Vehicle Description
Everyone knows that taking weight out is the same as putting
horsepower in, so starting with a compact car like the Nova makes a
lot of sense when you're trying to build a hot street car. This
1970 Nova Restomod combines a modern-tech LS3 V8 with a sleeper
look that perfectly captures the dual nature of Chevy's right-sized
Nova.
The idea was simple: take a modern, reliable powerplant with
serious horsepower, stuff it into a Nova, and leave the rest alone
so nobody will know. Yes, it's bright red and wears '396' badges,
but that's still not enough warning for the pain this car can dish
out. Finish work is outstanding, with great bodywork and super
straight sheetmetal that was obviously prepped by experts who knew
what they were doing. It's nice to see this one without a
cowl-induction hood or stripes, although it does carry SS badges
and a blacked-out tail panel, so folks might suspect something is
up. Everything on the exterior, from the chrome bumpers to the
stainless trim around the wheels arches, is standard Nova
equipment, so this is definitely a car that could have been
prowling the streets in 1970. And it's a 2-door post, which is a
favorite of racers because it's lighter and stiffer than the
hardtop, which is what serious racers want.
A vast majority of Novas in 1970 were equipped with the standard
bench seat (including this one), and if you're building a sleeper,
you should probably leave it alone. The black upholstery is the
perfect match to the red paint, and the thoroughly freshened
interior looks as good as the bodywork. Again, they skipped the
visible upgrades and keep this car stock, which tells you that this
Nova is all about the business of speed. The shifter is still on
the steering column and since the standard Nova dash and gauge
cluster doesn't tell you much about what's going on under the hood,
it has been upgraded with a set of Dakota Digital instruments
tucked in there where nobody can see them. We also like that they
focused on performance, so there's no massive stereo, just a simple
AM/FM/CD head unit in the dash and the carpets are new. Finally,
the trunk is solid and includes a correct mat and a spare tire
assembly.
All the mechanical work was done by Fantom Works, so you know it's
right. Power comes from a new aluminum 6.2 liter LS3 V8 that's a
tidy installation in the Nova's engine bay. This one makes no
pretenses of being stock, and it's immediately obvious when you
sport the LS intake manifold, fuel rails, and giant air intake. All
the factory fuel injection components were retained, so it runs
like a stocker and never gets cranky, no matter what you're doing.
All 480 horsepower are channeled through a 4L85E 4-speed automatic
transmission to a very trick Heidt's custom independent rear end
with a 9-inch center section and 3.70 POSI gears inside. 4-wheel
disc brakes are part of the deal and it barks through a snarling
dual exhaust system that matches the car's aggressive look. The
suspension is as competent as a Corvette and makes the most of the
staggered 15-inch rubber on polished Torque Thrust wheels.
With a ton of power, no fussiness, and big performance, this Nova
represents state-of-the-art in sleeper technology. If your
performance tastes run towards light weight and big horsepower,
this screaming red Nova might be just the ticket. Call today!