[short shift]

I'm thinking about putting a straight axle under the front of my Nova and I was wondering if I still need to run one of the special Nova oil pans or if I can just use a regular one.

[Big Dave]

Depends upon the clearance to, and the geometry of the straight axel. If you check out old car mags you will discover that there was a kit for early model Novas (before the Mustang II was invented and built) that was used a lot employing a round tube drop straight axel. The bolt on kit cleared a BBC pan so it will clear a SBC rear sump pan but once again it depends upon your choice of straight axel and means of mounting it.

Big Dave

[63gasser]

Originally Posted by short shift

I'm thinking about putting a straight axle under the front of my Nova and I was wondering if I still need to run one of the special Nova oil pans or if I can just use a regular one.

Yes and no, If you reuse your stock box, and leave the axle in the stock location you will need a front sump pan or take a notched pan and cut the bottom of the notch out so the drag link can run down at a angle. Just slide the engine back four inches and you will not have issues with the oil pan but it might be tricky getting the dist. in

[Big Dave]

Once you alter the front suspension you might as well use everything allowed in the rule book for a gasser (including engine setback of what used to be 10% of the wheel base. But since the NHRA got rid of MP and gas classes and rolled all of the classes into a comp class I have no idea any more). If a notched pan doesn't float your boat drop the axel by heating it and bending it in a press if using a solid cast iron I-beam, or a tubing bender if fabricating a tubular axel.

Big Dave

[short shift]

I have a straight axle kit from Speedway that I was going to put in my 38' Chevy coupe but I sold the car to my dad and bought my Nova. Since my dad doesn't want to run a strait axle in the 38' I figured I would use it in my Nova.

I was thinking about getting the subframe on the bottom of this page http://bzrods.com/products.html with a Vega box at the front of the frame. If I use this type of setup do you guys think I would have any problems with using a regular pan?

[63gasser]

Originally Posted by short shift

I have a straight axle kit from Speedway that I was going to put in my 38' Chevy coupe but I sold the car to my dad and bought my Nova. Since my dad doesn't want to run a strait axle in the 38' I figured I would use it in my Nova.

I was thinking about getting the subframe on the bottom of this page http://bzrods.com/products.html with a Vega box at the front of the frame. If I use this type of setup do you guys think I would have any problems with using a regular pan?

Nope no special pan needed just install the vega box and suspension and you'll be done

[short shift]

Ok thanks for letting me know.