Projects AWB Chevy II build

Also, this is one dirty car!!! Look at that shop floor!


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Did the old Nova's run match races? Jeeeez YES!
Steve Bovan

Doug Thorley

There were DOZENS of Nova's , Mr Google can help!
By the way, Bovan started with a then new 396, so new no blower manifolds were made, really a totally stock motor on 25%. I won't bore you with too much history, but it would be very cool to build the way they did then, with safety upgrades.
NOT GASSERS! NITRO BURNERS! Have fun man!
My unwanted 2 cents! LOL!!!!

 

Some more information to add...
my grandpa has removed his 454 from his Henry j and built a 502 (i think) for it... my dad is getting the 454 for his '57 and I'm getting the 406 out of my dads '57... I'll probably run a power glide because we have a few laying around


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Cool build!Got lucky with the braces not being hashed! Definitely going to keep an eye on this one. Check out www.georgeklass.net for some inspiration on early Nova F/X cars.

 

I spent a lot of time looking at those pics...and still didn't build my car to match any of them! but the lettering stuff, I tried my best to catch the flavor

 

Question!! If I buy a early ford 9 inch housing and axles "57 inches wide and also buy a later cheap 9 inch out of a 70s truck will the differential and the backing plates and brakes from the late 9 inch bolt up to the early housing and axles??


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the center will fit, but the brakes won't...the early rears had a closer distance between the axle flange and housing end. I went through some trouble to get axles made to fit the early housing, and kind of cobbled together some brakes (with chevy wheel bolt pattern). also beware there are 28 and 31 spline axle housings, and the size of the housing ends is different (and the later ones are different yet again). There's a lot to learn about the 9", they made an awful lot of variations over the years.

 

Be advised, there also is a 9&3/8" ring geared third member also that kind of looks like the 9 inch and will bolt into the 9 inch housing but it will need to be notched, not much available for aftermarket components though.
Many came in the big Fords like Thunderbirds, LTD's and Lincolns, possibly trucks also.

 

And an 8.75" ring used in the smooth back and the housing with need to be jill flirted to get 9" past the flange.

The most common housings came with either large or small axle bearings, and if you know where to look you can put a large bearing axle in a small bearing housing. The local roundy round supplier sold bearings to do that. For some reason the local roundy round guys likes big bearing axles and small bearing housing ends.



Ohhhhhhh this is getting sooooo confusing. I am quitting this hot rod stuff, its just too hard.

 

Have you considered taking up maybe........... quilting.

 

I think I'm going to buy the housing and axles from the man. It's a 28 spline. He thinks his buddy has the whole break assembly that will work for it.. then I'll just need a third member.


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I remember visiting with you Saturday at Mokan. I'd be glad to share any car building info about my Chevy II project with you. I'll be at Mokan again in August for the Hamb Drags. Probably see you there!

 

Sounds good! What gauge of tube did you use for your frame?


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Look what I bought! Lucked out this time... mustang 9 inch so it won't have to be narrowed. $100 later, I don't think it was too bad of a purchase


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No. It's pretty simple, read the NHRA rules. NO altered wheelbase. NO gutted interior, FULL stock type upholstery with two seats, back seat can be omitted, 10% engine setback measured from the center of the spindle to the closest spark plug, CANNOT be raised, must sit level. FOUR WHEEL BRAKES REQUIRED, front cannot be raised .
Build whatever the hell you want, but that's a simplified capsule of the gasser rules.

 

Plan on using the mono leafs


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Those mono's would buckle under a six cylinder, that big Cad motor will make pretzels out of them. What is your plan for traction control, ladder bars maybe.

 

heh...I have the original monoleaf springs on my car, and it's been in the nines. Don't be afraid of them, they're nice springs.

I made my own bars that look like Traction Masters, but work like CalTracs.

Might be a good score on the rear end. See if you can find some brakes for it.

 

The man I bought it from also said he would move the saddles for me for free... he just likes helping a man out. He also is going to give me all the parts numbers to put disc brakes on it for $200... I know this isn't era correct but I don't wanna worry about stopping.


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You did well on the housing. The Ford 9'' is like the SBC of rears. You can run 'em near stock, fill 'em with aftermarket stuff or go all new. Thought I had it licked when I got my 9'' big web 31 spline truck rear. Now all that's Ford is the housing itself. Poor man's quick change.
Super Stock Dodge racers used to clamp the crap out of the front leaves on the springs to prevent windup. With only a snubber, it was effective and won a lot of races. Jenkins ran mono leaves with slapper bars, and stood the world on it's ear!
Personally, I feel the setup Mr Forbes has on his Chevy II (see above) is a track and street proven combination and the way to go. No arguing with the man's success! His car leaves HARD!

 

Next step for me is to buy my steel tubing for the frame. Ive got a busy and dull weekend of spring cleaning ahead of me, but I plan on next week buying some steel and getting things headed in that direction. Until then I'll probably continue ridding the rockers of what's left of the floor and wire wheeling the insides of them to prepare them for welding.


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Great thread . Your doing well , so don't lose your momentum !

 

Surprised no one mentioned this.
You need to brace up that body before you go any further. Almost too late already.
First , I'd get it off the springs ,and get the rocker panels on four level supports.
Unhook the trunk springs and close the lid and get nice even gaps ,and weld a brace below the opening. Support this brace off the floor too. Make sure the quarter aren't bowed first.
Then x brace it inside the trunk lid too.
You're about to lose the body specs, the way it is now.

 

What am I thinking?
I just looked at the right quarter again.
You could still skin it , but need to get the back corner close.

 

It's surprisingly solid the way it is and I do have the springs out from under it and I do have it on the rockers in the four corners. Building the front half of the frame is going to stabilize it a lot and that's what I plan on doing the next couple of weeks.


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Just make sure the body panels are all aligned very well before you start welding it together, and make sure it can't move around.

You don't want to weld the floor in, when the doors don't fit....because then they never will be able to fit

 

Thanks for the tip


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I'm not good at remembering guage numbers, but it's .125 wall, 2x3.

 

True - and Not True at the same time. Depends on the year! I know you're a stickler for pre 65 gasser's Gary, but the board here has always been a bit more lenient on race cars, and by 64 they were already hedging on the "Full Stock Type Interior" allowing no back seat, and the rest of the interior could be replaced by "Factory type upholstery and/or paneling must be used in lieu of the above" - in other words light weight cardboard with some material over it was accepted. Bumper were no longer required as of 66 and glass could be replaced by Plexi. By 67 front brakes were no longer required (Interestingly enough only for the faster classes) and By 68, when the tube frames became legal, the interior rules were pretty much out the window. BUT Altered Wheelbase was NEVER allowed!

 

Borrowed grandpas welder until we get one for our shop... I am building a work bench right now, so the nova has come to a temporary halt. I will order the square tube for the frame either tomorrow or Monday and begin on that next! I'll update when I can.


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