CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

1964 Nova Wagon “Plank”

Nova
OMGosh there's no way I'd remember haha.
Just gunna have to ASSume it's open and not worry about it :D
 
Got ANOTHER front end on my Seadoo trailer lol

Has CPP upper and lower arms and their bigger swaybar. It came off a '67 which had disc brakes as an option. I can't yet pinpoint where these are from, spindle doesn't look factory. Is that a wheel spacer screwed in?

Spindles might have a drop. Not sure about the springs. I saw the car it came from, sbc w/6 speed stick. Not interested in getting low, rather it be back to L6/powerglide height.

Whats the spring spacer things for? Vibration? Under-sprung?

If I can use everything I did well enough. If $150 spindles are in my future, not so much. Still going to rock the drum brakes for now. Don't have ~$400 for booster/MC and lines right now.

IMG_4974.jpeg
IMG_4977.jpeg
IMG_4978.jpeg
IMG_4975.jpeg
 
I don't recall disc being an option. Those rotors don't look like any GM rotor I've ever run across.. Caliper and backing plate sure those look GM. Good find though, those big beefy springs with the coil spacers they must be lowering springs, can't see them sagging
 
Those rotors have like a 1/4” spacer on them which makes it not look like a normal GM rotor for sure.
 
Wife is on a flight tonight, so pulling all this apart Thursday. Should know more. I would much rather not run the spacer so long as my wheels clear. Ideally I'd like to run a square set of rims/tires. Stock front end wont allow that, it's the reason the front looks goofy IMO

Spindles appear to be dropped. I have a set of 65-67 v8 spring new in the box. I hope they are longer/stiffer than the set above. Most dropped spindles are 2". Im hoping with fresh springs (and 2" dropped spindles) the car sits as it did when I bought it. I don't like how low it sits after the drivetrain swap but I like the parts this clip has on it. (Already paid for)

Pre-swap
IMG_0129.jpeg
 
Ok, they are 5/16 wheel spacers with fine thread wood screws into tapped rotors. Without them, my "rear" offset rims do not clear spring bucket and TRE. I have some 3/16 spacers if grinding helps. Hoping to suck the wheels inward and move them towards the rear some to clear the fender fang.

Springs I have are a solid cu*t hair above 5/8" diameter. Springs in the picture are a solid cu*t hair below 5/8". When I tear everything apart tomorrow, I can get a lot more info. :D

Also found the spindle brand by searching pictures. I believe CPP is the only spindle/disc conversion that doesn't push the wheel out, so I think the McGaughys move things out 1/4-1/2" a side.
IMG_4983.png
 
Ok, they are 5/16 wheel spacers with fine thread wood screws into tapped rotors. Without them, my "rear" offset rims do not clear spring bucket and TRE. I have some 3/16 spacers if grinding helps. Hoping to suck the wheels inward and move them towards the rear some to clear the fender fang.

Springs I have are a solid cu*t hair above 5/8" diameter. Springs in the picture are a solid cu*t hair below 5/8". When I tear everything apart tomorrow, I can get a lot more info. :D

Also found the spindle brand by searching pictures. I believe CPP is the only spindle/disc conversion that doesn't push the wheel out, so I think the McGaughys move things out 1/4-1/2" a side.
View attachment 526013
That’s the thing I’ve noticed when shopping for a disc kit on my ‘57. Most kits do increase the track width a 1/4” per side. Sounds like the same thing.

Nice catch on the wood screws holding the spacers on. It looked like there was a screw there in the pic but I assumed somebody did that the right way way. It’s pretty obvious now by what you said they didn’t!
 
The missing swaybar bushings on both sides is more evidence to that lol "End link" is also questionable but that's par for the course with CPP.

IMG_4985.jpeg
 
Pulled the new clip apart. Everything looks good. Going to reuse some of the brakelines as well. For sure the fittings, I have some of that copper line left over from the build C10. The swaybar will be tricky, I can tell it's poorly shaped like my C10 bar was. (I will need some new hardware, I don't like the lock washers it comes with. Also had mismatched control arm bolts)

Pulled most of Plank's front end apart. That was a chore and I'm not done yet. Got 6 rivets in my way and the passenger upper arm. Rivets I can deal with but this arms left me defeated yesterday. (Also ran out if time)

Header is in my way to get the nut off. The bolts have either "become one with the arm" or have always be together. They don't spin. Took the driver arm and tried pounding one out to see. Nope

I'd hate to remove this header again. The gaskets are those "dead soft aluminum" jobbies and its already been removed once :( Collector gasket is the same material.

Wife is gone till 2nd week of June. I've got her surprise bathroom mini-remodel and Plank to do. Sharing my free days between them :D

IMG_4990.jpeg
IMG_4991.jpeg
 
Before and after. Full droop, wheels off the ground. I want to see what the new arms do and if wonky wheel travel improves after install.

I also noticed the tierods, on both side, were going VERY uphill to the spindles. I don't think it was that bad before the drivetrain swap, further evidence this thing squatted bad. I hope the new stuff helps. The car it came off of was clean, like recent restoration maybe. The front clip, other than bumper bracket area was nice. Battery tray kinda hoekey. Something else that relieves some concern is the owner was having a CPP full mustang eleven ll front clip being installed so hopefully they were happy with the CraPP I bought from them.

IMG_4988.jpeg
IMG_4987.jpeg
 
Plank is OFFICIALLY Lincoln locked!!!


And by that I mean one shock tower nut didnt feel like staying and ain't nobody got time for that. One side has nylocks, other has lock washers and some weld :D

IMG_5484.jpeg

Also the top of the spring has a steel donut that "clocks" the end of the spring and keeps everything still. There is a pin that locates into the fender apron so the donut can't rotate. Both donut pairs and both spring pairs I have don't "clock" right. They are all the same but the ends of the spring just don't "land" into top and bottom grooves right.

So I cut the pin off and clocked them myself. That's where the ugly framing screw comes into play. It's the new pin.
IMG_5485.jpeg
 
The brakes are going to be a major upgrade but currently that's why its not out for an alignment.

I have a new manual MC that should work for '67 Novas (factory disc front). At least I hope it works. Was recommended by a FB Nova group moderator who took offense I questioned him...so that's 100% guaranteed to work. :poop: I have the front lines from the donor clip, which were in good shape. I'll have to add a coupler to the rear line and bring it over from the passenger side.

In more good news, since this clip was off a '67, it has the updated steering box with splined input. That's a bonus if I ever change the steering column. First gen Novas have a "spear" from the box to the steering wheel :(

1779914312551.jpeg
 
Plank is OFFICIALLY Lincoln locked!!!


And by that I mean one shock tower nut didnt feel like staying and ain't nobody got time for that. One side has nylocks, other has lock washers and some weld :D


Also the top of the spring has a steel donut that "clocks" the end of the spring and keeps everything still. There is a pin that locates into the fender apron so the donut can't rotate. Both donut pairs and both spring pairs I have don't "clock" right. They are all the same but the ends of the spring just don't "land" into top and bottom grooves right.

So I cut the pin off and clocked them myself. That's where the ugly framing screw comes into play. It's the new pin.

Good deal on the parts.

Those "captured" tower bolts can be hard to get seated into the pocket and align the square shank. Finger aligning/pulling up and sliding a screw driver under to hold in place helps while tightening. Definitely needs lock washers or lock nuts.

For the coil spring, the end/tail will grow as they compress. Maybe those springs were off a bit or cut but they should have an inch or so to squirm in length.

Tie Rod angle looks great/level. Prior springs must have been short.

Yup, '67s first year for Fed mandated collapsible steering column. Manufacturers had about/less than a year to do. Did you get the whole column too?


Paul
 
Last edited:
Good deal on the parts.

Those "captured" tower bolts can be hard to get seated into the pocket and align the square shank. Finger aligning/pulling up and sliding a screw driver under to hold in place helps while tightening. Definitely needs lock washers or lock nuts.

For the coil spring, the end/tail will grow as they compress. Maybe those springs were off a bit or cut but they should have an inch or so to squirm in length.

Tie Rod angle looks great/level. Prior springs must have been short.

Yup, '67s first year for Fed mandated collapsible steering column. Manufacturers had about/less than a year to do. Did you get the whole column too?


Paul
That "end/tall" was probably 2-3" off from the groove...overlapping the pocket, not short of it. Both my v8 springs were clocked the same. My L6 original springs seemed fine as original, they also matched my sagged out rear springs for height.

Maybe for my first couple drives, I take the framing screws out and if the holes still line up after driving I guess the upper spring retainer is ok. I was most concerned about the spring end on the bottom being allowed to rotate at all, it looks like it could come out of that tiny lower cradle.

Their car was just getting a new clip, so column stayed with it.
 

Latest Posts

Top Bottom