Hotchkis????

[73novaguy]

Hey guys, just wondering who has installed a Hotckis TVS kit in there 1st gen or Nova? What kind of performance am I to expect from, this kit? Does it truley make a real world difference in handling? I am not looking for a race car handling, more or less just something to take some ole country highways and carve some corners! The way it is, I have 17 inch Boyd (finding it hard to swallow) Smoothie ll's on the way and was planning on ordering the Hotchkis TVS from Summit. But does anyone have any better advice? I am not a huge fabricator, so doing all of these home remedies myself is kind of on a limit here, so was looking with something simple, pretty much bolt on and cost freindly (Aren't we all)
Also not to get off the topic of Suspension, but if I do order this Hotchkis kit, do I want to go with the big block application or small block? The engine is a 502 big block but with aluminum heads, intake, water pump, radiator. Thanks guys!

[ilovefirstgens]

Ive got the tvs on my '68 and it made all the difference in the world, its not a race car by any means, however if you haven't done it already go to rebuilding the suspension with stiffer bushings and subframe connectors, and If you have the time the g-mod but thats going to be real tough without taking the subframe out of the car.

[MrQuick]

The TVS kit is great, We did a 72 small block Nova and it sat nice and handled very well. As stated before do the Guld mod it works well with the TVS. We did remove the rear sway bay cause it induced oversteer...bad! We also mini tubbed the rear to accept 275's. You could go with 295's on 17's or 18's but this car was running 15" rims and would rub badly due to side wall flex. Car is very stable all the way to 120mph. no need to go faster.

[73novaguy]

Thanks guys!
The stance on that 72 looks darn good, now just needs those 17's or 18's. Would going with a new UCA have some of the same effect of doing the G Mod? I was looking into the Hiedts UCAs. I know with new UCA's that you don't change anything with the mounting location so it prolly isn't near as helpful as going with the Gulstrand Mod. Thanks for the replies guys!

[MrQuick]

From what I understand is that aftermarket UCA's just add caster to the mix, its built in. On a stock car getting max caster will put you in a dangerous situation cause you shim pack will be so thick that there would not be alot more room on your UCA stud.
The guldstrand mod just increases caster gain in a turn...there nothing out there that says you can't do both, just get your alignment numbers right and you should be ok.
The other nice thing about tubulars besides strenth over stock is better UCA mount clearence when doing the drill and drop style GSM. If you where using stock arms they would sometimes hav to be trimmed to clear the mount.
Its funny I had pictures of that car with 17" ralley, but could not find them...he didn't like the 17" look.

[bobhamilton15090]

would using lighter UCA's (such as global west) with the tvs kit cause the front end to sit slightly higher?
and i have read that when using UCA's that chage caster the GSM is not needed
do you know differently?

[MrQuick]

Just using a tubular aarm wont raise the car, its almost the same if not heavier than a stock part. We'er only talking 2lbs??
Do GSM along with the UCA. The GSM increases camber gain when the suspension is compressed under during a hard turn.The tube UCA gives you additional caster because its built in...did we ever find out if camber gain was also achieved? Do I know better? hell no, I go by my a$$-o-meter, works for me.

[zbugger]

....I go by my a$$-o-meter, works for me.

I think you need that recalibrated. But I'm not gonna do it.