70 "THUG Nova" build

[1coolC2]

Originally Posted by andreb

Nice shop! We need a build thread on that one too!!

Yeah,
I wish I could finish it up inside but I need to focus on getting the house built first.......wife is a little sensitive about that

Your right, I should start a build thread for the shop, but heck, it took Ron S to throw me off his thread for me to get off my azz to start this Nova build thread.....ha ha.

R/
Jeff

[1coolC2]

Originally Posted by Moabdude

Amazing car!
I love the stance.

What size wheels and tires are those?
Tried to look it up it but couldn't find it.

18 X 9.5 with 275/35/18 up front
19 X 12 with 335/30/19 in the rear

[HBRod]

Nice Nova. The hood vents are a cool touch, and the stance is sweet. Good luck on getting the house done soon so you can get back to finishing the car.

Rod

[blu72nova]

Killer ride Jeff. I hope you don't mind if i try to put some of your ideas to good use. Did you move your rear frame rail up and in? Is that what I'm seeing just inside the tubs where the rear seat would be. I widened my tubs about half an inch and then cut further in to the frame rail Can you speak a little more on how your wheel house modifications have given you extra room? is it at the edges that you were concerned about width? I've got 14.5" of space across 70% of my wheel well. Thanks Shannon

[tom091074]

Originally Posted by blu72nova

Killer ride Jeff. I hope you don't mind if i try to put some of your ideas to good use. Did you move your rear frame rail up and in? Is that what I'm seeing just inside the tubs where the rear seat would be. I widened my tubs about half an inch and then cut further in to the frame rail Can you speak a little more on how your wheel house modifications have given you extra room? is it at the edges that you were concerned about width? I've got 14.5" of space across 70% of my wheel well. Thanks Shannon

I think your seeing the quatralink top bar mount Shannon.

[1coolC2]

Originally Posted by blu72nova

Killer ride Jeff. I hope you don't mind if i try to put some of your ideas to good use. Did you move your rear frame rail up and in? Is that what I'm seeing just inside the tubs where the rear seat would be. I widened my tubs about half an inch and then cut further in to the frame rail Can you speak a little more on how your wheel house modifications have given you extra room? is it at the edges that you were concerned about width? I've got 14.5" of space across 70% of my wheel well. Thanks Shannon

Shannon,

We did trim the frame back a bit more than the directions show to flatten that area of the tub (also plated the back side of frame to give strength), also formed front inside leading edge to allow a little more room in those corners. On the right side, the DSE panhard bracket protrudes into wheelhouse area (see pic earlier in the thread)...that was flushed and replated (this area was REALLY tight to wheel/tire and would have interfered). Basically once you make your initial fit of the tubs, you will see the areas that reduce the space, in most areas you can trim and fit to make them better. The REAL gain is the outer tub, if you are going to lower the car to the height I have mine, the tire will not fit and fully articulate with the factory tub...the radius is too low and flat where it meets the quarter panel.

R/
Jeff

[tom091074]

Jeff, by chance do you have any other pictures of the mods to the frame rails and tubs?

[blu72nova]

Originally Posted by tom091074

I think your seeing the quatralink top bar mount Shannon.

Okay. That makes sense. I had never seen one installed before. Thanks.

[blu72nova]

Originally Posted by 1coolC2

Shannon,

We did trim the frame back a bit more than the directions show to flatten that area of the tub (also plated the back side of frame to give strength), also formed front inside leading edge to allow a little more room in those corners. On the right side, the DSE panhard bracket protrudes into wheelhouse area (see pic earlier in the thread)...that was flushed and replated (this area was REALLY tight to wheel/tire and would have interfered). Basically once you make your initial fit of the tubs, you will see the areas that reduce the space, in most areas you can trim and fit to make them better. The REAL gain is the outer tub, if you are going to lower the car to the height I have mine, the tire will not fit and fully articulate with the factory tub...the radius is too low and flat where it meets the quarter panel.

R/
Jeff

Thanks for the input Jeff. From what I could tell from the pics, it looks like your replacement outer tubs that you fabricated run horizontally directly to the quarter panel without turning down towards the lip of the wheel house. Is that correct? Did you leave any of the original outer tub in place?

[1coolC2]

Originally Posted by blu72nova

Thanks for the input Jeff. From what I could tell from the pics, it looks like your replacement outer tubs that you fabricated run horizontally directly to the quarter panel without turning down towards the lip of the wheel house. Is that correct? Did you leave any of the original outer tub in place?

Correct, they do not turn down. A minor gap (1/8") was left between the 1/4 panel and the outer tub. I did not want the possibility of a "wave" or line to ever show up where the tub met the 1/4 sheet metal, we urethaned the gap to bond the two pieces, but to also allow for movement/expansion as the two parts heat/cool to weather etc. I did leave a 1" band of the original outer tub and the area where the bracing welds to it ( you can see a good picture of it on first page of thread that shows the driver side with rear 1/4 removed.

R/
Jeff