65 rusty Nova build
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Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
Smith Racecraft split mono leaf springs.
Just got our Smith Racecraft split mono drag leaf springs. These split mono leaf springs are designed to run without using a traction device. Should be fine with our estimated 550-600 horsepower goal we are after.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
Rust-Oleum Oil based paint is the best. Turned out great, nice and clean now makes it nicer to build the car when it’s clean vs dirty. LOL !!!
A before shot of the 55 year old trunk floor. She had two quarter size holes that I repaired and you can see the patches I did from the leaf springs that came up through the floor pan. I’m relocating them inboard of the frame rails now. Yes the last 10 inches of the frame rails were rotted in half and had to splice on new ones to connect to the rear of the car.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
What a mess, I scraped all the nasty felt stuff off the underside of the roof. We are not running a headliner it will be cleaned up and painted.
Rear seat side panels off.
Front glass out, channels look good. I was expecting rust. No rust !!!
Rear glass out same no rust.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
We took delivery of our S&W Roll Cage kit this week. So far I’m very impressed at how this fits. This bar is just sitting in place to see how tight I can hug the A-Piller.
You can see it’s going to fit real close to the A-Pillar. Nnnnice !!!
This kit is designed to go through the dash but I think I’m just going to hug the dash as shown.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
We got our 2x3 crossmember installed today. This is the starting point for our roll cage install. We mounted the ends to plates that we screwed to the inner rocker panels so we will be able to drop the cage down to weld the top of the tubes up against the roof.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
We got the main hoop installed today. You can see how we notched floor so the 2x3 crossmember comes up into the floor. The floor pan will be welded to the crossmember when everything is welded up.
The S&W main hoop fit perfect, nice and tight to the roof.
She’s straight and level.
I love the way this S&W cage hugs the A-Piler.
The fit is perfect.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
Got the first cote of paint on the headliner area today.
I think for running no headliner this is going to look pretty good. I calked all the gaps that meet the roof (1/2”) to make a smooth transition.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
This is the drivers side rocker bar installed today. The front of the cage will be tied in to the rocker bar through the floor and the back is tied into the 2x3 crossmember.
Everything is mounted to plates screwed to the inner rockers so I can drop the cage down to weld the tops of the cage up against the roof. Those plates will get welded up to the inner rockers when all roof line welding is done.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
I love this shot ??? Why, because you can see how tight the cage fits. You really don’t see in in the car and I like that. Thanks S&W race cars for the awesome cage.
The cage fits great. Still a lot of work left but I like it so far.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
You can see I’ve got both rocker bars installed now. The cage goes through the floor and attaches to these bars. The rocker bars are attached to the inner rocker panels spaced 1” off the panels.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
Bent the windshield bar today with my new Speedway motors tubing bender. It worked great to make it follow the curvature of the front windshield.
You can see I held the windshield bar back from the windshield so we can keep the sun visors and rear view mirror. You never see those in a caged car.
So far I like the fit.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
You can see how I tied the rear down bars into the structure I built under the rear package tray.
Rear down bars bent and installed so you can’t see them when looking at the car from the side along with the A pillar bars.
All you see is the main hoop.
You can see the structure under the package tray.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 85
Likes: 66
From: NW Iowa
Thanks bud, that's the main objective, Im into making it look as stock as possible. Stock dash, carpet, rear seat etc... The kind of car you will walk right on by and not even give it a second look till you see the numbers on the timing board.
