Vehicle Description
Chevy's all-new Nova hit the streets in the late-'60s and despite
its mission as a modestly-sized, affordable car, the engineers at
GM left plenty of room for imaginative builds in the future.
Because of this, cars like this 1970 Chevrolet Nova make for some
very impressive street machines, with this one offering a
strong-running 400 V8 in that lightweight 2-door sedan body shell.
And as you can imagine, performance is entertaining to say the
least.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's have a look at this
handsome Light Gray coupe. The finish is an attention-grabber, and
gives the car a definite performance look, finished to a strong
driver quality a few years back and holding very up well today.
Silver LeMans-style stripes were painted on for contrast, and an
aggressive (bit not too tall and obnoxious) cowl hood with hood
pins was included for some added punch, and when you couple those
with this Nova's predatory rake, it looks like it's going 100MPH
just standing still. The paint is in good shape and a vast
improvement over the car's original Code 58 Autumn Gold, fitting
the theme of a muscle car just right, without looking over the top.
Silver stripes are different enough that the car stands out in a
crowded field, and you can tell a lot of care went into the
freshening, although this is definitely a driver, not a show car.
It fits together rather well with doors that close easily and shut
flush, a hood that lines up well, and just a bit of rake to
accentuate the Nova's semi-fastback profile. Always a favorite of
Chevy fans, the '70 Nova's egg-crate grille is a very attractive
design that seems to wrap around the headlights, and we really love
the fact the builders didn't slap a bunch of fake SS badges all
over the place, electing instead to keep the car honest. Chrome
bumpers, a bit of polished stainless, and original-style Nova
badges finish off this very clean chunk of vintage muscle.
You can tell the interior was built for combat, however, as the
high-back buckets, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and B&M
shifter all give it away. The Nova's no-frills attitude gives way
to a bit of modern comfort that includes those swapped-in,
late-model front seats and it's a nice touch that the rear bench
fits three, although matching the colors might be a project for the
future. Factory gauges fill the horizontal dashboard, and they're
joined by a trio of Equus units installed underneath that keep a
closer eye on the upgraded drivetrain. The original AM radio has
been replaced by an AM/FM/Cassette likely ages ago, so if you want
tunes you'll need an upgrade, and there's no working HVAC either.
Thankfully, the aftermarket is ripe with pieces that will slide
right in, so the cabin could be upgraded fairly easily. The carpets
are fresh and are protected with black vinyl mats, and the door
panels are probably too nice to be original, are very accurate
reproductions that give it a factory look. Out back, the trunk is
surprisingly spacious and shows off just how solid this Noa really
is, and it comes outfitted with a proper full-sized spare tire and
jack set.
Pop the fiberglass hood and enjoy the view, where a nicely detailed
400 V8 small block was installed in between the satin inner
fenders. Chevy Orange engine enamel on the block helps it pop, as
does the chrome air cleaner and matching valve covers, and even
components like the hoses, plug wires, and brake booster are all
newer components that show this engine has been very recently
attended to. Up top, there's a Holley 4-barrel carburetor on an
aluminum intake manifold, an HEI ignition help with a quick spark,
and long-tube headers shore up the 400's torque curve. Twin
Flow-Pro mufflers offer a very impressive exhaust note, and the
beefy TH350 3-speed automatic transmission spins a robust 10-bolt
rear end sturdy enough for street duty in the relatively
lightweight Nova. The undercarriage isn't overly detailed, but
obviously very solid with what appears to be red primer oxide still
on the floor pans and signs of maintenance throughout the
suspension components. That raked stance comes complements of cool
15-inch Rallys and staggered 165/80/15 front and 255/65/17 rear
performance radials that fill the fenders perfectly.
Nicely built, attractive, and impressively fast, this Nova offers
everything you'd want in a vintage muscle car. Call today!
