We decided to powdercoat and reuse the stock spindles. They are still in decent shape, and it's a great way to save a couple of bucks. If we decide to switch to drop spindles or disc brake spindles, our ECI brakes will adapt to any changes we make. In this photo the caliper bracket from ECI is being installed.
After the bracket is attached to the spindle, the roller bearings that came with the ECI brake kit are packed with grease. The billet hub and cap should be installed next.
Now check out the size of these beautiful brakes. ECI uses a stock GM caliper coupled with monster sized 13-inch Corvette rotors. Now that the brakes are installed we can consider the formerly worthless clip "built to the hilt."
If you're a do-it-yourself type, this kind of clip rebuild is right up your alley. Let's take a closer look at the parts we used in this rebuild.As we mentioned earlier, the steering box, pitman arm, tie rod ends, and centerlink are installs we will address later.
Global West suggested we use AFCO shocks. After explaining the kind of performance these shocks are capable of, we were sold. The coilover shocks we used (part # 3845F) are a single adjustable shock. The adjuster knob on top of the shock gives it the ability to dampen the rebound without affecting the compression of the shock. These shocks are tunable for drag racing or road racing.
The brake kits sold by ECI (Engineered Components, Inc) come in several kits and optional upgrades. The kit we used (part# EC-13723ACK) comes standard with 13-inch Corvette rotors, and large GM calipers with semi-metallic pads. Billet aluminum hubs, billet dust caps, roller bearings, seals, caliper mounting brackets, and all hardware for necessary the install are also included in this kit. If you find yourself stuck in "Anytown, USA" with worn out pads, any pimple-faced kid behind the parts counter shouldn't have a problem finding new replacement pads. We didn't install the brakes just to look pretty. However, when the Nova finally sees the black top, we will run it through the ringer and fully test it.
The lower A-arms on the Nova frame are Global West's G-plus series (part # CTA-79A) the lower arms are direct fit coilover control arms. They come fully assembled with top of the line Del-A-Lum bushings and ball joints. Not to mention they have a lifetime-warranty for the original vehicle owner.
The upper A-arms are also of the same G-plus series, (part # CTA-79H) and they also come fully assembled and feature Del-A-Lum bushings. The tubular A-arms (both upper and lower) are also considerably lighter than the stock steel arms.
Along with the AFCO coilover shocks, we used Global West's performance springs for this application. (part # S501).