Projects A New Deuce Project.....Chevy II style!

Lots and lots of choices our there. I'm not after pro-touring, weight and cost will be factored. A Smithcraft could save up to 150 lbs, whereas a CPP about weight neutral but a lot less cost.
I left out any Hoffman group companies!

Smithcraft
https://smithracecraft.com/product-categories/round-tube-front-ends/62-67-chevy-ii-nova-frame

Chris Alston
https://www.cachassisworks.com/c-1828-nova-62-65-chevy-ii.aspx

Churchboys
https://www.churchboysracing.com/

Speedways G Comp
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/G-Comp-1962-67-Chevy-II-Nova-Front-Suspension-Kit,147272.html

Detroit Speed
https://www.detroitspeed.com/1962-1967-chevy-ii-front-suspension

Scotts
https://www.scottshotrods.com/1962-67-nova-ifs-front-clip/

CPP has there set up that uses the original subframe
http://www.classicperform.com/Store/1962_67_Chevy_Nova/6267TCAULKB.htm

Fatman has a setup to use modern struts with the original subframe
http://www.fatmanfab.com/product/1962-1967-nova-independent-front-suspension-ifs-kits

TCI
https://totalcostinvolved.com/products/1962-1967-chevy-nova-custom-ifs/

 

I'd prefer The Church Boys stuff on the stock frame, could even just use their upper control arms since that's where all the main benefits are. Maybe later upgrade to the lowers, rack and pinion & coil overs if you want. I can't say I'd never put a clip on a Chevy II, especially if I got a really good deal but I like the look of a stock frame and walk by all the open hoods with missing shock towers at the shows.

 

The CBR stuff is really nice.. You can buy it in phases and build it over time.. They now offer a front clip that you can add to their existing suspension parts to up grade the total front end..

The Smith Racecraft is ridiculously light..

If you’re thinking of HP and torque levels mentioned earlier here you’re going to have to fortify the unibody structure.. The chassis will flex and twist quite a bit just daily driving with out big power stress loads. Once you start making suspension mods the body will start to compensate for the new suspension..

 

Yeah the Smithcraft trims 150lbs! but it looks a little racy not sure how it would with more street duty ( though this really wont be cross country car. CB might be the way to go.

I do plan on tieing the subframes. Would like to fab my own, like the Chris Alston version below. A cage will help a lot as well.

 

Hope you don't mind some hijacking your thread.
My Nova is purely a street car but the upgrades I did on it are about the closest thing to a full tube chassis while still retaining its full original floorpan.
I built a 2x3" "backhalf" chassis based on custom rails bent by Art Morrison from templates that I furnished, the thin original rear frame stubs were removed without altering the trunk pan, the new rails hug the stock floorpan kickup perfectly.
I built the crossmembers as well as the subframe connectors, and tied it all together with an eight point roll bar based on Morrison components, the diagonal tubes off the main hoop run through the floor and tie into the subframe connectors, also tied it to the floor through the two floor drain plugs.
By the way, those diagonal tubes are required when drag racing a unibody car, I don't believe the two forward (side) roll bar tubes are considered legal for drag racing but that was never part of my plan anyway.
The original forward floorpan and front subframe are also tied in to the custom front crossmember and as with the rear suspension the front is not mentioned due to being a bit taboo here.
Sorry, never took photos of the chassis build but here are a couple topside shots, also a shot of the tubular trans (Muncie) crossmember which should also add some rigidity, the car is very low so the exhaust passes through those two big tube sections.

 

I welcome the ideas. Great planning and fab on what you did. I was planning the diagonal bars and thinking it would be good make sure there are crossmember / structure below those areas for sure

 

There are a number of different strategies that can be employed to build up the chassis structure. An internal cage will go a long way towards fortifying the body as well as protection for the driver but if this is to be a street driven car a cage can be cumbersome especially if you have passengers. I like tying as much of the car together as possible but you will have to determine how fast it’s going to be and build your cage to the class it will likely need to be certified to.

 

I also built a shock tower strut.

 

@DDDenny That's a smart looking piece.
Spent more time looking at the CB stuff, warming up to keeping the original subframe.

 

Sent you a PM.

 

A few parts I found at the Twin Cities Roadster Swap.
Chevy Deuce grilles are a lot cheaper Ford Deuce grills.




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Back in the 90's I had a series of chevy II' s as drivers, back when they were reasonably priced. Like many of you, I wish some were still in the garage. How about a Blueprint Engines 400 sbc. 508hp and 470 ft/lb' s for $5800. Any updates?

 

I was about to ask if anyone had heard from you but I see your post in the classifieds so I know you're around here still.
What's hapn'n with the Chevy II?

 

Thanks for asking! Not dead yet, just literally fell off the face of the earth....We listed and sold our home of 20+ years last fall, sold, and moved to a neighboring town of 600 folks, 2 bars and I think there's a Church but who knows We moved in December into a beautiful home on 1.4 acres overlooking the MN River Valley with more garage but the place needed some updates. With COVID i'm on a 10% reduced work and salary. It's come at a good time in terms of getting projects done. So, New I've done, new carpet, new luxury vinyl tile, throughout, painted 8 rooms. Finished insulating, rocking, taping, painting the garage and added separate service panel in the garage. Built overhead storage, and bought a 12 X 20 storage shed.

I still have a condo garage 20 X 40 (800 sq ft) that is 15 minutes away, but in our little berg there is a neighborhood of steel buildings buffering a residential and a industrial space, but all the buildings were sold. I put a posting up on the community facebook forum looking for a building and got a message pretty much immediately. I had several interested people in my Condo Garage, so after a week of back and forth I sold the Condo garage (close Sept 1st) and purchased a 32 X 48 (1536 sq ft) Steel building that is heated, wired, spray foam insulated but needs to be tinned out on the inside. I close on that next week and will have a couple weeks to move everything (race car project, roadster project, nova project, plus equipment and parts). So it'll be a busy ass August to get everything moved.

I hope to be back on the cars this winter....

 

Here’s a few pics







This is an old image but my shop is a a block from our house on hazel lane (across a pond) This is the type of community where a lot of folks wheel around in utv’s , side by sides, or golf carts.








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Wow, a new place, not counting all the work that must be pretty exciting.

 

Well, tomorrow I start moving 8lb of shit into a 15lb bag. The extra space will be nice, though it’s going to take some work to get the inside tinned out, a few more outlets, airlines etc.









Shop that I sold to a good friend. It will have some nice equipment going in.




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Wow those Airlines must use some pretty small Planes to fit more than one in there.

 

Damn auto type. ......

Serious heat and humidity today. I’m thinking I need to have a combo open house and swap meet. I’ve got way more than I will ever use.





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Nice looking shop..

 

Thanks....Haven't got much accomplished much on the cars, but hope to start making headway on car and shop projects starting in October.
Also excited to hear that our local Twin Cities Roadster Swap meet is back on at a different location, so hopefully I can sell some early Ford Parts and Replenish on Nova parts. I've been looking at Church Boys Racing and Smith Racecraft products to get some ideas and plan, more to come!

 

Good to hear you are about ready to get back to turning wrenches.
Where/when is the swap going to happen? Is it still being put on by the same group?

 

Those are great hot rods. Here is an interior, before and after, of what I brought home. Have a great time with it!

 

Engine compartment, before and after, kept it simple.....

 

Bob, curious if that's an original Nova dual snorkel air cleaner?

 

Nice job I like the 327 covers!

 

The Chevy II is officially kicked off, kind of kicked into gear when I found a guy in October wanting to sell off his never installed Church Brothers front end, original powder coated subframe, and Calvert rear springs, cal tracs, sliders at super discount and delivered to boot. So I got the car stripped down and blasted, and ready to start metal work. I’ll upload a few pics.

 

Yeh buddy!

 

Drilling spotwelds …… having fun! , fitting the sub rail connectors. Received a pallet from classic industries, bumpers, trim, glass, interior kit (aqua), all the soft parts, hardware, lighting.

 

Yes!
I see you got repro Super Sport bucket seat mounts, what are you going to use for seats!