Help/Advice on buying a 1971 Chevy Nova

Afternoon all,

I'm contemplating buying a 1971 Chevy Nova SS Clone, but there's one
issue I know I'd want to fix right off the bat if I got this car - the
car is a turbo 350 3-speed automatic (on the floor) w/ Hurst shifter.
I'd definitely like to put in a manual (probably 4 speed). I'm not
looking to race this car on a hardcore level, but I'd like to have
something that could take a little abuse and not fall apart if I haul
ass a little bit around town haha...


The car has a N.O.M Chevy 350 engine complete with headers, aluminum
intake, Holley carb, new flowmaster exhaust, and a 10 bolt limited slip

rear with 3:08 gears.


Can someone please outline some of the details in doing a transmission
swap? How difficult would this be (including costs)??? What kinds of
specific tools are needed beyond engine lift & typical handtools?


If anyone knows of a web resource detailing what's needed I'd really
appreciate it.


The rest of the car is in good shape: fresh rubber & seals, fresh
paint, new exhaust & interior, most of the chrome is new, new floor
pans, power steering, power disc brakes, aftermarket tach., SS louvered

hood, and overall the car looks pretty decent. What should I be
looking out for?


Here are a few pics:


Front End:
http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2258.JPG


Interior Pic:
http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2261.JPG


Engine Pic:
http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2262.JPG


Trunk Pic:
http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2257.JPG


Rear End:
http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2260.JPG


This would be my first muscle car, so issues like numbers matching
aren't of a concern to me. I just want something I can drive around
town on the weekends and make Honda owners regret their purchases haha.

If you know any other advice/guidance on buying a car like this, I'd
appreciate anything else you can offer.


Thanks!


Willis

"Willis" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Afternoon all,
>
> I'm contemplating buying a 1971 Chevy Nova SS Clone, but there's one
> issue I know I'd want to fix right off the bat if I got this car - the
> car is a turbo 350 3-speed automatic (on the floor) w/ Hurst shifter.
> I'd definitely like to put in a manual (probably 4 speed). I'm not
> looking to race this car on a hardcore level, but I'd like to have
> something that could take a little abuse and not fall apart if I haul
> ass a little bit around town haha...
> The car has a N.O.M Chevy 350 engine complete with headers, aluminum
> intake, Holley carb, new flowmaster exhaust, and a 10 bolt limited slip
>
> rear with 3:08 gears.
I'd go with a Muncie -- M21FS (fine spline) or if you can get M22 fine spline is
the way to go IMO!
M-22 sounds a bit rough -- The M22 Rock Crusher -- sounds like crushing rocks!!!
have one in my 69 396 SS Elcamino

>> hood, and overall the car looks pretty decent. What should I be
> looking out for?

I recommend that you perform a wet/dry compression test before you purchase
--
BBA
°?°
BBA's RC Site - http://www.billybadassrc.com
When Privacy Matters -- http://www.epic.org

Sweeeeeeet...

Willis wrote:
> Afternoon all,
>
> I'm contemplating buying a 1971 Chevy Nova SS Clone, but there's one
> issue I know I'd want to fix right off the bat if I got this car - the
> car is a turbo 350 3-speed automatic (on the floor) w/ Hurst shifter.
> I'd definitely like to put in a manual (probably 4 speed). I'm not
> looking to race this car on a hardcore level, but I'd like to have
> something that could take a little abuse and not fall apart if I haul
> ass a little bit around town haha...
>
>
> The car has a N.O.M Chevy 350 engine complete with headers, aluminum
> intake, Holley carb, new flowmaster exhaust, and a 10 bolt limited slip
>
> rear with 3:08 gears.
>
>
> Can someone please outline some of the details in doing a transmission
> swap? How difficult would this be (including costs)??? What kinds of
> specific tools are needed beyond engine lift & typical handtools?
>
>
> If anyone knows of a web resource detailing what's needed I'd really
> appreciate it.
>
>
> The rest of the car is in good shape: fresh rubber & seals, fresh
> paint, new exhaust & interior, most of the chrome is new, new floor
> pans, power steering, power disc brakes, aftermarket tach., SS louvered
>
> hood, and overall the car looks pretty decent. What should I be
> looking out for?
>
>
> Here are a few pics:
>
>
> Front End:
> http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2258.JPG
>
>
> Interior Pic:
> http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2261.JPG
>
>
> Engine Pic:
> http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2262.JPG
>
>
> Trunk Pic:
> http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2257.JPG
>
>
> Rear End:
> http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2260.JPG
>
>
> This would be my first muscle car, so issues like numbers matching
> aren't of a concern to me. I just want something I can drive around
> town on the weekends and make Honda owners regret their purchases haha.
>
> If you know any other advice/guidance on buying a car like this, I'd
> appreciate anything else you can offer.
>
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> Willis
>

I'm not as familiar with GM cars as with Mopars, but in general its not
the swapping of the transmission itself that will tear your hair out-
the bellhousings are the same as automatics, often the driveshaft
doesn't even need to be changed (though sometimes it may need to be
lengthened or shortened). But the little stuff- does your automatic car
have all the brackets under the dash to mount the clutch pedal and brake
pedal for a manual tranny car? (the brake pedal isn't the same as an
automatic, even the master cylinder location may be slightly different
though the mounting holes to relocate it are usually there). Can you
find factory pedals and linkages? Are all the bellcrank mounts for the
clutch linkage there underneath your car? Will the exhaust system clear
the shifter linkages and clutch linkages, or will the exhaust have to be
re-worked too? What about the shifter linkage- are the brackets there
for the floor mount? Is the hole in the floor already and covered with a
plate, or will you have to cut and weld in a manual-transmission car's
transmission hump? IS the crankshaft on the engine drilled to the size
that will allow you to use a standard pilot bushing for the manual
tranny, or will you have to use one of the adaptor type bushings that
lets you adapt a manual trans to an automatic trans crankshaft?

The devil's in the details.


Willis wrote:

> Afternoon all,
>
> I'm contemplating buying a 1971 Chevy Nova SS Clone, but there's one
> issue I know I'd want to fix right off the bat if I got this car - the
> car is a turbo 350 3-speed automatic (on the floor) w/ Hurst shifter.
> I'd definitely like to put in a manual (probably 4 speed). I'm not
> looking to race this car on a hardcore level, but I'd like to have
> something that could take a little abuse and not fall apart if I haul
> ass a little bit around town haha...
>
>
> The car has a N.O.M Chevy 350 engine complete with headers, aluminum
> intake, Holley carb, new flowmaster exhaust, and a 10 bolt limited slip
>
> rear with 3:08 gears.
>
>
> Can someone please outline some of the details in doing a transmission
> swap? How difficult would this be (including costs)??? What kinds of
> specific tools are needed beyond engine lift & typical handtools?
>
>
> If anyone knows of a web resource detailing what's needed I'd really
> appreciate it.
>
>
> The rest of the car is in good shape: fresh rubber & seals, fresh
> paint, new exhaust & interior, most of the chrome is new, new floor
> pans, power steering, power disc brakes, aftermarket tach., SS louvered
>
> hood, and overall the car looks pretty decent. What should I be
> looking out for?
>
>
> Here are a few pics:
>
>
> Front End:
> http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2258.JPG
>
>
> Interior Pic:
> http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2261.JPG
>
>
> Engine Pic:
> http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2262.JPG
>
>
> Trunk Pic:
> http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2257.JPG
>
>
> Rear End:
> http://www.hemmings.com/images/deale...s/100_2260.JPG
>
>
> This would be my first muscle car, so issues like numbers matching
> aren't of a concern to me. I just want something I can drive around
> town on the weekends and make Honda owners regret their purchases haha.
>
> If you know any other advice/guidance on buying a car like this, I'd
> appreciate anything else you can offer.
>
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> Willis
>