G-machine nova setup?

[Sales@Dutchboys]

Originally Posted by race-rodz

i musta missed the part about this being a "box" nova.......... i thought we were talkin about 2nd gen.

with that being said, and budget is no issue..... i say look to parsons IImuch car for inspiration. i have had a couple early novas, and wasnt thrilled with the way the cars drove..... they feel like everything is flexing, steering sucks, and checking/changing plugs is a F.P.I.T.A.

The newer chassis they have out make everything alot better....

[novanutcase]

Just kidding! So....before I go on let me put up what I have in mind and anyone that can tell me I should do something different...well I totally respect and will consider your opinion.

'66 or '67 Nova body
Full frame chassis w/C-5 front end and IRS rear from Wayne Due
Crate LS2
T-56
Supercharger(Trying to get 600 RWHP to the floor!)
Wilwood superlite 6 piston on the front and 4 piston on the back.

As I have said in previous posts, I'm just trying to gather as much info as I can so that I can make the best car I can THE FIRST TIME. Don't really look forward to have to change out anything, especially since I was planning on doing a full frame. Do you still think the uni is better than the full frame in terms of flex and weight? I wasn't planning on putting a cage in the car since I want it to look stock but if it will add considerably to the stiffness of the entire car then I will need to rethink that. Also, do you think that the full frame will be heavier than the uni? If so, does the trade off in weight versus rigidity make it worth doing a full frame? Wayne will be pulling the engine back as far as we can and still make it look stock(Don't want to be driving around with the engine in my lap!) and I will be putiing a fuel cell under the package tray so that we can try and center as much of the gross weight of the car towards the center. I'm even thinking of fabbing up some way to keep the battery under the back seat with an access panel or something and putting chromed fiberglass bumpers so that each end is as light as possible and we can have as even a weight distribution as possible. Any comments or tips would be greatly appreciated as I am about to launch this project and I want to make the right decisions.

[Mike Hall]

If I can build a Great handling Nova that will allow the wheels, stance and motor setup I want with the unibody Then I will do so. I don't think I will be able to achieve all the things I want out of this car with the unibody but I will listen to see what these guys have to say. This car must handle well and have a low stance like Doug's car first off. After that I would like to be able to fit twin turbos under the hood with room for a nice size front wheel. Turbos are not a must but they are something I have wanted for a while.

Mike

[Mike Hall]

Novanutcase, did you find a car yet?

Mike

[novanutcase]

Just trying to work out the details. My main concern is that Wayne won't have the time or the inclination to do my ride. I really think that either him or Art Morrison could really do a great job as far as the full frame chassis. Again, my take on the whole thing has been that a full frame setup will give more rigidity to the car but now I am hearing otherwise. Also, I'm hearing that the stock uni body frame will probably be lighter although I have a feeling that for the stance that you and I are looking for, if we go unibody, we would need to cut into the floors and weld sub frame connectors in that way so that there is nothing hanging below the chassis. Of course, to do this we will also have to figure out how to run the exhaust above the floor pan. This is why I have been leaning toward a full chassis. This way I can build it the way I want which is super low, super clean, and super fast! I figure that with Wayne Due building me the chassis I can accomplish the clean bottom which I think will help aerodynamically plus we won't have to worry about leaf springs hitting the ground, etc. Also, if you haven't noticed before, I feel that a properly tuned IRS is THE way to go. I think that it will give us great performance just cruising from point A to point B or carving through the turns in the canyons(Are there Canyons in GA?) A full frame chassis will enable us to do this cleanly and efficiently since we won't be limited by the constraints of the Uni-Body in terms of the rear end. I have asked Wayne that for this project I want to keep as much of the mass centered so I plan on moving the engine back as far as I can and moving the gas tank under the package tray. This should drastically improve the balance of the car and with the proper horses under the rear wheels should prove to be one hell of a ride! I'm even thinking to place the battery somewhere under the rear seat and have an access panel built into it. I also thinking of replacing the stock bumpers with chromed fiberglass ones but the only problem I have with that is if someone even barely touches it, there goes the chrome! In any case, it seems as though you and I have similar ideas as to what kind of car we want to build. IM me if you have any questions and I will give you my honest opinion as to what I have learned up to that point.

[Matt@Lateral Dynamics]

super low, super clean, and super fast!

That being the case, you need a tube chassis and a full on cage to do it right, in my opinion. Cut out the entire stock floor and firewall, stock wheel wells, ditch the inner fenders, and start over. Now you're building a race car.

If you or your friends are good with fabrication, then doing a car this way is actually easier then working around the stock ****.

I will reiterate, though, that a full frame car without a cage will not be as rigid as a decently prepared unibody car. And if you're talking about being "super fast", you'd be down-right stupid to not run a cage. A good cage.

[JohnnyR]

Super fast, super clean and super low. Novanutcase, I think you are going to have to compromise in some areas. Like Matt alluded to, I think you are on the verge of building an all out race car. You should be able to do a six-point cage without it being too intrusive. Especially if you go with a post car. As far as tucking exhaust ABOVE the floor boards, that sounds a bit radical for your "mostly street driven" car. I think a visit to Doug's place is in order.

[Mike Hall]

You know, I was planning on a cage the whole time. I think with 650-700rwhp a cage would be a good idea anyhow.

I think I may just build up my 68 camaro first then work on the nova after there are some proven cars out on the road. Im also having a problem finding good nova sheet metal so This project may come after I get my camaro done.

Mike

[novanutcase]

Fine....you rat bastards I'll put a full cage..well since I don't have to do it to NASCAR standards I guess I can do it so that it is as stealth as possible! Anyways, I think I almost got the car situation figured out.

[Mike Hall]

LOL, cages are cool. When you see a cage in a car you know its no joke. Well i guess thats true to a point but you know what im saying.

Mike