68 Nova- LS1 mini-makeover, T56 conversion and season prep

[NOPANTS-68]

Hello all- I've been nusy getting the Nova ready for the coming season. My gang is heading down to Del Mar again and after last year's fiasco (loose converter and a bunch of gear meant 55 mph freeway speeds for 44 miles) I sprung for the T56 swap. My tunnel was already cut for a TKO600 so it was an easy deal for the most part. I'm trying to get it in the 10s this year N/A. Other changes I made:

-ported and milled heads and ARP hardware
-notched the pistons for PTV clearance
-Katech rod bolts
-7.375 pushrods
-LS7 lifters and trays
-Monster stage 3 clutch system
-ATS firewall bracket
-ATS hyd system
-Quicktime scattershield
-Strange Eng. 3rd memeber with 4.33s
-custom shifter assy.

Notching tool installed:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/notcher-1.jpg

In process:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/notches2-1.jpg

cleaned up and ready for heads:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/notches-1.jpg

head porting by PRC- they flowed just over 300cfm at .600
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/portwork-1.jpg

LS7 lifter on the right:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/lifters-1.jpg

scattershield:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/qtscatter-1.jpg

notching the edge-a couple LSX guys recommended I do this as the bleeder hole is pretty tight. I'm sure glad I did. It made getting the tools up in there during the bleeding process much easier:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/notchscat-1.jpg

ATS bracket (super nice people at Speedtech BTW):
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/atsbracket-1.jpg

ATS hyd stuff welded up and ready to install:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Monster stage 3 clutch all set up:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/monster-1.jpg

A buddy at 3Am prepping for install (for no good reason other than killing a case of beer and some Guns and Roses CDs):
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/almostreaddy-1.jpg

In the car with all the gingerbread on it:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/ls1rtsde-1.jpg

I'm so stoked and ready to see what it'll do. The swap should also make the Del Mar trip a blast. Hopefully I don't get into too much trouble at the autocross for the drag radials again. Thanks for looking, Dave

[srh3trinity]

That looks clean. Nice list of upgrades.

[johnny68]

thats a great build looking foward to seeing it at del mar
john

[Steve68]

Looks good Dave!!

I might be following your lead, ditching the BBC and doing a 5.3 with a procharger,

[NOPANTS-68]

thats a great build looking foward to seeing it at del mar
john

Awesome- I'm usually with two Cobra replicas over near the autocross. Look forward to meeting you.


Looks good Dave!!

I might be following your lead, ditching the BBC and doing a 5.3 with a procharger,

Thanks dude- 5.3 procharged is a lethal combo. There's a guy near me with a stock 5.3, Z06 cam, and a home fab'd Vortech YSi kit in a first gen Nova. Last I spoke with him he was updating his cage for the high 9s. lol

[Conrad283]

Sweet ride :)

I have a question:

I see that you're running stock c arms, and in your sig it says QA1's. Are they coilovers? If they are, what did you do to make them work?

[NOPANTS-68]

Sweet ride :)

I have a question:

I see that you're running stock c arms, and in your sig it says QA1's. Are they coilovers? If they are, what did you do to make them work?

I am running stock arms and QA1 coilovers. The spring is shaped like a funnel and slips into the factory upper pocket. The adjuster nut is on the bottom just like any other coilover. This is the summit link :http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HAL-GMP1450-1/Application/?prefilter=1

[slocobra]

Hey Dave! car is looking good. I finally got back on my falcon after three years...lol There is some pics in my project thread, I am sure you will remember the wheels.

[Steve68]

Thanks dude- 5.3 procharged is a lethal combo. There's a guy near me with a stock 5.3, Z06 cam, and a home fab'd Vortech YSi kit in a first gen Nova. Last I spoke with him he was updating his cage for the high 9s. lol[/QUOTE]

thats what I want to do, it will make the car more streetable, well it's streetable but it just feels nose heavy! I like the Z06 cam part but eveybodys recognizing there potental, and getting hard to find,

[NOPANTS-68]

I weighed my car after the conversion to the LS. 3565 with the 468 and TH350- 3220 with the LS1 and the weight is distributed far more equally. I recently bought a blower cam from a guy on LS1tech for $200. I am also going Procharger next year as my crank is already pinned so I'm gathering stiff as I go. Take a peek over there once and awhile. They pop up.

[Steve68]

I was looking at procharger.com tonight, sent you a PM,

[Conrad283]

I am running stock arms and QA1 coilovers. The spring is shaped like a funnel and slips into the factory upper pocket. The adjuster nut is on the bottom just like any other coilover. This is the summit link :http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HAL-GMP1450-1/Application/?prefilter=1

Thanks man. Did you have to use the DSE coilover kit for mounting it up top?

[NOPANTS-68]

Thanks man. Did you have to use the DSE coilover kit for mounting it up top?

Nope- it's designed for the bone stock subframe.

[TheBandit]

I weighed my car after the conversion to the LS. 3220 with the LS1 and the weight is distributed far more equally.

Do you know your corner weights?

[johnny68]

never hooked up with you at del mar but saw you drive by a few time and looked at the car out back very impressive and great sounding good job Dave
john

[NOPANTS-68]

Do you know your corner weights?

No I sure don't. That's something I wish I would have done down at Del Mar since No Limit had them out. I guess my buddy just bought a set for his Late Model racer so I'll throw it up there and post them up.


never hooked up with you at del mar but saw you drive by a few time and looked at the car out back very impressive and great sounding good job Dave
john

Ah man, would have liked to have met you guys. I follow your build thread pretty closely. Wish I had built mine that way instead of overlaping phases. I had a bunch of fun just driving around the fairgrounds with the pipes open. We had an 80 mile round trip each day from the house in San Clemente (my family lives there), drove it to dinner both nights, cruised the fairgrounds, and still averaged 13.6 MPG. I love the LS/T56! lol

[NvrDun71]

Couple T56 questions.... What crossmember did you end up using? Also is Speedtech still selling the modified hydraulics? I didn't see it on there website? Also how extensively is your trans tunnel modified? Did you have to cut the floor brace? Appreciate the help in advance.... just kicking around some ideas at this point

[icemanrd19]

so with the coilovers they have full ride height adjustment and everything just like any other complete coilover kit like dse sells?

[DYNODANNY]

Nice Nova, love how the engine looks in the clean engine compartment. It looks like a regular sbc with the carb and intake.

[NOPANTS-68]

Couple T56 questions.... What crossmember did you end up using? Also is Speedtech still selling the modified hydraulics? I didn't see it on there website? Also how extensively is your trans tunnel modified? Did you have to cut the floor brace? Appreciate the help in advance.... just kicking around some ideas at this point

Sorry, I didn't see your post till now. I ended up having a buddy build me a crossmember that's really similar to the old T56kit one. It has two ears welded on the sides of the subframe and a removeable center. I ordered all of the moded hydraulics from ATS, but they were backordered on the lines. When I called, they were cool enough to sell me the bracket, all of the instructions to modify the stuff, and a place I could buy them for a smoking deal. My tunnel was already modified for a TKO-600 by me some years back. It was the typical slices down the sides, and a new center section. It looks really similar to the Hurst kit they sell. I did cut the floor brace and boxed in what was left.



Nice Nova, love how the engine looks in the clean engine compartment. It looks like a regular sbc with the carb and intake.

Thanks man. It definately gets people talking after they take a second look.

[NOPANTS-68]

Well, first track outing with the T56 was interesting. I didn't know how much grip the track had so I tried a small burnout and staged. I softly let the clutch out at 2500 RPM, the tires dead hooked, it rolled out 10 feet and nearly shut the engine off. I managed to keep it running, threw it back into gear and ran out a 13.0 @ 118. After another short burnout to clean up the tires I staged again. This time I dumped the clutch at 4500 and the car didn't move. It made a hell of a racket out back and rolled a foot. Turns out the bearing support in my stock 9 inch case snapped off sending the pinion walking up the ring gear and ripped the housing apart. After disassembly, I found a broken case, chipped ring gear, bent splines on the axles (Currie 31 spline) , and all of the studs bent (Strange 1/2-20s). The housing, locker, and yoke were all fine.

So...I ordered all new Moser 35 spline axles, new locker, Strange Pro-G case, new 4.33s, 5/8 studs, and billet pinion support. It might be overkill, but I also braced the hell out of the housing yesterday so it'll be ready for the next bullet I put in the engine bay. Lesson learned- stock 9 inch Ford third members don't like big launches on big drag radials. Pics:

Calm before the carnage
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/05/novatrack-1.jpg

broken case
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/05/splitcase1-1.jpg

new vs old
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/05/strangevsstock-1.jpg

braced rear ready for hell
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/05/bracedrear-1.jpg

Should be back on the road next week.

[PSV]

Sorry to hear about the carnage, but nice upgrades. I love this car, wish it were in my garage.

[NOPANTS-68]

Thanks Paul, I appreciate that. After talking with Strange, this appears to be pretty common for stock cases. The addition of the T56 doesn't allow for any cushion on launch like an auto so the shockwaves sought out the weak link. I'm gonna try 25 psi in the tires next time instead of 15, do a short "clean off" burnout and let them spin at launch. This should keep the wheel speed up and save the T56 from damage. Again, thanks for the kind words.

[PSV]

That all makes sense. What is your et goal? Are high tens in the car? I'm looking at some cars now to build something similar now that the camaro is sold. Good luck with new parts!

[NOPANTS-68]

That all makes sense. What is your et goal? Are high tens in the car? I'm looking at some cars now to build something similar now that the camaro is sold. Good luck with new parts!

My goal is 10.80s N/A but it's a stretch. The butt dyno tells me its about right but the 60 foot is the trick. This clutch doesn't like to be slipped (6 puck carbon/ceramic) so it's kinda touchy. I think the car makes 450 to the wheels or so, so it might be a tall order. If ran 11.6 at 124 last year with the auto, 3.73s, stock heads, and more weight so who knows. My buddies think I'm nuts for putting in the 6 speed, but the car is so much more useful. I drive it all the time now whereas I rarely cruised it with the auto. I wanna wrap it up this season- I have my eyes on another car to build this winter.