Those who know me know that I like to try to nail down a vehicle’s factory color, something that most likely doesn’t matter to most people. I don’t sit around all day wearing an ascot and velvet smoking jacket picking out colors and fabrics, it’s just a fun challenge to try to get the color matched up on vehicles like this 1964 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova 400 Wagon, especially when they’ve got more surface rust than paint. Thanks to Mitchell G. for the tip!
So what is this color? I mean, other than a reddish rust color on large portions of it. Parts of it look blue, but I bet those areas are gray primer turned “blue” for the camera (color temperature) in the sunshine. Without a data tag photo, we’ll never know. Chevrolet made the first-generation Chevy II from 1961 for the 1962 model year until 1965. They came in two-door sedan, hardtop, and convertible body styles, along with a four-door sedan and a four-door station wagon as seen here. The seller says that this is a true barn find, having been parked in 2005 when the previous owner passed away.
I may be wrong about the color. According to this official 1964 color chart, and the fact that this car has either a Fawn or Saddle interior, this car can’t be blue, that color combo wasn’t available. The two available blue exterior paint colors only came with a blue or black interior. The plot thickens. Adobe Beige? All that is nonsense anyway, sorry, I need a hobby. You can see that there is a lot of work to do on the exterior, but overall it looks solid. We don’t see the underside, but there’s a lot of surface rust to work with, even inside.
Here’s the interior and the front bench seat is toast, but the back seat looks ok, I think, maybe. It’s hard to assess the condition of this car really, not to even mention the color (crickets). The Chevy II was a response to the Ford Falcon that was outselling Chevy’s other smaller car, the Corvair. It was a traditional front-engine rear-wheel drive car and this one would be fun to own. I’d get everything mechanically perfect and drive it while tinkering with the body and interior on the weekends; or maybe the other way around.
The big deal here is that this wagon has a V8. The VIN doesn’t give any help in identifying what it is, but from what I can tell about the 1964 Chevy IIs, there was only one V8 available, a 283-cu.in. OHV V8 that had 195 horsepower and 285 lb-ft of torque when new. It has the only automatic available, a two-speed Powerglide. The seller says it starts and idles, and they have it listed here on eBay in Grants Pass, Oregon. There is no reserve, and the current bid price is $6,300. I’d restore this one back to bone-stock spec, but I know most of you would change out the drivetrain. Any thoughts on this Nova wagon? And, what is the exterior color?!
“I don’t sit around all day wearing an ascot and velvet smoking jacket picking out colors and fabrics”
Haaaaa, good to know Scotty! Thanks for the great write up on this Nova Wgn.
I remember them well. Basic reliable and seemed to run about forever.
I sold one with a known knocking rod, for $100. The buyer knew it, heard it, bought it for $100 and drove it a hundred miles a day for over 6 months.
I lost track of it….may still be going somewhere?
My guess on the color is Ermine White, partially because the eBay listing says it’s white.
Ha, I see, taking the easy way out, CCFisher… Just kidding. I saw that and I’m sure you’re right! With the crazy rainbow of colors/tones/patinas, I wasn’t sure.
Just look at the door jamb in pictures #4 and #11 on ebay. Car is (or was) very clearly beige.
The “blue” you reference is just the factory primer in spots where all the beige has been rubbed/washed/sanded away.
Note that the hood and passenger front fender have been repainted at some point, whereas the rest of the car looks like original paint. Probably a traffic mishap bent that fender and hood early in the car’s life.
Thanks, jeffschevelle. That’s what I thought, maybe it was painted white at some point. I really like this car no matter what color or colors it was, or is…
You are 100% right. Also, I was around when these roamed the roads, and beige (non metallic) was incredibly popular.
Loving wagons!
nna say it’s the ‘Fawn beige’, not whidy color under the door weatherstripping on the l/r door
The color is either rust or dust! I’d go with rust
Sorry to threadjack my own post, folks. I didn’t mean to turn this into a “What’s The Color” thing, it’s such an interesting project car otherwise.
The 283 with a Power Glide is a bullet proof combination. It will give decent fuel economy and enough power to get out of it’s own way.
Love it! I couldn’t leave well enough alone though. Since I’m a cheapskate I’d take the body and paint projects class at our local community College. Doing a proper color change is a pain in the you know what so I’d stick to it’s born with color. I wouldn’t go crazy with it but I’d also take the upholstery class (which is what I’m doing with my old 4dr Malibu) and seats and headliner would be done. I’m sure I’d spring for a carpet kit. Here’s the I couldn’t leave well enough alone.. I would leave the 283, great engine. Probably do a rebuild. Nothing radical but probably a cam. Definitely an Edelbrock intake. Q-Jet. M/T Valve covers, old school style!! Love those finned ones!!!! Nothing obnoxious but a dual exhaust with long glass packs. For me the tires and wheels would have to go in the shed. Maybe slotted mags or some style of Chevy Rally wheels. There will be naysayers but tough cookies, I live in a warm part of Arizona so it WOULD get window tinting. For me, my build for the car would be absolutely perfect. 😀
i agree restore to bone stock and it would be a looker. you never see these wagons in this kind of shape usually the rotted to death. good buy at this price
As usual , to please me it would have to be totally modernized, keeping it stock is like driving a lawnmower! The fact that the labor fees have exploded and the labor quality has dropped and the cannabis and alcohol are the main suppliers to this labor forces means that i won’t be the one buying this project !
YOLO
Nice little wagon, and with a v-8!
I’d upgrade the suspension as needed, get everything else working and throw a blanket over the front seat to get it back on the road.
Then upgrade as desired while using it as a daily driver. The one must have for me would be a 4 or 5 spd behind the 8.
Love wagons!