Nova Suspension Advice
 

I am fixing to redo the springs on my Nova. I was hoping I could get some recommendations?
I have searched until I am blue in the face on getting a good ballpark start on spring rates front and rear and just end up going in circles.

The car is a 1972 Nova, all urethane bushings front and rear, solid subframe mounts, cut front stock springs lowered to where the factory bump stops just touch the frame at ride height (I have urethane stops cut in half currently), stock rear springs, tall UBJ and tall outer tire rod end on the front, stock front sway bar with urethane end links, and currently running about .8 degrees of camber and about as much caster as can be put into a stock front end without cutting. I have 15X8 wheels with 235/60's all the way around. The upper and lower control arms will remain stock for the time being. I will eventually replace the upper with an adjustable but will retain the stock lower. Also, want to retain the leaf springs on the rear while adding a panhard bar or watts link in time. Also, I am trying very hard to stick with 15" wheels for the simple reason that I LOVE the vintage trans-am look and tires are cheap. Daily driven tires are Coopers. Autocross tires will be American Racer DOT dirt tires. Track tires will be Hoosier asphalt slicks.

Front spring setup will be AFCO 9.5 coils with adjuster.

Front spring rate I have about settled on 650lb. After reading David Pozzi's stuff along with Gaetano Cosentino's stuff, I think that will put me about where I need to be. The rear springs are where I need some help. I want the car to sit pretty level so I am guessing at about a 2" drop in the rear. What spring would be recommended? What spring rate?

The goal for the car is to be competitive at autocross and track days and drive it almost daily, as I currently do. A stiff ride is not a huge concern to me as long as it doesn't feel as though the suspension is welded solid. This is extremely budget oriented so I am not interested in high end, expensive stuff. Just good solid, proven, stuff that is tough and works.

Thank you very much in advance.

I would suggest the ride tech air bar with coilovers for the rear. I installed it in my garage and welded everything together with a new Ford 9 inch. The ride is really great, in fact I live in Chicago and the roads are crap and it handle the roads really well.

I have my Nova frame sitting about 4 inches from the ground and it will not bottom out. I have not pushed it really hard through some corners yet but I am pushing it further and further Everytime I take it out. I am being overly cautious because it have so much time and effort into the build I would hate to break some thing my first couple times out.

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If you are set on the rear leafs I would look at Hotchkis rear drop leafs and raising the front eye. You can do this by swapping out the Nova front perches with 68-69 Camaro versions. This raises the eye little more than an inch. Then use shims to adjust your pinion angle. You can add some exit bite through adjustments here.
Gaetano had some success with rear roll height adjustments that came with the watts linkage. Leafs have a pretty low roll center. You will have to experiment with it. The watts actually raises it over leafs.
Also spend money on good adjustable shocks and proper mounting. Do not skimp in this area. You can use coil over shocks, just don't use the coil springs. If you do go links later you will not have to purchase new shocks down the road.