1970 Chevrolet Nova SS Clone

The Chevy Nova was a compact competitor in the legendary American pony wars. While the 1960s and 1970s witnessed a fight between American automotive manufacturers to produce the fastest and most powerful muscle cars, the Chevy Nova was just right when it came to size, speed, and affordability. But it didn't start out as the Chevy Nova…not quite, anyway. Eager to produce a budget-friendly compact muscle car, Chevy introduced the Chevy II. As a model name, Nova was relegated to runner-up name because it didn't start with C. However, Nova was chosen as the name for the higher-end, sportier trim option, and did eventually replace Chevy II as the car's official name in 1969.

Minimalistic with maximum function, thrift, not revolutionary in concept or execution, a compact grocery getter, pick the kids up kind of car, here in our Hallowed Halls.  It is so pedestrian you would walk by it and never notice it.  However, this does not detract from its charm and important place in Chevrolet history fulfilling a need for the masses.  Enjoy the 1970 Chevy Nova in SS clone form!  Several years went by with this car being restored, starting with the metal that has been made  straight then doused in the deep end of the pool paint.  Things were then followed up with a change to a kick-ass 396ci V8 and a killer 4-speed manual.   Write the check, hop in, turn the key, and show 'em what you got!

Exterior
This impressive looking stock configuration car has the benefit of undergoing a prior restoration  This leaves us with a real beauty of a car with excellent chrome and trimmings, laser straight steel, well minded gaps, and snazzy 15-inch American Racing wheels.  All steel is bathed in trim tag correct Sunflower Yellow that shows with a few flaws in the paint in the form of a few bubbles and some rust peeking thought at the base of the driver's door.  That aside, a long look at this fine job, and you will begin to see the inherent quality of the restoration, which was painstakingly performed to a high level of fit and finish throughout.  All surfaces are finished to showroom quality and even the under the hood and undercarriage are excellent.  From the SS dressed blacked out grille and shiny chrome bumper up front, to the 396 badging hovering on the front fender just below the black and chrome beltline rub strip, to the hood plate inserts and window surrounds, and the shiny rear bumper the chrome continues to shine on like a crazy diamond.  Adding more hot looks to this tribute is the blacked out and ribbed SS filler panel between the squashed rectangle tail lights.  Just a bang up job!

Interior
Ribbed and smooth near perfect black vinyl is adorning the door panels along with some shiny perfect trimmings, a band of applique and a black padded armrest.  Inside, beautiful high back buckets in black covered vinyl dresses the seats.  The buckets in front have shiny and smooth black vinyl bolsters and some smaller tight to the top of chairs headrests, as well as like new stitched and piped inserts.  The back seat is not outdone by the front and is shown in bucket seat matching black vinyl.  Slightly faded black carpeting keeps all the seats afloat and on the hump is 4-speed manual Hurst floor shifter.  More perfection for the dash, which now has an aftermarket tachometer on the column and a trio of extra white face gauges hanging below the dash in the center.  A chrome horn buttoned 3 spoke rally style steering wheel is fronting the dash and is also very clean and like new.  The radio has been updated to an aftermarket AM/FM unit and even the pedals show very little wear!  A tight black headliner in vinyl is above all this nicety.

Drivetrain
A non-numbers matching engine sits comfortably within the completely restored engine bay, and it is just showroom.  This engine is in 1968 396ci V8 configuration, has a 4-barrel carburetor and Weiand intake on top, and is painted a beautiful GM orange on the block.  Dressing this mill to the nines area a pair of orange painted ribbed Edelbrock valve covers   Like new hoses and bolt ons are throughout and MSD ignition is noted.  On the back is a circa 1964/5 Muncie M20 4-speed manual transmission, again not original to this car.  A 12-bolt rear axle completes the all buttoned up and looking snazzy drivetrain.

Undercarriage
Up in the air we are greeted with a black restored underside that shows minimal surface rust and miles of solid black steel.  Just a touch of patina is present along with some spatterings of road dirt.  The unibody, rockers and flooring remain good and we note the addition of subframe connectors to strengthen up the chassis.  Up front is an independent coil spring suspension and rear leaf springs and traction bars provide the back end ride, meanwhile a Flowmaster exhaust snakes its way rearward from the headers bolted to the engine, which shows a few drips on the bottom end.  Suspension parts are all neat and clean, and we can note front disc brakes working with rear drum brakes.  A+ for this very clean and tidy underside.

Drive-Ability
Of course, it fired right up but our drive was kept short due to some serious valvetrain noise.  During our abbreviated drive we noted good acceleration bias free braking and handling on par with cars of the era.  A very clean and good-looking car with all functions operable save for the horn and reverse lights.

There are Novas, then there is THIS Nova which is a real looker that has been well restored to the nines and is a true shower that you can drive to work every day with a little TLC.  Everything is beautiful!

114270W358578

1-Chevrolet
14-Nova V8
27-2 Door Sedan
0-1970
W-Willow Run, MI Assy Plant
358578-Sequential Unit Number

TRIM TAG

ST 70 11427-1970 Nova 2 Door Sedan
BDY WRN319773-Willow Run Body #
TR 731-Black Standard Vinyl Bench
PNT 52B-Sunflower Yellow, Black Top
06A-1st Week June

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display. This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.