The Concours was the luxury version of the fourth generation Chevy Nova. Four-door sedans were a pretty common sight on the roadways. What wasn’t a common sight was to look inside an ordinary family sedan and see a 4-speed shifter sticking out of the transmission hump. This and six other Chevy Nova’s are said to have been built this way in 1977 for the Canadian market. This rare car is in great condition and can be found in Wabamun, Alberta, Canada and is available here on Hemmings Classifieds for $25,500. Our thanks to Mitchell G for finding this interesting automobile.
After a successful run from 1968-74, the Chevy Nova was due for a redesign. And, as it would turn out, the generation that followed for 1975-79 would be the car’s last as a rear-wheel drive machine. As the early Camaro’s would borrow from Nova hardware, these Nova’s would now borrow from the Camaro in terms of suspension for better handling. During this period, the SS would disappear as the emphasis on performance declined and an interest in creature comfort accelerated with the launch of the Nova LN which would become the Concours, like the seller’s car. The Nova was replaced for 1980 with the front-wheel drive Citation, which had mixed results.
According to Nova Resource, production for 1977 totaled more than 365,00 cars. 180,000 of these cars were four-door sedans and half had V-8 engines. Somewhere during the year, orders were placed for seven specific cars that were built for Canadian consumption and this one comes with documentation that the seller has from GM of Canada. On the surface, this looks like a routine Concours that has been well-taken care of. But where it breaks from the routine is the 4-speed manual transmission that was ordered with this car, matched to a 350 cubic inch V-8 that would have output 145-155 hp. In addition to the special engine/tranny order, the car was also equipped with Chevy’s F41 suspension and a full gauge package. This car was built for someone who clearly wanted some spirit in their ride to the grocery store or a trip to visit relatives.
We’re told the car is unrestored and has lived in a heated garage when it wasn’t in use. At 49,000 miles on the odometer, the car apparently has only seen about 1,100 miles of use per year. The seller tells us the car has few imperfections and the photos supplied tend to bear that out. The Firehorn paint job appears to need no attention (except perhaps for one spot on the trunk), as does the contrasting tan vinyl top and interior. The original build sheet will come with the car along with the dealer’s order to GM.
This generation of the Chevy Nova isn’t on collector radar screens (at least yet), so you must look to used car pricing sources like NADA for resale value. On the surface, this is a $10-12,000 car. But its condition level and rarity of equipment would surely add to that, but the asking price is twice this figure. Does the rarity of the 4-speed warrant the upcharge?
I know, 4 speeds grab all the thunder at auctions, but this was a time, when someone wanted a manual, and the column shift was’t available, it had nothing to do with drag racing. You can see, the “automatic” brake pedal is cut down, and the clutch pedal haphazardly hung. I remember lots of mundane cars, Chrysler mostly, had floor shifters. Nice find, I see the “5 figure phenomenon has drifted north,, sorry, hosers, it’s not a 5 figure car. Still a neat find, if you like to shift gears all day.
I agree; this isn’t a big dollar car. It’s a 4-door sedan with a pretty anemic 350. Sure, having a 4-speed makes it a little more interesting but there are a lot of better vintage 4-speed cars out there for 25 large. Granted, the condition is very good but I don’t see a lot of added value in it being 1 of 7. I see it as a sub-$10k car which would make for a fun, nice weather daily driver.
Not saying I would want this unique Chevy, but what are you talking about? Cut down brake pedal and hap hazardous hung clutch pedal… read the article, or know you GM facts… these parts are sourced from the Novas chassis cousin the Camaro and Firebird line.
It is a nice car but I would be more likely wowed by a 77 Seville with a 4-speed (I know they don’t exist) but what if a GM exec ordered one with that RPO that would be rad man!
A perfect example of rare not necessarily equaling valuable…
In 1972 I purchased a 4 dr. sedan, with a four speed and a 305 V8, custom order, direct from GM in Ontario. Price was $3852 ! Best GM car I ever owned!
305 came out in 1976- you mean a 350, or maybe a 307?
Uhmmmm Nope! Way over priced, clean or not its a four door chevy sedan.
Why?
I love it, I don’t know if I would part with 25k. Back in my teenage years, all the local Sheriffs drove four door Nova’s with F41 suspension. Handled sure and flat, just didn’t have the power. Pissed a couple off as I out ran them in my 2 barrel Vega. I had to pull over and wait for them. But “That’s another story”
Odd that a 4 door luxury nova would not have a/c or automatic.
Could you get bucket seats in a 4 door – & a console?
$303 more for a manual? I thought automatics, not manuals, were extra charge(tho no extra charge on early ’70s t/a’s!).
Bit pricy for those extra gages.
The LM1 350 in 1977 put out 170 horses with a 4 bbl. carb. This car was about as close to a “4 door Z28” as you could make/order back then. Yes, it’s rare, but I think it’s overpriced. $15K maybe
I really enjoy seeing oddly equipped cars like this. Takes me back to when one could pick and choose from dozens of options.
Me too, Bob. From a time when you could still personalize your car the way you wanted it. How did we ever lose our way? I bet the grandkids loved to go to grandpas to drive his 4 speed Nova, to um, go to the library, yeah, that’s it, and a couple laps around the high school to put down some rubber, and come back, gramps was none the wiser, except that right rear tire wearing kinda funny,, :)
For $25,000 I can buy a 72 LT1 Corvette needing some work that is certainly more exciting than this. Cool, but for a Nova.
Would make more sense if it were in a base Nova. But the Concours was supposed to be the upscale model. Very weird combination. Not my cup of tea, but hopefully whoever gets it preserves it as is.
For that kind of money, would rather convert it myself. $25K for a more door Nova? Thank you for the Friday folly.
A unique Nova Concours. My mom had a 1978 Concours fastback, a 327 automatic with red with white interior. It stood out. I brought it to CA in 1982 and drove it a few years. My older son took it off to college, then on a rainy day he hit a fire hydrant and did a lot of damage. A sad ending.
If it had a 327, someone installed it later. No factory 327 in 78.
327 produced from 1962 to 1969.
It was bought brand new and came with the 327.
This would be a great impulse car for about $6500 to $7K, above that, not so much. The ugly color combo and four door with a manual ticks all my contrarian boxes but the price, wooowee.
I really like the complete gauges including a tach. If it were mine, I get a little more power out of it then try to make it handle and brake. Then it would make a great touring car for trekking to the vintage races at Middle Bass Island in Lake Erie.
I wonder if the gauges were required when one purchased the manual gearbox? Does the tach have shift points indicated? To me, this is a grandiose hard bargain in Canada of all places. There are a multitude of Aspens and Volare fitted with a similar combo here in the States. Ford Granada and Monarch too. Same comparable layout. Novas often reviewed together with the Chrysler, AMC and Ford midsize sedans in magazines of the period.
Gorgeous car. but hell no.. $25k. no $10k maybe.
This car is located just west of Edmonton, Alberta. It is listed on KIJIJI Edmonton for the same $25,500. I assume that is Canadian $$. So it would be approx. $18,000 US.
Is it a coincidence that the asking price of this car is exactly the value that Hagerty puts on a 1977 Z28 in #1 condition?
Memo to seller: this is not a Z28, and it is not in #1 condition.
No Posi???
Author has his hp figures wrong. The 350 made 170 hp, not 145-155, that would be the 305.
This seems so much cooler than a Z-28.
Do for $18000US, maybe get it for $15,000 and you have one of 7 of the best 4th gen Nova made. Fair.
80 MPH speedometer. For a third more $, this one is a much better investment:
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chevrolet/nova/2437208.html
Lovely looking car. I’ve never seen a 1974-79 Chevy Nova with a manual shifting transmission. The ones I’ve seen had automatic, probably a 3 spd auto. A friend of my dad’s had a 1976 Chevy Nova. It wasn’t as nice as this one, but it was reliable.
Reference the Chevy Concours. I made a mistake it was a 305 V8 two barrel rated at 145 HP.
Very cool, 25k No way
4th gen interesting trivia.
1977 Nova with a 350 was faster than the 1977 Corvette.
1975 up Nova’s were the best handling of ALL Nova’s, came with the updated 2nd gen subframe.
The 8.5 diff is arguably as strong as a 12 bolt.
With F41 (same steering box as a Z28, same sway bars) and a 350 4 speed (sag not t-10 so no dropping the clutch) this is a bargain Z28. A wolf in sheep’s clothing for the time period.
4 doors and bench doesn’t help its desirability for sure, but it is rare and unique.
1977 still had 8.5 to 1 in a 350 so add headers, a cam ,intake and carb, tune the distributor and low to mid14’s are within reach…just sayin’.
With the more massive frame & 5 mph bumpers they were a lot heavier than say a ’68 Nova 350. & with 60 series 15″ radials & polyurethane sway bar bushings, the ’68 could handle lot better than when it had the squealing original 78 series skinny bias plies. lol
& you could get a quicker 3 turns lock to lock ps box on a ’68 too.
& I remember reading that the ’74 gto was faster than the ’74 nova SS – both 350s from respective divisions – maybe cause the GTO 350 got a FUNCTIONAL shaker & the SS made due with just an underhood air cleaner? – even tho the pontiac 350 was about 75 lbs heavier than the chevy 350!
Surprisingly, tho, the Pontiac 350 has the same long stroke of 3.75″ as its bigger brother 400, while the Chevy 350 stroke is 3.48″, i believe.