Being a detail person I like the little detail of having a Chevy Bowtie logo on the front market lights of this 1976 Chevrolet Nova. This one-owner car can be found on Craigslist, or here on the CL archive, with an asking price of $6.000 cash. It’s located in Independence, Missouri. Thanks to Rocco B. for sending in this tip!
It’s hard to believe that by 1976 there had already been three previous generations of the Chevy Nova. By the mid-1970s we were starting to get into an unusual era, at least in the U.S., with regulations and gas crisis after gas crisis, not to mention white belts and shoes. Yeah, it was unusual.
Chevy tried to keep it real by evolving the Nova instead of going crazy on a total redesign. They just tightened things up a bit, steering the car a bit more into the personal luxury category and making the Nova a little more elegant even with their lower trim-level cars such as this one.
According to the seller, this Nova has only 46,819 miles on it and it does look good. They mention some “Rust On Very Bottom Of Quarter” but it’s hard to see in the photos. The interior looks great and those seats are fantastic. I’m reasonably sure that I had pants and/or a silk shirt in that pattern if not both. This car isn’t a “Concours” edition Nova which for 1976 was the top luxury trim level, but for 1976 this car has power steering, power brakes, and even AC.
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how a person looks at it, there isn’t a V8 in this Nova. This one has Chevy’s 250 cubic-inch inline-six which would have had 105 hp and with that AC running, ouch. I used to have a Saturn SL-1 four-door 5-speed sedan with 100 hp and I was sharing the truck lane most of the time on any hills what so ever, but I got 42 mpg and I doubt the next owner of this Nova will get anything close to that. Have any of you owned a fourth-generation Nova?
Looks like it has a Turbo Hydro and not a PowerGlide, from what I see of the quadrant. I wish it was a more interesting specimen than a plain jane like this but it’s a time capsule for sure.
As for the low power – I drove a first-year Vega once with the 4 cyl 1 bbl, Powerglide and A/C. With the air on I think it took about an 1/8 of a mile to hit 40mph.
The powerglide tranny was long gone by 1976. My father had a ’78 2 door Nova with the 250 engine and a turbo 350 tranny. It was what it was, basic transportation, it wasn’t fast but it was reliable and it always got us from point A to point B. His didn’t have a/c or pb. I remember the ps was really over boosted. It was a good car. Next owner stuffed it into a bridge, put the right front tire in the glove box.
I had a Gold 78 coupe in high school. Dad bought it back then for $4100 in 1983. Super clean car but no power with the 250 and Rochester monojet
Nice car if you’re not in a hurry…
Why be in a hurry? We’re all going to the same place and I don’t know about you but this guy’s in no hurry to get there. Nice car and I like 6Cs.
Haven’t seen anyone use a steering wheel club in 30 something years. Good looking ride.
My pal in college had either a ‘77 or a ‘78 two-door Nova in this color. Those seats! What I do dinstictly remember was that it was a factory three-on-the-tree. Latest car I ever knew of offered with that transmission configuration. Wasn’t a whiz-bang car for sure, but is did always get us there and back.
I can’t believe how crisp those bowties look on the parking lamps after 42 years. Car must have avoided the automatic car washes.
Hmmmm– How to say this. Well I am a retired cop from NYC. I was on the job when car chases were still allowed somewhat. One of the unmarked cars I drove was I think a 78 Nova with the police package 350. Of all of the Police cars I drove that was the best. It was fast and handled well and was indestructible. My team used to fight over that car. I caught many a bad guy with that car. We loved it so much we stopped bringing it in for PM (preventive maintenance) (oil changes) because it was over the mileage when they would condemn a car and we knew once they saw the mileage they would take it away. I have had a few 2nd generation Novas that I used to race with and they were great for drag racing but didn’t handle very well. Hopped all over the place on bumps but the 3rd generation Police car I had handled better for some reason. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t a sports car but better than my 72s.
The 75 and up Nova shared it’s steering components and geometry with the Camaro, Ron. Check the rags of the period to verify.
Part of the platform overhaul for 75.
From Wiki: “The front suspension and subframe assembly was similar to the one used in the second generation GM F-body cars (the Camaro and Pontiac Firebird)”
Retired NJ cop, new guy on the force, was banished to the mid-sized Dodge Diplomat. Similar to the Nova- loved it! Mid-sized V-8 decent handling, I hear ya Brother!
I had a 75 that came with 350ci eng and 4speed trans. Nothing else, not even a radio. With some minor upgrades it became a great daily driver and weekend warrior at the local drag strip. I eventually gave it up as a daily driver ( no A/C ) but used it at the strip into the mid 90’s. Great car and many fine memories.
In the late 1970s, my family owned a nearly identical car except it was green. It was reliable transportation and a far better car than the Datsun B210 it replaced. But what I really wanted was the SS version that a neighbor’s friend owned.
Then there’s this one for less than 1/2 of that price,
in Arcata,CA,near where I used to live.
http://humboldt.craigslist.org/cto/d/chevy-nova/6591764348.html
1/2 price and V-8!!!!!! wish I have space !!
I lived in San Diego County, California during the 1970’s. The Sheriff’s department used 4 door Novas as patrol cars for a few years. I’m sure 1976 was one of them. I had occasion to ride in the back seat of one of them (yes, handcuffed) and there wasn’t a whole lot of room.
I have a chance to buy this one with a V8, floor shift automatic and factory A/C.
I just might pull the trigger.
Pero … no va… :)
That is what they say.
Nice interior too.
$3,000 USD doesn’t seem out of line.
I would call this 2 owner car a survivor.
My first car in 1987 was a hand me down ’79 Nova that my mom bought new off the showroom floor. Had the 250 engine and auto tranny like this one. It was a very dependable ride, but was pretty lethargic with the 6 cylinder. I put some chrome wheels on it, and a Clarion radio to make it more appealing to drive. In 1988, I handed it down to my younger brother and bought a ’68 Malibu Chevelle with the original 327/Powerglide combo. Was much happier with the looks and power of the Chevelle. Today I own a ’68 SS Chevelle, but I’ll always remember my first ride, the ‘ol ’79 Nova.
Bought an Orange with black stripes Super Sport new in the fall of ’75; a ’76 model with 350-4bbl and column shift auto. Electric clock, floormats, Stereo, and air were the only options; sport style racing mirrors came with the SS pkg.
It was one very quick car. Had the Rallye Sport wheels and cloth checked interior. Sold it in the fall of ’77 to buy a ’71 Jaguar E-Type that had 20,000 miles, from a guy I built a new home for…..
And am wishing today I had both of them back in my small collection of sports cars, even tho both had a ‘small appetite’ for premium fuel.
That is nice.@miguel if it as nice all
Over and under by all means pull that
Trigger and be HAPPY!😎
Later this week I think I will. It looks too nice to pass up.
Miguel, Yes buy it and then source the suspension goodies like the cop cars had. (different suspension bushings, sway bars and springs) I had a buddy that bought a 4 door like this for almost nothing and rebuilt the suspension to the police car specs. The difference was wonderful. The handling and the ride were improved and made the car a joy to drive. And then he started on the drivetrain.
Just a lowly old puke green 4 door that you would not be able to keep up with off the line or in the twisty bits.
That is distinct possibility. A friend of mine has a suspension and alignment shop so it would be fairly easy to do.
I have driven some old police cars that were 1988 Caprices and I loved the way they cornered.
The Chevy 250 was extremely reliable , bulletproof as they say , you couldn’t kill em , believe me I tried , 78 Camaro with this engine at 16 yrs old , zero maintenance, just kept going , my friend had novas , that’s all he would buy , get 150-160k miles out of em , that was a lot back then, when 100k was the usual life expectancy before the junkyard , he would always name them “Rolls Canhardly” , rolls down one hill can hardly make it up the next!
I owned one almost the same as this car, 6 cyl, automatic, 1977 model, BUT mine was actually a hatchback. Same profile as this car with a hatch, gas struts to hold it up, and a fold down seat back in the rear. Pretty handy but have never seen another.
moved frm WVA to MA in an Omega or Ventura like that.
Hatch so stuffed it stood out straight’n wuz piled hi w/stuff on top (like it hada roof rack). All boxes inside w/room only to sit in driver’s seat – no plates! just a piecea paper in my had frm WVa Staties. Asked them if “I could register my new car (10 yrs old) when I get ‘home’?”
Only stopped in Jersey. As soon as the Statie saw me wave the paper he said “Get outta here kid – go straight to the NY line, no stops, go!”
My Dad had two sisters. His oldest had a 75 like this yellow with the six and his other sister who was a couple of years younger had an 81 with the square lights that was essentialy the same car. Both were great and lasted them for years. However both had an issue with the rear right door swinging open when you made left turns.
The 1981 Nova was called a Citation.
Interesting to see the big bumper cars making a serious comeback. Five years ago not so much. Have a 1972.
My Mom had a White with red verlor, with a few more options
then this one. But the same V6. With her coming from a very plain
72 Vega, it was a major step up in a 11 year old eyes. Very nice looking, and
wished she kept in a few more years, which would of made a great first car for me