62 Nova V8 conversion

Lefty · Uber Guru

62 Nova V8 conversion

rabbit64cs · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

too cool !!!!!!!

CdnGMfan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Talk about a sleeper! In 1962 what else could compete? O.K., a pushbutton Max Wedge, but I'm talking about the compact class.

The largest factory tire size for that 62 - 67 generation Chevy II / Acadian was 6.95-14 on a 14x5 wheel. Traction would be an issue, but for sneaky launches you could run cheater slicks courtesy of your local speed shop.

I can see it now, 'Vair turbo mufflers and factory-style resonators along the drop-offs. I like the small caps & body-coloured wheels. Very Q-Ship. Typically back then when you wanted to run you ran glasspacks, shackle extenders to jack it up to run big wide tires on mags out back.

Lefty · Uber Guru

when i saw the article i had to by the mag, cost $10 on ebay

acadianguy02 · Veteran Member

nice find lefty it peaked my interest. i would like to know more about those rear radius rods, maybe a better pic of what they look like and mounting location . never thought about looking at hot rod mags before but i am sure going to be looking for that issue at every swap meet till i find one

Lefty · Uber Guru

i was curious what a rear radius rod was

is is like a front torshun bar..

acadianguy02 wrote:
nice find lefty it peaked my interest. i would like to know more about those rear radius rods, maybe a better pic of what they look like and mounting location . never thought about looking at hot rod mags before but i am sure going to be looking for that issue at every swap meet till i find one

CdnGMfan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Those monoleaf rear springs were light and compliant, plus they worked well with low horsepower engines. Once you try to get some horsepower to the ground, especially in the presence of tire traction, the rear axle rotates upward at the front so the pinion yoke climbs upward. It can only go so far so it unwinds. The leaf springs are winding and unwinding at medium-high frequency. The pattern is repeated rapidly, causing driveline angle issues and severe wheel hop. The Radius Rods give a more positive rear axle location, but the focal point around which the rear axle rotates is still the same so it was only a moderate fix. What GM eventually did on other monoleaf cars, the 1968 Camaro & Firebird was to stagger the shocks, one in front of the axle, the other to the rear. If the shocks were both to the front or rear, the rear axle could rotate while the shocks didnt even move, so by staggering them the shocks were damping the axle as it rotated forward and as it rotated rearward, taking energy out of the spring windup. Staggered shocks were a more effective and less costly fix to the axle hop problem.

Spring-mounted traction bars were a typical aftermarket fix. They work well enough for their intended purpose, but on the street they hang down low and can scrape speed bumps, plus a good deal of spring compliance is lost. Another point against them is that boy racer look that makes you look like a guilty tire smoker to the cops.

Lefty · Uber Guru

you can get one here

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Rod-Magazine-March-1962-Chevy-II-360-HP-Bomb-106-MPH-Corvair-/360952891409?pt=Magazines&hash=item540a780811

acadianguy02 wrote:
nice find lefty it peaked my interest. i would like to know more about those rear radius rods, maybe a better pic of what they look like and mounting location . never thought about looking at hot rod mags before but i am sure going to be looking for that issue at every swap meet till i find one

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

I wonder what the cost of the packages was back in '62. Better yet I wonder how many they sold.

CdnGMfan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

73SC wrote:
I wonder what the cost of the packages was back in '62. Better yet I wonder how many they sold.

I'm sure it was prohibitively expensive. Enthusiasts were probably elated when the factory began offering V8 Chevy IIs & Acadians for 1964. Anyone else that laid out a tall stack of green to convert a 62 then got an object lesson in just what "Bleeding Edge Technology" means.

since 1983 · Poncho Master!

i think , only the 283 was offered as a V8 in 64 65 am i right ??

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

There was a 327 in 65, either 250 or rarely seen but a 300 horse.

My dream car would be a 65 Canso Sport Deluxe 300 horse 4 speed with 3.55 gears! I wonder if they ever made one. Somebody told me there were 25 Sport Deluxes made in 65 with a 4 speed.

long stroke · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

CdnGMfan wrote:

Those monoleaf rear springs were light and compliant, plus they worked well with low horsepower engines. Once you try to get some horsepower to the ground, especially in the presence of tire traction, the rear axle rotates upward at the front so the pinion yoke climbs upward. It can only go so far so it unwinds. The leaf springs are winding and unwinding at medium-high frequency. The pattern is repeated rapidly, causing driveline angle issues and severe wheel hop. The Radius Rods give a more positive rear axle location, but the focal point around which the rear axle rotates is still the same so it was only a moderate fix. What GM eventually did on other monoleaf cars, the 1968 Camaro & Firebird was to stagger the shocks, one in front of the axle, the other to the rear. If the shocks were both to the front or rear, the rear axle could rotate while the shocks didnt even move, so by staggering them the shocks were damping the axle as it rotated forward and as it rotated rearward, taking energy out of the spring windup. Staggered shocks were a more effective and less costly fix to the axle hop problem.

Spring-mounted traction bars were a typical aftermarket fix. They work well enough for their intended purpose, but on the street they hang down low and can scrape speed bumps, plus a good deal of spring compliance is lost. Another point against them is that boy racer look that makes you look like a guilty tire smoker to the cops.

Cam, you never stop amazing me with your knowledge.

jim_ss409 · Guru

CdnGMfan wrote:

Talk about a sleeper! In 1962 what else could compete? O.K., a pushbutton Max Wedge, but I'm talking about the compact class.

There's no doubt the Max Wedge Mopars were quick but I'm not sure they'd be quicker than the 360 hp Chevy II. It'd be pretty close either way.

Bill Jenkins ran a 350 hp L79 powered Chevy II in the same class as the Hemi cars in 1966 and he did very well.

Here's something I copied about Grumpy's Chevy II

Jenkins couldn't agree on terms with Chrysler for 1966, so he decided to run a Chevy independently by making his own Chevy engine package.^[3] Without factory support, Jenkins developed his first Grumpy's Toy, a 327 cubic inch / 350 horsepower Chevy II. When he found the compact car was to be placed in the same class as the 426 Hemi-powered / 425 horsepower Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars, he commented it "looked like a pretty good gimmick at the time".^[3] The lower displacement engine in the smaller car, hence lighter minimum weight, enabled it to outrun the larger-engined but heavier cars. He set a class record^{[clarification needed]} with an 11.66 second pass.^[3] He was added to Chevrolet's team in 1967. He became known as the premiere normally aspirated drag race engine builder after his Super Stock victory at the 1967 Nationals.^[

since 1983 · Poncho Master!

65 s with factory 327 must be rare !!
not as rare as a 62 fuellie nova

bjburnout · Uber Guru

I still have this Hot Rod mag......and was 16 when it came out.......and was amazed at
that time about the conversion........always in the dream background for 52 years..........
well maybe it's time to look for a 62 SS or a rag top.......2908 lbs and 360 hp with a 4 gear.....YIKES

CdnGMfan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Even in the U.S. with its many times higher production numbers, they only made 319 of the 300-horse 327-powered 1965 Chevy IIs.

Any 327 in a Chevy II / Acadian would move effortlessly, even a 250-horse version. 327s made 355 ft/lbs of torque. I think it was Motor Trend that tested a 1966 Chevy II Nova SS with a 275-horse 327 & Powerglide, and they said the car was very responsive at all speeds. Because of the milder cam and light throttle needed to move the car it actually delivered very good fuel economy and was considered a great all-around drivetrain for these cars (even with the 2-speed automatic).