A Streetable D-Max-Powered Chevy Nova

RBAN LEGEND HAS IT THAT THE CHEVY NOVA DIDN’T SELL WELL IN SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES SINCE THE LITERAL TRANSLATION FOR NOVA MEANS “NO GO.” DESPITE THAT REPUTATION, MUSCLE CAR ENTHUSIASTS HAVE BEEN LATCHING ONTO ’60S AND ’70S NOVAS AS GREAT PROJECT CARS, STUFFING BUILT SMALL BLOCKS OR EVEN BIG BLOCKS UNDER THE HOOD.

But John Fyffe of Lancaster, Ohio, is not known for following the crowd or trends, and he opted for something way different when it came time to drop a new power-plant into his ’63 Nova, which was called a Chevy II back in the day. He’d done both big-and small- block engines in drag cars, and this time wanted to do something different, really different.

So with some help from his friends—Jeff Dean of On Track Automotive & Diesel Performance, who also runs a Duramax-powered rail dragster, and Mike Sullivan of Sullivan Racing Wiring—John somehow managed to stuff an LB7 Duramax lifted from a 2002 Chevy truck into the Nova’s small engine bay, and make it work.

Since the car was already a drag racing machine, the switch was not as difficult, as it would have been on a stocker. In drag racing terms, the Nova is a “back half” car with a rear four-link and adjustable coilover suspension that utilizes a narrowed Dana 60 rear end with 3.07 gearing, Strange axles and a spool center section which was assembled by On Track Automotive & Diesel Performance. Wilwood four-piston brakes provide the stopping power out back.

Up front is another set of QA1 coilovers connecting upper and lower control arms along with drop spindles. “Skinnies” mounted on 15-inch Centerline Drag Stars up front handle steering input from the Mustang II rack and pinion. At the rear, providing all the smoke and forward motion are huge slicks, 33/10.50×15 Mickey Thompsons mounted on Drag Star wheels.

Since John has never been one to leave anything stock for long, the donor 6.6L Duramax was shipped over to Jeff Dean for some serious work. The engine was disassembled, machined and balanced, and blueprinted utilizing Carrillo rods and Arias pistons on the rotating assembly. The LB7 cylinder heads remain basically stock with welded aluminum injector cups.

John Fyffe of Lancaster, Ohio, is not known for following the crowd or trends, and he opted for something way different when it came time to drop a new powerplant into his ’63 Nova, which was called a Chevy II back in the day.”

A Fleece Performance intake tops the 406-cid Duramax, which is fed via a custom Fleece Performance 480 turbo that can generate up to 70 pounds of boost at full song. Exhaust is handed the easy way, through a Grand Rock 5-inch hood stack. Heat wrap keeps the turbo and exhaust pipe from melting the fiberglass hood.

Fueling is provided by 80-over injectors and custom EFI Live programming. For added go-power, the D-Max is fitted with a three-stage nitrous system. All told, John says the combo makes 800 horsepower and 1,700 lb/ft. of torque. And in typical drag race fashion, the D-Max is backed by a well-built, drag race Power Glide two-speed automatic, complete with trans brake, connected to a huge driveshaft via 1350 U- joints.

Visually, the car is immaculate. You’d never know at first glance the front half is all fiberglass except for the huge cowl induction hood. River Valley Collision in Lancaster applied the Airport Turquoise paint with a hint of pearl. On the inside, it’s pure race car, sort of. The stock dash was retained with a custom switch panel in place of the radio. The interior also has a NHRA legal roll cage and five-point harnesses for the twin racing seats, in case someone gets brave and wants to ride along. A full complement of ISSPRO gauges keeps track of the engine action.

John says the car is street legal and is a great cruise night driver. It also ran 10-second passes to win the Pro Mod class at the 2014 Scheid Diesel Extravaganza.” All we know is it’s a retro muscle car with our kind of twist. UDBG

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