1970 Chevy Nova And Rear End Suspension Kit

1970 Chevy Nova Rear End Suspension Kit Slalom Course

Total Cost Involved and Jim Reese, owner of Classic performance parts, are in cahoots to build the sleekest street-driven '70 Nova. Jim provided the Nova and TCi provided its r&D team's collective talent in the construction of their own brand of a four-link rear end specifically for the thirdgeneration Nova. like any good manufacturer, TCi offers its rear end kit with standard parts and optional upgrades as well. Before we move on, let's take a look at what they are.

Rear End:
The standard rear end in this kit is an all-new 58 1/2-inch rear with new 31-spline axles from Currie Enterprises that can accommodate some wickedly wide wheels. The optional gearing is as follows: 3.00, 3.25, 3.50, 3.73, 3.89, 4.11, and 4.56. Posi-traction is also another available option. A Panhard bar is supplied when a 9-inch inch rear is used, and a track bar is supplied when a Chevy rear is used.

Brakes:
Brakes range from 12- and 13-inch Wilwood drilled and slotted zincwashed rotors with optional painted or polished calipers. Standard GM 12-inch smooth rotor and GM calipers are also available. Drum brakes and the backing plates are another possibility. All brake kits have an internal parking brake assembly similar to the Corvette's.

1970 Chevy Nova Rear End Suspension Kit Old Stock Suspension

Out with the old. It served its purpose well for many years, but the old junk under the trunk is gone.

Out with the old. It served its purpose well for many years, but the old junk under the tr

Four-Link:
Four-link options include billet adjustable coilovers (manufactured by TCI) or polished billet coilovers, chrome bars with chrome coilovers, polished stainless bars with chrome shocks, or an antisway bar (also with chrome option). If coilovers are not desired, ShockWave airbags from Air Ride Technologies can be ordered.

Our goal for this article is not to cover every nut and bolt of the rear clip install. We really wanted to take it out to the endless blacktop at the California Speedway in Fontana, California, and thump it till it cried for mercy. The end goal is not the install itself, but rather does it work? Can it handle, and what are the results?

Smoothed and cleaned on both sides.
Again, it's not major surgery, just necessary details.
Before the new crossmember can be bolted in the framerails, a few more brackets need shaving.
Before the new crossmember can be bolted in the framerails, a few more brackets need shavi

Prior to installing the TCI rear suspension, a few areas of the unibody framerails will need to be ground down. It's not major surgery, just necessary prep work.
Prior to installing the TCI rear suspension, a few areas of the unibody framerails will ne
A 1 1/2-inch notch will need to be cleared in order for the four-link bracket to mount to the vehicle.
A 1 1/2-inch notch will need to be cleared in order for the four-link bracket to mount to
Now that it's cleared, the bracket install can proceed.

These should be the last of the cuts and grinds we need to make. Put the grinder away; its time for the drills.
These should be the last of the cuts and grinds we need to make. Put the grinder away; its
A 5/16-inch drill bit is put to good use.
The holes drilled into the floor for the brackets come up through the trunk floor. TCI has provided the reinforcement brackets and bolts in the kit.
The holes drilled into the floor for the brackets come up through the trunk floor. TCI has

TCI provides a 3/8-inch drill guide in the kit for the crossmember. Using the drill guide will give level and parallel holes so everything will align properly.
TCI provides a 3/8-inch drill guide in the kit for the crossmember. Using the drill guide
The Grade 8 bolts are all in the kit. Once it's drilled, we bolted down the bare metal crossmember. After the initial test-fit, the crossmember and brackets will be uninstalled and sent to the powdercoater.
The Grade 8 bolts are all in the kit. Once it's drilled, we bolted down the bare metal cro
These reinforcement brackets will need to be painted or powdercoated too.

Now that all the cutting and drilling is out of the way, it's a simple matter of installing the rest of the suspension. First comes the splined sway bar.
Now that all the cutting and drilling is out of the way, it's a simple matter of installin
Then come the coilovers.
A few hours later the entire rear is set up and nearly ready.

The Wilwood four-piston calipers in the back and six-piston in the front with 13-inch rotors should give this Nova some serious grip when the pedal is pushed to the floor.
The Wilwood four-piston calipers in the back and six-piston in the front with 13-inch roto
The fourlinks, sway bar, and coilovers are in place. The rear end is installed next.
From the inside out, here is what it all looks like.

Before this Nova rolls to the track, a set of sticky flypaper Toyo T1R (rear 275/40/18 front 235/40/18) tires and 18x7 Wheel Vintique Lakester wheels were added to all four corners. The third-gen Novas are notorious for their limited rear wheel and tire sizes. In future issues of Super Chevy we will cover the build of this car and how the wheel size issue was solved.
Before this Nova rolls to the track, a set of sticky flypaper Toyo T1R (rear 275/40/18 fro
The moment of truth. Yes, this really is the same car. We tested this Nova against the Nova Z28 that ran in our September '07 issue. In all its aged OE glory, these are the numbers we managed to squeeze from this bucking bronc. Through the 420-foot slalom, the fastest run we made (without hitting the cones or spinning out) is 7.01 seconds, which translates to 40.9 mph. On the skidpad, we ran the Nova clockwise and counterclockwise (the skidpad has a circumference of 628 feet and a radius of 100 feet), and the average time of both runs was 12.9 seconds, which translates to 0.74 g. When it came to braking, we tested the Nova from 60 mph to 0. The best stopping distance was 174 feet. The more we tested, the hotter the drums got, and the longer our distances became.
The moment of truth. Yes, this really is the same car. We tested this Nova against the Nov
One last fun photo. Here we are spinning out the poor old dog in the slalom course. Sometimes this job is just too much fun.
One last fun photo. Here we are spinning out the poor old dog in the slalom course. Someti

The newly built Nova gave us some great comparison numbers to chew on. In the 420-foot slalom, the Nova ran a personal best of 6.19 seconds through the cones. That translates to 46.9 mph-6 mph faster than stock. In the skidpad the Nova managed 0.94 g, compared to 0.74 g in its stock state. When it came to braking, we have a record test here. The best stopping distance we pulled from the Nova with its new Wilwood brakes was 112 feet. Compare that to the 174-foot distance in its stock form. Now here is something to think about: When the Nova stopped at its new 112-foot mark, the old stock Nova was still traveling at approximately 23-24 mph. That's fast enough to cause some serious damage. In our history of vehicle testing, we have never had a car stop in this short of a distance.
The newly built Nova gave us some great comparison numbers to chew on. In the 420-foot sla