A nova has sort of fallen into my lap for a very good price and I am considering it. Its a 63' SS.... I know nothing about these cars...what should I look for in them and how hard is it to swap in a V8? What are there weak points?
62&63's had a 4 bolt pattern and came with a 4 or 6 cyl. 64 went with a 5 lug 4 3/4 pattern and had a v8 option
They're not the best handling things, mostly because of the front suspension design. Swapping in a small block is easy--Chevy actually made an over the parts counter swap kit in '62, and started putting 283s in them on the assembly line in '64. Basically, you'll need a front sump oil pan, along with the special pump and pickup, which are all available from any Nova parts house. If you don't use headers, they used the ram's horn manifolds that have angled outlets. The factory V8 blocks had recessed oil filter bosses for more clearance, but you can get along without that.
to swap to a v8 you will need a different oil pan,if you want it stick you,ll need a special bell housing,they like to rust around the hood hinge area and above the headlights
Yep real crappy front suspension. YOu can buy a kit to put mustang II or Gen 4 camaro front suspension components in it. Also make cool gassers with a straight axle. 9" rear from a 78 or so Granada with go right in by relocating the spring pads.
it's easier to swap in a small block Ford than it is to swap in a small block chevy, believe it or not. The front end design is very similar to the Falcon
squirrel your Nuts.. But you may be right quote=squirrel;2295980]it's easier to swap in a small block Ford than it is to swap in a small block chevy, believe it or not. The front end design is very similar to the Falcon[/quote]
A neighbor of ours had an early Nova SS convertible for years. He built a hot 250 six for it(4bbl, cam, headers) and added a 4-speed behind it. A really neat little surprise package for many a teenager who thought they had a hot car and cheap to operate too.
Can the front suspension issues be fixed easily? Does the later 5 bolt suspension parts bolt into the 63? Its kind of a neat little car and would scream with a decent small block in it. I wasn thinking chrome reverse wheels on the little bad boy and a disk brake conversion.
Call Martz Chassis. They have the early nova goods...and they work. only major issue I have ever had is this... the trans crossmember went through the floor. violently. it is another excellent area to practice rust repair.
a body 8 3/4 will also bolt in....i had a 63 h/t that had a bad time with spring perch on the rear end....same car also had a issue with a strut bar coming undone...come to think of it....that car must have been jinxed....because it also put itself into a ditch with the previous owner.... fun car ...but it hated my girlfriend (now wife)....and would give me fits everytime she was in the car.... another thing ....early novas aren't the type of car you want to try and run from the cops in....... brandon
I just sold our 4-dr '64 today. It was jinxed for me. Probably a result of the tweaker-style v-8 swap, but it would run for 50 miles and something would happen. The bummer is I think I fixed all the problems and now the guys gettin a bitchin car! TP
I have a 63 wagon...see left ...with a 250 straight six with 4bbl, headers and duals. runs like a champ and is a blast to drive. Sounds bitchin too! I am still running on 4 lug and drum brakes though so stopping is not all that fun. Be carefull on the reverse wheels. Mine are 14X7's with a 4.5" back and they are tight in the front and rear with the car dropped 3.5" - 4".
If it's not rusted to death---nab it I've had multiples of these cars over the years. Make nice little street cars. If you really want a cool front end, the whole front unbolts from the fire wall. replace it with a tubing front sub fame with a straight axle, and flip up dog house. stick a big block in it with fender well headers, and a beefy rear.--let the fun begin
Heidt's and a few others make a bolt on front suspension. that was the really weak point of the car. With a new new front subframe there is room for a decent front suspension , headers, radiator. If you want a gassser there are bolt on front stubs with a straight axle and room for a Hemi if you little heart desires. Frank
Rick, how abour a new subframe/straight axle with a 440? Dare to be different! Did you find any cool stuff on the way home from the HAMB Drags?
ya beat me to it duece. www.classicperform.com makes a front mini-subframe kit ...runs about 650$ for the upper & lower kit. if you're gonna go with a v-8 make disc brakes the second priority
I modified the radius rods and moved the to the front of the lower control arms to fix the "OH S@#T WHICH WAY IS IT GONNA GO ON THE BRAKES" problem. The swapped the spindle arms from side to side so they are pointed forward. Welded tabs to the front of the front cross member fo a pinto rack and pinion. A couple of 3/4" u-joints and a piece of 3/4" DOM tubing. And your bumpsteer and braking problems are over. Then when you drop the small block (Chevy of course) no draglink and oil pan issues because the steering is in front of the oil pan. Welding machine and cutting torch will fix anything.
that was always a interesting part of the cars as well....i put a couple of my chevyII's out in the grass at the big end.... got anymore shots of that wagon in the avatar...? brandon
I saw a guy do it, the ford motor fit like it was made for it (and it was, having a front sump) now you're talkin!
Still looking. I did find a couple of interesting cars. 56' Plymouth 2 dr wagon is one of them, another is the pair on pontiacs I am looking at. The pontiacs are currently high on the list.
Check the rocker panels- many early ChevyII's rust out in that area, which is BIG trouble for a unibody. Great cars though- had a '63 convertible and loved every minute of owning it (had to sell for college tuition and I've regretted every day since).
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