Vehicle Description
The formula was a good one: take a lightweight car like the Chevy
II and stuff it full of small block V8. This 1965 Chevy II (also
known as the Nova) is a road-ready example of that formula in
action, and it offers a host of upgrades to make it a first-class
cruiser with a ton of eyeball appeal. And yes, it's got a manual
gearbox!
Subtle colors help give Chevy's compact a bigger presence, and
you're probably not going to see this one coming until it's too
late. They're not big cars, which is why they're so potent out on
the road, but in dark colors you have no choice but to treat them
with respect. The paint and bodywork on this car was done to a high
standard and remains in excellent condition with only 1600 miles on
the build, there are very few signs of use. It's not a perfect
trailer queen, of course, but if you like to drive, there aren't
many better Bowties for the job and there's a reason the 2-door
post was a favorite of drag racers. The steel underneath is quite
straight and shows off good gaps, suggesting that when the work was
done, they took their time, and the cowl induction hood is a nice
addition. Nice chrome, including the factory grille and the 'Chevy
II' logos on the rear fenders, gives it just enough flash to get
some attention as you go rolling past.
The interior is extremely well done, offering newer seats and
carpets, all in black to match the car's low-key bodywork. Modern
power buckets are a nice find and the rest of the interior pretty
much sticks to the factory recipe. There's a custom center console,
a big 3-spoke steering wheel on a tilt column, and fresh carpets on
the floors. The floor-shifted 4-speed manual gearbox has a Hurst
shifter with a custom knob and it's a lot of fun to rack it through
the gears. The factory gauges cover the basics, but a Sun tach was
neatly tucked into the center of the original gauge panel and a
trio of aftermarket dials hang underneath. An upgraded
AM/FM/cassette radio lives in the center of the dash and a trio of
12-volt power outlets were added for modern equipment like your
phone or GPS. The back seat was upholstered to match those modern
buckets and the trunk carries a correct mat.
Due to pressure from sales of the all-new Chevelle, the Nova's
option list finally received a V8 in 1964, with this 1965 Nova
carrying a hot-built 350 cubic inch crate motor. Using authentic
finishes and equipment combined with a few dress-up pieces, it has
a great period performance look with modern horsepower on tap.
Upgrades include Dart aluminum heads, a Lunati cam, Edelbrock
intake manifold, Holley 4-barrel carburetor, and an HEI ignition
system. It makes enough power that someone has decided to chain it
to the frame to keep it from torquing over too much in its mounts.
The 4-speed manual transmission is plenty tough for V8 duty and
channels power to a custom-built Ford 9-inch rear. A newer dual
exhaust system gives it a sinister voice and you'll note that the
chassis really is in nice shape with clean floors and lots of new
hardware. Shiny aluminum wheels really fill the wheel wells yet
keep the '60s performance look and carry 195/65/15 front and
225/70/15 rear performance radials.
This is one mean little Chevy with a ton of firepower on tap. If
you like the promise of light weight and horsepower, then perhaps
this car deserves a much closer look. Call today!
