LQ4 into a 3rd Gen/1972 Nova by frojoe

5 minute(s) of a 891 minute read

Some more progress today.. used an angle grinder on the Nova for the first time since probably 2013! Started mocking up OEM inner fenders to see how much needs to be cut and modified. I think I'd rather start with them and modify than make inner fenders from scratch. I don't have an English wheel or anything for sheetmetal work so inner fenders from scratch would guaranteed look super ghetto.

I immediately chopped the battery tray closeout areas as I know I won't need those (I'll be extending the fenders down vertically).

So with the spring removed but the shock in place, this is full compression. Stupid car is too low!

Marked up a section to cut. I'm no sheetmetal guy, but this seems to be the most straightforward way to move the inner fender up, and retain some of the mounting points.

And inner fender jammed in place. I'll need to definitely do some more snipping. With the fender more or less in its proper place but just moved up ~1", there's really good tire clearance on the inboard sidewall, but the out the outboard sidewall is binding on the fender, so I'll have to cut that up.  

Also cut out recesses for the clutch master and turbine housing, and see how well that lets me shift the inner fender some more. Luckily it looks like there's loads of room between the turbine housing and the tire inner sidewall at full lock, so I think a healthy recess for the turbo will work well.

Lastly, did a major clean and reorganize of the garage.. got everything off the floor except the floor jack and the 4 dollies holding the car up, so that felt nice. Not sure if I've shown before, but this is all the room I've been working with since 2004, other than the mill/lathe stuff I do at my work's machine shop, and maybe half the welding...