The Chevy Nova has always been a favorite, mostly because it can handle any engine you care to use and with its light weight bodywork, makes a formidable performer. Dress it in bright red, stuff it full of small block V8, add a raked stance, and you get a nasty little mid-sized Deuce with a ton of performance.
Built to cruise the streets and look great doing it, this slick Nova was built from a clean 2-door sedan and treated to a host of upgrades along the way. The bright red paint accents the performance attitude, and the vivid paint leaves no question about this nasty little Nova's intentions. You can see in the reflections in our photo studio that the finish has an awesome gloss and a deep shine that suggests a decent pile of cash went into the paint job, and for an affordable hot-rod, this one fits together pretty darned well. There's some orange peel that could be erased by a good cut and buff, but even as it sits, it really dresses up well. A cowl induction hood is pretty much a given on any muscular Chevy, and it looks right at home on the Nova's classic bodywork, making it look fast just sitting still. The SS package was still available in '72, and this one wears a clean-looking SS grille and blacked-out tail panel, although they left off the engine badges on the hood, perhaps to keep the competition guessing. Bright chrome bumpers, nice stainless trim around the windshield, and a few other correct details make this car look like a proper performance machine.
The interior is has been substantially upgraded to match the new performance found underneath, including a pair of very comfortable high-back bucket seats that are a far cry from the slippery church pew these cars usually got. Wrapped in high-grade vinyl, it's easy to forget that the Nova was an economy car, and with a modern 3-spoke steering wheel the racy feel continues inside. The original instrument panel covers the basics and they left it as the factory intended for a clean, uncluttered look, tucking the auxiliary gauges under the dash and out of sight. A Kenwood AM/FM/CD stereo head unit slots into the dash just to the right of the steering wheel and blends in rather well, although that big B&M shifter again gives it all away pretty quickly. The back seat is upholstered in original-looking materials that are almost new, and the trunk includes a full-sized spare and no signs of trouble.
With a reasonable curb weight, the 350 cubic inch V8 under the hood provides heroic performance. The bright Chevy Orange engine looks appropriate, and a few satin black dress-up pieces to make it look suitably intense when you open the hood. An Edelbrock 4-barrel carb on an Offenhauser intake manifold help make some additional horsepower, and there's an HEI ignition system, but this isn't a radical engine so it starts easily, idles well, and should run this well for a good long time. It's tied to a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission and a 10-bolt rear end, both hardy, reliable pieces of equipment themselves, and the fresh dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers gives it a genuine hot rod sound. The underside is clean but not detailed for show and the suspension has been lowered just enough to give it a bit of a rake. Big 17-inch Torque Thrust wheels wrapped in 215/55/17 front and 235/55/17 rear Nitto radials look ideal, filling the wheel wells without causing clearance problems.
Affordable performance with the right look, this Nova makes it easy to have fun on a budget. Call today!