1966 Chevy Nova TCI Pro Touring IFS - Dual Personality

When building a project, sometimes you know from the start exactly what the car will be used for, like street, drag racing or road racing/open track. Because these things require different parameters and settings, the parts installed will be fairly different. Thanks to Total Cost Involved (TCI), you don't have to make that decision if you are building a '62-67 Nova. The company has spent a lot of time in the R&D department developing a new tubular subframe front end suspension that it says can be used for all of them.

Sal Solorzano of TCI said, "With the popularity of autocrossing and road racing growing every day, we decided to build a no-compromise front end that will not break the bank. This is a completely new design with the best possible handling characteristics in mind."

The new front clip features two different mounting points for the upper control arms, one for standard street/drag racing and one for Pro Touring that provides a more aggressive negative camber gain. Another added benefit is the reduction in weight; the TCI Pro Touring IFS is 66 pounds lighter than a stock front end even when fitted with a 12-inch Wilwood brake package (and that includes the aluminum inner fender panels).

This clip is a true bolt-in piece requiring no modifications to the body of the car. As a matter of fact, the clip mounts bolt directly to the factory subframe holes and have all the proper mounting points for your sheetmetal. Going back to the making decisions side of it, TCI also took the time to figure out engine mounts for all small-block, big-block or LS engine applications so you don't have to make that decision right away either. A few other good things the clip provides are as follows: increased ground clearance while keeping ride height and the center of gravity low, the new inner panels allow wider wheel and tire setup, and the new engine mount placement provides more room for the steering shaft and exhaust.

The front clip comes standard with GM big-bore calipers and 11-inch drilled and slotted rotors, TCI coilovers with 300-pound springs, 2.5 turn lock-to-lock rack-and-pinion, 2-inch drop spindles, 1 inch performance sway bar, tubular control arms, aluminum inner fender panels, and all the hardware necessary to install. TCI also offers upgrades in the way of big brake kits, steering columns, double adjustable coilovers, air ride, and the company even offers radiators and headers to help finish off your project.

We took a trip over to TCI headquarters in Town, California, as Geoffrey and George Oka installed the clip onto the company's '66 Nova. This car is slated to compete in our 2010 Super Chevy/Nitto Tire Suspension & Handling Challenge later this year so look to that story for how well it performs. This story will map out how simple the clip is to install.