1969 Chevy Nova - LS Swap / Pro-Touring Build

[1fastssnova]

Well, I'm finally going to commit to a build thread here on the forum. At this time, the car is actually finished (for now), but I didn't have much extra time (with 3 kids) while working on it to upload pics and post the daily progress on here.

This is what she started out as back in 1997 when I purchased her from a guy in Elmont, NY:






She had a 396 bbc, 4-speed M21, and 9" rear. Body and interior were very clean - all for $5,500. It's not an original big block car, but I think it may have been a small block SS. I don't have any paperwork to go off of, only the VIN and cowl tag.

The M21 didn't last very long, as blew it apart on the street one night, trying to practice lauching it with slicks. In went a Turbo 400 with a trans-brake for the drag strip (I know... shame on me for ditching the stick).



Then she got an 8 point cage, a fuel system and 468 bbc, after I sold the 396 to a buddy for his Chevelle. I also picked up a set of Weld Draglites, ditched the Centerlines and added a 4" cowl hood.

I ran her like this for many years, focusing mainly on a street/strip setup and going out to the dragstrip in West Hampton, L.I.

2004:




In 2006, I installed a TKO600. I really missed the car as a stick. The overdrive was something I really wanted also. Now, I actually drove her a lot, the Pro-Touring scene was getting more popular and I was hooked.

Here's a quick list of what's in her now:

LQ4 with LS3 heads and intake
Intercooled Procharger P1-SC
Holley HP EFI
Kooks Stainless Headers with full 3" Stainless Exhaust
Lee 12:1 680 Steering Box
SPC Upper and Lowers with Varishocks
Chassisworks G-Link with Varishocks
CPP Big Brake Kit
Tremec TKO 600 (upgraded with Liberty Trans Kit)
Quicktime Bellhousing and McLeod RXT Clutch
Hydroboost brakes and American Powertrain Hydraulic Clutch setup.
C6 Z06 18" Wheels (18x8.5 and 18x10.5)
DSE Mini-Tub
Aeromotive 20 gallon Stealth Tank
Arizen VR1 Seats and Corbeau Retractable Harnesses
3rd Gen Camaro Console
Custom Dash with Autometer Sport Comp Gauges
American Autowire Harness

I'm going to try and post every couple of days with pics of the build as it progressed to get her to this point:



Take care - Frank

[rchaskin]

[130fe]

Nice car, do you have any more side shots of it? Curious about the wheels. Did you have to run spacers?

[1fastssnova]

Nice car, do you have any more side shots of it? Curious about the wheels. Did you have to run spacers?

I did run spacers. Got them from Motorsport Tech (http://www.motorsport-tech.com/). They are hub centric and lug centric - locks into 70.3mm hub of the rim. I have extra long studs both front and rear so I didn't need an adapter style spacer.



Here's a side shot. I have 305/35 18's on the back (could have went bigger, def 315 maybe 335) and 275/30 18's up front.



The wheels are these: http://www.oewheelsllc.com/Wheels_3/...3#.Ut1ad7Ao6po

[TonyHuntimer]

Well, I'm finally going to commit to a build thread here on the forum. At this time, the car is actually finished (for now), but I didn't have much extra time (with 3 kids) while working on it to upload pics and post the daily progress on here.





Take care - Frank

Frank,

Nice start and finish! It will be nice to see the transition.

Tony Huntimer
TestCarDatabase

[1fastssnova]

Here's some pictures from over the years as things progressed....

Winter of 05/06, Keisler TKO 600 kit is installed in my original, drafty, dark, cold 1 1/2 car garage...

[1fastssnova]

Then in spring of 06, I sold off the Draglites for some 17" Torque Thrust knock-offs. 17x8 with 4.5" backspace all around...

[Zoomin]

Very cool project!

Did you hear about Keisler filing Chapter 7 BK last week?
What oil pan did you use?

[LSXZ28]

Looks great with the Torque Thrusts! Sweet car!

[Ben@SpeedTech]

Super clean and good looking Nova Frank! I'm doing a Nova too, just wondering how thick your spacers were front/rear?

Thanks!

[1fastssnova]

I have heard about Keisler going under. But, are they filing to just reopen under "new management" or will they disappear completely?

When I did the install back in 2005, it was really them or Classic Chevy 5-Speed (now Hurst Driveline). Now it seems like there is so much support for the install of the TKO or Magnum that you could piece the whole thing together from different sources.

[1fastssnova]

Ben@SpeedTech, I used 1 1/8" spacers in the front and 3/4" spacers in the rear. The rear axle is a Currie with a factory width (I think - I'd have to measure to be sure)

The rear wheels have 8" of backspace (10.5 width) and the fronts are 6.5" backspace (8.5 width). I did make steering stops to limit the last 1/2" of steering so the 275's would not rub the fenders. I know you're not supposed to put a 275 tire on an 8.5 rim, but I tried it anyway figuring the 1/4" per side wasn't a big deal.

[1fastssnova]

Zoomin, I used the LS2/LS3 oil pan. I had to be modified slightly to clear the steering centerlink. Here's the thread the has pics of it and more info:

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...-Nova-Subframe

[Zoomin]

I have heard about Keisler going under. But, are they filing to just reopen under "new management" or will they disappear completely?

When I did the install back in 2005, it was really them or Classic Chevy 5-Speed (now Hurst Driveline). Now it seems like there is so much support for the install of the TKO or Magnum that you could piece the whole thing together from different sources.

Frank, it appears he's doing a complete liquidation. If you go to his Facebook page there's a posting by the trustee about selling his patents. There's another post by Shafi explaining the whole ordeal. Pretty bizarre.

[1fastssnova]

In 2009, I finally was able to build a bigger 2 car garage with a lift. It was a turning point for me to really enjoy this hobby, and work like a gentleman - standing upright under the car!


(That's my buddy's Monte SS we had over for some work)

Soon after the garage was finished, I did front and rear CPP Big Brakes.


Original 11" front discs with upgraded rotors



CPP 13" Front Brakes




CPP 12" Rear Brakes

[Razorhead]

Nice build!
I have a Nova myself.
Does your car has also a rear axle that is a bit off center to the right or did you do something about it ?

[1fastssnova]

Nice build!
I have a Nova myself.
Does your car has also a rear axle that is a bit off center to the right or did you do something about it ?

Funny you should mention that. When I had the leaf springs in the car and drag raced her at the track I had to use an 1/8" spacer on the driver side so the slick wouldn't rub on the inner fender. So yes I guess the rear was slightly off to the passenger side. Once I had the g-link installed the rear was centered side to side.

[Ben@SpeedTech]

Thanks for the info Frank. Man I'm going nuts anticipating the photos of the new engine! ;) Everything looks great to this point!

What kind of times wee you turning? Have you run the new motor at the strip?

[1fastssnova]

Thanks for the info Frank. Man I'm going nuts anticipating the photos of the new engine! ;) Everything looks great to this point!

What kind of times wee you turning? Have you run the new motor at the strip?

Thanks Ben. Believe it or not I haven't been to the drag strip since probably 2002. At that time the 468 BBC had 12:1 compression a solid flat tappet cam and a NOS Cheater kit on it. Running off a trans-brake in a Turbo 400, the Nova went 10.31@127mph with a 175 shot. That was on 10x28 slicks weighing 3560lbs with out me in it.

Since then the only racing I've done was the autocross at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. That was before the LS swap and the 468 BBC had been freshened up to run on pump gas with a Procharger. That was backed by the TKO 600 and the 9" rear with 3.89 gears.

[1fastssnova]

So as I was telling Ben, I put a Procharger on the 468 in the winter of '09/'10. I scored the head-unit on Ebay for $1,000, the BOV and carb bonnet for $175, and then pieced the rest together. I ran a Quick Fuel 750 Blow-Thru carb, and used an MSD Boost Retard to control the timing. I also used a methanol injection kit since I wasn't running an intercooler.

Here's some of the pics from that installation:


Boost Referenced Aeromotive Universal regulator


Methanol Pump mounted on the driver fender-well below original washer reservoir.




Procharger P1-SC mounted up





Air intake piping installed



I realize the P1-SC is more suited for a small block and less cubic inches, but I wasn't looking for a lot of boost seeing as the engine was 9.5:1 compression with steel heads.

With about 6lbs of boost, I dynoed the car at 560 rwhp.