the subframe and rad support bushings with these slick pieces from Detroit Speed (I also used their optional ARP stainless fasteners): https://i.imgur.com/4cxIlOvh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/xwTapCYh.jpg The frame mounts were swapped out for correct big block examples. I use AN (aircraft) fasteners where possible. https://i.imgur.com/XFwofhah.jpg I removed the heater assembly and replaced it with a correct delete plate. I also used AN fasteners to mount it. The flash shows a color difference between the plate and the firewall, but in normal lighting you can't see the difference. That's a new gutter without the transmission control spark. I stripped a new wire harness back to remove all of the wiring. https://i.imgur.com/6pMsRvXh.jpg With the big block rad support, I also included a complete OE-style big block rad mount and shroud arrangement. I had to drill holes for the rubber flap clips but that's about it. Note the bump starter switch. I put them in all of my modified cars, because it makes setting the valves a whole bunch easier. https://i.imgur.com/MGOp69Th.jpg Both the ignition and forward wiring harness assemblies were replaced. I also added a set of big block battery cables and a new battery tray. You'll note the wiring harness isn't looped alongside the windshield washer hose. In past builds I've routed the harness out of the way, over the inner fender. I did the same here. I replaced the master cylinder with one for 1969 disc brake Camaro. I might have pictures of the front brakes I can show later, but I used two piece made-in-USA rotors. https://i.imgur.com/s0sQ7wnh.jpg This is another look at the engine compartment. I replaced the tie rod sleeves with Hotchkiss billet jobs. The tie rod ends and the idler were replaced. The AN bolts are in "backwards" on the idler arm. I do this to save my skin when working on the car...L-O-L. It's getting closer, but still a bit away from being done...L-O-L: https://i.imgur.com/lNy88axh.jpg Here's a link to a 4 minute video on my progress to this point. You'll get more build details in the video: https://youtu.be/LEG7I-MOwio Til next time! |
my first girlfriend had the identical to a tee of this car when we started dating in highschool. that was in 75-76. So the car was only a few years old and was mint mint mint. same color same interior.
Nobody knew back then how desirable they would be today. Love the build of the car you have. |
The first thing I took note of was the blocked off vent on the far left side of the dash. I had to make one for my 70 Nova when I did a heater delete. :worship:
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Moving along...slowly...L-O-L
I couldn't find a correctly built front cross over brake line plus I needed to plumb and wire the line lock. So...I built all of those lines myself from stainless steel. Hardline and all fittings are from Earl's. This is the completed line lock plumbing. This is one of those "looks easy enough" tasks, but to get it right takes some time: https://i.imgur.com/Y6R9uc8h.jpg This is a photo of one of the ways I figure out brake line bends: https://i.imgur.com/Yi3WQMdh.jpg Here's one of the "successful" lines (many aren't so successful!): https://i.imgur.com/CCfvuyKh.jpg Some of the seemingly simple lines can prove challenging. Case-in-point is this feed line to the line lock. It consumed several mistakes to get it done: https://i.imgur.com/j3BN1WXh.jpg I like to use a Weatherpack connector for things like the line lock. If it ever fails, then it's easy to remove and replace. https://i.imgur.com/nEYAHz7h.jpg This is a wee bit amusing when I look back at it. Huge mess (in my old garage) building cutting, annealing, bending, flaring line. I prefer to anneal the hard line prior to flaring, hence the need for the MAP gas. Otherwise the line can crack. In addition, I lap the female side of the flares. https://i.imgur.com/Gt54Y40h.jpg Here's a couple of photos of the finished brake lines: https://i.imgur.com/ekkipBjh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/nSdjjB6h.jpg Another thing I did was to send off the hood hinges, springs, hood latch and catch to Steve Gregori just before he sold Detail Plating. The car originally had these parts nicely painted, but that bugged me :). I also replaced/added a number of ground straps. https://i.imgur.com/bOUlsAbh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/Yl6GPaZh.jpg This link will take you to a video that details the tools/equipment I use to build brake lines. There are a number of tools, ideas and tips you might not consider at first glance: https://youtu.be/_9dibgkmPoU That's a wrap for this segment. I'll be back...L-O-L |
This is a little piece of artwork. Just love your detail.
Paul |
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Very clean build! Look forward to seeing more of the progress! Seeing this car makes me REALLY miss my old 72 Nova.
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When I was planning this car, one thing I wanted to try and stay away from was a traction bar on the rear springs. In another life, I was a Direct Connection dealer (remember them?). It occurred to me I could use a Chrysler Super Stock Spring on the back and not use a traction device. Essentially, that's what many of the FAST guys do with they stock appearing cars. Trouble is, you can't easily adpat a Chrysler SS spring to a Chevy. Fortunately, AFCO offers a pretty good replica of the spring for circle track applications. I bought a pair. Here's a look:
This is the basic spring: https://i.imgur.com/OXp6ONzh.jpg The front segment is heavily biased, with more full and partial leafs in the spring pack: https://i.imgur.com/Ru2mmPQh.jpg Meanwhile, the rear has few: https://i.imgur.com/4Thd66sh.jpg This is the arch of the out-of-the-box spring (which happens to be just about right for my Nova): https://i.imgur.com/ODT9mWHh.jpg So how do they work? Simple. When under heavy acceleration load, a typical leaf spring will bend in the front segment. That's why you get wheel hop. This doesn't happen with an SS spring like this. To compliment the springs, I swapped out the OE-style front bushing for a Detroit Speed composite Delrin/aluminum example. The backs of the springs use a conventional Chevy rubber bushing along with a stock shackle. The reason for this is, the rear of the spring in this application is just along for the ride. https://i.imgur.com/BIPgjz6h.jpg I wanted a means to adjust the rear suspension (aside from the shocks which I'll show you down the road). To get there, I bought a rear sway bar kit from Hotchkiss and threw away pretty much everything except the front adjuster mounts and the actual bar. From there, I used a couple of adjustable links from Summit Racing along with four Aurora Teflon lined rod ends. I made up the actual (super heavy duty) housing mounts from pieces sourced from Summit. Also, those are 1/2-inch Calvert Racing u-bolts on the axle housing (no t-bolts). Here's what it looks like from the back: https://i.imgur.com/aLixfGGh.jpg This is a side view. The links can be adjusted for preload. It is possible with this setup to actually change ride height (jack it) from side-to-side. As a result, it can be used to help plant a tire: https://i.imgur.com/OJ0sWkmh.jpg On the bottom side, the subframe was tied to the car spring pocket by way of Competition Engineering frame connectors. The pair of photos attached are recent (today!). You can see I used stainless brake lines along with stainless park brake cables. The exhaust is a modified Hooker 3-inch stainless steel setup for an LS swap. You can see I use V-band clamps to attach the exhaust to the slip on header collectors. Although it might look low in this photo, the exhaust is actually very tight to the floor pan. The lowest part is the 4-inch header collector (necessary for the 2-25-inch primary tubes, but that's another story). These photos should give you a pretty good idea of what the car is like underneath... it's fun working on a car like this...:) https://i.imgur.com/9HQ1dFSh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/eqhxMWuh.jpg The following YouTube link (short video) will give you a bit more insight into the basic rear suspension setup: https://youtu.be/ngqqkQz8PDk More to come.... |
Nova Project...
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Great thread...outstanding detail on the build. As a Nova guy I think it is very cool.
Regarding the rear springs...have you considered using the "Dick Harrell Style" spring clamps??? They worked really well...and eliminated the need for traditional traction bars. They were cheap and easy to fabricate...and the results were very good. old thread where this is discussed along with other stuff... https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=71829 -wilma |
Super thread Wayne.Thanks for sharing bud!
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The rear end in the Nova is one of those out-of-sight, out-of-mind things, but honestly, this is a really special piece. My pal Mark Williams built it to my specs. It is a stock width assembly with stock style multi-leaf perches. It has a stock cover and looks pretty stock but that's where it ends (and it doesn't come cheaply either...L-O-L).
https://i.imgur.com/XgJFgmjh.jpg The actual case (casting) is beefed up considerably. For example, this area behind the cap in a stock 12 bolt has far less material. Between this and the huge caps (held in with Allen fasteners), there is no need for a girdle. https://i.imgur.com/gUEk3Vgh.jpg Mark installs chrome moly tubes in the case, and as you can see here, they're welded (360 degrees to the center section). The stock plug weld location is still there, but it's completely rosette welded. https://i.imgur.com/qOVffoFh.jpg The OEM-style spring perches have gussets welded on both sides. This prevents the perch from being ripped off the axle tube. https://i.imgur.com/T598iI6h.jpg There are no c-clips used on the assembly. Instead, the axles are held in place on the inside with a pressed on bearing lock ring (inboard of the wheel bearing). The horseshoe shaped plate is the external bearing retainer. The actual flange is thicker than the one used on drag car (potholes and curbs happen with street cars...) https://i.imgur.com/UNkcqvch.jpg This is a closer look at the circle track style Timken unit bearing. It's designed to operate for extended periods of time, and the seal configuration is much more durable than a drag race component. https://i.imgur.com/MlfYk1yh.jpg The axles are tapered. The reason for this is triangulation. The axle is far stronger in this format than a straight design. https://i.imgur.com/RIWYmNeh.jpg One of the big benefits of this entire setup is the fact it uses huge 35-spline axles (the same size as a Dana 60). M-W uses an involute spline (the same as OEM manufacturers). It is created by way of a hobbing process. Most of the other manufacturers out there simply flycut the splines, and they're not as strong. FYI, a stock 12 bolt has a major diameter of 1.291-inches. This axle has a major diameter of 1.50-inches. https://i.imgur.com/l9I2modh.jpg Because of the larger axle diameter along with the custom center section designed to accept it, there's a need for a special differential assembly. Williams uses this 35-spline Eaton Detroit Locker for the application. The Nova has 3.73:1 gear set. https://i.imgur.com/296crSAh.jpg During the setup, Williams even goes as far as to safety-wire the ring gear bolts. https://i.imgur.com/einM0L1h.jpg On the nose, the pinion is a billet job. It is designed to accept a large Spicer 1350-series universal joint. https://i.imgur.com/WoAO8jFh.jpg That pretty much skims the surface on the 12 bolt. If you're interested in a more detailed look at this setup, check out these two videos: https://youtu.be/9elyTSxkUOM https://youtu.be/m4ycRE6cMXM I'll wrap it up here. I'll post more down the road... |
Damn Wayne! Plain Jane has the Kim Kardashian of rear ends!LOL
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L-O-L…Yes! Just as pricey, but much lower maintenance 🤣
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Amazing, we could only be this fortunate to be able to see "inside" your build.
I see a lot of guys making a bunch of notes as they read the fine details. There definitely will be a few of our cars out there running quicker than ever. The detail is staggering and thank you for sharing this with us. Please keep teaching us. Paul |
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This is an impressive modern day modified car. Very clean and reversible if ever wanted; although I never would. Well done.
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Great build. I've occasionally seen cars like this pop up.
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I was backordered on some of the necessary suspension parts (lower a-arms were one of the big issues). Because of this, I decided to press forward building other parts of the car -- in particular, the interior.
One of the first jobs I did was to modify the old 3-on-the-tree column. I found a bowl from a floor shift car, swapped out the steering wheel assembly, eliminated all unnecessary column shift pieces internally, re-lubed the column and reassembled it with a new three-spoke finger grip wheel. I reduced the size of the interlock pieces and safety wired them. I discovered drilling the interlock pieces was much more difficult than it sounds. A local machine shop gave it try and gave up. Other machine shops laughed...Just before I sent the piece off to get EDM machined, I tried a bit for granite tile. It worked!: https://i.imgur.com/wyakzbNh.jpg The tach is an AutoMeter Pro Comp Monster. I used a conventional xl-size hose clamp to mount it, but I hated the look. So I trimmed back everything I could on the clamp, and then used a large heat shrink sleeve to cover it. I think the mount turned out well: https://i.imgur.com/Mzk0lhnh.jpg Electric water temp and mechanical oil PSI are also AutoMeter ProComp jobs. I didn't like any commercially available gauge brackets so I made my own: https://i.imgur.com/GbChiq5h.jpg I always use a warning lamp for line locks. Instead of the standard cheap Hurst job, I used this aircraft indicator from Aircraft Spruce: https://i.imgur.com/p2hblquh.jpg On the engine compartment side, I used a 90-degree AN bulkhead fitting for the oil psi gauge. There's a -3AN Teflon line in the cockpit that goes from the passenger compartment side of the fitting to the pressure gauge. And on the engine side, I use a short -3AN Teflon line to the Dart block oil gallery just above the bell housing flange. It's all very easy to assemble and disassemble. https://i.imgur.com/IgU5Tdvh.jpg This is the sender harness for the water temp gauge. I wrapped it in aircraft spi-wrap and then wrapped that with OEM style harness tape so it looks sort of stock: https://i.imgur.com/mg1KMYth.jpg Much of a new big block engine harness was disassembled. I stripped every wire I didn't need and then re-wrapped it with harness tape. The harness is now very minimal: https://i.imgur.com/p117MXjh.jpg I cut, drilled and shaped a 1/4-inch thick nylon board in the shape of the backside of the OEM-style firewall heater delete plate. This became my ignition board inside the car: https://i.imgur.com/H6H7MJdh.jpg As you can see, I use an MSD 7AL2 and a very conventional MSD compatible coil for ignition. I think the wiring job came out pretty well: https://i.imgur.com/2xatZS5h.jpg Here's the whole thing mounted up under the dash. It is just over the carpet line. I used AN fasteners to hold the works in place. https://i.imgur.com/rQG6FdIh.jpg Outside, the main power/ground wires for the MSD route directly to the battery (per MSD instructions). The actual switch for on-off is wired to the fuse box. I used silver plated aircraft wire here -- it has a much smaller diameter for the wire gauge, and the jacket is much stiffer. I wrapped it with harness tape and the wire goes through one of the firewall insulator plugs: https://i.imgur.com/UtaVNVsh.jpg Downstairs, I replaced the back seat seat belt bolts with longer grade eight fasteners. This provides a spot to hang the exhaust turnouts under the car. https://i.imgur.com/peIF6Hhh.jpg That's all for now...More later... |
Moving along (and hopefully, this thread won't cluttered up with 9-inch versus 12 bolt arguments or other "stuff" down the road), I worked on the fuel delivery system. It's been a sort of work in progress. I'll explain later...
The main premiss here was to follow what others like "stock appearing" racers use. I totally dig that idea: I didn't want a fuel cell. I didn't want a sump in the tank. I wanted the car to look closer to stock: https://i.imgur.com/5UulvsEh.jpg Some of the FAST folks are using Holley Hydramats in their gas tanks. It is heavily used in off road racing applications too. Basically, a Hydramat is a wicking agent. It absorbs fuel. https://i.imgur.com/pkHq94Rh.jpg Here's a closer look: https://i.imgur.com/7urG1qrh.jpg There are a number of different choices for Hydramat configurations. Mine is setup to accept a honking -10 AN (5/8-inch) pickup. It is held to the floor of the gas tank by way of four rare earth magnets. Do they hold? L-O-L. I spent well over an hour trying to pry two apart. To move them around to where I wanted them in the tank, I used a piece of wood doweling. https://i.imgur.com/CXj6WRHh.jpg Speaking of the tank :) , This is a new Spectra tank. I cut that hole in the top to install the Hydramat. https://i.imgur.com/HehaZiBh.jpg I fabricated a cover from aluminum. When I did this, I decided I needed an easy to find gasket that is resistant to fuel. What you see is the baseplate gasket for a Holley Dominator carb. https://i.imgur.com/uX4BFZVh.jpg Outback, I had a friend TIG weld a -10 AN bung to the top of the tank for the feed line, along with a -8AN bung for the return line, as well as a -8AN bung for the vent. The tank uses a non-vented cap. Here's a pic of the feed and return line AN bungs: https://i.imgur.com/W1Hx6Moh.jpg In order to get the Hydramat in the tank and not destroy the skin on my arm, I duct taped the opening: https://i.imgur.com/x5HW1Sxh.jpg Here's a peak inside the tank. The Hydramat sits alongside the fuel level sending unit. I simply cut off the original pickup tube and plugged the OEM sender fuel line (more later). https://i.imgur.com/Gy9HmVch.jpg A big issue is finding hose that can be immersed in fuel. Believe it or not, AN hose doesn't like being immersed and neither does a wide range of OE-style hoses. The line must be flexible though. After a ton of research, I came up with this (below). It is hose that is used for things like snowmobiles, garden tractors and so on. It's capable of "living" inside gasoline. Acquiring it in -10 wasn't exactly easy. The fittings are from Earl's. The hose clamps are stainless steel jobs from Breeze (made in the USA). I use this same hose to handle the fuel line return inside the tank. It's not a good idea to allow the return line to spray inside the tank. Instead, the line should be on the tank floor: https://i.imgur.com/8cNTVXVh.jpg Here's the tank top plate sealed up: https://i.imgur.com/7Fo15W5h.jpg I blocked off the OEM style fuel pickup line internally and capped it. This way, the fuel sender still works: https://i.imgur.com/uEfXAHVh.jpg This is the -8AN (1/2-inch or so) fuel vent line. You can't see, but there is an AN breather fitting on top of the 90-degree fitting. I made a bracket out of aluminum to mount the vent line. https://i.imgur.com/L5wpGgyh.jpg This electric pump is a recent (this past week) change. I originally assembled the car with an off-shore Holley Marine mechanical pump, an Enderle mechanical fuel injection by-pass valve and a composite fuel pump pushrod. It all worked a-ok, but it wasn't consistent. The car would run nicely and then (in almost a heartbeat), the fuel level in the floats pretty much went out of control. I believe the huge mechanical pump I was using was overwhelming the pintle in the by-pass valve. Additionally, I was concerned about the longevity of the composite fuel pump pushrod (pretty much mandatory with a billet roller cam like I'm using). The big Weldon in-line electric pump along with a Weldon regulator is the ultimate solution. That Weldon pump will pull a prime (some users claim it can pull a prime in something like 6-feet, which is seriously impressive!). Weldon's regular business is manufacturing pumps and fuel system parts for aviation. They have good idea of what's going on....L-O-L. By the way, there's a bit of camera distortion here. I could not plumb the pump directly from the bung to the feed line, hence this layout. The reason it couldn't be done is because of minimum bend radius of AN hose. Bend it too tight and it will kink (and consequently be turned into junk). Here's the pump and return line setup: https://i.imgur.com/GnWZxVgh.jpg Moving forward, the Nova has a high flow -10 AN Holley billet fuel filter inline. The Hydramat acts as a pre-filter, while this is the after-filter: https://i.imgur.com/S31edJGh.jpg I used aircraft clamps to attach the line and stainless steel band clamps to tie the pressure (feed) line to the return line: https://i.imgur.com/dpd6xlnh.jpg At the firewall, the hoses run over the inner fender to the front of the car. I don't like hoses that route close to the headers, hence this layout. I've used it in a number of builds and it works great. https://i.imgur.com/7lgZVXWh.jpg The fuel and return lines run to this bulkhead under the stock style battery tray. The bracket is a simple 90-degree piece I built, and the fittings are bulkhead style. You can't see this when the battery tray is installed. By the way, I pressure test each hose after assembly. Easier to fix it now than later. Upstairs, the car is now getting a Weldon fuel pressure regulator with a return. I'll update that down the road: https://i.imgur.com/0PgbXhlh.jpg That's all for now... |
Did you keep the rear shocks (AFCO's) in the stock locations or did you move them inboard? You have mentioned in the past that the lower shock mount inhibits the tire?
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Time for another update.
I selected AFCO double adjustable shocks for all four corners. These are great, very adjustable, rebuildable and ultimately re-valveable shocks. Out of the box, the rear shocks were setup to be mounted upside down (shaft down, body up) as shown here: https://i.imgur.com/G9PbONPh.jpg This places a bulky part of the shock body very close to the tire. Additionally, some of my class drag racing pals suggested mounting them upside down is a good way to make them leak. So I decided to re-mount them right side up (next photo). Changing the hardware to accomplish this isn't a big job. Perhaps a half-hour to get it done: https://i.imgur.com/a5Xg4xKh.jpg This is the rear compression adjuster on the AFCO shock. Turning the knob clockwise firms up the compression; turning it counter-clockwise softens it. https://i.imgur.com/erO5ITah.jpg The rebound adjuster on the back shock works the same way: Turn clockwise to firm up the valving; turn counter-clockwise to soften it. https://i.imgur.com/GQ3xEPbh.jpg On the front shock, the rebound adjuster is located here (top of the shock behind the inner fender dust shield). The adjusters work the same as the rear shocks: https://i.imgur.com/KHqGDHxh.jpg The compression adjuster is located here, just under the spring pocket: https://i.imgur.com/1aIfreIh.jpg A-arms for the car are from Detroit Speed. They're nice pieces with easily adjustable caster. They have Delrin bushings top and bottom. Here's the upper and lower: https://i.imgur.com/HFpessHh.jpg Ball joints bolt in (top): https://i.imgur.com/vO6BDauh.jpg The a-arm cross shafts are Billet. Those slugs that fit into the cross shaft are caster adjusters: https://i.imgur.com/kTg5cXAh.jpg Here's a close up look at the upper bushings: https://i.imgur.com/wfyRpfSh.jpg When the car was initially setup, I figured I'd go with a set of large body tapered coil/over springs. Unfortunately, they present all sorts of issues. Number one is, you can't easily establish ride height with them, even with collars on shock body. Number two is, the shock must be mounted on the top side of the lower a-arm (not the bottom as normal). Installation wasn't exactly fun. Basically, it sounded logical in the beginning, but it's a nightmare arrangement. https://i.imgur.com/fKsdxcXh.jpg The solution was to go with a conventional style spring. As you can see, it has the potential to store far more energy than one of those short tapered jobs: https://i.imgur.com/tTQ6V6rh.jpg In order to fit the big body AFCO front shock through the lower a-arm, you have to cut away the lower a-arm and fit this adapter ring (from AFCO): https://i.imgur.com/vRICabih.jpg I carefully cut away the pocket on the lower(s) with a die grinder. This is one side of the lower a-arm after I had it TIG welded. The adapter is welded on both sides. https://i.imgur.com/qljDa5xh.jpg Here's the spring and shock installed: https://i.imgur.com/syIviShh.jpg Does it work? Yes, the front suspension has all sorts of travel. It's as adjustable as I can get it. I'm currently fiddling with the front ride height. It's close now, but I still want to dial it in a bit more. Until next time... |
Would you share the shock PN's. I have a similarly built (stocker type appearance) small block stick car that I need to upgrade.
Love your build detail and the car!! Thanks for posting up. |
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The front shocks are 3840BNC. The back shocks are 3870R1. Fair warning though...don't faint at the $$$. :) Today, there's almost $2,000 in a set by the time you're done (yikes!). But they are well worth it. Fabulous shocks and super easy to adjust. You might want to talk to AFCO about valving for your application. They have two different sets of BNC (Big Nose Compression) valving for the fronts, plus they can supply different shock lengths for the back, depending upon ride height. |
This won't be a super long post. Just catching up with some loose ends of the build (chassis):
At the rear, I used a Detroit Speed front Delrin bushing arrangement. The way it's built (with the step on one side), you can move the spring in ever so slightly. Camaros and Novas of this era were built with springs that were splayed. By slightly moving the spring on the front bushing, you can pick up a tiny amount of extra tire clearance. The limitation is the actual spring perch in the housing. Move the spring too much and of course, it won't fit the housing. This the bushing from Detroit Speed (note the flush mount zerk). It's a nice piece: https://i.imgur.com/uIsu3Kqh.jpg Even though the car was a low miler, I still went through the steering components. I added a set of Hotchkiss tie rod sleeves too. They just make wheel alignments easier for folks like me who perform the task at home. https://i.imgur.com/0Pwr54Uh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/gGVAzJzh.jpg I built a completely new set of brakes, front and rear. At the rear, I had to cut the original drums off the car. The reason was someone previous to me totally messed up the adjusters. It was impossible to back them off and consequently, no easy way to remove the drums. I was hoping to save the backing plates, but in the process I nicked them with an angle grinder/cutoff wheel combination. Parts came from various sources, but the backing plates and drums are from Inline Tube. BTW: There are some differences in backing plates and drums. Some aftermarket backing plates do not have access for knockout plugs (!?). I wasn't crazy about that idea, hence the Inline Tube parts. https://i.imgur.com/maoBNV0h.jpg Here's a photo of the back brakes with a drum installed. When installing drum brakes with Mark Williams big axle bearings, the ID of the backing plate has to be enlarged. On the drum side, everything fits without modification. Those are 1/2-inch wheel studs from M-W and yes, they fit under the dog dish hubcaps. https://i.imgur.com/c9JyfOQh.jpg In some previous cars, I built them with aftermarket front brakes. The trouble with most of them is they won't fit a stock steel wheel (at least without mods or spacers). The other disadvantage is service parts. With stock brakes, I can get service parts almost anywhere. So. for this car, I used made-in-USA two piece rotors and a mix of reproduction and replacement parts. One word of caution: I painfully discovered that dust caps and castle nuts from some aftermarket sources (Chinese I'm assuming) don't fit. The dust caps and the castle nuts are simply built wrong. For example, when you install the dust cap, it actually contacts the washer and then pushes the bearing back further onto the spindle. Fortunately I discovered this early on. By the way, the OEM drum brake pieces I had worked perfectly. Once I had the "bugs" worked out, it all functions correctly. Additionally, you can see some of the chassis fasteners in this photo. I mentioned this before but I replaced all of the hardware with phosphate plated pieces. https://i.imgur.com/rQEO14Yh.jpg Out back, I had Wheel Vintiques make up a set of 15X8-inch OE-style wheels with a 5-1/4-inch backspace. They took forever, but they finally finished them. Once in hand, I had them painted to match the car and mounted a set of M&H Racemaster P275-60R15 drag radials. They tuck in nicely under the car: https://i.imgur.com/HAxLmAJh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/bDBeALPh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/CjHn98zh.jpg That's all for now... |
Detail, detail and more detail. I could sit back and just watch this build forever.
Must admit, I can't wait until the first cruise video, it will be a hoot. Paul |
More from the build:
I really don't care for rubber floor mats in cars. Just don't like the look or feel, plus it seems to me they have more of a tendency to trap condensation when compared to carpet (my opinion only!). So I decided to sell the mat from Plain Jane and replace it with carpet. I had to buy two different carpet sets. I had pretty good luck with a previous OER carpet set, so I bought another. Mistake! It fit like crap. And it looked worse. The tunnel area was triple XL. I took it out and replaced it with a set from ACC. The product was great. Ditto with the fit. That duct tape you see on the door sill is to protect the paint while the bench seat is wrestled out and back in: https://i.imgur.com/mZDxD8Kh.jpg Next up, it was time to get working on the engine. Unfortunately, a huge number of the parts I needed were "supply chain issue" back ordered. It took the better part of a year to acquire a Dart cylinder block. What to do? I decided to use a mock up block and fit as many accessory pieces as possible. Turned out to be a really good plan. Here's the mockup block in the car: https://i.imgur.com/MZL0Cjch.jpg You might notice in some of the pix that I used a conventional motor mount on the passenger side. On the driver side, I use a solid mount. This does the same thing as a turn buckle, but without the drama. The solid mount I use is from Moroso (and don't believe their catalog for fit either...I went through a couple of different sets in order to get the right ones): https://i.imgur.com/GxBIMPBh.jpg I installed the heads and an intake on the mockup block. It sure looked like the Weiand intake I had would work. I later found out it didn't quite clear the flat hood, but that's another story. https://i.imgur.com/XuIbh2Lh.jpg Here's another look. I plumbed the mechanical pump (shown here), but that too has changed. https://i.imgur.com/K38Gqtnh.jpg Using a mockup allowed me to check for valve cover to wiper motor clearance. I also used the mockup to figure out which throttle cable to use. Since the Nova was originally a six, it had a cable instead of a lever (that's the six banger cable shown here). Although I do have a complete lever style mechanical throttle assembly it made more sense to use a cable. IIRC, a Chevelle cable worked. https://i.imgur.com/gug9KtHh.jpg This is the oil filler cap I'm using on the cast valve cover. It's a knurled screw-in job sealed with an o-ring. The valve covers are actually for a marine application. https://i.imgur.com/Pj5ALFYh.jpg I don't use a PCV on the engine. Instead, I use two large K&N breathers. These circle track style "socks" are used to soak up any oil that happens to get by the billet baffles in the valve covers: https://i.imgur.com/VfFoVfsh.jpg I test fit the ignition wire divider stands at the same time: https://i.imgur.com/ufHrLrVh.jpg With the mockup engine out of the car, it was time to fit the ignition wires. The valve covers were powder coated black. One change I made later was to reverse the valve covers because the breather on the driver side can interfere with valve cover removal (it hits the wiper motor). FYI, the water pump is an Edelbrock "long" version. https://i.imgur.com/3nCoJwTh.jpg I ended up with custom 2.25-inch primary tube headers from Lemon's Headers. I initially tried a set of Hooker adjustable, but because of the raised exhaust ports in the Brodix BB3 X'tra heads, they just didn't fit. The Lemon's headers were super costly, but they fit nicely. Eventually, I had them Cera-coated semi-flat black (Jane is pretty much allergic to shiny stuff ....L-O-L and the gun finish works great) https://i.imgur.com/5lG0CMFh.jpg Here's the collector and reducer I'm using. I had a v-band clamp setup TIG welded to the slip on reducer. Not shown...when using a slip-on reducer, I always pin it to the collector. Just a wee bit of insurance. By the way, that's a four-inch diameter collector. https://i.imgur.com/Gzk3jPYh.jpg This is a side view of the wires, as I was making them up. The wires consist of Summit Racing race wire (which is actually high end Delphi race wire). The sleeves and shrinks are from MSD. The boots and terminals are Delphi (again Summit branded). https://i.imgur.com/fGfFPCEh.jpg Here's a look at the topside. That's a heavily reworked Delco point triggered distributor, complete with a modified vacuum advance. Down the road I'll show you what's inside. It's crowded up there with the fat wires and sleeves, but it all works: https://i.imgur.com/SkXao87h.jpg I tested each wire after it was stripped and then after it was terminated. Testing them before hand tells you in a heartbeat if you made a secure crimp! https://i.imgur.com/mqE7NUEh.jpg That's all for now...I'll gather more pix in a few days... |
Awesome...and those headers are a work of art!:biggthumpup:
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And they cost almost as much as a small car…L-O-L. Seriously though, the fit is great. In some places, like between the driver side pipes and the motor mount frame stand, there’s room for a sheet of paper. I’ll use Lemons again!
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One of the best and most detailed builds on the site! Kudos Wayne!!
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I'm back L-O-L
The original plan was to build a 540, so a block with a 4.50-inch bore was what I was looking for. I have a lot of friends and connections in the biz (including heavyweights like David Reher), and none of them could come up with or give up a block. I was on the phone almost every day for six months trying to find a block. I was pretty much convinced there was little hope of finding one because of the supply chain issues we were all facing. One day I tried Borrowski Race Engines in Rockdale, Illinois. Much to my surprise, they had one (1!) 4.6-inch bore block available. I asked him to hold it while I called my piston manufacturer of choice (Mahle Motorsports). Mahle told me they had one (1!) set of 4032 alloy, low dome pistons for a 4.6-inch bore block available, so it all fell together. Borrowski has a Rottler machining center setup for blocks, so I asked them to run my block through to my specs. Fed Ex managed to lose the block in transit, but eventually I took delivery. Here's the bare block before final cleaning: https://i.imgur.com/jZm7gjLh.jpg I cleaned it several times (Borrowski also cleans it) and then started the assembly, beginning with prep work like plugs, block drains, dowels, etc. You can see I use rad petcocks on the block drains: https://i.imgur.com/CoYnNr7h.jpg This is my crankshaft of choice: It's a fully counterweighted forged job from Molnar. Tom's a friend and honestly, he does fabulous work. Stroke is 4.250-inches. https://i.imgur.com/su92WC2h.jpg I miked the crank, and it was pretty much dead nuts accurate: https://i.imgur.com/UKEJf31h.jpg Tom Molnar suggested I use bearings from King Bearings (they're out of Israel). Rods and Mains (shown here) are coated. There was another wait because the bearings I needed (standard, standard, narrow rod) were backordered: https://i.imgur.com/CMYcdv0h.jpg Crank is in it here, but as you can see, only the front main and the rear main are in place. I was checking crankshaft end clearance. Look closely and you can see I'm using a billet oil filter adapter, without a by pass. This thing will never see use in cold weather and I don't use super heavy oil, so.... https://i.imgur.com/dcfZqiuh.jpg These are the Mahle Motorsports pistons I'm using. They have a 1.270-inch compression height, a 10-cc mini dome, and they're machined for relatively skinny metric rings (1.5-mm top and second; 3.0-mm oil). The pistons are dry phosphate coated to prevent ring micro-welding and pin galling during initial startup. Mahle includes proprietary Grafal anti-friction coating to the piston skirts: https://i.imgur.com/fHtw8PNh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/eiXb6mhh.jpg Pins are conventional 0.990-inch jobs. Retainers are round wire (which are slightly less painful to assemble than Spirolocks). The pistons are setup so that you can get a little screwdriver in place to work the retainer. https://i.imgur.com/buPOviSh.jpg Rods also came from Tom Molnar. They're 6.385-inches center to center and obviously set up for a floating pin: https://i.imgur.com/7jVCdN1h.jpg Tom designed his own thread configuration for the rod bolts and has ARP build the rod bolts for him: https://i.imgur.com/Clkv6D7h.jpg I file-fit all of the rings by hand to set the end gap for each cylinder. I don't have (and cannot justify) one of the super fancy, super expensive electric ring filing tools out there so I use this tool from Summit Racing. Compared to other hand ring filers, this one works fabulously: https://i.imgur.com/D4OmSCuh.jpg A big part of the process is "sneaking up" on the gap. In other words, file a little bit and check the gap, repeat, repeat, repeat for eight top rings and eight second rings...it takes awhile...L-O-L: https://i.imgur.com/GJweNvLh.jpg During the pre-assembly phase, I don't install the rings on the pistons or the pin retainers. I do that after the engine is balanced. In the pre-assembly phase, I tape the ring lands with a couple of wraps of painter tape to protect the various bits and to keep the pins in place. Nothing new here. Lot's of race engine builders do the same thing: https://i.imgur.com/TxiYrCMh.jpg It was time to degree the camshaft. Here I'm using a piston stop to establish true top dead center: https://i.imgur.com/VkWTSqRh.jpg Here's the timing chain setup I'm using. It's an Australian Rollmaster. As you can see on the crank gear, there are a ton of timing options, and my timing set was pretty old (but not used). It came from the old Crane Cams and instructions weren't plentiful. It took some messing around to get it dialed in. Once the engine was final assembled, I used a roller cam button and cam bolt lock on the nose: https://i.imgur.com/Nxb9X5eh.jpg I'm using a large diameter degree wheel from B&B Performance. My old acquaintance Joe Stef (Stef's Oil Pans) owns B&B. Joe is a member here, and his company products are stellar. By the way, the camshaft is a mechanical roller from Bullet Racing Cams. I've known John Partridge (owner of Bullet) ever since his days at Lunati and me working on NHRA Stockers. The cam has a lift of...a wee bit more than 0.750-inches on both the intake and exhaust and the duration and lobe center are...I'm not telling...L-O-L. Seriously the roller cam is a big pussy cat in this engine. It now idles at 1100 RPM or so in gear https://i.imgur.com/XaJCyfNh.jpg Just a look at the dial indicator as I'm going through the process... https://i.imgur.com/lpUYv3Ih.jpg For the most part I use Mahle gaskets in the engine. The head gaskets are MLS (Multi Layer Steel) configuration. They don't require a hot retorque (which is an absolute pain without a test stand). I like them a lot (a Lot!). The gasket shown is one I had for the 4.50-inch bore 540, and obviously, I couldn't use it here: https://i.imgur.com/6yrCNggh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/KN7S3jRh.jpg At this point, I disassembled everything and took the respective parts in to be balanced. I'll show you more of the build next time around... |
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I've got those "Made For You" spark plug wire looms on my 427. The valve covers always leaked because I couldn't tighten the bolts enough because of the plastic posts. I made new ones from aluminum and no more leaks.
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