Joined at last

[19Brookwood60]

Hi All,

Been a reader for a while but have decided this is a good forum to join.
Mechanic by trade and Chevy owner since I was 16. Big and Small Blocks are my main interests. Got a 62 Nova SS I am building at the moment as a Gasser with a 396 I have used for the las 26 years in numerous cars. Nostalgia race engines and cars I'm mostly into. Hope I can contribute and learn alot from you guys.

Chris

 

[Loves302Chevy]

You will be right at home here. Welcome.

 

[19Brookwood60]

Thanks

 

[Grumpy]

welcome to the website!
can you post pictures, of your car and any projects?
what have you done to that 396 BBC ? correctly built they can make very respectable power, well in excess of the rather typical 400-430 hp level most guys have

 

[chromebumpers]

Welcome Chris, be prepared, you're about to be bugged for pictures

 

[19Brookwood60]

Nova Pictures so far. Chromemoly Cage, Steering, Wheel wells lenghtened & straightened Rails, Leaf springs relocated inside rails, Alloy interior done.
396 is 11-1 , ported open chamber, Chet Herbet Hydaulic .594 lift 294 duration. that I can remember. 1.73 Roller rockers, RPM Air gap manifold. Porbably will go tunnel ram later. predator carb.
Powerglide trans, 4.11 diff gears with Truetrac.
Keeping it super simple.

1966 El Camino total Rebuild last year
327 SB, T350, 12 Bolt 3.55 LSD
Workshop Vehicle.

1960 Chevy Brookwood
350, T400, 9 inch 3.25, owned for last 19 years

1956 Chevy Pickup project I havent started yet....................

 

[Loves302Chevy]

It's older than I am, but I like that 1960 Brookwood wagon.
Really nice fabricating and welding work on the others.
Did you do that work yourself?

 

[19Brookwood60]

I do all my own work usually. The Nova Front sub frame and axle I fabricated. The Cage and wheel tubs I had a Freind of mine do as he is a lot better with the Tig than me. I didnt want any issues with structual integrity so I thought this was a good idea to get him to do it.
This is the first bit of work I have had farmed out in all the cars I have built. And I actually appriciate the detail work that has gone into it. I will post more pictures as I go. most didnt load on cause they were too big..... yes I have now read the "how to post pictures" discussion.

 

[chromebumpers]

Throughout the entire 1960's I sat in the back seat of a 1960 wagon like yours, but it was red with a white top. I can't remember if it was a Brookwood or a Parkwood, all I can remember is it had a power rear window and a dual opening tailgate. I believe it was finally scraped because it rusted faster then my father could paste it up with bondo.

 

[DorianL]

Welcome Chris, be prepared, you're about to be bugged for pictures

Rats!!!! Richard beat me to it...

Welcome to the board!

 

[Grumpy]

that car brings back a great many memories as one of the guys I grew up with in high school had done rather similar mods to the same year nova .
(roll cage, tubed rear, enlarged rear wheel well openings)
he had fiberglass hood, trunk,front fenders bumpers and a modified 1967 front suspension,and ford 9" rear differential,traction bars and air shocks, and no interior other than nice paint and aluminum panels and a race car seat.
he eventually had a BURGUNDY and GOLD paint job (the car was done in burgundy that was mirror reflective and shiny and he had a 18" wide gold stripe down the center) He and I built a 13:1 compression, 377 SBC with CRANE ported heads, an edelbrock tunnel-ram, (ported and mirror polished internally) two holly 450 cfm carbs, a crane 110541 solid lifter cam, and a forged crank and rods, a 32 lb billet flywheel, a 4.56:1 rear gear, muncie 4 speed and lakewood bell housing and Hurst comp plus shifter, and a custom welded deep sump oil pan.
the car ran very low 11 seconds back in the early 1970s when that was rather fast!

look at the prices (yes that was expensive when most of us made less than $100 a week)

 

[19Brookwood60]

that car brings back a great many memories as one of the guys I grew up with in high school had done rather similar mods to the same year nova .
(roll cage, tubed rear, enlarged rear wheel well openings)
he had fiberglass hood, trunk,front fenders bumpers and a modified 1967 front suspension,and ford 9" rear differential,traction bars and air shocks, and no interior other than nice paint and aluminum panels and a race car seat.
he eventually had a BURGUNDY and GOLD paint job (the car was done in burgundy that was mirror reflective and shiny and he had a 18" wide gold stripe down the center) He and I built a 13:1 compression, 377 SBC with CRANE ported heads, an edelbrock tunnel-ram, (ported and mirror polished internally) two holly 450 cfm carbs, a crane 110541 solid lifter cam, and a forged crank and rods, a 32 lb billet flywheel, a 4.56:1 rear gear, muncie 4 speed and lakewood bell housing and Hurst comp plus shifter, and a custom welded deep sump oil pan.
the car ran very low 11 seconds back in the early 1970s when that was rather fast!

look at the prices (yes that was expensive when most of us made less than $100 a week)

You have a good memory... must have been a memorable car in the day??
I will be painting the Nova Candy Red with plenty of signage on it. Would like to do more work on the 396 once I have the car sorted and tested. I have a buddy that races a Ford Coupe with 496 BB running 10.1 ET. we are competitive with each other and would like to match race him one day with my 396. I think a roller cam and more head work might get close to his 100 cui advantage.

 

[NOT A TA]

Welcome! Nice collection of cars. I've had several Novas throughout the years, some caged, tubed etc. Only one I have now is a 5th gen Twin Cam I bought new for one of the former Mrs. NOT A TA's. Miss the 67 SS pro streeter.

 

[GLHS60]

Welcome!!

Your 1960 2 dr Wagon is beautiful.

I always loved 1960 Chevy's and bought a nice one back about 1976 in Washington.

It was a red 348 Wagon, Turbo Glide but was converted to a Power Glide.

The really unique thing was it had a small plate in the cargo area that lifted up, and another flipped down that had the Positraction warning label.

Never saw another like it and always ask owners if they have this feature whenever I see one.

Anyone else ever see such a thing?? Probably some other year or model G.M. Wagons of the era had something similar.

Thanks
Randy