[Philip]

Made a trip to California to visit friends and attend the annual Super Chevy Suspension Challenge with Church Boys Racing. Had a great time saw friends from NorCal, Joe, Jose, Brian, Duane and from SoCal John aka Shifty4 and Bill aka Klean63. Dave from Texas and met Charley from Canada and Dean from Ohio. This year Chuck Sr entered his 63 sedan with CBR suspension front and rear. Senio has owned this 63 for nearly 40 years and it is beautiful.
I can say it did nery well but you will have to wait until the issue is published to see how it stacked up to the competition.

While there I picked up the project car from John. 1964 Nova 400 series 4 door.

Here it is on the trailer ready for the ride home and all the stuff it came with

The trunk floor is the only bad rust, it will be replaced

After arriving home the truck, trailer and the car were unloaded. The garage a disaster needing to be organized

The actual car ready to begin

and some work on the firewall before getting it inside

 

[Philip]

Worked on organizing the garage, there is a 72 Chevelle frame in there and a bunch of wagon parts. Trying to add the Nova stuff was a challenge.

Mission accomplished

Work began to get parts on the car and out of the way. Front end first, the CBR suspension and steering is great. really easy to install no modifications are needed to the car, everything bolts on and looks good. I have seen first hand how it improves the ride and handling.

So first the firewall was painted, actually 4 times before I got the color to maych the powder coated inner fender structures.

Next assembly. Bill, a friend from Green Valley, came over and helped with the assembly. I was the young one of the two of us

Brakes will be next, 4 wheel disc from an 98 - 02 F body. CBR mounting bracket installed on front spindle. Conversion uses the stock 5 lug spindles and drum hubs from 64 - 67 Nova, 12" rotors front and rear, 2 piston calipers in front, single in rear all from the F body. Waiting on new wheel bearings, will post the brake install later this week.

 

[62 NovaWagon]

WOW, and I thought my place was a mess.l

It's looking good, that CBR sure is a nice front end and so easy to install..:thumbsup:

 

[Big Dave]

The trunk didn't look that bad to me That is exactly what it has to look like if you were going to back half the car. Since you are running CBR front end you might think of a S&W back half kit or one from Chris Alston since he has a shop on the wrong coast closer to you.

Keep in mind a four link is an excellent suspension system for street or track (Chevy used them on their more powerful cars with bigger motors like the Impala and Chevelle).

A more door could be made into a real sleeper with a 406 or bigger SBC under a flat hood.

Big Dave

 

[Philip]

Church Boys Racing sells a triangulated 4 link for the rear that is nicer than any of the ones i have seen for sale. The 63 had another brand under it for years, with the CBR set up it rode much better and handled great. There will be photos of the underside in the Super Chevy Suspension Challenge article. For our intended usage of the car the leaf springs will work fine. A 62 wagon with the same front end as I have and leaf springs in back pulled 1g on the skid pad. I won't be driving that hard :devil:

 

[62 NovaWagon]

A 62 wagon with the same front end as I have and leaf springs in back pulled 1g on the skid pad.

Wow, you take any pics??, dam, I need to grow two more sets of hands I really need to get mine done..

I won't be driving that hard :devil:

Yeah right..ll

 

[Philip]

Wow, you take any pics??, dam, I need to grow two more sets of hands I really need to get mine done..

here is a link to the year it was the CBR entry at the Challenge. BTW I got to drive this car while in CA. Late night run for food and I was the only one that had not had a beer.
http://www.churchboysracing.com/2011-super-chevy-suspension-challenge/

 

[62 NovaWagon]

here is a link to the year it was the CBR entry at the Challenge. BTW I got to drive this car while in CA. Late night run for food and I was the only one that had not had a beer.
http://www.churchboysracing.com/2011-super-chevy-suspension-challenge/

Ok I remember that car, it is badazz that had to be a blast driving that car...

 

[Blown73]

Looking forward to seeing this one Philip!!

 

[Philip]

Thanks Jeff, I'll post updates as work progresses.

 

[Philip]

Hubs and rotors installed. Saving my pennies to get the CBR front sway bar.

 

[62 NovaWagon]

Looking good.:thumbsup:

 

[Philip]

These brakes are an over kill for this car. They are the same as used on my 77 and on the Chevelle wagon. This time a power booster will not be needed.

 

[62 NovaWagon]

Well, you sure won't have trouble stopping, and less clutter on the firewall

 

[62 NovaWagon]

Re: V-6 power for my Gen 1

I sure like the uppers being set back, won't have any trouble getting Caster with those.

 

[Philip]

Re: V-6 power for my Gen 1

They have a rebuildable Howe tall ball joint too. I took them apart to repaint before installation. The coating had been nicked and scraped from being moved around the shop for years.

Blasted

Painted

 

[62 NovaWagon]

Re: V-6 power for my Gen 1

Yep, another good feature..

That looks great what kind of paint??..

 

[Philip]

Actually it is Duplicolor silver wheel paint wit h2 coats of Duplicolor wheel clear.

 

[62 NovaWagon]

Sure looks good I may just do that on mine..

 

[Philip]

Do you have the black ones or the silver?