396 nova radiator support

Hey guys ;new to the site ;i have a restored 68 nova ss 396/350 hp car(1 of the 234 produced)and 1 of 48 with turbo 400 tranny?I also have another 68 nova ss ;originally a 350/295 hp car.i have owned it since 1980.the orgiinal motor is blown up and long gone.Am currently putting a 396/375 hp date coded motor in the car.my question is ;I plan on converting the radiator support over to a big block support;now I could try and take all the measurement off my other 68 car;and it would be close.wondering if anybody out there has a template or something for all the holes for radiator attachment and top shroud flap hole, etc..Work is slow ;so have some free time to work on the support.any help out there guys.thanks,chris teed

Hi,Contact Tom Williams I believe his friend Wayne was remaking the BB core supports for the Novas.Tom can be found here or at the Yenko SYC site. If it was me I wouldn't change the core support,leave the SB core support. Any pictures of "The Real " 68 Nova SS 396 auto car? Whats the build date on it? What was the original axle ratio? Posi? These original 68 Nova SS 396 are soooooo freaking rare and your car extremely rare being 1 of 48!! Sweeet! Dan

The SBC core support has some embossed lines in it where you can cut them out and make it into a BBC support. Just follow the lines and it will make your opening bigger for more airflow.

I spoke to tom williams a few days ago;And he said to also send it to Wayne Bushey.i may and try and duplicate off my big block car and save some money; with work being very minimal so far this year .Dan,I actually purchased this car 396 nova from wayne Bushey in 2000 and restored the car a few years later.I will post some pictures etc this weekend.Chris

Hey Chris, good to see you here on Steves :cool:.



Tommy :)

thanks tommy;did you get the396 motor in the 68 nova yet?didn;t you put the 842 aluminum heads on the car. chris

Chris, since you have the other 68 car with BB....just take the measurements. Use several points for reference and just double check before drilling. Are you doing this with support in or out of the car...????/ you will need the welded nuts installed on pass. side and holes for the rubber grommets on drivers side. trimming drivers side of the opening isn't that hard...be sure to smooth the sharp edges. Top holes should be easy to duplicate....do you have a BB radiator and 68 shroud...??? let me know if I can help further.

tom

I dont know if this will help you at all:

http://www.chevynova.org/BigBock.html

thanks tom,i have a excellent condition rad support in the garage to duplicate.wondering where to get the welded nuts?And the radiator shroud bracket for 68 is different ;I can always get the metal I need and duplicate that too, from the the BB car.Was hoping to have the motor slipped in for the Mini nats;but it probably won;t happen.chris

Chris glad you’re on the site! Your 350hp 68 BB car is awesome! What I would do is take the weld nuts of the current core support you have. You have three along the top that you won't need. Just clamp onto them with a set of pliers and rock them back and forth they will break off. They are only spot welded in place. You will need to drill a new hole for the radiator shroud bracket also. It will also need a weld nut. So remove the three nut's from the top of the core support, put two on the passenger side and one on the top for the fan shroud bracket. What I have done in the past for the weld nuts is drill a threw hole which I think those nuts are for 5/16's bolts. Once you have your threw hole located drill 4 -1/8 inch holes in all 4 corners of the nut and use these holes to spot weld your nut in place. Good luck!

Jason

thanks Jason,I will take a look at that today;never thought about that.Chris

Thanks Tommy;did you get the 396 motor in the 68 nova yet? Didn't you put the 842 aluminum heads on the car. Chris


I haven't gotten it back in the car yet Chris but it is ready to be slipped back in. I do have the 842's on it also. If it warms up around here soon I may get a chance to get everything back into the car and fire it up :cool:.

Heres the engine as it sits today all lonely and cold...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/68sschevyII/1122081538a2.jpg


Tommy :)

Put a blanket on it:turn::turn:

wilma:D

thanks tom,i have a excellent condition rad support in the garage to duplicate.wondering where to get the welded nuts?And the radiator shroud bracket for 68 is different ;I can always get the metal I need and duplicate that too, from the the BB car.Was hoping to have the motor slipped in for the Mini nats;but it probably won;t happen.chris

Call Wayne and have him send you the nuts and the rubber grommets....that way you don't have to take anything off the other car...I also believe the 68 shroud itself is a one year part....tom

Yep, there were two different 68 core supports which are different than the later ones. Got to love the uniqueness of the 68's.

I was planning a core support id guide but the pictures of the 68 did not come out. I will have to add it back to the list.

HERES MY CORE SURPORT BB O6B BUILD DATE FIRST DESIGN http://http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp198/SPIKEYZ0/100_0402.jpg

HERE IS THE SECOND DESIGN I FOUND THIS TYPE ON A 06D BUILD DATE 68 L78 NOVA :Dhttp://http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp198/SPIKEYZ0/100_0388.jpg