We normally wouldn’t get too excited about an old Nova, but we happened to run across this one and started to read the story posted by the seller because it sounded like a barn find. Turns out it was a classic old lady garage find and that this 1972 Rally Nova only has 48k miles on it. This survivor is located in Portland Oregon and is listed for sale on eBay with the bidding starting at $200.
We recommend that you read the seller’s story in their own words, but basically they became friends with a nice old lady that had an old car parked in the garage who would not sell. Eventually the lady’s health took a turn for the worse and it was time to get rid of the car. Of course they thought of their old friend who gladly accepted. The story is convincing and the car does still look like new.
Besides being all original and in excellent condition, this Nova is special because it is equipped with the optional Rally package which was basically an upgraded suspension. Even though 33k were sold with this option, we doubt there are many left in this condition. The 350 V8, bucket seats, and extensive documentation make this deal even sweeter. If the reserve is not crazy high, this could be a great opportunity to pick up one of the most original Novas around.
How do I bid ?
My spidey sense is tingling on this. Why on a car this ‘original’ are you swapping out the dash with higher mileage just to get a tach? No pics of the wheels that come with the car? No pics at all of the engine or the underside of the car? Those door speakers arent original either. slightly fishy.
Story sounds too perfect. No loose ends. Also, odometer says 65k but really only 44k because he never felt like correcting it after changing some gauges? Sounds inconsistent for a guy who restores these cars and who is that proud of his “find”. And, do I see big speakers cut into the footwells? Not saying it’s not a nice car (because it looks like it is); I am just saying that the story sounds too perfect… Call me a cynic.
I have to agree with the previous 2 posts. “Grammy” would not have cared to cut out speaker holes, nor decided she needed a laced-up simulated leather steering wheel cover to make this a good driver…?? and as “E55” states, why would anyone go to all the trouble and drift away from original just to gain a cheesy little tack in what appears to be a cracked gauge cluster (see crack in bottom of pic). Oh, and “Grandma” did spring for the $145 (guess) because she wanted a new stripe on the side of her car? …..sorry, call me cynical, too.
I agree with everyone. I have had some Novas, and that car does look cherry in the places that are usually bad. However if he was going to sell it as a survivor he should have taken pics of it when it came out of the barn.
I just read the whole story, and can’t believe he is selling it. It was free. so much emotion in the story, then but it’s for sale. I’ll bet there is a lot of rechrome on it the bumpers look too good, unless it’s been in the house,lol . nice nova tho.
….and I’m sure the first thing granny did was have those dual exhausts with the chrome tips installed. A lot of questions about a really nice car. I hope the bidding stays reasonable….
The rally nova came stock with standard door panels; this nova has the SS panels with the wood strip. The wheels are SS also, these are not stock rally rims. The cursive nova name plate that came stock on the rally nova is missing from the lower right-hand corner of the trunk lid.
I had a 71 Rally nova,,sorry this is not a “original”rally nova,someone put a lot of SS option’s on this after the fact,most Rally nova’s came with a bench seat,3spd on the floor or a automatic, and a v/8,they didn’t come with the aSS center console or a SS in dash tach,and had a single rally side bullet mirror, they had a rally badge on both the hood and decklid and came with “rally wheels” not SS wheels like this one…long story short,someone got confused on what a Rally nova was really about,they did not have all the SS options on them like this one do’s,except the
side bullet mirror. But this looks like a very sweet car,someone should tell the truth about this car,if it is a true Rally it ran into a SS.
You are right with your assessment….I bought one as well after returning from Vietnam. Blue in color with white rally stripes on each side….bench seat and three in the floor whire alls with rally wheels
A51 is code for bucket seats.The Rally nova came with three different engines available and bucket seats were an option. i have 72 rally and it is factory buckets research a little better on that car before you make post.
He said MOST had a bench seat which was mine had. I am sure he was correct with most.
Do you know how many of each
Seat option totals were? You should read more carefully.
I bought a new rally nova in 1972. It had the stripes and nova on the hood and trunk lid.It came with rally wheels and an economy bench seat. There was no clock in the dash. Mine was a 350 automatic. It had whitewall tires from the factory. I wish I still had it.
I had 1972 rally nova 1973-1976 it came with bench seat 3 on floor 350 2brl stock from factory delco air shocks rally wheels that were painted to match car Midnite bronze metallic lite white seats I wise I still owned it …… Now have 1971 Nove may make a clone
My Older brother bought a used 72 Rally Nova when he was 16 and in HS in 1977, and he treated that car like crap, it came out with a 350 4 barrel carb, and a 3 speed on the floor, it was Rally Silver with the coolest black interior, he got it cheap because the original owner had gotten drunk one night and drove it through a barbed wire fence and scraped it up pretty bad, and Dad was a friend of his so he sold it to us, after less than 2 years of my brother driving it, and I think 3 clutches,(he could never seem to drive a clutch worth a crap)He wrecked it one weekend while out partying with some friends, So Dad and I went out pulled it out of a ditch with the old shop truck, we hand witched it up on the trailer and drove it home and let it sit for a few months, Dad and I worked on it between paying customers jobs, to straightened the front out on it and put it back on the road, although it did not have matching fenders and hood at this time, Dad was not going to spend the money to repaint it for it being a shop car so to speak. Well a short period after that my Brother was back driving it, he had wrecked the car he replaced the Nova with, so Dad being the nice hearted Dad he was let him have the car as a loner, anyway late one night, a few months later, he was rear ended by a truck at a stop light (actually not his fought this time) and tore the back end of the car up bad. Well Dad to the rescued again we towed it home, after the insurance totaled the car Dad bought it back for a few dollars, and since it was already setting behind the garage no problem, Dad wanted the motor for some reason, and to this day I don’t know why, and let it sit out back. Well come 1979, I was a Junior in HS, working nights and weekends in my Dads repair/auto body shop when one day a buddy of my told me about a 71 that he found with the front end all torn up, frame bent, motor trashed, so Dad and I did some checking and bought the 71 for a 50.00 bucks if I remember correctly!!!!
Now the fun stuff, we cut the cars apart right in the middle below the front seat, and at the top of the window post and pieced, welded and braced the 2 good parts back together, it was easy do to the uni-body design, I fixed any body damage and repainted it back to Rally Silver and even had it striped back with the Black Rally logo. Fixed any chrome that was screwed up or replaced it, and replaced the stock floor shifter with a Hurst shifter, took out the motor over hauled it and put in a 3/4 race cam, with a Holley 4 barrel double pumper. Beefed up the rear in with a Posi-trac, rear-end, and replaced the standard clutch with a performance clutch and throw-out bearing set. After nearly a year and a half, (paying customers cars came first of course) I drove that car out of the shop and lit up the tires. Then came the fun to redo the title for it, because it was listed on the Mo title as rebuilt wreck 71/72 Chevy Nova. I Loved the car, I drove it for many years, but never had the desire to race it, I would pull up to a stop sign, and the 3/4 cam made it sound so mean, the local cops would look at me, I know getting ready to hit the lights and siren and give chase, but I would drive away nice and slow like it was nothing. I had that car for nearly 10 years when I finally sold it to the bubby that had found the 71, he was working for Dad by this time also and he had it for years after that, now his nephew drives it, it has been repainted once had the motor replaced, but is still and good running old mis-matched Nova. The only problem that I know it ever had was one of the floor braces that we installed broke apart one day, so we took the car interior apart and welded a new brace in it from side to side one piece, (we had used 4 pieces the first time to put it back together) today she still looks good, it sets in the parking lot of my supply company because, the kid that owns it now works for me in the shop, and I have been allowed to drive it a couple of times.
Good memories
Good and exciting story. I just bought a 72 rally nova yesterday with matching numbers on car and motor. I was going to pull out the motor and put another one in but now im not sure i want to kill the car with replacing a matching number motor. I really dont know to much about them but here is a picture
I have a 72 Rally Nova I bought new. It has 23,000 original miles and it has been garaged since new. I agree this is far from original. Mine is gold and the color on the one here does not look like a factory color for 72.
I would love to see a picture of your gold one. Mine was also gold. The Chevy dealership was right across the street from where I worked. They got in my gold rally nova with black stripes and also a gold with black stripes heavy Chevy. The chevelle sold so I just had to buy the nova.
I have a72 rally nova 2 owner green white interior bucket Seats console.