Vette suspension in nova

[Sartren]

Hi. I'm a new dude here and was wondering if anyone has done or seen a c4 vette IRS installed in a 68-72 Nova. I've seen it done on a number of Camaros and thought it might be something different for my nova.

[deuce_454]

ironworks has done 5 novas with c5/6 suspension as far as i know

http://www.ironworksspeedandkustom.c...s.php?album=10

he is a member and there are build threads on a few of them (use the search function)

on stevesnovasite a member "hurley2524" has doen some c4 suspension
work...
http://www.stevesnovasite.com/forums...d.php?t=114044

the fastest way is propably just to order a morrison chassis with c5 front suspension and 3 link rear...

the cheaper route is to get a speedtech front suspension with ats spindles and a concours west bolt in IRS....

[ProdigyCustoms]

Originally Posted by Sartren

Hi. I'm a new dude here and was wondering if anyone has done or seen a c4 vette IRS installed in a 68-72 Nova. I've seen it done on a number of Camaros and thought it might be something different for my nova.

We have been through the entire C4 Vette stuff under various cars. It is a true welcome to the year 2004 modification. There is so much better stuff available now, there are a number of systems that will out perform the C4 stuff. We have 5 systems that are better. And this is coming from someone that owns a C4 suspended car. it rides great, it handles good, but we could do better all out performance with off the shelf components.

Forget it,

[Sartren]

Yeah I guess there's tons of companys making quality parts for these cars, that would perform much better.

[Garage Dog 65]

First one I saw was Lil' John's nova back in early 80's. Build was covered in Hot Rod and project was called Novette I beleive.

Jim

here's story link.

http://www.auto-nomics.com/documents/HR_0685.pdf

[deuce_454]

Originally Posted by ProdigyCustoms

We have been through the entire C4 Vette stuff under various cars. It is a true welcome to the year 2004 modification. There is so much better stuff available now, there are a number of systems that will out perform the C4 stuff. We have 5 systems that are better. And this is coming from someone that owns a C4 suspended car. it rides great, it handles good, but we could do better all out performance with off the shelf components.

Forget it,

im with you on that one frank.. but he asked specifically for c4 suspension...

[Cris@JCG]

Here is a link to a company that is doing suspension with C4.. More into the Street Rod scene but might work on you stock frame rails.

http://www.flatout-engineering.com/products.html

[tgvettes]

I talked to Art Morrison about this and the problem is the track width with C5 C6 suspension. I wanted to get their Max G Frame for my Nova Convertible with the C5/C6 Front suspension, and they say they can build it but you would have to use wheels that is all offset to the inside so not recommended.

The Rearend is really to wide even from a c4 to put on a Nova
and shorten the Corvette rears are not good from an handling stand point I have been told.

This said I think you can use a C4 front suspension on a Nova and make it work. If you are looking for the best possible handling car you probably need to look at completely custom build suspension.

My Nova is most likely getting a C4 front suspension and a 4 link rear suspension.

Tonny

[mfain]

A couple of random thoughts on C4 IRS for your project. The C4 IRS "batwing" is easy to install in most chassis, but even the Dana 44 is fairly weak if you are going to abuse it (especially drag racing with big tires). Also, Chevrolet designed the suspension to impart a little "roll steer" into the geometry to "tighten" the car in hard turns to keep the back end from coming around -- a safety thing. That is partially why the links are so short (space in the C4 Corvette is the other). Also, you have a "loaded" half shaft that serves as a suspension link which is not especially desirable. That being said, a couple of advantages to the C4 set-up are that you can easily adjust the rear moment center and the camber gain for cornering and, if you make the four link front pick-up points adjustable, you can change the "hit" on the rear tire for drag racing and the squat/dive characteristics for road racing. You can't do either of these with a C5/C6 set-up without moving the rear control arm pick-up points. I solved the "weak differential" problem by going to a Tom's Differential C3 Corvette center section (12 bolt ring gear, 31-spine hardened stub axles, big spiders and side gears) on a custom built rear crossmember. There are also Ford 9 inch IRS center sections available. The Driveshaft Shop (and others) build extremely strong, custom length half shafts with 1350 u-joints. Tom's Differential sells cryo-hardened outer axles. I use 20-inch long forward links with heims and adjustable forward mounts that eliminate the roll steer. It takes a lot of work to make the C4 IRS live and perform well behind a big motor, but it is an option. I guess it just depends on how you are going to drive your car. Good luck with your project!

[deuce_454]

Originally Posted by mfain

A couple of random thoughts on C4 IRS for your project. The C4 IRS "batwing" is easy to install in most chassis, but even the Dana 44 is fairly weak if you are going to abuse it (especially drag racing with big tires). Also, Chevrolet designed the suspension to impart a little "roll steer" into the geometry to "tighten" the car in hard turns to keep the back end from coming around -- a safety thing. That is partially why the links are so short (space in the C4 Corvette is the other). Also, you have a "loaded" half shaft that serves as a suspension link which is not especially desirable. That being said, a couple of advantages to the C4 set-up are that you can easily adjust the rear moment center and the camber gain for cornering and, if you make the four link front pick-up points adjustable, you can change the "hit" on the rear tire for drag racing and the squat/dive characteristics for road racing. You can't do either of these with a C5/C6 set-up without moving the rear control arm pick-up points. I solved the "weak differential" problem by going to a Tom's Differential C3 Corvette center section (12 bolt ring gear, 31-spine hardened stub axles, big spiders and side gears) on a custom built rear crossmember. There are also Ford 9 inch IRS center sections available. The Driveshaft Shop (and others) build extremely strong, custom length half shafts with 1350 u-joints. Tom's Differential sells cryo-hardened outer axles. I use 20-inch long forward links with heims and adjustable forward mounts that eliminate the roll steer. It takes a lot of work to make the C4 IRS live and perform well behind a big motor, but it is an option. I guess it just depends on how you are going to drive your car. Good luck with your project!

Those thoughts dont seem that random at all.. ive been researching IRS options for my 35 ford lately and have come to almost the same comclusions..

one of the very big plusses on the C4 is that since the half shaft serve as the UCA it wont require butchering the rear of the car to get it in there as would a c5/6

i dont agree that moving the trailingarms will affect the hit of the car like moving the arem on a 4 link.. and the reason fro this is that the trailing arms mount to the uprights and they do not absorb any of the forces involved in turning the wheels.. that reaction is handled by the longitudinal arm mounted to the diff case... the trailing arms only handle thrust from the wheels on acceleration and enginebraking, and the rotational forces excerted when applying the brakes..

all that being said, it isnt that bad a setup.. and it will polish nicely too :-)

If you want best handling from your c4, you will need to replace a lot or the rubber bushings with heims (as do gullstrand) to heep the bushing flex from changing the geometry in the turns...

im sure that a well engineered 3 link with a wattslink will be a more favorable setup for a car that sees occational drag racing.. if on the other hand you road race with roling start, you can't beat an irs.. the lower unsprung weight just keeps the tires planted more consistently...