Thread: 74 nova advise

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hi guys,
im possibly buying a 74 nova in the near future and would like some opinions,
im justt getting out of the honda scene by selling my pride and joy that i built from the ground up, a 500whp acura integra, i come to realize that i need more power than that has to offer so im buying a muscle car

anyway.. that 74 nova has a 350 with a mild cam in it and that is all i really can tell you about it, the owner doesnt know alot about it so im waiting for more info from him..

my plans are to rebuild the 350 with forged internals, replace the auto trans with a 4 speed manual, upgrade the fuel system and put on some sort of forced induction, (turbo, supercharger) and a ford 9" rearend

im new to v-8's so bear with me..
my questions are, what compression piston should i go with? the ARIAS pistons in my honda are 9:1 so im assuming the the same low comp. rules apply to a 350.. my goals are for a street drivable 500+ whp, what brand is a reliable brand? same with rods.
what brand of supercharger?
any suggestions on carbs?
what else might i need to get to my goals?
any notorious issues i may run into?

sorry for the lack of info on the car at this time, i am hoping to hear back from the seller with some more intel..
thanks in advance
joe..

Hi Joe. If you are planning on building a supercharged 350, I would recommend exploring the websites of the major supercharger manufacturers like BDS, Dyers, Whipple, Magnacharger, etc. and see what they have to offer. Then start making calls and planning your combination. Some of these sites offer information about carburetors, camshafts, and ignitions. With a blower, you will want a forged crankshaft and forged pistons that will keep your compression around 8.0:1 and I would consider aftermarket connecting rods such as SCAT I-beams or H-beams. It would also be a good idea to run an MSD Boost Retard unit in order to avoid denonation. Detonation is one of things you absolutely must avoid with a supercharged engine.

thanks for the info, im gona need as much as i can, im very familiar with forced induction and detonation, and all that fun stuff, ( i built my 500 whp honda) but unfamiliar with v-8's.
good info on the forged crank too. how crucial is that? also on that note, if im switching from an automatic to a manual, is there a crank shaft issue i may run into with the stock 350, like will it not except the clutch assembly from the torque converter? (something i heard about the throughout bearing)
also anybody have any info on doing a 4 wheel disk brake conversion? i cant stand drum brakes and really want all disk..

Welcome to Club Hot Rod, Joe!

The ’74 Nova is that last of what I consider “good lookin’ Novas”… One thing that you’ve probably considered is that curb weight of the Nova with a 350 is 3457 pounds. Your Acura is 2529 pounds if it’s a 2 door hatch back and 2628 for the four door. As such, you’ll be disappointed with the same rear wheel horsepower if you’re looking for the same snap off the line and same top end through a ¼ mile.

I agree with Lynn, re; visit some sites that specialize in boosting an American V8. Be prepared to part with a good chunk-o-change to do this right. It may be less money to buy a prepped block than to re-work the one you have as it’s almost certainly a 2 bolt main motor.

You should use a 4-bolt block, forged steel crank, main studs, high-end connecting rods and rod bolts (like ARP), and forged pistons designed for a blower. If you spend some extra time and money on the bottom end you can upgrade later without having to replace the entire engine.

You want to use a cam designed for a blower as they typically have a wider lobe separation than other performance cams. Comp Cams makes one that measures 220/230(Intake/Exhaust) @ .050 and .510 lift on both with a 114 LSA. This will still give you enough vacuum to run power brakes.

As a side note – be sure you don’t have emission laws that regulate what you can do. I believe Cumberland County is the only real stringent area of Maine – but I’d sure check!

Have fun and keep us up to date with your new project!

WOW!! thanks.. that is the type of info im looking for.. i guess that really hinders me from buying that nova.. iv always realized that its going to be hard to compete with my 500 whp honda, it handles and goes like a racecar. but i really need more power.. lol
maybe ill keep looking for a muscle car with a big block.. and ready for some boost. there out there i just gota be patient. my dream car is a shelby cobra kit car.. or a 71 chevelle with a 454 4spd manual
an 88-93 mustang is pretty nice too. there ugly as hell but i like what they have to offer... small. rwd, v-8, and the doner for the cobra kit, not to mention quite afordable
thanks for the info guys keep it comming.. much appreciated

Well - there's a few of the 70-71 SS454 Chevelles out there and if you have 30-50 grand to invest you can get a nice one. Bear in mind that a mid 60's Nova or Chevelle with a well prepared small block is really tough to beat.

500 HP is a big target and not always the mos streetable engine. You've said you "need more power.." can we ask why? Are you planning to race this car or cruise with it or a little of both?

I would urge you to consider building a 383. You could easily get 500 hp at the crank, and still have a street friendly vehicle. But if you want 500 whp, then I would seriously consider adding a 100-150 shot of spray. It is the most economical way to get the hp you are looking for while maintaining a car that is fun to drive on the street. Check out the 503 hp 383 build here:

www.airflowresearch.com/chevy_dyno.php

thanks for the info. i do plan on building it for some racing but mainly for street. im a huge horsepower junky even though it not practical, lol
i recently found a 68 camaro with a built 396 turbocharged, its unpractical, but i love it, i guess its pushing 900whp and 750 lbs/tq it is a drag car with license plates. it will not see daily driving whatever i get but really just a toy, plus the price is damn good at $15k, it is currently at a hot rod shop getting finished, which kinda sucks, i do bodywork, restorations, exhaust fab. and all that fun stuff for a hobby so i really wanted to build it myself, but i cant resist, im gona at least check it out,