Vehicle Description
The old saying in racing asks, "How fast can you afford to go?" but
this brutal 1967 Chevrolet Nova neatly answers the question by
saying that you can own a legitimate street/strip race piece for
pennies on the dollar compared to building one yourself. The fact
that it also looks so nasty is only icing on the cake.
Any car with a stance like this and a big engine hanging out of the
hood means serious business. Notice the huge meats out back, the
cage, and the thundering exhaust note, none of that is purely for
show. This Nova is an apex predator on the street and at the strip
it's an absolute blast. Of course, you'll have to get past the
nicely rendered bodywork and paint first, but that shouldn't be
hard. It looks fantastic in every way, from the traditional Marina
Blue paint to the nicely finished bodywork that keeps all of the
original looks with none of the grocery-getter hardware. Despite
the massive horsepower, the doors open and close easily, the big
fiberglass hood fits right, and all the lights, trim, and glass
were retained so it's a legit street car. It's not perfect, but
then again, perfection wasn't the point. Up front it's got a stock
grille along with a cool bumper with a built-in air dam, while out
back there's stock trunk trim and a chrome bumper, so it keeps some
semblance of an OEM look.
Yes, it's race-car basic inside, but with leather-wrapped buckets
for two, the track isn't its only home. However, the full cage is
built to withstand the rigors of 10-second passes and the controls
are set up for getting the most out of every run. The basic Nova
instrument panel remains, but it's been gutted and the important
gauges have been upgraded, including a big tach on the dash and a
set of auxiliary instruments underneath. No radio, no A/C, not even
a clock, but things like the race shifter and the brain box on the
dash suggest that commuting isn't this car's primary mission. Full
carpets help civilize the beast a bit and control noise and heat,
too, so you really can drive it on the street. Heck, it still has
windshield wipers! Thanks to the wheel tubs, there is no back seat
and the trunk is filled with a fuel cell and a battery, all nicely
finished for the track.
Big horsepower comes from big engines, and this is a GM ZZ454 crate
motor stacked with a Weiand blower making 10 pounds of boost.
Inside there's a Howard's blower cam, stainless rockers, and a
double-keyed crank to keep the big pulley in place. A pair of
Holley 4-barrel carbs feed the beast and while it's set up for
nitrous, it's never been on the gas. There's an aluminum radiator
and electric fuel pump to keep it cool and we love the look of
those twin scoops on top. The cage reinforces the front end and
it's fitted with 4-wheel disc brakes for safety. A TH400 3-speed
automatic transmission was built for abuse with a trans brake and a
reverse manual valve body, and it spins a custom-made Ford 9-inch
that launches the car like a Saturn V rocket. The reinforced
chassis makes it light, strong, and safe, while the tubbed rear
wheel housings permit the use of those stock rear quarter panels
and mammoth Mickey Thompson meats.
Yes, this is a full race piece. Radical and fast, it isn't for
everyone. But if you are familiar with what it takes to make a car
this fast, then you'll recognize that this is one heck of a
bargain. Call today!
