project Ruth (budget build) 72 nova

[brownz]

I picked this car up late last year for $850 and have been collecting parts for it since. My goal is to have a car to drive around town and still handle some corners and STOP! The car will still have the stock 307 for now but I can't say it won't see a auto cross if it holds together. This is a budget build so the body will stay the same as will the interior minus some racing seats when I find some cheap enough. I have tried to get parts so when I do take the car completely apart I will not have to re buy some of the larger items

The reason for the project name Ruth is that is my grandmas name. Right after I bought the car I picked her up in it and she said " oh you brought this" I said yes is that okay? She said " I guess if you don't care what anyone thinks of you driving this I guess I don't " this coming from a 89 year old women make me laugh. So the name Ruth fits for me.

The parts list
Rebuilt stock upper and lower arms
Hotchkis front and rear springs
Ride Tech tru turn with spindles
Close ratio gear box
Bigger front away bar
GW solid body mounts
DSE mini tubs, offset shackles and leaf pads
Home made shock relocation I hope
BD racing fuel cell. Cheapest route
C-5 zo6 front calipers and kore3 adapter brackets and stainless lines
LS1 rear brakes
ARP wheel studs
Vintage wheel works V-40's.
18x9.5 front
18x11 rear
BFG kdw2 tires 255 front ( I already had these
295 rear. Got a good deal used
The car will have a stock width rear

I got the car taken apart this weekend so I will start the mini tubs next week and try to get this back on the road so I can take my dog Chevy to the dog park in it.

[brownz]

The day I picked it up

[72BBSwinger]

Cool build substance. Call it "Cheap Tour"....

[srh3trinity]

I like how your grandmother called you out. Should be a fun build. I am the pontiac version of you. Building a second gen Firebird and want to build a budget or all out Ventura next.

[craigs73]

awesome......nice score on the car.....850 for that....very nice..should be a fun ride when done

[precisionshootist]

Good Luck with your build. I look forward to seeing your progress..i think i speak for plenty of us when i say that it is inspiring seeing more "budget builds" on here. I am going a similar route with my running project. Thanks for the motivation!!

[eversmann79]

i tend to call my budget build "poor touring" lol

[Hotwhilz]

Hey Brownz, I do get the many questions you asked me in the past on my build, mine still not finished but the body work is all done, got to put it back together and stop modifying things as I rebuild, they are fun to ride and handle quite well!

Good luck with the build and Do NOT throw those hubs away! If you do drop me a pM.

SUSCRIBED!

[brownz]

I like how your grandmother called you out. Should be a fun build. I am the pontiac version of you. Building a second gen Firebird and want to build a budget or all out Ventura next.

Its like we are step brothers lol

Good Luck with your build. I look forward to seeing your progress..i think i speak for plenty of us when i say that it is inspiring seeing more "budget builds" on here. I am going a similar route with my running project. Thanks for the motivation!!

I could use some motivation also. do you have a build thread? I have always liked budget builds. I have kinda had fun hunting down second hand parts for this one. some of the parts I could not get second hand ie tru-turn, wheels due to custom specs...

Hey Brownz, I do get the many questions you asked me in the past on my build, mine still not finished but the body work is all done, got to put it back together and stop modifying things as I rebuild, they are fun to ride and handle quite well!

Good luck with the build and Do NOT throw those hubs away! If you do drop me a pM.

SUSCRIBED!

Thanks. I will be using the front hubs. Just got rid of the junk. I have always liked your build. The pic of it in bare steel is bad a$$. I know the feeling about changing things before they are done thats all I do to my camaro. But on this one its nice and simple and I already have all the parts sitting ready to be installed so it "should" go quicker. lol When I took my camaro apart I was 18 and didnt get it on the road until last summer age 27. so I hope to get this back on the road in a couple months

[SparkyRnD]

awesome build! And darn cool that you got it for so cheap

[CruizinKev]

looks good so far!

[brownz]

The mini tub started I hope to have the first tub done this weekend. This is a little more involved then my Camaro but not bad so far

[Motown 454]

Nice project, and a great score.

[Jimmypetersfit]

Looks like things are coming along nicely. What part of Ohio are you in?

[brownz]

about 30 min north of cincinnati

[rchaskin]

First off, I want to say I love your Camaro build, and I am really in to Novas.
Second, I do not want to bash anything or detract from your build. I am SUPER interested in this.

The thing is, I just cannot see a 18x9.5 working in the front of a Nova, with the tire up in the fender well, and with a stock subframe.

I have a 17x8 with a 5.25" BS, and BFG KDW tires, 245/45/17. My frame is about 4-1/2" off the ground, so it is very low.

The tire just rubs on the frame at full lock.
I have about 3/4" clearance between the tire and the inner fender at ride height.
This is with about 1.5 degree negative camber, and the G-Mod.

I just dont think you can pull it off in a Nova.

Geoff Potter (geoffp) has this setup on a 68 Camaro and he has a 18x9 and a 275 tire, but it is under the fender lip with a round fender opening. It looks and works great.

What BS is your wheel? Have you mocked this up yet?
Will this car be low ride height?

Again, not trying to offend or make anyone mad, but very interested in this.
If it does work, I will probably do it as well.

Thanks.
Randy

[csouth]

Very nice foundation for a project. I'd love to find one of these for my girlfriend...

[Bad94]

Check my build thread. I have 18x9.5 with a 275.

[rchaskin]

Check my build thread. I have 18x9.5 with a 275.

Wow....I stand corrected. I dont know how I missed that.
It sure is close to the fender. Did you say you did not mod the inner fender at all?

BrownZ, what BS did you end up with on all of your wheels?

Thanks
Randy

[brownz]

Wow....I stand corrected. I dont know how I missed that.
It sure is close to the fender. Did you say you did not mod the inner fender at all?

BrownZ, what BS did you end up with on all of your wheels?

Thanks
Randy

Randy,

No worries about offending me LOL.

I have the Ride Tech tru turn system with the spindles. With this it allows you to run up to a 10in wheel and a 275 tire with some slight inner fender mods. I have not mocked mine up yet but if I do need to cut up a few thing who cares haha. I will be running a 255 tire for now as I already had them. I see that you took a look at Dans (bad94) nova build. That thing is sick!

He has a 275 tire with a 9.5 wheel. I will not say his specs as i dont want to get them wrong but on mine I went with a 18*9.5 with a 5.75bs. This is what ride tech runs on the 48 hour camaro and also on the new goodguys camaro build. I would rather have issues with the inside of the fender well then the out side. But in order to have the correct clearance you should run the ride tech front sway bar. If you look at the 48 hour camaro thread they have pics of the car on the lift and you and see why this is needed. I will be running a big solid front sway bar that I got from Dan and I will have a rubbing issue but only until I get a ride tech bar. Just going to weld up some steering stops for now.

You will also have to keep in mind on my car I have 2in drop springs with 2in spindle drop. This will not work!. Another memeber is also dealing with this and I hope he figures it out before Im ready to put the front endn together LOL. Also I will be running stock control arms and I know the lower will be okay but not sure about the upper at this time. I think it has been done but we will see.

All in all its a trial and error I guess. In the next couple weeks I hope to move onto the front of the car. I just finished up one mini tub yesterday and will be starting the second tomorrow. So maybe I will have some more solid info for you.