LQ4 into a 3rd Gen/1972 Nova by frojoe

2 minute(s) of a 891 minute read

I've only seen two other turbo build threads for a 3rd gen Nova. One didn't have very large pics, wasn't too descriptive, and also the guy used a massively custom intercooler. The other guy had a full race build with no inner fenders, etc... not such a driver-like car! So I hope maybe this will be the thread for people doing a simple single-turbo setup with easily-available eBay/used hot and cold side stuff. No customs intercoolers or stainless turbo headers here!

Went and met Marktainium yesterday. Thanks for letting me raid your STASH of "extras" haha. His build is coming along quite nicely too, I'm jealous of his progress!!

I want to retain the stock hood latch, or only have to slightly modify it. In order to do so, and with having the intercooler sitting in front of the rad support, it'd have to be positioned here..




NOT so ideal!!! As well, if it were to stay in front of the rad support, I'd have to notch the trim piece between the bumper & grill, as well as the top of the grill itself to clear the intercooler corners, like here...



Turns out in order to clear the stock hood latch, I would only have to move the intercooler back 1.25". This is nice since it would also buy me enough clearance for the grill & grill-bumper trim piece... no trimming needed yay!



Since I'm chopping the rad support anyways (I will later weld in supports so it retains rigidity) I thought why not cut the "outline" of the intercooler+inlet/outlet couplers into the support so the intercooler is essentially recesed halfway into the rad support. The radiator would also be moved back the same amount to make room for the IC. Pics to come of this within a day or two.