chevy72nova
12th-November-2007, 06:48 PM
i posted this in the steering suspension and chassis section but didnt get a reply so i figured id try here.
i am going to swap the rear leaf springs in my 74 nova since there is one stock spring on the drivers side which sags severely (might be broken) and one replaced spring on the passenger side. The previous owner did this which causes the car to lean way to the drivers side. They are 5 leaf multileaf springs. My original plan was to put cal-trac split monoleafs under it. I have the 2" drop cal trac springs under my 72 drag car project. I was going to try to get stock ride height split monos and use extended rear shackles on my 74. I have since read about the differences between mono and multi leaf springs on eatonspring.com. They seem to suggest the use of multileaf springs for the street.
I have seen multileaf springs on JC Whitney for fairly cheap and i think I may go that route. They have 5 leaf multileaf springs with and without shims, 6 leaf multileaf springs, and also more expensive multileaf springs made to raise the rear 2-4". I was thinking I would go with the 6 leaf multileaf springs for 65 bucks a piece and use extended rear shackles. I know this will jack up the back of the car which is what im looking for. I dont want to minitub this car or anything but i want to run bigger tires in the back. I already have a shock crossmember from Smith Racecraft in Texas that I never used that I am going to use in this car to run inboard shocks. For the front I am going to use a pair of Moroso trick springs which are the lighter springs for a big block car and are also uncut. I know these are a little too stiff for the noseweight of my car but again i want to get the car up in the air.
i havent decided if i am going to use a slapper bars or just use the cal tracs i already have from my drag car project. Im probably going to stick with the older technology with this car even though 74 was way after the gasser era. Im not trying to make a gasser but more of a 70/80s style hot rod. I just finished a side exit exhaust for it which ill post pictures of this week. I might try to run some mismatched wheels like slot mags and torque thrusts. I havent decided yet.
My biggest question at the moment is what springs to go with in the rear. Again it has 5 leaf multis in it currently. I want to do a swap that doesnt require changing the spring pads (since they look fairly deep for the multileaf springs). I want to just be able to remove the old springs and throw a new set in with the extended rear shackles and bolt them back up. Which set of springs would be best for this? Im open to any suggestions. Also what is anyone's opinion on the extended shackles? Ive heard that they are not the safest thing to use. But I have also heard that about using trick springs on the street but I am definitely using them in the front with my lakewood 90/10s.
Any input would be great. I plan on ordering the springs this week.
Ian
i am going to swap the rear leaf springs in my 74 nova since there is one stock spring on the drivers side which sags severely (might be broken) and one replaced spring on the passenger side. The previous owner did this which causes the car to lean way to the drivers side. They are 5 leaf multileaf springs. My original plan was to put cal-trac split monoleafs under it. I have the 2" drop cal trac springs under my 72 drag car project. I was going to try to get stock ride height split monos and use extended rear shackles on my 74. I have since read about the differences between mono and multi leaf springs on eatonspring.com. They seem to suggest the use of multileaf springs for the street.
I have seen multileaf springs on JC Whitney for fairly cheap and i think I may go that route. They have 5 leaf multileaf springs with and without shims, 6 leaf multileaf springs, and also more expensive multileaf springs made to raise the rear 2-4". I was thinking I would go with the 6 leaf multileaf springs for 65 bucks a piece and use extended rear shackles. I know this will jack up the back of the car which is what im looking for. I dont want to minitub this car or anything but i want to run bigger tires in the back. I already have a shock crossmember from Smith Racecraft in Texas that I never used that I am going to use in this car to run inboard shocks. For the front I am going to use a pair of Moroso trick springs which are the lighter springs for a big block car and are also uncut. I know these are a little too stiff for the noseweight of my car but again i want to get the car up in the air.
i havent decided if i am going to use a slapper bars or just use the cal tracs i already have from my drag car project. Im probably going to stick with the older technology with this car even though 74 was way after the gasser era. Im not trying to make a gasser but more of a 70/80s style hot rod. I just finished a side exit exhaust for it which ill post pictures of this week. I might try to run some mismatched wheels like slot mags and torque thrusts. I havent decided yet.
My biggest question at the moment is what springs to go with in the rear. Again it has 5 leaf multis in it currently. I want to do a swap that doesnt require changing the spring pads (since they look fairly deep for the multileaf springs). I want to just be able to remove the old springs and throw a new set in with the extended rear shackles and bolt them back up. Which set of springs would be best for this? Im open to any suggestions. Also what is anyone's opinion on the extended shackles? Ive heard that they are not the safest thing to use. But I have also heard that about using trick springs on the street but I am definitely using them in the front with my lakewood 90/10s.
Any input would be great. I plan on ordering the springs this week.
Ian