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 1962 Chevy II (also
known as the Nova) is a road-ready example of that formula in
action, and it offers a host of upgrades and a top-flight
restoration to make it a first-class cruiser with a ton of eyeball
appeal. And yes, it's got a 4-speed manual gearbox too!
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 sinister, deep black paint and bodywork on this
car was done to an incredibly high standard and remains in
excellent condition with only 905 miles on the build, there are
really no signs of use to speak of. It's not a perfect trailer
queen that should be sealed away in a museum (although we would
rate it as a show-quality classic), of course, but if you like to
drive, there aren't many better Bowties for the job and there's a
reason the Chevy II was always a favorite of drag racers. The steel
underneath is laser straight and shows off near-perfect gaps,
clearly showing that when the work was done, they took their time,
and the tasteful pinstriping on the hood and deck lid add a touch
of sophistication to this black beauty. Nice chrome and brightwork,
including the factory grille, bright bumpers fore and aft, and
finned rocker panel molding, give it just enough flashy contrast to
get some extra attention as you go rolling past.
The interior is extremely well done too, offering new upholstery
and carpets throughout, all in red to perfectly complement the
car's miles-deep black bodywork. Period correct low-back buckets up
front are in fantastic shape, as is the matching rear bench, and
the rest of the interior is on the same high level and pretty much
sticks to the factory recipe. The door panels are stock and look
untouched, an aftermarket 3-spoke steering wheel was swapped in for
some added pop, and the fresh red carpets on the floors are
protected with black 'Bowtie' carpeted mats. The floor-shifted
4-speed manual gearbox has a Hurst Comp shifter with a cue ball
knob and it's a lot of fun to rack it through the gears and hammer
down on the gas pedal. The factory gauges cover the basics, but an
AutoMeter tachometer was neatly strapped to the steering column and
a trio of aftermarket dials hang underneath the dash. Just above
that gauge stack is a factory-style A/C unit from Old Aire Products
that pumps cold R134a air throughout the cabin. An upgraded
retro-style AM/FM/cassette radio lives in the center of the dash
and seat belts were added up front for safety. The back seat was
upholstered to match the low-back buckets up front and the
super-clean trunk carries a correct mat, a full-size tire, and a
relocated battery inside a dedicated tray.
Factory Nova's didn't come with V8s until 1964, but nevertheless,
the powerful 350 small block V8 that was swapped into this
lightweight car looks as if it always belonged. Donated from a 1970
Corvette and utilizing authentic finishes and equipment combined
with some polished and chrome dress-up pieces, it has a great
period performance look with modern horsepower on tap. Upgrades
include double hump heads, a Comp cam, Edelbrock intake manifold,
Holley 4-barrel double-pumper carburetor, and an HEI ignition
system. So it's not just pretty, it has plenty of pop too. The
Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission is plenty tough for V8 duty
and channels power to a 10-bolt rear end with 3.73 posi-traction
gears, borrowed from a 1964 wagon. Sanderson shorty headers feed
into a burly Flowmaster dual exhaust system that 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, including
strut-rod conversion kit with a 1-inch sway bar up front, and
multi-leaf springs with adjustable drag shock out back. Shiny
Ralley wheels really fill the wheel wells nicely and keep the '60s
performance look and carry 195/70/14 front and 225/60/14 rear
BFGoodrich T/A white-letter radials.
This is one mean little Chevy II with a ton of firepower on tap. If
you like the promise of light weight and heavy horsepower, all
wrapped in a show-quality package, then perhaps this car deserves a
much closer look. Call today!
