Hey guys! Was a pretty active user on steves when I built my Nova, found this forum while looking for specifics on the Buick! Anyways I've got a new project and will start a build thread once some more progress is made! Here is my '77 nova that I swapped in a Lm7/4L80e, it's been great but moving all around the country has taken a beating on the chassis. Rust has reappeared and I just don't want to deal with it anymore! So onto my new project! I will make a separate build thread once I make some more significant progress. Picked up a $300 '77 skylark 4dr, solid body, clean interior, perfect body to swap my Nova's drivetrain into and still be able to enjoy it with my family. I'm currently tearing out all the old in preparation for the swap and have tucked the front and rear bumpers, hoping in a few weeks I can swap rearends so I can use my build 8.5". This has been my major time consumer lately but hoping I will have enough time to get some tinkering done! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Thanks guys! I've had my hotrod fun and now ready to have a sleeper that confuses everyone! Once I get it swapped, I will then start hoarding parts for a gt45 turbo build. Probably will lower it slightly and run some 18x8 and 17x7 wheels. Keep the body in its 40yr old condition. Also want to keep the interior as untouched as I can, so hoping I can rig up the column shift instead of reuse my b&m shifter! '77 Nova lm7/4L80e '77 Skylark sedan (future ls swap)
Deleted the AC and heat to make room for the ls motor and future turbo. This will be a weekend fair weather car so don't regret no heat or ac! These are the wheels I plan to go with once $$ allows. Will use the Nova wheels for now though! '77 Nova lm7/4L80e '77 Skylark sedan (future ls swap)
Frame connectors and poly body bushings came in today! Unfortunately I work all weekend and next week. So hopefully in 2 weekends I can get out there and start swapping rearends and putting on the new parts. Any suggestions of the order to do things? Was thinking pull the rear, do the frame bushings, subframe connectors, then roll the Novas rear underneath and bolt all back together.
Poly body bushings installed! Was worried about the spotwelds breaking but soaking for a week in wd40 made them real easy to get out! Frame connectors are slowly getting in place, pulling the rear before I bolt up the rear mount. Rear end slowly apart, just need to get the brake line off without stripping it. and then unbolt the springs. Swapping it with the 8.5 in my nova that has 3.73's and auburn posi.
I used the stock column shifter with a 200-4r in the car, and it worked okay. You just have to pull the lever towards you and feel out the clicks in the transmission rather than the detents in the column. The Park and Reverse detents lined up fine, I think maybe even the Neutral-Reverse stop did too. I had full range from Park to 1st. The 4L80 gear spacing is slightly different than the 200-4r but I'd bet it still works fine.
I think I found the best option for my application, lokar sells a column shift conversion that replaces the linkage with a cable, which is how I currently have the 4l80e setup with a b&m floor shifter. So I think I can reuse my brackets and linkage on the trans, and that would also keep the most room for headers and/or turbo.
Wheels and tires have been ordered as well. US mag Ramblers. 17x7 4"bs 225/45 up front and 17x8 4.5"bs 255/45 in the rear. Excited to get them!
Wheels and tires arrived! Won't be mounting and balancing until I finish up the rear end swap. Test fit the tires to satisfy my excitement.
A lot of work done today! Got the Nova's rear end swapped with the buicks, which allowed me to finish up the subframe connectors/poly body mount install. Poor nova haha next up will be getting some new shocks in, the Nova had Lakewood 50/50's on it and after about 6 yrs of limited driving they were completely blown and all black. I'm going to go with kyb shocks I think. Just a stock replacement. And then swap gas tanks since the nova's is sumped, once I sell the nova shell I'll probably use those funds to go with a tanks inc setup with internal fuel pump to replace my current external walbro 255 setup.
Pic of my old exhaust off the nova, probably reuse the xpipe portion and do magnaflows over the axle for a stock like appearance.
I'm in western Washington! And unsure on price as it depends how many parts I harvest off of the Nova!
If you have any use for an extra stock tank for mods, have a '77 skylark tank in near perfect condition. $60 plus the BUS ride and it is yours.
That's a familiar sight. Looked that way when I rolled the 7.5" out for an 8.5" and looked that way again when I rolled the 8.5" out and rolled a 9" in. Fun fact, I needed a longer drive shaft when I put the 9" in.
Yeah I believe that! I went shorter when swapping the original 7.5 with the 8.5 and tossing the 4l80e in. Now I have a custom made one with 4l80e hardware up front.
