[Big Dave]

I'm the proud owner of a '78 Nova 250 L6 3 speed 2 Dr Sdn base trim rust free car that my dad bough new. I intend to slip the 582 out of my Impala into it.

Now I was wondering that if the only difference between the '68-'74 cars and the '75-'79 body was the five mile an hour impact bumpers why no one says anything will fit. I know they changed the floor pan behind the axle for the gas tank fill neck and to mount the rear bumper shocks; but that shouldn't have any effect upon chassis stiffening sub frame connectors, or front suspension parts such as spindles and A-frames. The doors should interchange, since I see no difference, but all plexiglass windows end with the '74 (The "B" pillar for the roll over protection is behind the door).

Am I missing something here.

I would like to build a nice little thousand horse sleeper using a body that no one expects to be hot rodded. In the sleeper world tube chassis with funny car cages tend to stick out, so I'm looking for dead paint patina and as stock as mom's hand me down to Jr.
Since my Impala has garnered a lot of attention lately, I figure I'll build that 632 or bigger that I was going to build originally for it.

Big Dave

 

[Philip]

Dave the Nova changed a bunch in 75. It went to the front steer subframe like the 2nd generation Camaro. So it has a lot more room for cubic inches. There are 2 different core supports and radiator sizes. There are 2 different rear ends, the 7.5" and 8.5". The little one won't take much power. To the best of my knowledge the 74 down share no parts with the 75 up except for the rear differential. I now have three 4 th gens. If your going to remove the 3 on the tree column give me a shout. Mine is so bad chunks of pot metal started falling on my feet.

 

[henrypgrogan]

I believe the 5mph bumpers were added in 1973. hpg

 

[Big Dave]

There are two three speeds in the car (one is in the trunk) the shift mechanism was worn out to the point that we put a Hurst mystery shifter in it on the floor (still using another donor Saginaw cast iron three speed). The body has over three hundred thousand miles on it (my dad was a traveling salesman who covered the entire south east), and the springs have collapsed, and the body bushings are so worn that the car flexed when you shifted gears.

Believe it our not I drove it out to the barn and parked it there, and it has been sitting there about fifteen years now. Aside from storing things in it (such as old car mags) I have not been near it for quite a while. The thrill is fading for my Impala (to radical for the street, and too well known to get any challenges any more so I figure it's time I stir the pot a little.

I used to race a '70 Nova with a LS-7 style 496 (12.5:1 open chambered heads, solid roller with tunnel ram and 4 speed turning a 5.13 12 bolt rear) It was, at the time, different from every Tom, Dick, and Harry's Camaro in that GM didn't build that many 396 Nova's; so I could get away with claiming a 396 (and since I built my 582 using a short deck block those 396 decals still "fit"). I would like to build another cruiser with a 6 speed stick this time and run 5.38's. Difference being without the tunnel ram through the hood, running a single 1150 cfm four with an 396 air cleaner, it will look a little less intimidating.

Second gen Camaro suspension front end parts I can bolt to the existing front clip. Radiator core supports I can fabricate out of aluminum, and chrome molly tubing, with after market fiberglass replacement parts for the sheet metal (open to suggestions on who is the best). I have a set of Moroso aluminum bushings to replace the dead rubber ones left over from my old Camaro days. Same for Lakewood (now Competition Engineering) bolt in sub frame stiffeners which may or may not fit. I will probably back half the car and tub it.

It has an 8.5" ten bolt under it that would be replaced by a Moser/Mark Williams 12 bolt, and I wouldn't need either the 250 six or any of the 3 speed parts if any one is interested they could PM me.

Anyway if some one is dying for parts that I may not need give me a shout.


Big Dave

 

[Philip]

Sounds like a killer sleeper in the making.
Sent you a PM about the 3 speed shifter.