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Hey everyone, I am new to the site and haven't had a Nova in a very long time! I had a 76 bright green Nova hatchback in high school and then a red beat up 69 Nova after high school but that has been 20 years and I missed it so I had to get another. In the last few years I bought a 65 Chevelle all original but not perfect that I traded for a 67 short wide that was nicer but it still wasn't fulfilling that need I had to relive my youth
So I sold the daily driver Camry and went on the hunt and found this 71. Story behind it is that the original owner drove it until he parked it in his barn and stacked storage around it. He eventually put the word out that he wanted to get rid of it and sold it to the guy I bought it from. He was going to use it for parts for his wifes car but found it was too clean to part so he washed it and drove it a couple times a year for the next few years. His circumstances changed so I picked it up a few weeks ago and drove it home 2 hrs which was scary but it did great!
I started a youtube channel a little while ago for my projects so here is the video on the day I brought it home:
Here is a fun size comparison driving next to a modern car. I used to think these cars were way bigger than they actually are but they are fairly small.. mainly wide
So I am a little late to the LS game but I have always wanted an old muscle car with an updated motor for reliability and power. I lightly read about these motors but didn't really know the differences. I just figured I would do the swap eventually. So as I was purchasing my older teenage son a cheap car for school I noticed a broken down chevy truck in the driveway and the guy said it had a broken trans and transfer case so I halfheartedly said I would buy the motor. He asked if I was serious and I said sure.. does it run? He fired it right up and it ran but was dirty. It sat there and idled good for a while so I said let me know and we left.He texted me later and we made a deal which included him pulling and delivering the motor.
It wasn't till the day before getting the motor that I was on this site reading trying to find out more about the motor that I discovered a few things. The truck was a 2000 Chevy 2500 which means that its a LQ4 6.0. So I started researching that and got really excited the more I read about it then I found out that this early year doesn't have aluminum heads and that the crankshaft is longer which isnt really bad but limits my use to older style transmissions unless I start modifying input shafts (T56),
So now I got this motor with very little to invest right now. But... I want to prepare and start getting things ready that don't cost much. My main goal is to keep the down time of the car to a minimum. Every phase I need to keep this car moving otherwise it will sit and I will get bored or overwhelmed and abandon and I don't want to do that. So plans are to keep it super simple and upgrade as I go.
Man, that is a nice car, and code 43 Lime Green too! Same color as mine, not very common, is it original paint? You're lucky, now days there is a lot of aftermarket help in installing an LS into these cars. I would look into the Holley set up for mounts, oil pan and headers. With that, you can have the engine set in in a weekend, if not a day, so your down time will be at a minimum. Keep us updated, I'll definitely be following this build!
Man, that is a nice car, and code 43 Lime Green too! Same color as mine, not very common, is it original paint? You're lucky, now days there is a lot of aftermarket help in installing an LS into these cars. I would look into the Holley set up for mounts, oil pan and headers. With that, you can have the engine set in in a weekend, if not a day, so your down time will be at a minimum. Keep us updated, I'll definitely be following this build!
The previous owner said it was repainted original color once before but that must have been a long time ago. I was on JEGS website last night making a wish list of parts to get this motor in and it was really overwhelming adding things up! But I think I will do bare minimum at first... Holley pan (302-3 - in case I get crazy and want turbo years from now), mounts from ebay are about $30.. and maybe swap headers unless I can use stock 6.0 cast manifolds to start with.
I didn't see a link to your build in your signature.. can you post one here?
The previous owner said it was repainted original color once before but that must have been a long time ago. I was on JEGS website last night making a wish list of parts to get this motor in and it was really overwhelming adding things up! But I think I will do bare minimum at first... Holley pan (302-3 - in case I get crazy and want turbo years from now), mounts from ebay are about $30.. and maybe swap headers unless I can use stock 6.0 cast manifolds to start with.
I didn't see a link to your build in your signature.. can you post one here?
Check out the Dirty dingo sliders mounts... I know they cost more, but they might save you from modifying driveshaft! We have a good sized group on facebook called LSX Novas by the way!
Why be afraid to mod a driveshaft? It is easier than many of the other things involved in a swap. I'd rather mod a driveshaft than put up with other compromises resulting from the engine too far forward or back from its optimum location.
There is no optimal location for the engine in these old cars unless you can get it farther back.
Go with sliders, wish I would have with my nova....would have also given more options when gaining clearance on the steering box to headers or the oil pan to steering linkage. just nice to have the option to prevent headaches or not have to spend $$$ on chopping a drive shaft 1" shorter or making a new one that needs to be 1" longer.
This may be related, but I was thinking about bolting to the powerglide for now. I know its not optimal but I am thinking if I baby it till I get a different trans it may be ok? This way I could pretty much leave everything from the trans back the same... what do you think? Again my goal is to get stuff going while keeping it moving under its own power. Even if that means only being able to drive it in and out of the garage and around the block maybe..
Why be afraid to mod a driveshaft? It is easier than many of the other things involved in a swap. I'd rather mod a driveshaft than put up with other compromises resulting from the engine too far forward or back from its optimum location.
Cost for modification, re-balance, and my time to get the measurements right ... by the time you consider that, you might as well spend alittle more and have a new driveshaft made....
This may be related, but I was thinking about bolting to the powerglide for now. I know its not optimal but I am thinking if I baby it till I get a different trans it may be ok? This way I could pretty much leave everything from the trans back the same... what do you think? Again my goal is to get stuff going while keeping it moving under its own power. Even if that means only being able to drive it in and out of the garage and around the block maybe..
I know a few folks running glide's behind turbo ls's in Nova's.... they do fine. You will want to look into the right converter and flexplate combo.
I know a few folks running glide's behind turbo ls's in Nova's.... they do fine. You will want to look into the right converter and flexplate combo.
I only get worried about the powerglide because mine is stock. Most who intentionally run them have them beefed up. I don't want to sink any money into this trans as I only look at is as temporary. From what I have read the 6.0 doesn't need any spacer and that I can elongate the holes on flexplate to match torque converter pattern. This sounds like a good temp setup to get me by for a while.
Early 71, early LQ4! Love it - those tails look so much better than the late-71/72. And does anyone else wish they'd have kept their original steering wheel and instrument panel?
Early 71, early LQ4! Love it - those tails look so much better than the late-71/72. And does anyone else wish they'd have kept their original steering wheel and instrument panel?
The previous owner said it was repainted original color once before but that must have been a long time ago. I was on JEGS website last night making a wish list of parts to get this motor in and it was really overwhelming adding things up! But I think I will do bare minimum at first... Holley pan (302-3 - in case I get crazy and want turbo years from now), mounts from ebay are about $30.. and maybe swap headers unless I can use stock 6.0 cast manifolds to start with.
I didn't see a link to your build in your signature.. can you post one here?
I don't have a build thread on it because it was done over 17 years ago, a little before forums were around and all I have are actual photographs in an album. Man, that makes me sound old! There are pics of it in the HotRod feature in my sig, I fixed the link so it should work now.
Originally Posted by hookemdevils22
Early 71, early LQ4! Love it - those tails look so much better than the late-71/72. And does anyone else wish they'd have kept their original steering wheel and instrument panel?
I much prefer the '70 tail lights to the later ones, not sure why the earlier '71's had them though. Probably just using up left over stock I guess. My car was built in August of '70 I think and it also has the clear ('70) front turn signals too, but I notice that the OP's has the amber ones. Billy, do you know when your car was built?
Oh, and no way I would give up the original dash or steering wheel!
If you're getting the Holley pan, why no use the Holley mounts and crossmember as well? Seems logical to do that.
I did my 70 GTO back in 2008 and all that was available were "generic" adapter plates and using old SBC engine mounts. They work, but it is far from optimal.
I don't have a build thread on it because it was done over 17 years ago, a little before forums were around and all I have are actual photographs in an album. Man, that makes me sound old! There are pics of it in the HotRod feature in my sig, I fixed the link so it should work now.
I much prefer the '70 tail lights to the later ones, not sure why the earlier '71's had them though. Probably just using up left over stock I guess. My car was built in August of '70 I think and it also has the clear ('70) front turn signals too, but I notice that the OP's has the amber ones. Billy, do you know when your car was built?
Oh, and no way I would give up the original dash or steering wheel!
Your car is loaded! You got all the cool factory options! Mine is bare bones ghetto compared
I can take a pic of the body tag or do some research on VIN. I haven't even looked into that yet.
If you're getting the Holley pan, why no use the Holley mounts and crossmember as well? Seems logical to do that.
I did my 70 GTO back in 2008 and all that was available were "generic" adapter plates and using old SBC engine mounts. They work, but it is far from optimal.
Love the Nova. Great car for a project like this.
Andrew
Did you mean the Hooker mounts? They don't look to be adjustable like the Dirty Dingo mounts.. But, I haven't fully researched that yet. As for the cross member, I don't know what trans I will be running but I wan't to hook it up to my powerglide at first so I am hoping to not mess with any of the drive train from the trans back till later.
I still have a ton of research to do so I appreciate all ideas!
The pistons looked to have a lot of sludge on them.. maybe bad valve guides? The plugs just looked old and not really wet except for some oil on threads.. not sure what that means. I know the engine ran cause I heard it.. sounded fine sitting there at start up and idle. Not sure if we should pull heads off and clean pistons... maybe re-hone? Might be opening a can of worms.. decisions decisions.
Did you mean the Hooker mounts? They don't look to be adjustable like the Dirty Dingo mounts.. But, I haven't fully researched that yet. As for the cross member, I don't know what trans I will be running but I wan't to hook it up to my powerglide at first so I am hoping to not mess with any of the drive train from the trans back till later.
I still have a ton of research to do so I appreciate all ideas!
Yes, the Hooker mounts. Why do you want adjustability? For me this simply opens the door to improper installation. A while back someone posted a picture of their swap using the sliders and their engine was not installed "square" which of course causes all sorts of driveline alignment problems.
The goal of any swap mounts should be to place the engine as low as possible, place the engine far enough from the firewall so that in the event of pulling the transmission by itself, the passenger head does not crash into it. The LS swaps are already challenged with putting the engine as low as possible because of the deep skirt block. The last thing you want is to raise it higher by adding an adapter bracket to the block and raising it even higher.
12-07-2017, 01:58 PM
Early LQ4 - 71 Nova Build - Billyfargon 
There are pics of it in the HotRod feature in my sig, I fixed the link so it should work now.
