Vehicle Description
There's a great deal of time and money wrapped up in this gorgeous
1972 Nova SS tribute, ranging from the attractive dark red bodywork
to the snarling small block under the hood. It's the kind of car
that experienced street racers watch out of the corner of their
eye, knowing that it's a legitimate threat at the Stop Light Grand
Prix.
We'll be the first to admit that this isn't an original SS, but by
1972, it wasn't much of a performance package anyway. Instead, what
this one offers is a traditional performance look backed by
legitimate horsepower, not smoke and mirrors like the factory was
peddling in '72. The burgundy paint looks great on the compact Nova
and they were quite thorough with their installation of all the
correct SS badges and trim pieces so the final effect is quite
convincing. And kudos to the builder for keeping a stock hood, the
kind with the cool chrome inserts, which sets this one apart from
the others with their oh-so-ordinary cowl induction setups. The
finish was done a few years ago and isn't perfect, but if you want
an attractive Nova that needs no fussing and doesn't mind rolling
up its sleeves and getting busy on the street, this is an excellent
choice. It's no secret that these cars lend themselves quite well
to performance-oriented makeovers, and while it's a bit subtle,
this one looks fast, which was entirely the point. The fact that
it's also clean and solidly built is only icing on the cake.
Where the bodywork was neatly restored to emulate a factory-style
SS, the interior got a legitimate performance upgrade. The
attractive high-back tan buckets are a striking contrast and
actually look a lot more performance-oriented than you'd expect
from anything built in 1972. Matching door panels and dash pad keep
it bright and airy inside, and the red carpets tie it all together
quite nicely. Novas didn't offer much in terms of gauges when they
were new, so this one now carries a full set of auxiliary gauges in
a cool custom console that has a factory look. And you'll also note
that this car has factory A/C, which is complete but in need of a
recharge, as well as a newer AM/FM/CD stereo system for cruising
and a tilt column with a late-model leather wheel. The trunk is
finished with spatter paint and a full-sized spare with jack
assembly.
A glance under the hood tells you all you need to know about this
Nova's real identity. It's a built 350 with the usual upgrades so
it's a strong runner but reliable. Edelbrock supplied both the
intake and carburetor and there's a factory-style HEI ignition
system to light it up. Long-tube headers enhance torque production
and sound gnarly, and finned valve covers add a racy look. Power
steering and brakes make it feel nimble on the street, and the
quick-shifting 4-speed manual transmission drives a 10-bolt rear
end. Original-style Rally wheels wear polished trim rings and
spinners, just to dress things up a bit, and are wrapped in fat
Goodyear Eagle radials
Handsome and fast, this Nova doesn't have to pretend to be
something it's not, it's already better. Call today!
