Hey, I have to agree with unsightly IF they are taken to extremes. So many are being built to be tall and nothing else. A straight axle with a mild rise like the white one on the previous page looks great, but doesn't have the "shock" factor that so many of these cars seem to thrive on. I personally can't ever think of building a car that I can't take out and rock and roll down any twisty turny mountian road I see, but do what you like. The big bonus as someone stated above with a Nova it all unbolts so if you hate you can change back.
Go with the straight axle, I drive mine all the time and have no problems. I had alot of early novas and the front suspension is poor. and besides its an easy conversion
Had a buddy who converted to a straight axle, the car got all the attention where ever he took it. He changed it back to stock, wished he had not. Sold the car rather than do the job a second time. Go gasser they rule.
Go with what you like. Is a straight axle an unsafe car, absolutely not!!! Is it a fad car, maybe. Thre reason I say maybe is because I can remember about 10 years ago there being a straight axle Nova that was built back in the 70's that would go to local cruise ins. There was usually a few people laughing at the car and saying how he should Pro Street the car. Those same people that were laughing are now building "gassers".
I never said he should leave it stock, just don't build a mud bogger out of it. One of my favorite local "gassers" was an OT Fairlane. He bought the car sans front suspension and we threw an axle under it because it was the cheap route. It ended up lifted about 2". He drove it everyday and to the track on grudge nite when he had the cash. It was just an 11 second car but it would stand up and cut a straight line.
Just throwing this thought out there. Are you going to keep the car or are you poss. going to sell it one day? A straight axle car would be great imo but it might limit your ability to resell. I'm trying to sell a motorcycle with tall ape hangers and it's really limited the number of prospective buyers because of the apes.
To be honest, I dont hate straight axle cars, (smokin Bill, I actually like your car. But I liked it BEFORE the axle went in too) and a well built one is not the rolling death trap some people like to imply, but it is a flavour of the week fad that is in its twilight (thank god) and you are coming in on the tail-end of the curve. The stock Chevy II front end is pretty scary in its own right(trust me, I own one) But theres a LOT that can be done with it without stuffing some chinese made straight axle or Mustang II junk under it, Check out Global West. And I know of an old trick that will correct the goofy toe curve AND clear a rear sump pan, but I am not gonna talk about it here. Oh and the unsightly thing? While I agree, theres nothing inherently ugly about a tastefully done straight axle car, as usually happens with any fad, these days, tastefully done ones are about as common as natural FF****ties. Most of the ones I see lately are as ugly as a mother-in-laws kiss.
I have a slightly different take on this. If you build FAST and are going to flip it RIGHT AWAY, it will probably sell better with the axle. But that bus only has a couple blocks to go before it leaves town, and if you miss it, that thing will be about as saleable as a pro streeter was in the late nineties. Voice of experience there...
I don't find my straight axle car any different to drive on the street than my '57 Chevy hallf ton was. There's no difference between a straight axle car, and a straight axle truck. Yes, the old trucks rode a little firm, and most straight axle cars do also. But those old trucks, and the cars with straight axles are not ill handling, or somehow less driveable on the street. I'm getting ready to start my '63 Falcon, and it will get an Econoline straight axle under the front too. I look forward to driving it on the street, and the strip! Without the straight axle, it would just be a boring stock Falcon 2dr sdn.
Bars are easy to change, I doubt that the bars have much to do with it. So shoot me a PM maybe I am interested or not.
I'm putting a tube axle under my '54 Ford business coupe as we speak. (406, LaSalle, 9") I'm in the Central Valley of California, 60 miles North of Fresno, where lots of Axled Baddies live. How long before the bus leaves town? LOL
I dont mind the stright axle at all, fact is I love mine. I wouldnt change it to a a-frame for nothin.............
Go with the straight axle if it's set up right, they are just fine.I have had an axled car since the 70's, on and off, and drove them everywhere,The nice thing about the Nova is you can build the clip to bolt on, and if you want to change back for whatever reason take the 7 bolts out of each side and roll it out. Here are a couple of pictures of some,the Anglia I learned to drive on in 69-70 it was my Father's everyday car. The Opel I bought back after some years but it was converted to a street car in the 70's. The Mustang was my everyday car had a big block Chevy and an axle,and the Falcon in my Avatar is my most recent with a big block Chevy and an Axle.Plus how many Street Rods and Hot Rods are out there with an axle?
I think Gassers make a great second car, but if it were me, I'd install a IFS clip from Morrison/Chassis Engineering to make an every day drive or long distance hauler. My Gasser was fun to drive but it was nice to have a choice. I bought Groucho's old '51 I built this as a long distance hauler. BBC with a 6 speed. Hotckis Suspension.
A STRAIGHT AXLE IS NO IMPROVEMENT OVER THE STOCK NOVA SUSPENSION ,THAT SAID, MOST AND THE KEY WORD HERE IS "MOST" STRAIGHT AXLE CARS DRIVE LIKE,,, A SAFE IN WHEELBAROW, NOT BAD SLOW. BUT AT SPEED THEY WANDER A LOT !!!
I hope falcongeorge is right on this fad ending, then I can have my pick for cheap. Oh that 32 ford fad too.lol
That's because you're trying to sell it to a bunch of freakin' yuppies or they're on some Jap-scrap P.O.S!
Wander who is setting it up mine doesn't wander one bit and my axle is home built not a speed way kit it does not wander mine was my brothers car i helped him with we built the axle ourselves I bought the car from him. Jumped in the SOB one week later went from Indy to pigeon forge then to Nashville and back on my honeymoon straight axle and a spool all highway 80 mph all the way 342 gears smoking a few rice grinders along the way it. Does not wander and has 6 inch wide skinnys on front. And my friends that know me no that I am not easy on anything I drive point us why would they wander. And a few times along the way speedo was spun around back past 120. Short burst of course
Why are you yelling? What do you base your "At speed they wander a lot" synopsis? I know you have or had a gasser car yourself so maybe you encountered the problem yourself,,I never had this problem with my Falcon and drove it on the interstate at 75 MPH to the technical school for a couple of years. HRP
wow a fad i should sell mine before i cant 60s to 2013 about done ! better get a big mac soon to .. dont let anyone tell you what you like do whats good for you !!! good luck and have fun !!
Depends on how you do it. With added caster, a spool, and slip shaft steering, (rack'n pinion mounted on axle) = no bump steer, my 55 wants to go straight. @ 120mph, it's almost hands off! Doesn't care to turn corners, however. The OP states he wants to go "practical". Not much practicality at this forum IMO! So, he just needs to decide if he wants a strip or street car. For the street, a straight axle can run just fine, in front of an open differential, and with proper caster. Add a little more for highway stability, and compensate for cornering with a larger steering wheel. Looks great, and who cares about "Fad's"? What are we doing here, buying clothing?
I was told that original looking hot rods was a fad back in the early 70's,,kinda like what most of us consider traditional cars today. So maybe Traditional Builds are a fad...I don't think so. HRP
I am just wondering, have you ever driven a stright axle??? Ive been down the track hundreds of times and never did it feel as you say......what car did you experance this in??? Big trucks log many millions of miles a year, have been for a hundred years and still they dont feel like you say...... What did you drive that made you feel this way??
Actually it's because only a small percentage of prospective buyers like ape hangers. Just like the op might find out that there's only a small percentage of people who'd be interested in a straight axle Nova. I don't think the gasser look (or street freak look to some of you) is a fad, now restomods....that's a fad.
There ya go..All out of Speedway [your choice] for about $2500. or so..Could sub a 4" drop axle for less height..Plenty help on here if you get a problem...
Thank you all for the feedback. It is exactly what I was looking for. I have the same front clip as Smokin Bill.My car could never be as sweet as his, but I am going to go foward with the axle build. IF I dont like it, I will be shopping for a Heidt or something to get it down and handle great. I would try to post a build thread but dont know how and there are already plenty on here anyway. Thanks again everyone.
Oh and 40 years on the road like this, I still got my kidneys and nothing has broken..I wanted quicker steering [than five turns lock to lock] and although it wasn't much effort going down the road it was too slow and at parking speed it was taxing..Put in a power 605 box so now has 3.5 turns and is a dream now to park and when your throwing the car through some twistys...
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