Throwdown Thrash - Project Novakane Build

It sounded impossible to anyone who enjoyed sleeping, seeing their families, or who didn’t enjoy donuts and energy drinks. What it consisted of was building a back half from scratch, installing an engine and transmission, wiring and plumbing said engine, installing the brakes along with the front suspension and hydraulic brake assist unit, and narrowing the rearend, cutting the bed and front fenders for clearance, running the truck on a chassis dyno and tuning the truck, and assembling pieces as they came in from paint and body. All of this needed to be accomplished in only six days so that Project Novakane could compete at THROWDOWN. Deadlines suck.

It seemed innocent enough when I was hanging out with my buddy Aaron Iha and I asked him where the best place to narrow a rearend was. He laughed and said, “I do them all the time.” Then he asked me what I needed it for and the rest as they say, is history. He told me to bring him the truck and as a team, we would handle it. A daunting task for any shop, Aaron seemed surprisingly calm about the six-day deadline and on Friday, May 20, I trailered Novakane the six miles from L&G Enterprises, in San Dimas, California, over to Chassis by Aaron Iha, in Covina. What showed up was a painted shell with no engine, trans, no front end, and not much optimism. Not to fear, I brought donuts and Rockstar energy drinks.

Follow along as we show you how seven hardworking guys designed, fabricated, and welded in a new back half, bolted on a QA1 coilover suspension, installed an Aeromotive fuel system with Earl’s fittings and hoses, added a Hydratech hydraulic brake assist unit, narrowed the factory rearend and installed new Dutchman axles, and relocated two Optima batteries thanks to XScorpion and Pro Precision Billet, and managed to live to tell stories about it.

Friday, May 20: Day 1

1. 12:25 p.m. Before the truck was delivered from L&G Enterprises, in San Dimas, California, all of the new parts were laid out on workbenches and accounted for. This was a long list that included the American Racing Headers long-tube headers, AP Racing big brakes from Stillen, Be Cool radiator, Hydratech hydraulic assist unit (see the full install in Issue 12), and performance parts from Moroso and Lingenfelter.
1. 12:25 p.m. Before the truck was delivered from L&G Enterprises, in San Dimas, Californi
2. 12:54 p.m. Once the truck was unloaded from the trailer, it was rolled into the Chassis by Aaron fabrication bay where the head scratching and finger pointing started. Once Aaron came up with a game plan, it was time to get to work. First up, the truck was supported on jackstands, the wheels and tires set aside, and the suspension removed. The bed was then unbolted and pulled from the frame.
2. 12:54 p.m. Once the truck was unloaded from the trailer, it was rolled into the Chassis
3. 4:27 p.m. Looking at the thrashed rear section of the frame, a knucklehead who will remain nameless, but let’s just say his name rhymes with Dale Thomas, made the suggestion to subframe the truck and after some welding gloves went flying, Aaron started designing a new back half. Thanks again, guy that rhymes with Dale Thomas.
3. 4:27 p.m. Looking at the thrashed rear section of the frame, a knucklehead who will rem

Saturday, May 21: Day 2

4. Dale Thomas got to work using the plasma cutter and grinder to make it nice and smooth.
5. 9:48 a.m. Using all-new suspension meant the factory rearend needed to be cleaned up.
6. 9:57 a.m. Aaron couldn’t sleep the night before because he was busy designing a killer suspension setup for the truck in his head. He started showing me the rear suspension using his PROEngineer software, and all I could do was smile and say, “cool.” I didn’t know what I was looking at, but it sure looked like it belonged on the space shuttle.
6. 9:57 a.m. Aaron couldn’t sleep the night before because he was busy designing a killer

7. 11:22 a.m. After a few clicks of the mouse, the CNC plasma cutter started spitting steel out like an angry dog on the porch. Aaron knows every part will fit before a single welder is fired up and it’s this kind of engineering that I was excited to have on my own truck.
7. 11:22 a.m. After a few clicks of the mouse, the CNC plasma cutter started spitting stee
8. 12:18 p.m. A quick memorial service was held for the factory framerails and then they were hacked off, leaving a blank canvas for some new steel.
8. 12:18 p.m. A quick memorial service was held for the factory framerails and then they w
9. 12:51 p.m. Talk about cool, I purchased some 2x5-inch steel tubing and after Aaron dialed in the specs, the CNC plasma cutter precisely cut out the C-notch.
9. 12:51 p.m. Talk about cool, I purchased some 2x5-inch steel tubing and after Aaron dial

10. and 11. 3:18 p.m. Just over two hours later, the rear subframe was starting to take shape with a crossmember for the QA1 coilovers and body mount tabs ready and waiting.
10. and 11. 3:18 p.m. Just over two hours later, the rear subframe was starting to take sh
10. and 11. 3:18 p.m. Just over two hours later, the rear subframe was starting to take shape with a crossmember for the QA1 coilovers and body mount tabs ready and waiting.
10. and 11. 3:18 p.m. Just over two hours later, the rear subframe was starting to take sh
12. 4:12 p.m. Even though it was Saturday and all of us had plans, Aaron, Eddie, and I stayed late to bolt in the LSX376 and Tremec T-56 Magnum. It was an exciting moment as it literally bolted right in without any issues.
12. 4:12 p.m. Even though it was Saturday and all of us had plans, Aaron, Eddie, and I sta

Sunday, May 22: Day 3

13. 6:49 p.m. I came back to the shop on Sunday evening to get most of the parts bolted onto the engine. This included the ARH long-tube headers, front accessory drive and Lingenfelter tensioner/pulleys for the MagnaCharger supercharger, Powermaster high-torque starter and high-amp alternator, 90mm throttle body, and A/C compressor.
13. 6:49 p.m. I came back to the shop on Sunday evening to get most of the parts bolted on
14. 7:34 p.m. I also went ahead and swapped in larger 60 lb/hr fuel injectors from Five-O Motorsports, installed the MagnaCharger fuel rails, and made sure the new fuel manifold was secure. Black 12-point ARP bolts were used throughout the engine installation.
14. 7:34 p.m. I also went ahead and swapped in larger 60 lb/hr fuel injectors from Five-O
15. 7:52 p.m. With the engine in and most of the accessories bolted on, I headed home for a few hours of sleep.
15. 7:52 p.m. With the engine in and most of the accessories bolted on, I headed home for

Project Novakane Throwdown Thrash Wheeltubs Removed

16.-18. 10:06 a.m. After everyone enjoyed some donuts and Rockstar energy drinks, it was back to work as the deadline officially hit the four-day counter. Chris Hernandez started to cut out the bed wheeltubs.

16.-18. 10:06 a.m. After everyone enjoyed some donuts and Rockstar energy drinks, it was b

Monday, May 25: Day 3
(four days until THROWDOWN)

16.-18. 10:06 a.m. After everyone enjoyed some donuts and Rockstar energy drinks, it was back to work as the deadline officially hit the four-day counter. Eddie Orozco TIG welded the lower four-link bar brackets.
16.-18. 10:06 a.m. After everyone enjoyed some donuts and Rockstar energy drinks, it was b
16.-18. 10:06 a.m. After everyone enjoyed some donuts and Rockstar energy drinks, it was back to work as the deadline officially hit the four-day counter. Dale cut out the front inner fenders for added clearance.
16.-18. 10:06 a.m. After everyone enjoyed some donuts and Rockstar energy drinks, it was b
19.-20. 2:31 p.m. The four-link Aaron designed bolts onto the rear section of the factory frame and serves as both the forward mount for the four-link bars and the driveshaft safety loop.
19.-20. 2:31 p.m. The four-link Aaron designed bolts onto the rear section of the factory

19.-20. 2:31 p.m. Dale welded everything in place once it was perfectly aligned.
21. 2:34 p.m. After wrenching on several customer’s trucks, Chris was back to working on Novakane, only this time he was mounting the Flex-a-Lite electric fans to the awesome Be Cool Direct Fit aluminum radiator designed for ’99-’06 GM trucks.
21. 2:34 p.m. After wrenching on several customer’s trucks, Chris was back to working on N
22. 2:35 p.m. Dutchman Axles really came through in the clutch for us as they were able to ship out a pair of 2-inch shorter axles that would hold up to the 678 lb-ft of torque our LSX engine churns out. The guys at Dutchman were first-class to work with and the axles even came with wheel studs.
22. 2:35 p.m. Dutchman Axles really came through in the clutch for us as they were able to

23. 5:14 p.m. For some reason, there seems to be a mystery behind axle narrowing, but after seeing how it was done, Aaron quickly stopped outsourcing the work and started doing it himself. The key is measuring multiple times, keeping everything perpendicular, and cutting perfectly straight.
23. 5:14 p.m. For some reason, there seems to be a mystery behind axle narrowing, but afte
24. 5:35 p.m. Mesmerized by the “Boss’s” TIG welding skills, Eddie slowly rotated the axle while Aaron permanently welded the narrowed axle.
24. 5:35 p.m. Mesmerized by the “Boss’s” TIG welding skills, Eddie slowly rotated the axle
25. 7:15 p.m. Wiring genius Ben Dodd handled all of the engine’s wiring, including splicing in the new Lingenfelter 58x reluctor wheel converter and the Speartech fuel injector wiring harnesses. Fazed by nothing, Ben wasn’t sidetracked by any complicated wiring schematics and he steadily made sure the wiring was hidden as much as possible.
25. 7:15 p.m. Wiring genius Ben Dodd handled all of the engine’s wiring, including splicin

Tuesday, May 24: Day 5
(three days until THROWDOWN)

26. 11:15 a.m. UPS was our best friend on Tuesday as the aluminum fuel cell, A1000 fuel pump, and fuel filter from Aeromotive were delivered. The fuel cell and pump came ready to install, minus straps and fittings. The A1000 fuel pump will support up to 1,000 hp and is plumbed with -10AN fittings for optimal flow.
26. 11:15 a.m. UPS was our best friend on Tuesday as the aluminum fuel cell, A1000 fuel pu
27. 12:10 p.m. All of the fuel hoses and fittings were also on the UPS truck from Earl’s. We used Earl’s Pro-Lite 350 hoses and black Ano-Tuff fittings for a stealth look. You can’t go wrong with Earl’s products—they looked good and worked flawlessly.
27. 12:10 p.m. All of the fuel hoses and fittings were also on the UPS truck from Earl’s.
28. 2:56 p.m. Relocating the battery to the bed is a no-brainer for a performance truck or for a ’bagged truck, and for Novakane we used wiring products from XScorpion. These products are topnotch and include their unique Snake Skin Flat Power cables and digital battery terminals that display the battery voltage. Another perk about XScorpion is their vast inventory of tools and accessories such as cable ties and terminals, which means you can place one order and get everything you need. For power, we used two Optima YellowTop batteries and securely mounted them inside Pro Precision Billet battery mounts.
28. 2:56 p.m. Relocating the battery to the bed is a no-brainer for a performance truck or

29. 3:20 p.m. The XScorpion Snake Skin Flat Power cables use three large wire strands in a side-by-side configuration, which creates a flat cable, rather than one large gauge cable that is round. This makes it ideal for running under carpets for audio wiring and for this application, it worked well when routing it through the frame up into the engine bay.
29. 3:20 p.m. The XScorpion Snake Skin Flat Power cables use three large wire strands in a
30. 4:48 p.m. In preparation for the Aeromotive fuel cell, Dale welded in the braces, which will serve as the mounting location of the 20-gallon fuel cell.
30. 4:48 p.m. In preparation for the Aeromotive fuel cell, Dale welded in the braces, whic
31. and 32. 9:21 p.m. With the fuel cell in place, the Earl’s fuel fittings were assembled to the Earl’s Pro-Lite 350 hose and secured to the Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump.
31. and 32. 9:21 p.m. With the fuel cell in place, the Earl’s fuel fittings were assembled

31. and 32. 9:21 p.m. We used -10 to -8 AN fittings for the fuel supply line and -8 to -6 AN fittings for the return line. An Aeromotive boost reference fuel regulator was used to set the fuel pressure to 56 psi.
31. and 32. 9:21 p.m. We used -10 to -8 AN fittings for the fuel supply line and -8 to -6
33. 10:45 p.m. The Earl’s Pro-Lite 350 -8 AN supply line was run from the fuel pressure regulator to the MagnaCharger fuel manifold, which uses the factory 3/8-inch GM slide-lock fuel connector. Thankfully, we ordered the appropriate GM fuel fitting from Aeromotive and everything joined together with the Earl’s -8AN fitting exactly how we drew it up.
33. 10:45 p.m. The Earl’s Pro-Lite 350 -8 AN supply line was run from the fuel pressure re
34. 10:59 p.m. This custom overflow bottle that came from Air Concepts replaced the factory plastic tank. It’s available in polished or black powdercoat finish and comes with a matching Billet Specialties radiator cap. It will be mounted to a bracket in front of the radiator for plenty of clearance.
34. 10:59 p.m. This custom overflow bottle that came from Air Concepts replaced the factor

Wednesday, May 25: Day 6
(two days until THROWDOWN)

35. 3:01 a.m. Working late but getting a ton accomplished, Louie Silva poured in the Be Cool coolant after he mounted the Be Cool radiator and Air Concepts overflow bottle. After 5 gallons of 100-octane race fuel was poured into the fuel cell, fingers were crossed as the engine was fired to life for the first time. It started right up but started smoking after a few minutes. We were exhausted and decided to tackle that problem in the morning.
35. 3:01 a.m. Working late but getting a ton accomplished, Louie Silva poured in the Be Co
36. We were suppose to be at a chassis dyno appointment at 8 a.m. and we obviously didn't make that appointment, so Aaron called in a last-minute favor. Smoke coming from a new engine isn't ideal, and we found the culprit to be a RAM hydraulic release bearing. The trans was removed and the bearing pulled off the input shaft. We bought this new unit from McLeod (left) and it installed without hassle.
36. We were suppose to be at a chassis dyno appointment at 8 a.m. and we obviously didn't
37. 6:02 p.m. Thankfully, the favor Aaron called in was to the pros at HMS Performance, in Whittier, California. Aaron had a custom H1 that was scheduled for some dyno time and he asked Harvey and Joe if I could take his spot. They kindly obliged, and Novakane was driven onto the DynoJet rollers for a custom laptop tune. We reused the factory 4.8L ECU, which meant Harvey had to completely rebuild the ECU and start with a fresh program. It took a while, but Harvey squeezed 616 rwhp and 620 lb-ft of torque out of the blown LSX beast. I owe you one guys.
37. 6:02 p.m. Thankfully, the favor Aaron called in was to the pros at HMS Performance, in

Project Novakane Throwdown Thrash Qa1 Coilover Suspension

38. 10.28 a.m. QA1 was another company that delivered what they promised. UPS dropped off a package containing our front and rear double-adjustable coilovers exactly when we needed them. We wanted this truck to handle like a sports car, and thanks to QA1, Novakane should really be impressive. In case you’re wondering, the truck didn’t have a suspension in it for the dyno run. The guys simply hard-mounted steel blocks to make it drivable.

38. 10.28 a.m. QA1 was another company that delivered what they promised. UPS dropped off

Thursday, May 26: Day 7
(one day until THROWDOWN)

39. 11:12 a.m. While the other guys were working on other projects, I went ahead and assembled the front and rear QA1 shocks. With compression and rebound adjustability, we should be able to dial in the perfect performance setting for the suspension.
39. 11:12 a.m. While the other guys were working on other projects, I went ahead and assem
40. 2:58 p.m. Aaron decided to build a new exhaust rather than try to modify the existing tubing. Using stainless exhaust tubing, the 3-inch ARH header collector flows into 3-inch tubing that snakes around the four-link crossmember, over the axle, and exits the body through a trick exhaust tip we picked up from Stylin’ Trucks. Here, Aaron is TIG welding a flex union to the exhaust tip to compensate for the movement of the exhaust tubing and the exhaust tip.
40. 2:58 p.m. Aaron decided to build a new exhaust rather than try to modify the existing
41. 3:09 p.m. To give the truck a wider look, the decision was made to flare the rear bedsides 13⁄8 inches. Using a hydraulic ram, Chris and Louie slowly but surely flexed the sheetmetal until the desired look was achieved.
41. 3:09 p.m. To give the truck a wider look, the decision was made to flare the rear beds

42. 4:13 p.m. Once the bedsides were punched out, Louie measured the Aeromotive fuel cell and cut out the bed floor to make room for the cell. The braces shown in caption 30 will center the fuel cell in the bed so that it doesn’t stick too low under the truck and doesn’t sit too high, which may compromise weight bias when making sharp turns.
42. 4:13 p.m. Once the bedsides were punched out, Louie measured the Aeromotive fuel cell
43. 5:02 p.m. With several of us picking up the bed, it was carefully set down over the rear subframe and fuel cell. It fit like a glove and there is plenty of room for Aaron to build a sheetmetal cover for the excess.
43. 5:02 p.m. With several of us picking up the bed, it was carefully set down over the re
44. 6:48 p.m. After securing the Optima batteries and connecting the XScorpion cables, the bed was ready to rock and roll. Down the road, we’ll build wheeltubs and coat the bed floor, but for now, the truck was drivable. Or so we thought. Come to find out, there was a bug in the tune and it was throwing the truck into limp mode. Incredibly, the team at HMS drove out to the shop at midnight and dialed in the truck. A true testament to the kind of guys they are and their commitment to excellence. By 4:00 a.m., I was on the freeway heading to the track.
44. 6:48 p.m. After securing the Optima batteries and connecting the XScorpion cables, the

Friday, May 27: THROWDOWN

Project Novakane Throwdown Thrash Front Angle

45. 9:02 a.m. Through sheer determination and skill, Novakane was running at THROWDOWN and setting the fastest time through the slalom just hours after the final tune was edited. That was absolutely amazing when you look back and see how the truck was less than a week ago. Special thanks to Aaron Iha, Ben Dodd, Dale Thomas, Chris Hernandez, Eddie Orozco, Louis Silva, Harvey and Joe at HMS Performance, Brandan Gillogly, Bob Ryder, Harley Camilleri, and our wives for being understanding while not seeing us for a week.

SOURCE
Be Cool 310 Woodside Avenue Essexville MI 48732 800-691-2667 www.becool.com	XScorpion http://www.xscorpion.com
QA1 Motorsports 21730 Hanover Avenue Lakeville MN 55044 800-721-7761 www.qa1.net	McLeod Racing 1600 Sierra Madre Circle Placentia CA 92870 714-630-2764 www.mcleodracing.com/
Aeromotive, Inc 7805 Barton Street Lenexa KS 66214 913-647-7300 www.aeromotiveinc.com	Earls by Holley 1801 Russellville Road Bowling Green KY 42101 1-270-782-2900 http://holley.com/Index.asp?divi sion=Earls
Chassis By Aaron Iha 583 North Citrus Ave. Covina CA 91723 626-967-0045 www.chassisbyaaroniha.com	Air Concepts 615 Kansas Ave Suite E Modesto CA 95351 1-209-537-7643 http://www.airconcepts.com
Optima Batteries, Inc. 5757 N. Green Bay Ave. Milwaukee WI 53209 8-88/-867-8462 www.optimabatteries.com	Dutchman Axles PO Box 20517 Portland OR 97294 1-503-257-6604 http://www.dutchmanaxles.com
Pro Precision Billet 11944 Regentview Avenue P.O. Box 39220 Downey CA 90239 562-904-2644 www.ppbillet.com	HMS Performance 562-907-7834