'72 Nova project

[wickedred]

Re you keeping the Truck intake or are you planning to swap it for a LS6 intake?

[mikem]

I am keeping the truck intake. They have longer runners and a couple comparisons have been done that put them within a couple horsepower of a stock LS6 and higher than the stock LS1.

With the Autokraft mounts, it will fit under the stock hood. It also allows me to run the stock LQ4 waterpump and save the extra cost of replacing both the intake and the waterpump.

[mikem]

I did a test fit with the motor and new headers last night.

I went with the Edelbrock LS conversion headers. So far I am impressed. They came with all the mounting hardware, have nice heavy flanges and tubes and they fit the car. I am not using Edelbrock's mounting brackets so I wasn't sure they would clear but they did. They gave over 1/2" of clearance around the steering box. They hang down slightly lower than the subframe but nowhere near what my SBC headers hung down. They only hang a little bit lower than the oil pan and the bellhousing.

My only disappointment with them is the O2 bungs did not come attached. I now have to take them and have a hole cut in the coating to weld the bungs on. It would be nice if Edelbrock offered them with or without from the factory.

Here are some pics

[Kenova]

.... I have to add some spacers to move my steering arms away from the sidewall.

How much back spacing do you have on your front wheels? They are 17" x 8" , right?

Ken

[mikem]

They are 17X8 with 4.5" of backspacing. That is the only backspacing offered in the 17X8 Soft 8s.

[98ssnova]

What about running a 235 front tire might give some better clearence? or swith your steering arms I htink they make three diffrent lenghts for x-bodys

[ssmike]

Great work. I have a 72 also and want to start a PT build......Can you give me a $$$ estimate for your suspension, rear end, brakes, etc investment?

[mikem]

It has been a while since I posted but here are some updates.

The LQ4 is in with a hydraulic throwout bearing from Mcleod. The clutch master and adaptor block are from Keisler. The brakes are done just waiting for someone to help me bleed them... hopefully tomorrow.

The motor is in I and I am pretty much down to hooking up the wiring and sorting out the power steering reservoir/lines and the fuel system. I have the Walbro pump and Corvette FPR so it is a matter of some connections and running the lines.

The ride height is exactly what I wanted. The car is still in the garage so I can't get a good side shot yet but hopefully next week.

Not too much time before the Power Tour but I am hoping it will still get done.

Here are some pics.

Clutch master


Finished dash


3/4 angle


Fans


Alt/Power steering bracket

[vince72]

great job man.
love that gn in the background
vince

[BLWN1]

Nice ass car, why the wheel choice? I have a stock ls1 intake with TB, rails and inj, if you change your mind.

[NvrDun71]

Lookin Good Man, what radiator and fan setup did you go with? Looks like it fits well

[Motown 454]

The dash looks great . Those headers fit good too. Nice work

[mikem]

I went with the Soft 8's because I had to cut costs somewhere. They give it a mean look but were only like $65 a wheel. I would love a nice set of billet wheels but these were quick and easy to throw on until I recover from all the LS conversion costs.

I am going to stick with the truck intake for now. Some think it is ugly but I kind of like the look. It will get replaced when I upgrade the heads, cam and need a bigger throttle body but that is at least a year off.

The radiator is a Be Cool that was in with my SBC. I bought it about 10 years ago as a factory replacement. The fans are sold as Be Cool fans but were about 1.5" too wide. I had to notch the corners around the inlet and outlets on the radiator. I also had to trim the edges to get it to sit flat on the tanks. It worked out great. Now I just have to run the wiring and relays to power the set-up.

[Draginutz]

looks like a mean nova. Sorry about your engine troubles but I bet when all is said and done you will like the LS motor. BTW I dig the soft 8s.

[mikem]

Here are some photos I grabbed today. We got the brakes bled today and I hope to get the clutch done this week.

I will be sorting out the fan relays and the alternator and hopefully can get it started before next weekend.

Photos.. first time it has been outside in a long time.

[mikem]

Quick update on the Nova.... it is in pieces. The day after the last photos were taken I attempted to put the tranny crossmember in. It would not fit between the floor and the frame..... I knew 1/2 height body bushings can cause problems but this was unexpected. So there I was laying on my back wondering where I went wrong and it hit me like a hammer. The genius that installed my HTH rear suspension f'ed up. The rear portion of the front subframe had both portions of the body bushing under the frame. Thats right there was no body bushing on the rear of the frame (the front sets of bushings were in however)!!


Here is a picture


I know you are thinking. "How did he not see this immediately?" When I took the car to the shop the crossmember was in with the bearings in the correct spot. I never even looked at this because I didn't know how someone would mess it up when it came to them assembled.

The cross member wouldn't fit because the frame was tight to the floor. I figured out how to modify the crossmember but decided before changing anything I should figure out what else wouldn't work. I put the drive shaft in and wouldn't you know it, it didn't work either. With the tranny on a jack and pushed up to the floor the drive shaft had 1/8" clearance between the side and the crossmember.

I was upset to say the least. I found a different person to fix the work, still in an effort to get the car going this summer. The crossmember was cut out, the bushings installed correctly and the crossmember welded back in.

So the car is back in the garage and while discouraged I pushed forward. I filled the rear with fluid on Saturday.... it started pouring out the passenger side. I started doing research. The ******* doing the original work talked me into c-clip eliminators. The problem is he did not tell me these don't work for crap on cars doing anything besides straight line. Strange makes a circle track Temkin style bearing but this is not what he used. I spoke at length when I first took the car there about the intended use being ROAD RACE and not 1/4 mile. When he talked about c-clip eliminator I asked if the Wilwood brake kit would work and he said "It won't be a problem."

I am now trying to figure out a fix that does not include replacing the entire axle housing. Strange says the Temkin style c-clip eliminator will bolt up the my axle housing with there axles. The problem with that is Wilwood says the brake kit I have will not work....

So as of now I am draining the axle (so I don't have everything covered in 80-90 weight) and doing more research.

To anyone in the Madison area stay away from MOEN FABRICATIONS at all costs. In the last 6 months (all after my car was there) they have had more than $14,000 in judgements awarded against them. I have had nothing but issues since taking my car there. They attempted repeatedly to "reengineer" every product given to them and nothing was done in a timely fashion. At first I thought it was taking forever because they were insuring everything was perfect. Now I know it was because they had no clue what they were doing.

I sought them out originally because I don't weld and have never set up a rearend. Now I am a year behind the original timeline and having to basically learn everything I was trying to bypass in the beginning.

[1badchevelle]

have you considered using a ls2 intake and porting it? THey sellover at ls1tech for $175-300 and are supposed to be a 5-15 hp gain over a stock fast 90

[Motown 454]

mikem I'm sorry to hear about your problem with the work they did for you . It sucks when you count on smeone for their talents and this happens . Good luck with the fix I hope it works out for you.
Wayne

[novanutcase]

Blows to hear that but just keep pressing forward. The moment you fire it up it'll all be worth it!!!

John

[Steve68]

Sit back take a breather, then start again, you should see my mess,