For the buyer of this 1969 Chevrolet Nova, the finish line is in sight for this build. The owner has completed all of the hard work, including slotting a stove-hot big-block V8 under the hood. Some minor panel preparation and a fresh coat of paint should endow it with the looks to match its performance potential. If you would like to be the person to complete this potent build, you will find the Nova located in Asheboro, North Carolina, and listed for sale here on eBay. The bidding has sailed beyond the reserve and currently sits at $16,700.
The owner has been a busy little person, and the Nova currently wears a coating of white primer. We have no definite information on what shade graced to panels when it rolled off the line, but I think that I’ve spotted some traces of Cortez Silver in a couple of spots. I can’t be sure. and with the car at its current state of preparation, the buyer might choose to apply any shade. Regardless of the color choice, it appears that the owner has provided a sound base from which to work. He stripped the entire body back to bare metal and ensured that the shell was rust-free before applying the primer. The panels appear straight, and the gaps are consistent across the car. A new windshield has been installed, but the remaining glass is in good order. The trim looks pretty respectable, although the buyer will need to fit front side marker lights and a few small pieces to complete the exterior.
Lifting the hood reveals that this is anything but your average Nova. Decoding the VIN indicates that the vehicle rolled off the line equipped with a V8, but there’s no way of confirming what this was. What fills the engine bay is a 454ci big-block V8. However, this is far from your average 454. The owner has bored the engine .060″ over, added J&E pistons, a steel crank, high-performance heads, a Weiand intake, roller rockers, and a few other tasty pieces. The result is a big-block that now churns out 500hp. There’s no point in having a mountain of power if the car can’t effectively apply it to the pavement. Therefore, the V8 is backed by a Zoom clutch and rebuilt Muncie 4-speed transmission that feeds the ponies to a 3.42 Posi rear end. The potential that this Nova now possesses should be impressive. In factory form, the best that buyers could hope for in 1969 was a 396 that produced 375hp and could launch their Nova through the ¼ mile in a neat 14 seconds. With an extra 125hp available under the right foot, this car should blow that ¼-mile time out of the water. The only issue that the buyer will need to tackle will be to fit a new starter. Otherwise, this Nova is set to burn the bitumen.
One area where it appears that the buyer won’t be spending a heap of cash is on this Nova’s interior. The seats look like they wear newer covers, while the headliner and carpet appear tidy. The dash and pad continue this theme, while a column-mounted tach and some gauges mounted under the dash should help monitor the health of that mighty big-block. Any required work would seem to be limited to replacing a couple of missing knobs for items like the wiper control. Otherwise, this interior looks extremely presentable.
There are a lot of features that make this 1969 Nova an attractive proposition to potential buyers. With the panel and paint preparation at its current stage, they could apply the color of their choice to place their personal mark on the vehicle. The tidy interior adds to its appeal, but it is the fantastic drivetrain that has assisted it in attracting an impressive forty-seven bids at the time of writing. There are still a few days left on the listing, which gives you a chance to throw your hat into the ring if you like what you see.
Don’t know why the seller didn’t bother to put in a new starter…
The passenger side of car between the wheel wells just doesn’t look right. Maybe it’s just the pictures.
This car is the base model coupe and looks thin on options. There’s the V8 and power steering but not the recommended power brakes. Not that it matters but I suspect this came equipped with a 307 and three-on-the-tree.
The car needs a starter? That task shouldn’t be left to a new owner. There nothing inherently wrong with manual drum brakes but with a claimed 500 HP an upgrade wouldn’t be a bad idea. The same goes for adding subframe connectors and suspension upgrades. As long as the body checks out this could be a good starting point.
My guess on the no starter issue is that he already burned up the existing starter trying to start that big block. The cost of a newer more appropriately geared starter is probably more than he is willing to invest to just flip the car.
As far as the brakes go, I wouldn’t even think of driving a car with a 500 horse power train without the benefit of power brakes. The original engine in my 454 Super Sport Monte is set up just like this car. Bored .60 over, steel crank, roller rockers, up cam, high rise intake, Holly 750 double pumper, 400 Turbo tranny, .342 Posi rear end producing just over 500 horse. I wouldn’t even think of driving (or racing) my car as I sometimes do without the benefit of power brakes.
No heater hoses?
I thought big blocks only have 1 thin short curved cooling hose up front – why 2 here?
Ist thing i would replace would be that old looking vacuum advance.
Perhaps the cooling fan should be closer to radiator/inside the shroud?
Some pumps have two, and this just loops intake to water pump when you bypass the heater core.
As for the fan, it looks like it is half inside the radiator shroud, which is the correct way
If the owner stripped the entire body back to bare metal how does the author see traces of Cortez Silver? I agree with AG those rockers look funky to me too.
With 500 horses available it would be nice to see some pictures under the car to see if any upgrades were made to handle that much power.
It doesn’t have any heater hoses because the original heater core has been removed. The small block Novas used a different heater core and cover than the big blocks. On a small block the hose pipes on the heater core come through the firewall directly behind the right head and will be crushed by a big block installation. The correct heater core and cover moves the hose connection about 10 inches outboard. About a $250. fix.
My 396 powered clunker Chevelle had full length headers and the starter suffered from all the heat, simply wouldnt work after it got hot down there. A heat shield worked wonders, once I figured that out! Ha ha.
427 Novas were scary enough but a big torquey 454 that’s beeen built…..adios
500hp with no suspension, subframe connectors, or especially brake upgrades sounds like a death trap! It’s the classic shortfall of throwing the biggest motor you can into a car, but not bothering to upgrade anything else. Anyway, the body looks solid, but as others have said, underside photos would really help here. The car was originally a base model at best, maybe a 307 V8, but might have even had the inline 6. The hood is obviously aftermarket since Novas, plus the front end bits for the grille are from a 70-72 car. Oh, and it’s missing the filler panel for the front bumper. The wheels are also from a later car, they look to be off the 74 Spirit of America Nova. Overall the car is fine, but to make this car actually usable and pretty, you’re gonna have to sink a lot of cash into it.
needs a MSD starter and sub frame connectors
The 69 Nova came out with the 396 , 375hp, but also with the 396 X which had 425 hp , i know i had one back in 69