Vehicle Description
This dialed-in 1966 Chevrolet Nova 'Chevy II' Pro Street is a bit
of a deceptive car. It's certainly not subtle by any means, but
it's also the kind of car where the more you look, the more there
is to see. It's quite nicely built inside and out with quality that
is tangible in every single component on the car, and with a stout
5.3L LS V8 Vortec motor augmented with a big turbocharger under the
hood, it's also seriously potent on the street.
In the Pro Street game, paint doesn't get much nicer than the
bright red finish on this handsome Nova. Finish quality is quite
good, as you'd expect at this price, with straight bodywork and a
deep, glossy urethane finish that was cut and buffed to give it a
great shine that's held up pretty well since it was built a scant
1,616 miles ago. It's not perfect, but it is certainly very nice.
Of course, for a performance car, a towering cowl-induction hood is
a must-have, but if it wasn't for that and the raked stance from
the mini-tub in back, you'd hardly guess this was a track-devouring
Pro Street car. . There are no gaudy stripes or obnoxious flames,
no fake SS badges on every panel, no wings, just crisply folded
sheetmetal and stock glass that makes this car look a lot more
stock than it is. All the factory trim was left on as well,
starting with the original grille up front, the ornate tail panel
in between the taillights, the rocker panels at the profile, and
even the bright chrome bumpers fore and aft.
The interior is equally attractive and equally well-finished,
managing to toe the line between stock vintage cool and racetrack
ready. It's always cool to see a high-performance bucket seat car,
particularly one outfitted like this one, which includes a
full-blown multi-point cage behind the seat and more race hardware
throughout. The soft black interior is almost at odds with its
performance intentions, and it's still quite handsome with a shiny
dash, sporty red-rimmed billet steering wheel, and aftermarket
AutoMeter ProComp gauges inside the carbon-fiber bezel ahead of the
driver's seat. There's also a custom center console that runs all
the way back to the tricked-out set-up where the rear seat used to
be, and it houses a TCI Outlaw shifter with a manual valve body, a
set of cupholders, and a Kenwood AM/FM/CD/AUX head unit. There
aren't a lot of options, but you will note that the aftermarket
steering wheel is atop a tilt column, and the speakers built into
the custom set-up behind the front seats. Open the trunk and you'll
find it's beautifully finished with custom panels that neatly stow
away some of the relocated components from the engine bay.
Nice!
A modern small block engine looks like a natural fit here, and the
professionally built 5.3L Vortec V8 with aluminum heads and an
accompanying Borg Warner turbocharger puts big block power in a
small block package. Outfitted with plenty of dress-up, the engine
bay is the kind you'll want to show off, provided you stop driving
it long enough for other folks to get a look. And although we don't
have a Dyno on hand, the horsepower is reported to eclipse 850, and
the white-knuckle performance goodies certainly back up that claim.
The usual upgrades and Holley electronic fuel injection/fuel rails
help it make serious horsepower with little lag and with a big AFCO
aluminum radiator up front, it never gets cranky in the heat. A
full custom exhaust gives it a hi-po sound with a killer lops, and
you'll note that the custom chassis is in extremely good condition
underneath, featuring a Heidts front end set-up, rack-and-pinion
steering, front disc brakes, and coilovers and ladder bars at the
rear. A built TH400 3-speed automatic transmission with a 3000
stall convertor feeds a heavy-duty narrowed Ford 9-inch rear end
with Strange axles and 3.30 posi-traction gears inside, providing
just the right balance between acceleration and regular road
comfort. American Racing Torque Thrust wheels are era-correct and
carry 205/65/15 front and giant 32x16.5x15 Hoosier Pro Street
fatties out back to complete the killer big-and-little look.
A very impressive build that's a great blend of performance and
comfort. If you like to go fast and get lots of attention, you're
going to love the car. Call today!
