EDITED to REFLECT CURRENT SETUP



Starting a new chapter in the life of the nova, car started out 2 years ago as a 250 inline 6 cylinder 2 speed powerglide bench seat car. I quickly changed that for a mild 350 sbc/th350. Started reading alot of about the lsx platform and was quickly sold on the potential. Got rid of the gen 1 sbc and have been buying parts for the last 3-4months. Have 90% of parts now so the build begins!

Car is going to be built over the winter and hopefully be ready for a tune come spring. Initially this was just a motor swap but it quickly turned into transmission,driveline and chassis upgrades. Would like to have the car ready for some track days this year and the lsx shootout in indy.

New Parts

Engine
6.0 Iron Block
Pro Flo Intake
Custom Grind Cam
AFR CNC 230 Heads
Weisco Forged Pistons
Eagle Forged H Beam Rods
Upgraded Valvetrain
Autokraft Oil Pan
GM 7 layer MLS 6.2 head gaskets
ARP 12 point head studs
All factory gasket replacement


Fuel System
Waterman Sprint Cable Driven fuel pump
weldon Boost Reference Regulator
16 Gallon Poly Cell
-10 feeds
Fast -8 rails
-10 return to tank
160lb injectors
Will be drinking E85

Turbo Setup

Precision PT4788
Custom Stainless Turbo hotside
JGS 60mm WG
JGS 60mm Bov
Ebay 4" A/A intercooler

Transmission
Abruzzi Racing built th400 with brake
Remote Transcooler
PTC Converter

Rear End
Factory 8.5 10 bolt narrowed
Big ford Housing ends (so I dont have to run c clip eleminators)
Moser full spool
Moser 33 Spline alloy axles
Moser Rear end girdle
tubes fully welded to housing
1350 Pinion yoke
3.23 Gear

Chassis:
Energy suspension body mounts
TRZ Motorsports Tubular Chrome Moly upper and lower control arms
QA1 Pro Coil over
Calvert Split Mono leafs
Calvert Caltracs
Martin motorsports custom bent 10pt cage cert to 8.50
Going to be going with a 275 DR, I am a big fan of the what these 275dr can do

Shooting for 8.50@160's once I get the suspension all dialed in and 1000+ RWHP

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

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Engine Mocked up nothing really bolted down yet

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Maybe about 60% of the parts that are overfilling my garage
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Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

Very nice setup so far! Just throwing this out there, but you can run much more CR with e85. It would definitely be safe with 10:1for e85. Maybe swap the heads for a higher CR. I believe 243 castings have a smaller chamber.

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

Yeah I know and would have done better heads but the motor has literally no money in it at all, I got the 317 heads off a crate motor brand new for 100.00 So I am just gonna let it fly and see what it makes. This motor will proly only be in the car for a year or two before I have a forged 6.0 done, not looking to set records with this one, just have fun for little money

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

after seein tyrefryin's ltd or zepher and many other ls builds on here I am totally sold on the LS. for the dough you just can't beat em.

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

Those TRZ control arms are pure sex!!

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

some work I finished up in the past week was cleaning the 40 year old dirt from under the car, the pans are pretty solid, I do have about a 3" square section of rot in both front pans I plan on patching but here is a before and after pic, lots of wire wheel action went on, just trying to get the underside clean and prevent any further rust.

Next will be getting the front subframe off and cleaned/painted and install all the goodies so I can get the car to the chassis shop to get tied and caged

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Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

My 250.00 engine from deer creek
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LS1 Intake sanded down before base/clear
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to its current state
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Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

Coming along nicely. One of my fav body styles.

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

You made that junk yard truck motor look amazing.....

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

nice car. always good to see another nova on the site. were slowly taking over....

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

Wife did well for Christmas and got me a pair of 275/60/15 MT DR and a Moser Rear end Girdle
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And then a Big Thanks for VS Racing, I initially bought a mpt70 q trim 1.0ar for the nova and once I bought the abruzzi th400 and decided to do all the chassis work and have the rear end built I figured more boost was in order. VS racing gladly returned my mpt70 that was brand new in box after about 3-4 months and upgraded me for the additional cost to the mpt76 q trim wheel

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Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

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i can just immagine those wrapped in cristmas paper under the tree in the morning with you going like hmmmm i wonder wat that is .........

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

She's a Keeper! Gotta love Drag Radials IN THE HOUSE
And Kudo's to VSracing for their good service.

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

UPDATE

I have been sick so progress has not been easy but here is what is in the works now. I have two weeks to have some things buttoned up and get it roller again so it can goto the chassis shop.

I tore the front end down to do some preventative maintenance and clean up the frame before installing some new parts
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I pulled the subframe off the car and wire wheeled it then scrubbed with simple green
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After all that I used the same stuff that I used on the underbody which was Eastwood Rust Encapsulator and then Eastwood Chassis Black. For all the reviews I read on chassis paints I was very happy with the finish, the pics dont do it justice, it really was a smooth overall finish
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I put the subframe back on and install the new body mounts, also put on the control arms, still need to bolt everything down. i have been working on the firewall as well, its along way off but I plan on smoothing it out the best I can.
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here is a mock up of the firewall fill I have been working on
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Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

Nice work man! Interested to see turbo placement, im trying to squeeze in a tv7511 and am about to step down to a t4based turbo. You keeping the inner fenders and stock rad. support?

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

Where did you get the motor (Deer Creek location?) and did you get to hear it run?/warrantied?/miles? Also what accessories are you gonna use? Im wondering if you will use part of the stock setup or use the vette set-up? BTW great build!

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

very nice build. That intake manifold looks awesome, did i read that right that you sanded the intake manifold and put a base clear on it? looks awesome, does that paint hold up to the heat? excuse my ignorance

for your firewall panel, did you start by making a template, and then transfer to sheet metal?

very cool build

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

And its great when a company will let you make a change after the fact with no hassel

not all companies are like that

 

Re: 1972 Nova Turbo Lsx Build

update?