57 Nomad Project

[kwhizz]

New guy here................Just found this site and thought I would post the thread on the Nomad here.........Here's a link to the previous progress and I will update as required here..............Great Site..............


http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/635278/57-nomad-project#Post635278



Ken

[55 Rescue Dog]

Very nice work!

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

Welcome over here Ken.
I see you have decided to convert to a 4 link and tubular arms. What did you decided to go with?

[chevynut]

Welcome to the site!

[NickP]

Welcome

[kwhizz]

Welcome over here Ken.
I see you have decided to convert to a 4 link and tubular arms. What did you decided to go with?



Bought a Ridetech set-up with Coil-overs...........

[kwhizz]

The Car is at Frame-Up Wheelworks getting the triangulated 4 Bar set-up installed....along with the new tank and spare Tire storage well mod's.........Here are some pic's of the start of the process....
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/08C9EEC8-F4BD-42A7-9B8B-074CACBC6022.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/4E6E5089-5BEB-4043-BA38-8A383F8CBAF0.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/86215F2D-8AAD-4EBA-978C-8EFD24A6D207.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/1393F77C-7211-4373-8D57-37894DED10A0.jpg

[kwhizz]

Moving along.........
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/BBCB4C1A-EC30-4485-A049-60220B3A3ED0.jpg
Spare tire well out.................
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/FFBEE5AD-652D-4117-A903-B2A65693357F.jpg
New Ricks Tank going in............
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/4DD4E27C-F91B-43B9-8381-726E67B29FCD.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/F0C33BD6-2DB8-47D0-B29D-08E9B2B1966C.jpg

[567chevys]

Welcome to the site Ken ,

Looks like a interesting project , Thanks for the pictures.

Thanks Sid

[NickP]

The Car is at Frame-Up Wheelworks getting the triangulated 4 Bar set-up installed....along with the new tank and spare Tire storage well mod's.........Here are some pic's of the start of the process....


Triangulated? Looks to be a parallel unit. still a good setup though. Ask JT56 here how he likes his.

[kwhizz]

Here are some pic's of the finished install.....Everything went smooth except for one issue.....I wanted to keep the ride height just as it was.......the Coil-over shocks that were shipped with the kit set the ride height when they were fully extended........so....Donnie ordered a new set that were 2" longer ........The kit was designed to work with the shocks as delivered and with the 9" Ford rear in the car, the yoke is lower than a Chevy rear........So.......With the longer Shocks the triangulated bar now hit the driveshaft yoke.......They to make a bracket to lower the bar to get it to clear........The Gas Tank is installed and the fill tube all hooked up......Here are some pic's before the wheels and tires are installed
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/7626CDE2-B9A4-4348-B93B-D5C193BBB425.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/0B59B895-E166-4B39-BE7E-1AE149BB8C19.jpg
Ken

[kwhizz]

Donnie and the crew at Frame-up did an outstanding job on the Nomad.....Changing to the 4 link set-up made a lot of things happen.....Gas Tank change......eliminating the spare tire well......and Trashing out the brand new exhaust system that doesn't fit anymore.....Anyhow.......I haven't driven it yet, but...here are some pics of the car back on the ground.....
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/48FB35CF-1910-40D2-84A6-07F35DD7F457.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/333DF44D-A230-462C-8EA5-781B4AF9CC8F.jpg

[WagonCrazy]

Wow. You've done alot to this old Nomad in a short amount of time. Now drive the heck out of it, and get that suspension dialed in and let us all know how it rides with your new rear setup.

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

VERY NICE KEN!!!!

[chevynut]

Beautiful car!

[kwhizz]

Here's a picture showing the spare tire well removed and the new gas tank installed........I'm having a new drop in pan made that will be panel bonded in place.........there is still room above the tank for the pan to be 4" deep for some storage......Also the new Glide Engineering seat frame and seat foam assy arrived today........

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/43514AA1-DB18-404F-90BC-23050C58B048.jpg

[kwhizz]

Finally got the pan to fill in the spare tire well.........It will be installed early next week and back to the exhaust shop next Thursday ............Then off to Nicky Chicago for Tuning..........
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/20A90BC7-E201-47C7-823E-432347010B6A.jpg

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

Ken you mentioned you up graded your ls2 impala with a supercharger. Did you install the front runner setup on it? I,m considering adding a supercharger to my ls2 down the road and was curious about the a/c with a supercharger. Probably have to go down low on a stock setup with its on belt?
Thanks
Rocky

[Tim57]

Welcome Ken ... nice nomad.

[kwhizz]

New exhaust system is in......New Tires as the old ones although good.......were 10 years old, and the rear tires were a pain to get in as they were so wide......the rear end had to have the shocks unbolted to get them on or off......so....I went to a slightly taller and narrower tire to make the car more user friendly.........and the new storage pan is in and in use......So........The car is pretty much finished and the conversion has taken the car to a new level, the Coil-over rear suspension has improved the ride considerably........I also added new tubular upper and lower front control arms........the one thing that is not finished yet is I bought a Glide Engineering contoured foam front seat that is being upholstered to match the existing pattern ........Here are some pic's..
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/ED04B395-1C95-4DD5-AE2C-CF7998D42F9A.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/AEF84046-0A24-4923-93D7-17ABAAC3EC41.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/1A4B113E-CA9F-4978-A368-3667F28C39A6.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/3CB082D0-2640-474C-8652-C794B170B982.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/CA84A87B-DDD0-4804-AC47-EC96128F93C2.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/1A4F8310-C33D-4F38-8256-C6928F4B47A0.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/D5A30119-431D-488A-80EC-9C1B6C6705D5.jpg

[kwhizz]

Ken you mentioned you up graded your ls2 impala with a supercharger. Did you install the front runner setup on it? I,m considering adding a supercharger to my ls2 down the road and was curious about the a/c with a supercharger. Probably have to go down low on a stock setup with its on belt?
Thanks
Rocky


I mounted down low.........Kwik makes a set-up......... kwikperf.com ask for Wayne

[kwhizz]

Update........A couple of things........Took the car to Nickey Chicago for tuning......during the tuning process a couple of issues popped up.........#1....I put a Concept 1 front drive set-up on the car to allow for the A/C compressor to be mounted up top ( no room in the stock low position due to cross member clearance issues)....this setup drives everything off of one 8 rib belt.........and in the Dyno tuning process when given full throttle, the belt squeal made it apparent the Belt wrap on the crank pulley was not the best along with the belt dust all over the engine..........I had a Gatorback belt on the car which has cross grooves which make the belt quieter,........But the guys at Nickey told me to get a Gates Fleet Runner Belt which doesn't have the cross grooves and will give more gripping surface..........Only made 7lbs of boost with the slippage.........New Belt installed..........2nd.......the Horsepower on the Dyno was lower than I expected..(442 RWHP).....Also in driving the car home it ran good but just didn't have the power of the LSA powered 66 Chevelle) ............After getting the car home I put it up on the lift and after looking at the exhaust system..........I now realized that I should have not used the stock cast iron manifolds........and when the exhaust was fabricated, the 90 degree bend put in the pipe coming down from the manifolds actually reduced the pipe diameter quite a bit..........so....as I looked at this set-up, I really realized the Choke point of trying to push all the exhaust at RPM thru that area of pipe........So..........Here we go again......LOL......Ordered a set of 4 tube headers........(pic's to follow).........It will be interesting to see what the numbers will be after getting everything installed and tuned again............I'm also going to install a set of Ring Bros Hood Hinges........

Ken

[kwhizz]

Dyno pull at Nickey Chicago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXa36XQL7sU

[kwhizz]

Fleet Runner Belt installed
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/FD6A51D5-EF60-4A15-BB3D-58A224543BBC.jpg

Ring Bros Hood hinges installed
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/F8726890-8EBD-46CA-B965-10AE3136932E.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/48BB0C2A-9A20-4D07-9BB0-B82B373ADC9A.jpg
And the Headers arrived.....I should have done this right from the beginning.......
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/22CB170A-6CE9-4DC6-9E94-98AD91CCCF9A_1.jpg
I talked to Donnie at Frame-up in Beach Park, Ill about putting the headers on and he had an opening.......so I drove the car over there without the hood .......I'll bring the Hood over there also so after finishing the exhaust they can install and align the hood......then I need to take it back to Stefano for some final tweaking..........Then I hope I'm finished........LOL
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/D4CC0D38-2B93-47A0-9CD4-C0477A9C00A9.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/F8DCE8A8-D44C-4647-872C-7C3A8F0EB89B.jpg

[WagonWonder]

:) dang it

[WagonCrazy]

It looks great. Especially since your driving it now. (that's the fun part of owning one of these).


Then I hope I'm finished........LOL

Most of us are laughing about that comment out loud too. Because we know the truth is....they ain't never quite finished :p

[chevynut]

It looks like a factory installation....nice!

[kwhizz]

Headers in..........Check
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/E63104F0-FDAA-4E85-A548-8748E2D20C86.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/15BEDB84-9EE4-4C90-93D6-A100B08E8097.jpg
Hinges in and Hood Aligned.......Check...
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/540C4196-863D-439A-93B4-EF2E7B47A732.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/70F59527-B321-4328-87B0-7BD1324EE958.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/93C1B90D-17D6-4C86-89F3-C2EE5B260A3E.jpg
And since the weather is nice.........Drive it to work......Check
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/91DF496E-FAA3-4193-B1A4-D07EE1B1E24C.jpg

Gonna be interesting to get it back to Nickey Chicago and see what if any power gains were made.........Again.......I should have put the Headers on during the initial install.....
Ken

[kwhizz]

Been a while for an update.........We were going to take the Nomad on the Good-Guys Road Tour last fall........That was the plan anyway.....The tour started in Mooresville, N.C. and ended in Dallas/Ft. Worth.....We were going to drive to Mooresville and have the car shipped back home from Dallas......During the mod's to the car, we had to eliminate the stock Emergency Brake linkage and cable assy due to clearance issues......So...We ordered an E-Force electric E-Brake actuator (Need E-Brake for shipping)......While waiting for the assy to show up I noticed that the A/C system lost it's charge.....Damm!!.........Did some checking and found that the front drive compressor manifold that came with the kit had a leak in it at where the Tube was welded to plate.......Darn........Called Concept one and they said they would ship one out.......well....It came the day we were supposed to leave.......No time to get it fixed so we took the Impala instead.........Meanwhile.......I left the car at Frame-up for Donnie to fix the A/C, install the E-Force unit and replace the Shorty Headers that had some clearance and vibration issues......we ordered some "Real" headers........Hooker long tubes.... When we returned Donnie had the car all finished.........So, it is ready for this years Road-Tour........Also after the new header install and a pulley change (another long story) we got the Supercharger belt slippage resolved....It now makes 12 lbs of boost and made 520 RWHP thru the mufflers........By the way....The Impala got an overall average of 23.7 MPG over 2880 miles........
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/42522921HKR_L_0ccf5526-2827-44aa-b7e6-dffb9fcf2429.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/7F98F16B-17AA-40C3-818C-58C7BBB7E4CA.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/9A37F0DB-D188-4F73-AF3C-CAE806C73963.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/E9A7B76D-1B21-4B3D-9443-CEF182453D55.jpg
Put Dye in the system and found the leak
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/64729E77-1A39-4697-B1B0-781D864E86D8.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/452B75CA-29E2-48B4-887C-383EC4C76889.jpg
Ken

[567chevys]

Nice Stuff, beautiful Car .
Hope it all works out for you .


Sid

[kwhizz]

Since it pains me to say that the car season is basically over for the year....The refining process will now continue over the fall and winter season.....Couple things I'm not comfortable with...… Ordered a new GM Ignition switch to hopefully solve the intermittent starting issue...… #2... I'm going to bite the Bullet and change out the Concept 1 Front drive set-up(single belt for everything) for a Wegner LSA front drive ( two belt drive) ……. In the 57 the single belt C1 set-up moves everything forward to align with the Blower Belt position...… In this position everything fits, But.…..There is no clearance between the drive and the fans and radiator...… So, in driving the car like we do across the country, if anything would happen to fail …….. the only way to access the components is to basically remove the radiator and or Core support (another reason I was hesitant to take the Nomad on the Road Tour this year)...… Don't want to be in that position..... With the Wegner set-up, there will be another 1 1/2" of room to at least have room to access the Pulley's Etc... One of these things you learn as the process moves along..... Gonna make it more Gooder !!!..... LOL

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/C19DDD12-D026-44A9-808C-FEBB7C949FB9.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/57%20Nomad/A5836807-58C6-41B7-8BAA-8D9BEE71AB2B.jpg