[npen72]

Just a little about me: Im writing all those fellow Nova lovers out there, I need a little help, well probably a lot of help. Just give you a back ground, I have a 1972 Nova that was my grandmothers. In the late 70's my grandmother gave it to my father. He proceeded to make it a bracket car that runs 12.10 in the quarter. My father and I went racing on a very limited bucket. As I and my brother grew up, we help my dad by paying for improvements to the car. In 2003 my father passed away very suddenly. I havent really been back to racing since. I've worked on the car my whole life with him and went to the track all the time. I have found it very emotional to work the car without him. But I recently have been reading the different postings here and realized he would want me to continue on with something we both enjoyed. I've have started evaluating the car as it sits right now. The car currently has a 12 bolt with a spool, axles, 4.88 gears, 29.5 x 9.0 mt drag slicks, comp engineering traction bars, shocks and leaf springs ( know idea of the rate), I think the arch may be +1.5 over stock. My question after all this is that I noticed that the driveshaft is barely in the tailhousing of the transmission (the car is on the ground with all the weight on the wheels. What could be causing this? It is the original driveshaft (since 1975) and it always had the same type of transmission (powerglide). Thanks for your help in advance. - npen72

 

[chevyIIheavy]

very sorry to hear about your father but im sure he is way proud of you and your brother. and its always good to start the old memories going again im sure dad is looking down on you right now saying " boys its about time you two get that car goin again " ............ well to your question i have this funny feeling that its the pinion angle your father had set into the car im sure its pointing down prolly about 8 degrees or more. so when you launch the car it moves back into the trans so long as you have about 1'' of travel left on the yoke youll be fine

 

[npen72]

I'll have to measure, but I think I have less than 1", the driveshaft is not engaging the bushing in the tail housing.

 

[npen72]

Any more suggestions?

 

[JRouche]

Hey, Im sorry I cant give any help on the drive shaft length issue. But I did want to say good for you to get back into you and your dads car. He REALLY would want that to happen. Im happy you are getting energized again and tackling the car. Ummm? Dont know if yer a life after death person but I am and when I get in a serious crunch that I just cant figure out I talk (pray) to my dad who has been gone since 1978. And sure as anything, I get some ideas. Stuff that I was REALLY stuck on..

Wish I could help with the drive shaft issue. Plainly to me it just sounds like the DS is too short. But thats over simplifying things. Keep on working. We wanna see pics too if you get a chance. JR

 

[dougy68nova]

i have a few things to look at see if the axle is tight to the spring, it may have slipped or broke the bolt in the spring, also you may have bad bushings in the front of the spring eye. something else i had a buddy with a 77 that broke at the track and a friend was putting it on his trailer when he strapped it down with the hood up we watched the firewall move back about an inch the sub frame bushings were bad.

 

[chevyIIheavy]

i have a few things to look at see if the axle is tight to the spring, it may have slipped or broke the bolt in the spring, also you may have bad bushings in the front of the spring eye. something else i had a buddy with a 77 that broke at the track and a friend was putting it on his trailer when he strapped it down with the hood up we watched the firewall move back about an inch the sub frame bushings were bad.

i agree
maybe this has happened you may want to check the rearend and see if it has shifted and also check the bushing through out the hole car to make sure something isnt a miss the only other answer i can say is your drive shaft may be too short see how much pinion angle you have it may have to much too

 

[npen72]

I'll have to check ther rear alignment bolt. the car has bolt in frame connectors. the rear bushings on the frame has been replaced with a solid aluminum one and the others are still stock rubber. the front bushings on the springs is solid aluminum and the rear shackle bushings are urethane. one other thing that i forgot to put in my original posting is that I replaced the orginial shackles with new ones. The holes were only .250" hole to hole shorter, could that also be adding to the problem. Im going to try to post a link this weekend to some pictures. - npen72

 

[npen72]

Well I got a little time to work on the car I started taking driveline measurements. I noticed that the driver side traction bar snubber is in contact with the spring and the passenger isnt. What could be causing this?

 

[Nova 404]

Maybe the rear has slipped back on the springs on one side?

 

[npen72]

If my measurements are correct, I dont think so. Any other suggestions? Stay tune for pictures. I should be posting a link today or tomorrow.

 

[Nova 404]

Pictures would help