LQ4 into a 3rd Gen/1972 Nova
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
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From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Lowest possible combination, full compression, for anyone interested, 18" rim is tucked 2.0" above fender lip...
Recommended ride height of 13.5" eye-to-eye on the VariShocks = coilover right in the middle of the 5" travel with 2.5" of bump travel and 2.5" of rebound travel.... 18" rim is 0.5" below the fender lip. I have deep thinking to do about this.
Last edited by frojoe; Dec 2, 2011 at 01:35 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
With your skills I am surprised you purchased a kit for the rear linkage!!! Time must be pressing cause I have seen your abilities and lack of knowledge surely is not the reason! Now for you to design a similar setup and sell it to me, how about it?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
HAH i thought about getting crazy and making one, but just don't have the energy for that much more fab work, so it's nice to take the easy way sometimes 
And yes, I'm a mechanical engineer
And yes, I'm a mechanical engineer
11 Second Club
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From: New Westminster, B.C., Canada
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
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From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Oh the good old days... buh-bye
So heavy, and in hindsight, so insanely loud...
Battery tray
Oops I dropped the angle grinder and look what happened..
Wow i'm getting really clumsy with this anglegrinder, i keep dropping it all over the place
I can't leave good enough alone, a couple mods to the G-Link happening, below is the new max-compression height, 1/2" framerail clearance to axletubes while tucking 3.75" of rim, so ride height will tuck ~1.25" rim
So heavy, and in hindsight, so insanely loud...
Battery tray
Oops I dropped the angle grinder and look what happened..
Wow i'm getting really clumsy with this anglegrinder, i keep dropping it all over the place
I can't leave good enough alone, a couple mods to the G-Link happening, below is the new max-compression height, 1/2" framerail clearance to axletubes while tucking 3.75" of rim, so ride height will tuck ~1.25" rim
What did you do to get the max compression lower?
You prolly saved a few pounds removing all of the stereo equipment.
You car is coming together great! Still waiting on the first drive out of the garage. The finish line is within sight now!!!
You prolly saved a few pounds removing all of the stereo equipment.
You car is coming together great! Still waiting on the first drive out of the garage. The finish line is within sight now!!!
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
That sub box alone (with subs) was 96lbs... so the whole system is probably in the ~200 range.
And yes, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel so I'm actually getting excited.. let's just hope that the light isn't actually a semi coming head-on!
Wow, just read all 36 pages! You have done an outstanding job on this build. 5 years is a long time to keep moving on a project, but you are nearing the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, Ehh (In true Canadian fashion).
Glad the G-link workd out for you. Keep in mind your side to side flex when you cram that big of a tire up there...Well if its left stock...
It will be hard to match the front to back unless you got some tricks with alignment and sheetmetal trimming...
Nice!
It will be hard to match the front to back unless you got some tricks with alignment and sheetmetal trimming...
Nice!
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
96silverram... thanks for the kind words, eh! hehe
Regarding the clearance in the rear, with stock wheeltubs at full compression the 275's actually have a good inch of wiggle room for the inside sidewall, and the outside sidewall has about 1/4" of room or a bit less. At where I want the ride height to be, there is the same inside sidewall clearance but just a bit more outside sidewall clearance, and with these rims I have 1/2" wheels spacers, so if I get rubbing during "aggressive driving techniques" I can trim those spacers accordingly to center the wheel more in the wheeltub.
For the front end, remember I'm running no body mounts as well running the QA1 conversion coilovers pretty low, but there still is good clearance between LCA bumpstops and frameral, altho my memory on that is a bit fuzzy. Inner fenderwells might need a bit of massaging, altho the Speedtech Nova "ResurreXion" is running completely unmodified inner fenderwells and only rubbed on very hard corners, with a 275 tire up front, and very low. Infact Blake said that the Nova fenderwells are even roomier than the stock 1st gen Camaro ones.
I really do want to convert to full coilovers with internal bumpstops to lower things a bit, and would ideally like a 1" drop in the spindles, but I can't justify the Speetech/ATS 1" drop spindles, even the non-tall-balljoint ones. I just need to drive the 'effin thing around first before I even allow myself to think of that **** haha.
Regarding the clearance in the rear, with stock wheeltubs at full compression the 275's actually have a good inch of wiggle room for the inside sidewall, and the outside sidewall has about 1/4" of room or a bit less. At where I want the ride height to be, there is the same inside sidewall clearance but just a bit more outside sidewall clearance, and with these rims I have 1/2" wheels spacers, so if I get rubbing during "aggressive driving techniques" I can trim those spacers accordingly to center the wheel more in the wheeltub.
For the front end, remember I'm running no body mounts as well running the QA1 conversion coilovers pretty low, but there still is good clearance between LCA bumpstops and frameral, altho my memory on that is a bit fuzzy. Inner fenderwells might need a bit of massaging, altho the Speedtech Nova "ResurreXion" is running completely unmodified inner fenderwells and only rubbed on very hard corners, with a 275 tire up front, and very low. Infact Blake said that the Nova fenderwells are even roomier than the stock 1st gen Camaro ones.
I really do want to convert to full coilovers with internal bumpstops to lower things a bit, and would ideally like a 1" drop in the spindles, but I can't justify the Speetech/ATS 1" drop spindles, even the non-tall-balljoint ones. I just need to drive the 'effin thing around first before I even allow myself to think of that **** haha.
Last edited by frojoe; Dec 13, 2011 at 11:55 PM.
Okay You didnt get all of the info from Blake..haha He is a good frend of mine and I helped him with some bits and pieces for his car. His Nova has 69 Camaro fender wells. The only thing that's left of them is the inside liner. The part from the fender to the fender lip is gone. Plus he is running almost a full 2" of negative camber..
We've messed with these cars countless times and the only real way to clear the tire is have some cutting to do like Blake and I did on our cars or raise the mounting points 4" to where the liner attaches the fender. Billy Utley did this it's super slick but gobs of work..
But hey what do you have to loose, make some trick ones. I have a feeling reading everything you've done you and how your attacking your not going to want to finish. Building them is almost more fun then driving it...
That's why I sold mine...haha
This is with ATS spindles and Speetech arms. Full degree f negative camber and 5.5+ of caster. I had to trim the liner about a foot length wise to get the tires to clear near full bump.
It was super close to the back of the liner .75" to full lock. Now keep in mind I had an 8" wide rim with 5.25" of backspacing. Blake has 6" on his but he has a Speedtech frame that allowed alot more tire clearance near the frame, plus bent arms on his sway bar.
Good luck dude!
We've messed with these cars countless times and the only real way to clear the tire is have some cutting to do like Blake and I did on our cars or raise the mounting points 4" to where the liner attaches the fender. Billy Utley did this it's super slick but gobs of work..
But hey what do you have to loose, make some trick ones. I have a feeling reading everything you've done you and how your attacking your not going to want to finish. Building them is almost more fun then driving it...
That's why I sold mine...haha
This is with ATS spindles and Speetech arms. Full degree f negative camber and 5.5+ of caster. I had to trim the liner about a foot length wise to get the tires to clear near full bump.
It was super close to the back of the liner .75" to full lock. Now keep in mind I had an 8" wide rim with 5.25" of backspacing. Blake has 6" on his but he has a Speedtech frame that allowed alot more tire clearance near the frame, plus bent arms on his sway bar.
Good luck dude!
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Ohhh good, more detailed info... I like more info!
I did get the info from Blake, I went to see him/the Nova specifically to feel the ride quality, soak in the fitment details, and generally drool, and I could swear he said they were stock inner fenderwells (this was maybe 2 months ago). Looking at pics now, you're right, they're Camaro ones. The fenderwell paint was burned from the heat of the inner tire sidewalls rubbing, but again like you said he has a very aggressive setup. That being said, when I asked what widening mods he did and he told me they were stock, I was referring to the overall wheeltub sheetmetal shape, I didn't ask at all about the fender lips... I prettymuch knew rolling/trimming them would be a given. I will be running ~1.5* camber to tuck a bit more. I plan on rolling/trimming most of the mounting trim of the lip on the fender side, possibly just using the lowest front/back bolts to mount the fenderwell to the fenders. How did Blake/you mount the fenderwell with so much of the fender lip removed?
My car will be driven for a while without inner fenderwells while I sort out the driveability... I can work on the fenderwells as I'm driving the car.. they're not necessary to start, stop, and turn
Your stance is exactly what I'm going for... I'm at the point where I've done and then redone so much stuff to get it just the way I always wanted it, once I've developed the skills to do it the way it should've been done in the first place... I'm willing to do what's necessary to get it sitting right, to me the effort is worth it.
How do you know Blake so well.. are you localish? Have any more knowledge that you can share?? And by sell you mean the Nova? There's no way! That red paint was so nice!!
I did get the info from Blake, I went to see him/the Nova specifically to feel the ride quality, soak in the fitment details, and generally drool, and I could swear he said they were stock inner fenderwells (this was maybe 2 months ago). Looking at pics now, you're right, they're Camaro ones. The fenderwell paint was burned from the heat of the inner tire sidewalls rubbing, but again like you said he has a very aggressive setup. That being said, when I asked what widening mods he did and he told me they were stock, I was referring to the overall wheeltub sheetmetal shape, I didn't ask at all about the fender lips... I prettymuch knew rolling/trimming them would be a given. I will be running ~1.5* camber to tuck a bit more. I plan on rolling/trimming most of the mounting trim of the lip on the fender side, possibly just using the lowest front/back bolts to mount the fenderwell to the fenders. How did Blake/you mount the fenderwell with so much of the fender lip removed?
My car will be driven for a while without inner fenderwells while I sort out the driveability... I can work on the fenderwells as I'm driving the car.. they're not necessary to start, stop, and turn
Your stance is exactly what I'm going for... I'm at the point where I've done and then redone so much stuff to get it just the way I always wanted it, once I've developed the skills to do it the way it should've been done in the first place... I'm willing to do what's necessary to get it sitting right, to me the effort is worth it.
How do you know Blake so well.. are you localish? Have any more knowledge that you can share?? And by sell you mean the Nova? There's no way! That red paint was so nice!!
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
I could never voluntarily sell my car. Especially now as the labour adds up and so does the custom, one-off pieces on it... and especially as it gets closer and closer to the exact image I had in my head of how I wanted it to be years ago... there would have to be dire circumstances for me to let go of mine.
Not only was it for family reason the car honestly become just another car. It was an absolute blast but...I really had no one to enjoy it with. Plus the paint was so nice I was affraid to do anything with. In addition to wanting to do things differently I found myself wanting to take it apart again. So I decide to let someone that is just looking for a car so I can build something else.
it wasnt easy thats forsure..haha
I became freinds with him right after he bought ATS. The nice thing about us Nova people in this type of hobby (handling) we are rare so we tend to be rememberd. If I was another Camaro guy he would have just taken my money and thats it..haha
At the same time I got to know him he was building his Nova so I was able to give him some info on what to expect. Things like cutting the floor pan crossmember to clear a T56 the wheel tub issue, plus I had some spare LS motor stuff I gave him. He is a super nice guy
Devil if I may have taken you up on that if I would have known a week ago,,haha I picked up an lowered 66 c10 on Friday from a guy out in Gilbert.
Anyways Joe anymroe questions just ask. You have way more technical expertise then I do but I can give you real world ideas. I've had numerous suspensions on my car and I was lucky enough to be able to drive it every single day I owned it...
Chuck
it wasnt easy thats forsure..haha
I became freinds with him right after he bought ATS. The nice thing about us Nova people in this type of hobby (handling) we are rare so we tend to be rememberd. If I was another Camaro guy he would have just taken my money and thats it..haha
At the same time I got to know him he was building his Nova so I was able to give him some info on what to expect. Things like cutting the floor pan crossmember to clear a T56 the wheel tub issue, plus I had some spare LS motor stuff I gave him. He is a super nice guy
Devil if I may have taken you up on that if I would have known a week ago,,haha I picked up an lowered 66 c10 on Friday from a guy out in Gilbert.
Anyways Joe anymroe questions just ask. You have way more technical expertise then I do but I can give you real world ideas. I've had numerous suspensions on my car and I was lucky enough to be able to drive it every single day I owned it...
Chuck