Nova going in under the knife
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,188
Likes: 292
From: woodbine, md
Nothing exciting, just painting, installing, and trial fitting parts. Got the heater back together, ran the Holley HP main harness thru the firewall, ran the power harness only to figure its going to be to close to the 4" down pipe, so prob just run it thru the car to the trunk. The P/S upper control arm would prob hit the turbo it it came up to far, either mod it, but prob just get aftermarket arms, they would clear-more money, lol.
Prob install the fuel tank Wed., I have to lay on my back to do it, go figure I have a lift in the other bay, thought those days were over, lol.
Prob install the fuel tank Wed., I have to lay on my back to do it, go figure I have a lift in the other bay, thought those days were over, lol.
Looking good!
I known what you mean about laying on the ground. No lift here and so jealous of my friends who have them. The next day I am trashed from getting up and down off the floor 30-40 times. I keep saying to myself, "This is my last project anyway so I won't need one soon." Lol
I known what you mean about laying on the ground. No lift here and so jealous of my friends who have them. The next day I am trashed from getting up and down off the floor 30-40 times. I keep saying to myself, "This is my last project anyway so I won't need one soon." Lol
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Are you planning to use the stock hood? I've seen lots of turbo Novas and nearly all of them have a cowl or pinned hood. This is something I'm trying to avoid, I want a stock outer appearance and not have to replace the subframe/core support.
I could easily fit a stock hood on mine.
Built my car back when this street legal stuff started, and with the B.B. and tall intake, Dominator carb, big *** air cleaner, I needed the big cowl hood.
I believe it now helps airflow and gets heat out.
The sleeper look is awesome. But with exh out the lower front fender, fuel cell that mounts below the trunk floor and the fuel system hanging for all to see, not to mention the parachute that will Be soon installed, the sleeper look is long gone.
😀
Built my car back when this street legal stuff started, and with the B.B. and tall intake, Dominator carb, big *** air cleaner, I needed the big cowl hood.
I believe it now helps airflow and gets heat out.
The sleeper look is awesome. But with exh out the lower front fender, fuel cell that mounts below the trunk floor and the fuel system hanging for all to see, not to mention the parachute that will Be soon installed, the sleeper look is long gone.
😀
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Any posts or threads you can point me to as inspiration?
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,188
Likes: 292
From: woodbine, md
Cure one problem, create another, lol-I bought aftermarket upper control arms due to possible interference with the turbo on compression, esp if light springs-the open section of the control arms allowed it to clear.
The CA's have a thicker cross shaft, and depending on alignment shims it could hit-I would like at least 1/2", not a big problem, just something else to deal with. Pretty much most days I wish I had kept the Buick, lol, but once this is done hopefully I will feel diff. Just so many projects over the years,
the burn out factor is there, and oh ya, the weather in the teens sucks, lol.
I planned on changing out the fuel oil tank for the garage over the summer, of course I didn't, I now have it next to the old one, waiting for it to run out of oil-once it does, I can knock it over, slide the new one in place, then at the mercy of a fuel delivery.
The CA's have a thicker cross shaft, and depending on alignment shims it could hit-I would like at least 1/2", not a big problem, just something else to deal with. Pretty much most days I wish I had kept the Buick, lol, but once this is done hopefully I will feel diff. Just so many projects over the years,
the burn out factor is there, and oh ya, the weather in the teens sucks, lol.
I planned on changing out the fuel oil tank for the garage over the summer, of course I didn't, I now have it next to the old one, waiting for it to run out of oil-once it does, I can knock it over, slide the new one in place, then at the mercy of a fuel delivery.
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Verdad Gallardo Bummer about that clearance issue. Good thing you didn’t try the B.B. frame stands that shift the engine to the pass side. You wouldn’t have even got that manifold on.
You sold the Buick?
Ron
You sold the Buick?
Ron
10 Second Club
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,465
Likes: 192
From: Harford Co. Maryland
I seem to remember 3Pedals running flipped truck manifolds and had a cross-over in front of the motor, below the balancer.
Photobucket has the pics, but you know how that went.
Maybe you can PM for a pic ?
Photobucket has the pics, but you know how that went.
Maybe you can PM for a pic ?
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,188
Likes: 292
From: woodbine, md
Cured one problem, the outlet on the truck waterpump hit the throttle linkage, I noticed the WP on my 2011 pickup had the outlet at an angle, so I picked one up since I needed one anyway-it helped, but still hit. I noticed on a spare truck TB it had smaller linkage, so I bolted it up and dam, I have clearance-I had heard the trucks were a couple MM's larger, but both TB's meas the same. Gonna go with the pipes I have, I need to spend money elsewhere, start making what I have work, lol. Its bitch being old, you get lazy, lol
Looks very nice, someday I'll have a lift to work with... hearing the bitter cold is wide spread... keep up the progress and I'll be looking forward to how well the manifolds do, what size turbo?
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,188
Likes: 292
From: woodbine, md
VS racing billet 83/75 turbo
Not much work, but did get my Speed Engineering alt/PS pump brackets, decided since I am over budget why not eliminate the big bulky bracket.
Brackets fit perfect, PS pump uses the factory rear bracket that bolts to the block, so that helps rigidity. Cut a small slot in the log manifold and welded in a section of pipe I cut to make clearance for the control arm x shaft. Should give me plenty of room for shims-if not I can knock off some on the x shaft. Ran my brake lines front to back, then picked up my engine from the machine shop, they hot tanked the block/crank, , installed new cam bearings, honed the block, polished and bal. the crank, cleaned and checked the rods, pistons. Since the crank was in a dished piston motor, I wanted the bal checked, I am using flat top pistons and gen 4 rods. Dropped off the 241 heads to get the springs set up, checked over. Prob. start on the 4L80E rebuild inbet. getting other parts, would like the new motor/trans installed by the end of Jan.
Not much work, but did get my Speed Engineering alt/PS pump brackets, decided since I am over budget why not eliminate the big bulky bracket.
Brackets fit perfect, PS pump uses the factory rear bracket that bolts to the block, so that helps rigidity. Cut a small slot in the log manifold and welded in a section of pipe I cut to make clearance for the control arm x shaft. Should give me plenty of room for shims-if not I can knock off some on the x shaft. Ran my brake lines front to back, then picked up my engine from the machine shop, they hot tanked the block/crank, , installed new cam bearings, honed the block, polished and bal. the crank, cleaned and checked the rods, pistons. Since the crank was in a dished piston motor, I wanted the bal checked, I am using flat top pistons and gen 4 rods. Dropped off the 241 heads to get the springs set up, checked over. Prob. start on the 4L80E rebuild inbet. getting other parts, would like the new motor/trans installed by the end of Jan.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,188
Likes: 292
From: woodbine, md
I called him and he said they had to add metal, he said it was enough out it could be noticeable, so I am guessing going from gen 3 rods and dish to gen 4 rods and factory flat tops there was a weight diff. You never know how far out a factory crank may be-in my old super stock days we always rebalanced factory engines even if no new parts. I had one LS engine that had a bad vibration, I don't want another, lol
Mallory metal? Doesn’t that get rather expensive?
My L33 balanced w/o adding weight when I added Compstar rods and Weisco pistons.
I highly doubt the forged parts were lighter than the stock parts.
My L33 balanced w/o adding weight when I added Compstar rods and Weisco pistons.
I highly doubt the forged parts were lighter than the stock parts.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,188
Likes: 292
From: woodbine, md
Still plugging away, dam cold weather hanging on, lol-cured most of the fitment issues, so decided to create more.
Assemb. the short block, went together great, except the "new" ring set app. had a previous owner, who attempted to gap a set and failed, didn't find out until I was on the 6th ring-Summit made it right though. In the pic you can see the weld on the crank for balancing, added metal front and back.
Started to work on the IC'er, everything occupies the same space so going to try and run the pipe thru the fender well and around to the IC'er, if I make it tight hopefully the tire will clear-looked at a buddies nova, so I have an idea of clearance. Dam engine stand support is in the way of installing the barbell plug, so going to support the engine, disc the arm, install, then I can install the rear cover. Still painting small stuff, the Eastwood black is cheap for a gallon, add hardener, and for small stuff instead of breaking out the spray gun, just use one of the small aerosol sprayers, stuff flows out, drys quick, and shines great. Pretty much figured out what I want to do with the fuel system, switched to push loc hoses, cured one problem.
Assemb. the short block, went together great, except the "new" ring set app. had a previous owner, who attempted to gap a set and failed, didn't find out until I was on the 6th ring-Summit made it right though. In the pic you can see the weld on the crank for balancing, added metal front and back.
Started to work on the IC'er, everything occupies the same space so going to try and run the pipe thru the fender well and around to the IC'er, if I make it tight hopefully the tire will clear-looked at a buddies nova, so I have an idea of clearance. Dam engine stand support is in the way of installing the barbell plug, so going to support the engine, disc the arm, install, then I can install the rear cover. Still painting small stuff, the Eastwood black is cheap for a gallon, add hardener, and for small stuff instead of breaking out the spray gun, just use one of the small aerosol sprayers, stuff flows out, drys quick, and shines great. Pretty much figured out what I want to do with the fuel system, switched to push loc hoses, cured one problem.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,188
Likes: 292
From: woodbine, md
More progress, engine is together, ready for paint, black or red, leaning toward red. Just about gave up on it, while checking piston to valve clearance I ended up with 0, but I had made up to solid lifters I use for that, and instead of 0 I was adding preload, which was wiping out the clearance, lol-all good now, just a senior moment. Got my Quantum pump, that will be my backup to the AEM, and also run under boost. It was $75 as opposed to
$ 145-looks identical to the AEM, makes you wonder. Waiting on more parts. Pretty much decided not to paint the car until summer.
$ 145-looks identical to the AEM, makes you wonder. Waiting on more parts. Pretty much decided not to paint the car until summer.