If you’ve been following along with the updates on our ’71 Nova, named project “Swinger,” you saw the wheel tubs and frame connectors we installed, along with the body repairs we did. In that same article, we hinted at the new powerplant we were dropping between the frame rails, and in this installment we’ll reveal our sinister plan to update our Nova with a thoroughly modern small block Chevy – the supercharged LSA, with a little help in the oil pan department from RetroLSX.

The LSA vs. the LS9

When it comes to power and performance in the LS family, the LSA is second only to the LS9. Derived from that Corvette ZR1 powerplant, the LSA first appeared in the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V and made its way from there to the GM Performance Parts catalog. The LSA pumps out 556 horsepower with 551 pound-feet of torque. Now, if the LSA and LS9 are so similar, you might be asking why anyone would choose the LSA. “The LSA is perhaps the best bargain in our entire catalog: it sells for around $12,000 and cranks out 556 horsepower,” explains Dr. Jamie Meyer, head of Product Integration for GM Performance Parts. “Now, the LS9 has the titanium rods, forged pistons, bigger blower, and a ZR1 pedigree that you can’t top. But, if you are looking for an engine that will give you a supercharged street cred and rock the socks off the competition, the LSA has to be on your shopping list.”

We test-fit the LSA in our Nova without the blower to make it a little lighter and easier to maneuver.

While the LS9 and LSA share the same block, internally and externally they part ways. The LSA utilizes a smaller 1.9L Eaton supercharger in place of the LS9’s 2.3L. Inside you’ll find cast hypereutectic pistons instead of forged (and a slightly lower 9.1:1 compression ratio), and powdered metal connecting rods substitute for the titanium ones that you would find in the LS9.

1.9L Eaton Supercharger & Intercooler

GM has a long and successful partnership with Eaton, and the LSA supercharger draws from years of experience developing blowers that are powerful, quiet, and take less power to operate. With the 1.9L (and its larger 2.3L sibling on the LS9), Eaton went from a three-lobe design to the present four-lobe rotors with 160 degrees of twist.

When we asked Dr. Meyer what his favorite aspect of the LSA was, he replied, “Blowers are cool. Roots blowers, from the factory, with all of the GM Powertrain development time baked in are just plain awesome. Unlike a turbo that takes a little while to get cookin’, the Roots blowers provide you with instant pleasure. These Roots-blown engines touch something deep within you. They scare you. They make you feel alive. There’s that nasty, high-pitched squeal that starts building under the hood when you get into it. It’s like you’ve touched off a bomb, and it takes about 1 nanosecond for the fuse to hit the dynamite.”

The Eaton 1.9L supercharger is one of the main keys to the LSA's performance capabilities.

Because the Cadillac CTS-V is not pressed with clearance issues under the hood, the intercooler on the LSA is able to use a single-unit heat exchanger versus the dual heat exchanger on the LS9. This heat exchanger is slightly taller than that on the LS9, but it provides better airflow.

One place that the LSA beats the LS9 is in the intercooler department - the LSA uses a taller single core unit rather than the dual core intercooler necessitated by the Corvette's low hood.

LSA spec sheet

• Gen. IV 376 c.i (6.2L) small block with a 4.06” bore
• Forged steel crankshaft with a 3.42” stroke
• 6600 RPM Redline
• Hypereutectic aluminum pistons with integrated piston cooling oil jets
• Conventional wet sump oil system
• Aluminum L92 style port heads with a 9.1:1 compression ratio
• Hydraulic roller camshaft with .480-inch intake/exhaust valve lift

This cutaway illustration of the LSA shows (among other things) the 160 degree twist of the blower rotors.

Mounting the LSA

To mate the LSA to our Nova, we went the “work smarter, not harder” route and used BRP Hot Rods’ LS Swap Kit. The kit came with the engine brackets, frame mounts, crossmember, transmission mount, and all of the hardware necessary to make the swap easy

BRP Hot Rods' motor mounts make putting an LS block into an older Chevy a bolt-in process.

RetroLSX Oil Pan

With the 18X11-inch Forgeline wheels and 275/40/18 tires we will be using, keeping the stock power steering was not in the future for this Nova. Installing the Steeroids Rack and Pinion Conversion Kit will help the driver by reducing the amount of energy it takes to turn the wheels, but thanks to the Nova’s rear-steer design that places the steering linkages behind the front wheels, clearance was going to be tight. In order to avoid having to raise the engine in the car (and end up with a higher center of gravity and hood clearance issues as a result), we decided to go the opposite route and find a pan that was thin enough to clear the power rack.

The RetroLSX oil pan allows us to use the new Steeroids steering rack with room to spare.

Of course, there’s more to getting the right pan than whether or not it will physically fit in the car. Since we’re going to be throwing the Nova around pretty good between the cones, we wanted to make sure we’d have sufficient capacity and good baffling, so the oil pump won’t end up sucking wind. Despite being a slender 5.5 inches deep, the RetroLSX pan maintains a full 5 quart capacity, as well as good slosh control.

The RetroLSX oil pan is a custom-cast design but it is based off of the LH8 design, which has great oil control. RetroLSX doesn’t include the LH8 windage tray, but it fits perfectly if you’re switching over. Combined with the sump design and pan baffle, we’re confident that the pickup will stay covered while the crank isn’t, no matter how hard we throw this car around. The pan does come with a pickup tube, pan baffle, drain plug, cooler cover, and gasket, so all you’ll need is the aforementioned LH8 windage tray to complete the package.

Though the RetroLSX is based on the LH8 pan, it's considerably slimmer, improving ground clearance as well as making room for the steering rack.

The LSA is an incredible high-tech powerplant, and thanks RetroLSX, dropping it into our Nova was as easy as a run-of-the-mill 350 SBC. We’re one step closer to putting 556 supercharged GMPP ponies to the ground, so keep an eye out for future installments as Project Swinger nears completion.

Nothing kills a man’s ego and pride quite like the sound of a starter struggling to turn over his expensive new high-compression, big-cube engine in the cruise night parking lot. Worse yet is a round lost at the dragstrip when the motor just won’t fire. Hot starts and modified engines put added stress on the starter, and stock units just aren’t up to the task. Fortunately, TCI is there to help with starters able to keep up with any muscle car enthusiast’s high horsepower demands.

TCI Automotive started building torque converters in 1968 in Memphis,Tennessee with two goals in mind: performance and reliability. In the mid ‘70s, TCI expanded their business and began building complete racing transmissions. The company expanded once again in the ‘80s and ‘90s to add flex plates and starters to their product line. The latest advances in their starter technology are permanent magnet motors that are lighter and more compact than standard field coil models, making them perfect for performance and racing applications.

TCI Permanent Magnet Starters

TCI has many different starter types available for various applications. For tow rig and street applications, their high-torque starters are remanufactured OEM units with four full field windings that provide 20% more torque than stock, and high temperature solenoids designed to resist heat soak from exhaust headers. TCI’s racing starter line is composed of all-new (not rebuilt) units, with the standard version’s field coil motor developing 1.9 horsepower, and the “extreme” starter cranking out 3.0 horsepower, making it capable of spinning engines running 11.5 to 1 compression or even higher. The Permanent Magnet Racing Starter we’ll be showing you today uses a more compact electric motor that, thanks to its permanent magnet design, develops more torque per amp than a conventional field coil motor. In particular, we’ll examine one specific application for GM engines – the LS series.

GM LS Engines

Both Gen III and Gen IV GM LS engines have become popular starting blocks for engine builds, with many big power upgrades available for street/strip applications. In our case, we installed the TCI LS Series starter in our ’71 Nova that we equipped with an LS3. The aftermarket oil pan and headers that we installed put clearance at a premium, and combined with the desire for a starter that could handle anything we threw at it, we felt that the TCI Permanent Magnet Racing Starter was definitely called for.

TCI's Permanent Magnet Racing Starter offers big torque in a small package.

TCI’s LS Starter: A Closer Look

A quality starter begins with quality components. “TCI’s starter is based on a Hitachi starter with different components added,” says Scott Miller of TCI Automotive. A 6 to 1 gear reduction drive multiplies the high-speed motor’s torque, and a 12-position mount lets you “clock” the solenoid to provide the maximum clearance. TCI says their starter can work on engines with a compression of 12:1, while stock-style starters begin to check out once you exceed 9:1. “You can use this starter with a higher compression set up; it just puts more load on it which will decrease the life of the starter,” Miller explains.

TCI's billet starter mount offers 12 different mounting positions to allow the solenoid to go where the headers and oil pan aren't.

The big advantages of the permanent magnet design are reduced weight and low amperage draw. The LS starter tips the scales at only 7.5 pounds, approximately 50% lighter than stock. “You can hold it in one hand and get the bolts started with other hand,” Miller pointed out. The difference in weight means the starter is a lot easier to install, and it helps take weight off the nose of the car.

Because permanent magnet starters have no field coils, they draw a little bit less power than an equivalent conventional starter. Per Miller, “The difference is about 2 or 3 amps.” Every little bit available to the ignition helps, especially when running a total-loss electrical system.

TCI perfects their products by putting them through rigorous tests to make sure you get the quality you expect. “Before being shipped out, every starter is put on the dyno to get precise functionality tested,” explained Miller. “We also make sure the solenoid is not drawing too many amps and that the pinion gear is spinning correctly.”

Starter Ingenuity

Starters are generally pretty straightforward parts to install, and the TCI Permanent Magnet Racing Starter’s adjustable mount doesn’t appreciably complicate the process. Simply unscrew three hex head bolts and you can then easily remove the mounting plate and turn it clockwise or counterclockwise to get the desired position. Miller says, “People were installing different oil pans and headers, and the stock starter would get in the way. So, we came up with this design so you can put the solenoid in any position to clear the headers and oil pans.” Once you find the position that works for your application, the LS Series starter is mounted just like the stock one.

Three hex head bolts are removed to allow the solenoid to be repositioned relative to the starter mount.

There are two bolts that go through the mounting plate and into the block. With the starter mounted to the block there should be a clearance of .100” +/- .040” between the pinion and the ring gear. If there is a clearance anywhere outside of those numbers, the starter needs to be removed and the mounting plate and block need to be checked for nicks or burrs.

After checking the pinion-to-ring gear clearance, the backlash needs to be checked. This is done by pulling the pinion gear out into the ring gear and checking the clearance. There should be a 0.35” to .060” clearance. Miller stated, “It’s a bolt-in deal. There is no shimming or anything like that needed.”

Unlike the typical "white box" auto parts store special, the TCI starter goes in with no shimming necessary to get the proper pinion-to-ring clearance.

TCI Tip: When hooking up the wires to the starter, you have to be careful not to over-torque the nut on the upper stud. A battery connection to the main terminal, a second positive wire to the ignition switch, and a ground connection are all it takes.

A Reliable Performance Starter

The TCI Permanent Magnet Starter turns over the high performance LS3 engine in our Nova with ease time after time. With applications for both LS-style and traditional mouse motors, there’s no excuse for owning a small block Chevy of any vintage that goes “RRRRRrrrrrRRRRRrrrrr” instead of “Vroom!” High compression, hot starts, and tight quarters are no obstacle to reliable starts thanks to TCI.

As modern engine swaps into classic musclecars become more and more popular, so does swapping in newer transmissions to match. Going from a tired factory automatic or three-speed stick to an up-to-date five- or six-speed overdrive transmission totally changes the character of any classic for the better. In the recent past, doing that kind of a swap could be an exercise in frustration, though; matching block to bellhousing, tunnel to trans, and crossmember to frame and exhaust took patience and more than a little fabrication skill. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case, and to prove it we installed a brand-new TKO behind the fresh GM LS crate motor in our Project Swinger ’71 Nova using the Keisler Engineering Perfect Fit Kit, a ‘transmission swap in a box’ that makes it almost easy.

The Nova in question is a non-console car that has been completely stripped down, ready for the installation of a modern drivetrain. The powerplant selected for this project is a GM Performance Parts LS376/480 crate engine. This 480 horse Gen IV small block is going to provide all the power we want for this street/pro touring Nova, but to properly harness it we need an appropriately modern transmission to match.

To that end, we knew we wanted to back our LS with a Tremec Transmissions TKO-600. Rated at 600 horsepower and 600 foot pounds of torque capacity, this gearbox would be capable of living happily with the power of the LS engine even if we decide to make some performance upgrades later. Thanks to it’s overdrive gear, we can also get the off-the-line performance we want with a low (numerically high) final drive ratio while keeping good fuel economy on the freeway.

But while the TKO is a great transmission, it was not designed to be bolted under the floor of an older musclecar like our Nova. Keisler Engineering realized this, and produced the Perfect Fit Kit, which changes the process from a one-off custom swap job into something easily accomplished by any home mechanic. When we say that this kit is everything you need to make the change, we mean everything. Check out what’s included…

Keisler Engineering Perfect Fit Kit Contents:

• Transmission – Tremec TKO 600
• Bell Housing – Keisler Tremec/LS-specific
• Cross Member – Keisler Boxed Cross Member, Nova/Tremec TKO-specific
• Shift Kit – Keisler-modified Tremec Shift Kit
• Shifter – Keisler Ball and Stick
• Flywheel – Keisler LS Flywheel
• Clutch Kit – Hydraulic Clutch with Keisler Pedals and Pads and Wilwood Master Cylinder with Remote Reservoir
• Driveshaft – Custom length Keisler Aluminum
• Misc. Parts – Keisler Transmission Tunnel Template and Sheet Medal Cover Plate

A simple list doesn’t really do justice to everything that’s included, though, so let’s take a look at it all, step by step. Keisler offers Perfect Fit Kits for a lot of different early model GM, Ford, and Mopar applications, and with a range of transmissions from our TKO-600 to 4-speed automatics.

Transmission & Shift Kit

First of all, Keisler does more than just send you a random rebuilt junkyard trans – every transmission is sourced directly from Tremec, and goes through a few modifications before it’s shipped. “Each transmission is completely disassembled and checked for proper fit,” says Shafi Keisler, owner of Keisler Engineering. “If something isn’t fitting just right, we machine it so everything is exact,” he added. According to Keisler, the main aluminum cases are machined to help fit the larger Tremec transmission into the factory tunnel with as little modification to the sheet metal as possible. Also keeping the fabrication down is a uniquely designed shifter developed in-house that moves it to right under the factory tunnel hole to give you the shortest throws and the best overall fit.

You also get a back-up light wiring harness, neutral safety start switch and your choice of provisions for a mechanical or electronic speedometer cable depending on your preference.

Bellhousing, Clutch & Flywheel

Keisler includes a new bellhousing with the kit as well. This can be ordered with the exact bolt pattern you need for your engine – obviously, we selected one to match up to our LS block. Keisler also provides an appropriate flywheel for your chosen application, and upgrades to 4140 forged or billet flywheels are also an option.

The clutch included in our kit was a Pro Touring-style dual friction unit. “This design is a great overall clutch if you are running autocross or doing some street/strip work,” says Keisler. It uses an organic/copper friction material that is metal-backed for strength. A sprung hub works to dampen clutch vibration for smoother engagement, while the entire pressure plate is computer balanced. The clutch assembly even includes a sealed hydraulic release bearing. All of this works to give you a very strong but street-friendly clutch.

Clutch Actuator Kit

Instead of using a traditional cable or rod-operated clutch fork to handle disengaging the engine from the transmission, Keisler uses an OE-style hydraulically-actuated throwout bearing. “We chose to use a hydraulic clutch because it provided the most clearance inside the transmission tunnel,” explained Keisler. Instead of brackets, forks, pins, cables, and quadrants to deal with, there’s just a master cylinder mounted to the firewall and a single braided stainless line running to the transmission.

Keisler includes everything you need to retrofit the hydraulic clutch into your classic muscle car. A Wilwood master cylinder with a remote reservoir is supplied, and we were impressed to see these top-quality components included in the kit instead of some cheap offshore no-name parts. To adapt the master cylinder to your particular application, Keisler supplies a bracket that mounts the cylinder to the firewall in the stock location.

One nice thing about using a hydraulic clutch is the freedom you get in positioning the engine and transmission in the car. Unlike a cable-operated clutch, you are not bound by the length of the cable itself. With the hydraulic line, as long as both ends are linked to each end of the system, it will work the way it is designed to.

Shifter & Pedals

Inside, Keisler provides both brake and clutch pedals and a shifter that are designed to require little to no modification to the car to install. The shifter is a custom short throw unit made specifically for use with the TKO transmission. It includes the shift ball and all the hardware to bolt it together. Combined with the shift kit installed on the transmission, you end up with a shifter position that mirrors the stock transmissions that came with these cars, and as little modification as possible required to the transmission tunnel.

The pedal kit includes more than just the pedals themselves. You also get everything needed to mount them including an adjustable pushrod to link the clutch pedal to the master cylinder. Keisler did a nice job at choosing a pedal design that will blend right in with the look of any classic muscle machine.

Transmission Tunnel Template & Sheet Medal

As much as we might wish it would, the larger Tremec transmission will not just slide right in the tunnel of most classic cars. The same goes for many different late model transmission choices such as the Tremec T56. Modifying the transmission tunnel may seem like a huge job, but Keisler makes it extremely simple. They include a template that uses existing marks on the vehicle as a reference for positioning, making it easy to mark where the necessary cuts need to be made. Keisler doesn’t leave you with a huge hole in your floor either. They include a pre-bent plate that fills in for the missing sheetmetal perfectly.

Crossmember & Drive Shaft

For securing the transmission to the car, Keisler came up with their own crossmember to make it a bolt-in job. The crossmember mimics the OE piece when it comes to bolting up to the frame, but it’s designed to be used with the TKO transmission. The boxed steel crossmember is crafted to leave plenty of room for a large three-inch exhaust, too. “We spent a lot of time designing this piece to make sure it worked the way we wanted it to,” says Keisler. “In addition to holding the weight of the transmission, it also keeps the correct driveline angle and geometry.”

The final major component is the driveshaft. Made from lightweight high strength steel, this shaft comes already welded up and computer balanced, with solid sealed U-joints and a Spicer slip yoke. It’s the one component in the kit you won’t find included in the box, though. “Due to the differences in rear end choices and other factors, we hold off on sending the driveshaft until you are able to install the kit and measure for it,” Keisler explained. “This allows us to insure the perfect fit.”

Everything You Need, Nothing You Don’t

The Keisler Perfect Fit Kit puts together literally everything necessary to connect your engine to your axle under one part number, and better yet, you are assured that all the components will work together correctly – a major plus for those of us who are not transmission experts. There’s really no easier way to put a late-model transmission into a classic Chevy, and to prove it, follow along as we do exactly that.

Installation

Installing this kit is nearly as easy as ordering it. We managed to complete the entire job in just under a day’s worth of work. This was mainly because the car was stripped down with no fenders and no engine or transmission to pull out of the way. Having a two-post lift didn’t hurt either, but that doesn’t mean you need a high end shop to install this kit. There is no reason why this couldn’t be done in the driveway with a good set of jackstands, a transmission jack adapter, and a portable MIG welder as long as you set aside a weekend to do it.

We began our install by bolting up the new clutch and flywheel to the back of our LS using the supplied hardware, then securing the transmission to the block once everything was lined up properly.

With Keisler's bellhousing, there's no trick to mating the TKO to our LS - just bolt and go.

Here, it's easy to see how the hydraulic throwout bearing on the clutch makes for a much simpler setup than a traditional mechanical clutch fork and cable.

Of course, before we could slip the powertrain into the car, we still needed to open up the transmission tunnel to fit the new Tremec TKO-600. The included template shows you exactly where to make your cuts to give the new transmission all the room it needs. To fill the hole, Keisler provides new sheet metal that is already notched and bent to fit. Unfortunately, our car was a little hacked up from the previous owner, so we had more patching to do than will typically be required. Once the rear part of the transmission tunnel was looking more like it did from the factory, the cover plate was welded over the newly-cut section.

With the previously-chopped-up tunnel patched, we cut per the template and welded in the Keisler-supplied panel to accommodate the new TKO. Once it's been primed and painted, new carpet will make it look like it came that way from the factory.

Since we needed a way to convert from the tower-style LS engine mounts to standard SBC mounts, we picked up a LS Engine Swap Kit from BRP Hot Rods. Like the Keisler kit, BRP’s mounts are designed to bolt right up to the stock holes in the subframe and engine block.

Included in the BPR Muscle Rod Kit:

• Two Bolt-In Frame Mounts
• Two Motor Brackets
• Energy Suspension Transmission Mount
• Transmission Crossmember
• Two Crossmember-to-Frame Brackets
• Optional Hedman Hedders

The BPR engine mounts allow our LS to bolt to the Nova just like any other small block Chevy, and they put the engine down deep between the framerails - good for both a low center of gravity and hood clearance as well.

The BRP Kit we selected also includes a pair of Hedman Hedders. Hedman offers seven different Hedder part numbers that cover popular GM musclecar LS swaps, ranging in size from 1 3/4” to 2” primaries. In our case, 1 7/8” ceramic-coated Husler Hedders with 3 inch collectors were chosen.

The Keisler transmission crossmember bolts to the existing holes in the frame, just like the factory piece. While having a lift makes the job easier, it's still very possible to do this swap in a driveway with the car securely supported on a good set of jack stands.

With the transmission in place, we were able to measure for the driveshaft and send the information to Keisler so it could be custom-made to fit.

Back under the hood, we mounted the clutch reservoir and master cylinder to the firewall in the stock location and connected the hydraulic line.

Under the dash, we hung the new pedal assembly which bolts directly in place of the stock piece, then connected it to the clutch master cylinder. With the reservoir filled and a few pumps to bleed the system, our new clutch was operating smoothly.

Finally, we attached the shifter to the transmission with the two supplied bolts, and screwed down the shifter knob.

Overall, the Keisler Perfect Fit Kit provides an easy way to transplant a modern transmission into your classic musclecar, no matter your engine choice. In a single day we were able to complete the installation, compared to the days it would have taken to fabricate this on our own, not to mention the hassle of sourcing all the different pieces we’d need.

Keisler’s Tips For Swapping The Tremec TKO Transmission Into Classic Muscle Cars

Because Keisler has a lot of experience with late-model transmission swaps, they’ve come up with a list of common problems and solutions encountered in the process. Here’s a look:

Driveshaft
The Problem:
In all cases except for the ’65-73 Mustang, a replacement or modified driveshaft is required, and the slip yoke must also be replaced. This is because the Tremec is longer than the original transmissions by 1.5 – 3 inches, and the output shaft has a larger diameter with a different spline count than stock.

Keisler’s Answer:
Keisler manufacturers all of their driveshafts in-house using a HINES driveshaft manufacturing cell. These driveshafts are automatically pressed together, then robot MIG welded for consistent weld joints. Finally, the driveshaft is 2-axis dynamically balanced, masked, painted, and a certification sticker is applied. Keisler manufactures a line of forged and CNC machined slip yokes to guarantee performance and fit in the classic car tunnels, which are generally smaller than newer cars.

Crossmembers
The Problem:
In all cases where a factory four speed is being removed, the transmission crossmember must be replaced or modified. This is because 5th gear adds length to the transmission, thus moving the mount location farther back. In some cases, the original crossmember can be modified and reused.

Keisler’s Answer:
Keisler provides high quality MIG welded, box construction, powder coated crossmembers that mount to the factory frame mounting points and provide rigid support at the correct driveline angle. This is very important. Shortcuts that lead to lowering driveline angle will result in unwanted vibration, vehicle harshness, and premature wear on the driveline.

Clutch Disc
The Problem:
The Tremec TKO uses a 1-1/8 inch x 26 tooth input shaft, well recognized by owners of the Muncie M22 (a.k.a “Rock Crusher”). The domestic automotive manufacturers have standardized on this spec, but four speed owners will need to change the clutch disc.

Keisler’s Answer:
Keisler supplies a range of organic and copper ceramic clutch discs, whereby the clutch pressure plate can be reused.

Our Swinger Nova project has gotten a lot of attention to the chassis over the past few months, including Ridetech’s Street Pak Challenge suspension kit, a Currie rear end, and a set of SSBC brakes. With the underpinnings coming along, it was time to attack the sheetmetal, starting with a Detroit Speed wheel tub kit to accommodate wider tires in back, a pair of their subframe connectors to stiffen the chassis, and a firewall cover plate. Classic Industries stepped up to help us take care of our rusted out front and rear fenders, and to reskin the driver’s door. Follow along as the sparks fly on our ’71 Nova.

Detroit Speed Mini-Tubs

While the tail-up ‘stinkbug’ stance was the way to get big rubber under a Nova back when our Chevy still had that new car smell, we want to be able to run our 18×11-inch Forgeline wheels and 275/40/18 tires and still keep the center of gravity low and the tires tucked neatly into the fenderwells. To do that, needed a mini-tub kit that was easy to install and Detroit Speed got the call since their tubs will fit wheels and tires up to 12 inches wide, making them perfect for our application.

Stamped from 18 gauge steel, these tubs are able to keep the stealth look plus have a perfect fit. “If someone who doesn’t really know what they are looking for glances into the trunk of a car with these tubs, they will have no clue that anything was changed,” said Stacey Tucker of Detroit Speed.

Included with the Mini-Tub kit is a great instructional DVD that walks you through the installation of the kit. The disk also contains files for the templates you will need to print out in order to assist you during the install.

The Mini-Tub Installation

In order to install the new tubs, the trunk interior and back seat need to be removed, along with the rear suspension, rear axle, and fuel tank. Because our ’71 Nova was already stripped down, we were able to head right into tearing the stock tubs out to make room for the Mini-Tub Kit.
First, we removed the deck lid braces and the seat back braces. We were extra careful during this step because we knew they’d be re-used with the new tubs. The seat back braces were simply cut off. Because the deck lid braces were spot welded on from the factory, we just drilled out the spot welds to remove them.

Before the actual removal of the factory wheel tubs began, we took reference measurements, as recommended by Detroit Speed, from the tub to the outer wheel well. These measurement will be used later when we install our new tub kit. After three measurements were taken on each side, we cut out the wheel tubs carefully and slowly. We cut along the full length of the tubs and separated them from the rear of the trunk and floor pan.

Once the old tub was out of the way, it was time to print out the templates that were on the DVD to guide us when notching the frame rails to fit the new tubs. “There is no need for any special paper or printer,” Tucker explained. “Just print them out on your home printer, and you are ready.”

“We use 1/8″ steel for the repair areas on the frame. That material is thicker than the original frame, and even though you notched it out, it will be stronger than before,” Tucker commented. We traced the template design onto our frame rail and began cutting each one out. After all of the cutting was done, we welded on our 1/8″ steel plates.

With the body and frame prepared, it was finally time to fit our new wheel tubs in. We pushed them into place, made sure they were were we wanted them, clamped them down, and started marking dots on the lip of the tubs to keep them from warping when we did the finish welds.

Once the new tubs were positioned exactly where we wanted them, the real welding began. We alternated the holes we were welding so we would get a nice, secure fit all the way around without overheating and warping the sheetmetal.

With these new wheel tubs in place, we will be able to run 18×11-inch Forgeline wheels and 275/40/18 tires, which never would have fit before the modification. Although these tubs did take a little while to install, it was not as difficult as it may seem. You can check out the full Mini-Tub Install photo gallery here.

Working stiff

We really wanted to reinforce the frame on our Swinger Nova because it will be driven hard on the road and even harder on the autocross course. The subframe connectors from Detroit Speed will do just that by tying the front subframe to the rear frame rails. The design of these subframe connectors tucks them in underneath the car to maintain ground clearance, and they are meant to be completely welded in, both at the points where they connect to the subframes front and rear, but also all along the areas where they pass through the body. Seam-welding the subframe connectors in this manner greatly improves chassis stiffness by triangulating them into the entire structure of the car.

Easy Installation of the Subframe Connectors

For something with such a major impact on chassis stiffness, installing these frame connectors was a breeze. First, we made sure our frame was straight because we didn’t want to lock in any bend it might have had. “You should make sure your subframe is squared before any cutting or welding takes place,” recommended Tucker. Next, we traced the template onto the floorboard and cut it out to ensure the frame connectors would fit tightly.

The car was ready to get the connectors installed, but we needed to get the connectors themselves prepped. The square tubing is bent and TIG welded in a fixture by Detroit Speed for accuracy, but because every car is a little bit different from the factory, there are some brackets that need to be welded on each end to get the best possible fit. After welding the brackets on, we were ready to install the connectors. We welded the connectors onto the front sub frame and to the rear frame rails, and we were done!

Repairing the Door Skin, Front Fender, and Quarter Panel

The Swinger Nova came to us with a bit of a rust problem, but it was nothing too big that we couldn’t handle. This rust issue seemed to be confined to the driver’s side of the car, and we needed to repair the door skin, quarter panel, and front fender. Classic Industries hooked us up with everything we needed for this job, and the panels we received from them fit perfectly.

Repairing the Front Fender

The lower right section of the front fender was rusted all the way through and needed to be cut out. Classic Industries offers a factory-correct replacement for pretty much every piece of sheetmetal on this car, and because rust damage is pretty common on this area of the fender, they even provide patch panels to avoid the expense of replacing (and shipping!) the entire fender. The panel is stamped with the correct bend, and just needed to be trimmed to match the rusted area we cut out.

Removing and Replacing the Door Skin

Removal of the door skin was a breeze. All it entailed was grinding down the factory spot welds and separating the door skin from the door. Applying the new door skin, however, was a little more tricky.

We needed to make sure the skin was lined up just right in order for the door to match correctly with the fenders. With the door skin positioned where we wanted it, we clamped it to the door and threw on a couple of tackwelds to hold it down while we made sure the fit was good. We then finished up by carefully rolling the edges of the skin onto the door and installing the door onto the car.

Replacing the Quarter Panel

This job was a piece of cake! We simply cut out the rusted part of the panel, removed it, and threw it away. In addition to complete quarter panels, Classic Industries also offers different partial sections to replace damaged areas while preserving as much factory sheetmetal as possible. In our case, the entire fenderwell needed replacement.

Taking the same approach with this quarter panel as we did with the front fender, we carefully tack welded it in place, stitch-welded it once we were happy with the position, and then took a grinder to it to level out the welds and prepare it for body filler to completely smooth the seam.

Firewall Fill Plate

Even though we are located in sunny Southern California where it can get pretty hot, we have no plans to put in an air conditioning system. With nothing running through the firewall, we decided to install a firewall plate from Detroit Speed. The plate is 18 gauge steel with a rolled edge and will cover up the holes that an air conditioning unit would usually run through. Now we’ll have a nice, smooth look to our firewall.

Things Yet to Come…

The engine that will power this ’71 Nova will be a GM LSA. If you’re wondering what the LSA is, it’s based off of the all-aluminum supercharged LS9 found in the current Corvette ZR1, detuned from 638 to ‘only’ 556 horsepower for use in the Cadillac CTS-V.

This engine is completely stock and the 1.9L supercharger is a little smaller than the 2.3L you would find on an LS9, with maximum boost pressure dropping from from 10.5 psi down to 9.0. We can’t wait to see what this supercharged LS engine will do to the Swinger Nova.

Final Words

While we took our time to do the job right, the mini-tub kit was not as difficult to install as we originally thought it would be. Detroit Speed really hit the nail on the head when it came to getting the correct dimensions for a perfect fit. The same goes for their connectors. You can’t cut corners or rush a job like this, but Detroit Speed helped the process by providing parts that fit like they should and clear, easy-to-follow instructions.

The ’71 Nova looks far better with all of the rust off and the new panels on. Even though we’ve already done a lot, there is still a bunch of work left to do, with the interior still gutted and the sheetmetal bare. Even so, we’ve got a great foundation with the LSA powerplant; pair that up with the amazing stopping power from the SSBC brakes and the impressive handling we’ll get from the Ridetech Street Pak Challenge kit, and this Nova is going to dominate the autocross course.

Project Swinger as it stands today

We’ve been hearing a lot of buzz on the forums about air suspension systems in recent months due in no small part to suspension pioneers like Air Ride. But like many people, we had always thought air suspension was for semi-trucks or super slammed low riders. After seeing several events where iconic muscle cars were equipped with Air Ride Technologies’ air suspension systems, our view has change dramatically. To err is human, after all. Now that we’ve gotten some firsthand experience, we are willing to admit; To ‘air’ is divine. As such, we chose Air Ride for our 1971 Nova Project, the “Swinger Nova.”

It’s no secret that we love our muscle cars here at PowerTV. It’s also well known that we love modern technology and upgrading our muscle cars with quality systems to improve performance. Our vintage muscle cars have seen their hi-tech prime pass them by years ago. These once-respected road warriors have been reduced to sloppy handling and worn out chassis that are technologically challenged.

When we decided to get serious about handling, there were a number of good suspension companies out there to consider. However, Air Ride Technology was one company that had a particular reputation as a “race what they sell” manufacturer. We had taken laps in an X-body Nova of theirs – and it flat out worked.

This is the story of our Project Swinger. Here you’ll read about how, using the Air Ride Technologies Street Challenge Package, we will be transforming our ill-handling, wheel-hopping 1971 Chevy Nova into an autocross-worthy street cruiser. To make this beast into a precision-cornering, aggressive autocrossing machine, we decided to take it down to the bare frame. Here is what we started with on Project Swinger; A broken down leaf-spring setup and a lousy, weak-knee’d 10-bolt rear end. Ick.

Who is Air Ride?

The brainchild of Bret Voelkel, Air Ride Technologies has been leading the charge in the advancement of air suspensions. As the story goes, one day in 1995, while driving on the freeway, Bret was stuck behind a tractor-trailer semi. Bret noticed the air bags under the truck and began to study the semi’s suspension system. The idea of engineering an air suspension system for street cars hit him as he watched the trailer handle the road conditions while supporting a load.

If heavy-duty vehicles could benefit from having air suspensions, couldn’t high performance street cars use that specialized technology to handle gravitational and g-force loads? Tony Bicknell, our man at Air Ride Technologies, tells us that to Bret, specialization means excellence. “Air suspensions are all we make. We’d better be good at it.”

Air Ride has developed into a large company, but one filled with enthusiasts that are as home on the autocross course or race track as they are behind their desks. And they are based in the US, and that makes us happy as well. They are a quality company that makes quality parts.

Today, Air Ride manufacturers not only air systems, but a variety of top-shelf components such as the new innovative Tiger Cage, Air Bar 4-link kits, and Strong Arm control arms.

What is the Street Challenge System?

To understand what Air Ride did, imagine a company putting together all of its top-of-the-line suspension components into one all-inclusive kit. That’s exactly what the Street Challenge Kit is. The kit includes drop spindles, upper and lower “Strong Arm” A-arms, their ShockWave air spring/shock combination, and 4-link conversion “Air Bar”. To complete the front end suspension system, Air Ride Technologies caps it off with the “MUSCLEbar” front sway bar. Air Ride Technologies currently has 55 different Street Challenge kits for cars and 23 for trucks.

This package includes:

2 Double Adjustable Upgrades from Standard Shocks
2 Chevy Camaro 67-69 ShockWaves
2 Ridetech Spindles
Chevy Nova 68-74 MUSCLEbar
RidePro e2 Remote control option
StrongArms for ShockWave Front (Upper & Lower)
Chevy Nova 68-74 AirBar w/Shockwaves
AirPod w/ 5 gallon tank, 2 compressors, and LevelPro control

REAR SUSPENSION:
Turning Over a New Leaf – the 4-Link Air Bar

The rear suspension setup in the Street Challenge kit is a major upgrade from ancient leaf-spring technology. Let’s face it; the Nova’s X-Body rear suspension, like most classic muscle cars from the 60’s and 70’s, needed a lot of help. What Air Ride Technologies has done for the rear end is more of a complete make-over than just a rebuild.

With the multi-leaf spring type suspension, the only way to get the wheel hop and axle wrap out was to stiffen up the springs to the point where the ride was harsh and unpredictable. Air Ride’s Tony Bicknell reminded us how a stiff suspension felt by saying, “You could run over a dime and tell if it was heads up or tails.”

What the crew at Air Ride has developed for the Nova Street Challenge kit is a four-bar conversion system. Tony explained that the old leaf spring suspension was asked to do too many functions. “First, it had to hold the car up, then it had to control the lateral axis, fore and aft axis, and the pinion angle movement. The best adjustment on that suspension was a compromise between those functions.” With the four-link system, each of these functions can be separated and controlled to where the ride is more precise and predictable.

The Air Bar is a 4-link retro-fit that removes your leaf-springs and replaces them with a complete bolt-in cradle that allows you to use upper and lower control arms. Like the stock suspension in a Fox-body or SN95 Mustang, the length and geometry of the unequal-length control arms position the axle throughout its travel, rather than requiring leaf springs to support the weight of the car, prevent side-to-side movement of the axle, and still allow it to move vertically all at the same time. Essentially you are replacing 1970′s thinking with today’s modern suspension technology.

In order to make the “leaf spring” to 4-link conversion, you’ll need to start with Air Ride’s mounting cradle which bolts in (or welds in our case) to the stock rear frame and provides the mounting points for the upper and lower rear control arms.

The four-link cradle is designed to bolt in to the stock unibody subframe, but since we have the time, the lift, and the tools, we decided to weld it in as well. Plus our frame was tweaked slightly, so this proved the easiest route.

Included in the Air Bar kit are double-shear upper link mounts that need to be welded onto the rear end housing. Intimidating as this may sound, it is not that difficult as long as you don’t rush the welding. Setting up the proper angle is extremely important when prepping these upper link mounts for welding. By installing the upper links into the chassis mounts, and lifting the rear end up to normal ride height, the aft end of the upper links will dictate where the link mounts need to be placed.

We recommend that you tack weld the mounts into place and move the rear end through the full range of motion to ensure that there is no binding. Once you are satisfied that the mounts are properly located, they can be welded permanently into place. Use care when welding these link mounts. The rear end housing and axle tubes can be overheated very quickly, and overheating the rear end will result in the metal warping and twisting. Thus, we strongly recommend that a stitch welding technique be used in this process.

Now that we had installed the cradle, it was time to get the control arms bolted up. We started with the lower arms, which utilized a nice stiff bushing to discourage body roll under the g-forces our Air Ride suspension was sure to create.

Once we had the lower Air Bar arms bolted in, it was time to get our Currie 9-inch rear end ready to go. Although we’ve got a complete install story on the Currie 9-inch coming in the next issue, we’ll give you a quick preview: Currie Bolt-in X-Body 9-inch, 3.50 gears, Eaton Posi-Diff, and Currie 31-spline Axles. Brakes are by SSBC – and they are very impressive.

For the upper arms, we needed to mock up the upper control arm mounts that Air Ride supplies. With some careful measuring, we aligned the upper control arms on the rear end with the upper control arm mounts on the Air Bar. Some careful welding, and our upper control arm brackets were in.

Finally, we would need to bolt on our lower Air Ride Air Bars, which attached to the Air Ride rear end bracket (which is bolted to the factory rear end leaf spring mount), and then the shocks bolt in using trick billet lower shock relocation brackets.

Taking the place of standard shock absorbers, the ShockWave air shocks are as easy to install as OEM replacement shocks but offer a greater degree of adjustability. Combined with the Air Bar, this system lowers the car’s stance by 2 inches. Because of the handling characteristics of the four-link system and air shocks, the Nova’s soft, rolling rear end was now a crisp and controlled suspension. The only item to watch out for here is to mount the shocks with the adjustment knob facing the rear of the car for ease of adjustment. Easy as that, our Air Ride rear end suspension was in place and waiting for our rear end assembly.

Here is the one side of the completed Air Bar rear suspension system. The upper control arms are bolted to the Currie 9-inch, and you can see how the double adjustable shocks bolt to the upper part of the Air Bar cradle.

The completed Currie 9-inch with the Air Ride Air Bar and shocks isn’t all pretty yet, but that’s because we’re more concerned with the bones than the skin, but rest assured our rear end and underside are going to be all swell and shiny when our Swinger comes back from the paint shop.

FRONT SUSPENSION:
Getting Strong-Armed

Front suspension systems for muscle cars are all pretty much the same design: a double-wishbone suspension with upper and lower triangular A-arms. It has been the industry standard for performance cars for decades. Over the years, the double wishbone system was refined from equal length upper and lower control arms to the current version with an upper control arm that is shorter than the lower control arm.

Using unequal length control arms gives better handling when cornering. As the wheel travels up, the top also moves in toward the vehicle’s center, adding negative camber. This is caused due to the upper arm swinging through a shorter arc than the lower, which pulls the top of the tire inward as the wheel travels upwards. This negative camber gain generated by the chassis rolling helps keep the outside wheel in full contact with the road surface. A larger tire contact patch means more cornering force.

Let’s take a look at the Air Ride front system:

It’s common knowledge that the pressed-steel lower A-arms on these vintage muscle cars lack in the performance arena. Greater deflection and often distortion occurs in these factory parts when the handling is pushed to the limits. Air Ride’s StrongArms are the perfect solution to these handling problems, and they match up well with the performance rear end of the Air Bar system.

The upper and lower StrongArms replace the stock A-arms, and are designed to account for the dropped stance by realigning the ball joint angles to prevent binding, with added caster adjustments for improved high speed handling. The StrongArms feature heavy-wall CNC-bent tubing (.219”-wall) that is jig welded for a precise fit.

Air Ride RideTech Spindle:

Air Ride Technologies has amplified the potential for maximum cornering by adding a 1 or 2 inch dropped spindle that lowers the vehicle’s roll center. Lowering the roll center helps in handling and predictability when cornering. The drop spindles are designed for the increase in camber gain from the unequal length A-arms and the change in the arc due to the drop.

Many times enthusiasts will lower a vehicle without understanding the effect of that positive camber gain. What they end up with is a car that is lower but does not handle as well as it did at the stock ride height. Adding the drop spindles to their tubular control arms gives the enthusiast a lowered stance and better high-speed handling. Lastly, the oversized and soft rubber pieces that were used as stock pivot bushings in the 60’s and 70’s lend themselves to serious suspension slop. Air Ride uses firmer polyurethane bushings that provide smooth movement without losing suspension precision.

The front ShockWaves are very much like the rears in the fact that they are designed to take advantage of stock suspension mounting points as much as possible. There were some clearance issues on our project car that were identified in the Air Ride installation manual.

Due to the larger circumference of the air shock compared to the old steel springs, part of the spring tower had to be cut away so that the air bag part of the ShockWaves did not rub or get pinched as the suspension moved up and down in its travel. Cutting the spring bucket can be easily achieved with a torch, cutoff wheel, or as in our case, a Cornwell plasma cutter. Keeping in mind that the spring buckets are very visible, the quality of your work will show up here. We recommend taking the time to grind the areas smooth and test-fit often when performing this task. Not only will you prevent accidental early failure of your ShockWave, but the care and fine details will show up in the appearance of the system when completed.

Installing the lower StrongArms to the ShockWaves.

RideTech Spindles

Once the spring buckets have been clearanced for the ShockWaves, the next logical step is to mount the RideTech spindles. When upgrading the front suspension, we highly recommend not bypassing the RideTech Spindles in favor of the stock spindles. The RideTech spindle is purposely designed with a taller overall length with a drop spindle design and increased caster gain built into the steering geometry when these parts are used together. The OEM cast spindles are likely to have experienced a degree of metal fatigue over the years, so replacing them with the RideTech spindle from Air Ride was a “no-brainer” for us.

Putting it all together by attaching the RideTech spindles to the StrongArms.

Front MUSCLEbar and mounting kit

Honestly, sway bars don’t get the credit that they deserve. Because they have a simple-looking design, sway bars are often overlooked as a true performance part. Air Ride’s MUSCLEbar also has a deceivingly simple look on the surface. Beyond the appearance however, is a well-designed sway bar developed to work with a dropped front suspension to enhance the cornering performance of your project car. The upgraded design of the MUSCLEbar includes an increased bar diameter, polyurethane bushings, and the correct-sized attachment links that work with the rest of the lowered Street Challenge system for a complete front suspension designed for aggressive cornering.

Finishing up the front suspension by installing the MUSCLEbar.

Compressor & Controls

Finally, in our mock up assembly, all that was left was to test-fit and mount the Air Pod. With no other electrical lines in the chassis at all, the installation of these items was strictly for test-fit purposes only. The Air Pod is an “integrated” air compressor system which is pre-wired, pre-plumbed, and pre-tested, so there is very little to do during the instalation.

According to Air Ride, it takes 4 plumbing connections (one to each shock) and 3 wiring connections to install the Air Pod, and using it instead of separate components will save about 10 hours of installation. The best part is it weighs less than 25 pounds and is easy to mount.

Since Air Ride offers several different Air Control systems, we are going to do another complete article on choosing an Air Ride compressor system. Briefly, there are 4 different systems available:

1. RidePRO – “Good” - A standard, non-electronic system that uses valve bodies and compressors. It has a manual control system. It’s for a bare bones install.
2. RidePRO-E2 ” Better” - A system with air-pressure sensors and three height presets with an electronic controller. Good for cars that don’t see frequent changes in loads.
3. LevelPRO – “Best” - Adds ride height sensors to the RidePRO-E2 system to provide automatic pressure adjustments. Perfect for the customer that wants to “set it and forget it,” according to Air Ride.
4. AirPod – Available in “RidePro-E2” or “LevelPRO” trims – this places the tank, compressor, and controls in an easy to install unit. This is the top of the line.

For the most part, the Air Ride is one of the easier installations we’ve done, considering that we have changed the entire suspension system from the OEM-designed economy car setup into a prime road race performer. Air Ride Technologies has taken a very difficult task and turned it into a weekend project using common hand tools. The only additions that we found to Air Ride’s tool list was a set of spring compressors that come in handy for taking off the old coil springs, and our Cornwell plasma cutter for trimming the spring bucket.

We’ll be looking forward to bringing you Part 2 of the Air Ride Swinger Nova suspension article and video – once we get our baby rolling!

In this segment we are going to be replacing the rusted floor pan on our project car with some quality floorpan restoration parts from Classic Industries in our very hot, Southern California PowerTV garage.

When we first brought Project Swinger to the garage, we knew that she looked good from far. However, we soon discovered.. she was far from good. We started to tackle the problems that we knew about. Before long, our list has grown by orders of magnitude to at least the 10th power. Like peeling an onion, each layer that we stripped, we cried a little more.

tIt would have been easy to cry over spilled milk on this project, but that’s just not the way we operate in the very manly PowerTV garage. There’s no crying in project builds. Not in this garage. Not on our watch. Armed with a full set of professional tools from Cornwell tools, we dusted off the pneumatic cut off wheel and our welding equipment for the PowerTV version of “cut and paste”.

First, we’re going to give you an overview of the Nova and why these GM vehicles are so suspect to rust. Then, we’ll overview what Classic offers in terms of restoration components. Finally, we’ll show you how to do the job, correctly, the first time.

Nova = GM’s Affordable Car in the 1970′s

GM redesigned the Nova to be an entry level economy car for a younger crowd in the later 60′s and early 70′s. Small enough to fit in any budget, but big enough to hold a family of five, the Nova enjoyed great success. Best of all, it was still available in the small block Chevy V-8 engine. The optional V-8 engine made the Nova a popular platform for the gear heads that wanted a lightweight and muscular street performer.

The Nova, 37 Years Later

It’s been our experience that a car’s life extends to the limit of your warranty. The day after the warranty expires, the car dies. Or at least that is what it feels like. Our Nova has lived a long eventful life, well past any factory warranty. However, time affects everything. Our project is no exception to that rule. In stripping the Nova for a couple of upgrades, the crippling existence of time and age unveiled itself.

We had rust, which is very common an a Chevrolet Nova X-Body such as our 1971 model. The most common areas of rust on this particular body style are:

• Passenger & Driver side front floorpans (windshield seal leaks)
• Lower Doors
• Rear Lower Quarters

Since our car was already painted, we weren’t sure how bad the quarters and doors were (yet), but we knew we needed to do the floorpans. It was obvious. You could see daylight through them.

There are a lot of considerations when deciding to replace or restore part of the floor pan. Sheet metal is fairly easy to work with, but there is some skill and special tools involved in tackling this task. Welding sheet metal is almost an art form, and using the correct welding equipment is essential to do the job properly. Additionally, choosing restoration parts that are comparable to the original is critical to welding success. Restoration floor pans that are made of the same or similar metal as the original make the task easier, and the replacement parts should have the same shape and molding as the existing pan.

There is hope. It’s called Classic Industries.

Amidst the despair and gnashing of teeth in the project build meeting to determine the solution for this problem, a cavalry came to the rescue.

Classic Industries in Huntington Beach, California. Classic is a very well known company which specializes in manufacturing restoration parts for GM cars. Chances are, if you love old GM cars and Trucks, you know about Classic Industries. Classic has it all covered for classic Camaros, Firebirds, Chevy II and Novas, Impalas, as well as GM & GMC Trucks.

“We offer a couple of different product lines that can support almost any budget, from original equipment reproduction pieces to GM licensed reproductions,” explained Tony Columbini from Classic Industries.

We spent some time looking through the Classic Industries Nova Catalog and decided to replace only the portion of the floorboard that was rotten. The front half of the driver’s and passenger’s floorboards and the firewall extensions on both sides, were the only areas that were not solid.

About Classic restoration floor pans:

We found the restoration floor pans from Classic Industries to be an identical match to the original floor pan:

• The sheet metal used in the construction of the restoration pieces was the same caliber as the OEM factory metal, which made the welding easy and consistent.

• The restoration floor pans had every bend, turn and crevice that the factory floor pan had. We gave these products two thumbs up for making what used to be a difficult restoration a much easier project.

Parts

1) Front LH partial floor pan. Part# 107211
2) Front RH partial floor pan. Part # 107212
3) Firewall extension LH. Part # C126L
4) Firewall extension RH. Part # C126R
5) Primer
6) Seam Sealer

Tools:

• Floor Jack
• Jack stands (4)
• Safety Glasses
• Gloves
• Pneumatic Die Grinder with cut off wheel.
• Flat hand file.
• Utility Knife
• Pliers
• Wire brush or rotary brush.
• Pneumatic hammer with chisel bit.
• Welding equipment (MIG or TIG).

The Choices

Classic offers floorpans for the Nova in several variations. Full floor pans, front half floor pans, and rear half floor pans – all available in left and right side configurations. Also, a floor pan firewall extension is available which runs from the front of the floor to the firewall (it’s kicked up at roughly a 45-degree angle).

For our application, we needed two front half floor pans – left and right – as well as the same matching set of extensions.

Let’s Get Started

Now we’re ready to start the project. We’ve identified the problem area, found our replacement reproduction floorboards and talked to Classic Industries Tech department to get the skinny on doing the job. Edd Stevens, Classic Industries Technical Advisor, reminded us to “support the body with weight off of the chassis, take your time and weld it straight.” According to Edd, every car is different with it’s own issues, you must assess what you have and based on your experience, how best to approach it. There is no wrong way when installing patch panels, it’s not set in stone, but it is important to arrive at the same point with a straight chassis and a restored floor pan that looks great.

It didn’t take long for the new floor pans to arrive, so we gathered the tools that we would need. We began by raising the Nova and supported it on jack stands. This step allowed us to have easy access under the car and it provided crucial support to the structure. Having the body twist when the sheet metal is cut away would be a disaster. Supporting the chassis with jack stands and only cutting out one panel at a time will help keep the body from twisting.

The first “hands on” step in this project is the one that requires the most patience and a good eye for detail; laying out the new floorboard on top of the rusted floorboard for measurement. The old adage of measure twice and cut once works real well when you’re working with lumber. Metal is a different matter. Literally. Measure twice and cut a little, measure again and cut a little more.

Decisions, Decisions

You will have to make a decision at this point. There are two different ways to weld the new floor pan patch panel into the body. You can use the new patch panel as a template and cut out the old metal to the exact fit of the new panel, and butt weld the panel in. The second method is to cut the old floor pan to nearly the same size as the replacement panel, leaving about an inch of extra material all the way around so that the new panel will overlap the existing floor pan.

Choosing to overlap the metal means that there would be an increased chance for future corrosion and some issues with creating a flange so that the new panel will sit flush into the existing floor pan. However, overlapping the metal may make it easier to weld than the exact fit method. This decision needs to be made based on experience in welding. Welders with limited experience in sheet metal repair may find that butt welding a new floor pan in place difficult and frustrating.

Let the tools do the work

The best practice when cutting the sheet metal is to use your power tools, whether it be pneumatic or electric, and not to force them. Let the tools do the cutting, after all, you paid good money for the tools, let them do the work. Pay close attention to what is on the other side of the metal. You can easily cut through a support or cross member causing damage that may not be repairable. If your floor pan is as rusted as ours was, wearing eye protection is not only smart but necessary to prevent rusted flakes of sheet metal getting into your eyes. A sturdy pair of leather gloves will keep you from a quick trip to the hospital for a tetanus shot when you cut yourself on the rusted metal.

There is seam sealer on the outboard edges of the floorpan that will need to be removed prior to cutting the sheet metal in those areas. A box cutter knife works well to cut that seam sealer and a pair of pliers can be used to pull the sealer out of the crevices.

The old floor pan will be spot welded to any bracing and cross members that are running under the car. Many people drill through the spot welds or grind the spot welds to remove the old floor pan. Of these two, grinding the spot welds would be preferable. We chose to take a path less traveled when dealing with these spot welds. A pneumatic hammer with a chisel bit made a nice clean separation at the weld.

The floor pan is spot welded to the cross brace. These spot welds will have to be broken to remove the sheet metal.

Once the old floor pan metal is pulled away, you can see the sub frame and cross members. Any part of the spot welds that are still attached to the cross member can be ground down and the surface can be prepped for the new floor pan. Edd reminded us to check the toe boards and surrounding areas for any additional hidden corrosion that may be laying in wait.

We had decided to butt weld the new floor pan to the existing pan after we cut out the rotten material. In our opinion, a floor pan that is butt welded has a cleaner or more sanitary look but requires more effort and time. Remember, patience is the key here. Using the new floor pan as a template, measure and cut the car’s floor pan until the new floor pan is a snug fit. Files can be used where small amounts of metal need to be removed around the edges.

Once the opening is the exact size to fit the new floor pan, it can be tack welded in place. There may be some areas where the floor pan and the restoration piece don’t match exactly. Using the pick end of a body picking hammer, tap the metal until they match perfectly.

Putting the new firewall extension in place. Note the separation on the upper left corner. The metal can be moved by using a body hammer until it forms a close seam.

The panel can then be tack welded on all sides. What we found that works well is to tack weld a new panel near the corners first. Then move to the middle of each of the sides and place another tack weld. Then, place another tack weld in between the tack welds you did previously. It is important to keep the heat from warping the sheet metal and these tack welds will serve as a guide.

Start welding from one tack weld to the next nearest one. When you have joined those tack welds with a full bead, move to the opposite side of the floor pan and fill in the gap between two spot welds on that side. Staggering your welding from side to side will help keep the heat from warping the metal.

File fitted. Clean the metal and it’s ready to be welded.

A quick word about welding.

Welding floorpans can be done by several methods. The method most often used seems to be the MIG welding process. TIG Welding the pans is also very popular but takes a little more time and skill. A smaller tungsten rod and 100% argon shielding gas will give the best chance for a perfect weld. The sheet metal used in constructing floor pans is a thin gauge that can be “burned through” rapidly. Heat control setting vary between welding machines, so doing a practice run on some of the metal that was cut out of the floor pan area would be a wise idea. If you don’t have experience TIG welding sheet metal, you can expect to burn through the floor pan sheet metal in several places.

MIG welding can be done with wire and shielding gas or flux cored wire and no shielding gas. When welding sheet metal, .025 welding wire with shielding gas (75% Argon & 25% CO2 blend) is the best method. And remember: You can’t weld rust. No matter what method you use or how hard you try, rust doesn’t weld. Clean the metal before you weld.

Prepping the metal for welding.

To MIG or not to MIG

We compromised. With a little time and effort, we were able to get the panels to line up perfectly with the existing pan. We tack welded the edges and stitched the pieces of metal together with a MIG welding machine. Once we had a full bead around all sides, we touched up the high spots with TIG welder.

The firewall extension is welded to the existing pylon support.

Once the floor pan and firewall extension were completely welded in place, a coating of primer was sprayed over the seams for corrosion prevention. We used a shop light beneath the car to look for any pin holes or areas in the seams where there was a gap.

The restoration floor pan and firewall extension from Classic Industries matched the existing

Finishing Touches

To complete the project, we took seam sealer and applied it around the restored floor pan. The job was not complete until we applied sealer around the seams on the bottom side as well. The pictures below show how the final portion of this project came out.

Apply seam sealer all the way around the restoration floor pan. Using a small putty knife or flat wood depressor would be a better tool to use.

Seam sealer applied to every seam.

Another shot of primer and we are ready to move on with interior installation.

Now we have a floorboard that we are confident in putting our feet on.