With the number of Novas that have already been modified, it’s refreshing to find one that hasn’t gotten tampered with, even if it’s a basic model. However, that goes at least double when the car is an original Super Sport, which is the case with this 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS here on Craigslist. This one’s a survivor and remains much like it did when new, with only 77,000 miles traveled over the past 55 years. Purchased new in Tacoma, this one has always stayed local and is presently located in Gig Harbor, Washington. With an asking price of $31,500, this sporty Chevy isn’t exactly cheap, but this may be a reasonable amount based on the originality. A best offer is also mentioned as a possibility, but no trades are being considered.
Curvette, thanks for another great tip here! The seller states that he purchased the Nova from the original owner, and says that it’s been garaged since new plus not exposed to major amounts of harsh weather. The Green Mist finish is original, and looks like it has held up nicely throughout the decades, with the painted pinstripe mentioned as having been applied at the factory. The biggest imperfection I spotted outside was a small dent on the quarter panel just behind the driver’s side door, but fortunately, it isn’t large at all, and probably not even worth addressing immediately. A darker green vinyl top covers the roof, and the material here also appears to remain in excellent condition.
In earlier days, the Super Sport option for the Nova was primarily a trim package. However, that changed from looks to performance in 1968, which included a 350 V8 engine. This small block had a factory horsepower rating of 300 for the L48 in ’70, providing plenty of pep for a car this size, with the seller telling us that the motor runs smoothly. It’s recently received a tune-up, but runs a bit rich, with some oil blowing out the pipes on a cold startup. The Turbo 350 automatic gets a clean bill of health, as it’s stated to be shifting properly.
The interior’s condition seems to reflect the amount of care this one’s received, with no obvious tears or cracks visible, although the fuel gauge and clock are no longer functioning. The owner says this one’s a great candidate for a light restoration, but he also speaks of preservation, which is equally worth considering here. Is this 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS a better candidate to keep all-original, or make a few repairs and bring it up to a higher level?
Praise to the owner for the well crafted ad and disclosures. There is so much to like about this car.
Nice one. If the compression is where it’s supposed to be I’d say valve seals would solve the smoke on start up.
Especially considering the o rings that were on it are now more than likely in the oil pan.
I really like survivor cars like this. It shows how these cars were built. This one is nice to see in original colors and it looks well equipped. I think it’s worth high $20’s.
Very nice clean unmolested Nova! Nice that it has not been modified in any way. I like that it has P/S and P/B. It even has a original matching spare rim. A few undercarriage pictures would be nice. If I wanted a nice untouched Nova this would be the one.
For the asking price, the mechanical issues should have been addressed. If not, my stuff is worth at least 25% more than I thought
My buddy had a dark green 69 with exact same interior, black vinyl top. His dad put a shift kit in it and it was a fun little driver. It sounded like it was performing at a higher level than it actually was for a couple of 16 year olds! He sold it after he got smoked by a 68 TBird 4 door with that big 429. I was riding with him, and the Nova came outta the hole like a winner. Halfway through the race we heard that bird coming, and it blew past like we were sitting still. Great memories!
this would make a great daily driver. I could give my El Camino a rest. I could fly into Seatac and drive this baby to Houston where I would at Vintage air immediately. If he would take $21,500.00 I will probably do just that. If not.. PNW is a great place to vacation in the fall. Idaho.. here I come!
8k
Very nice original Nova.
As for “running rich”, that is not what oil smoke on cold startup indicates. Valve seals are the likely culprit and a common issue on SBCs of the era with some mileage on them. Not a big deal to fix, but the asking price on this car is not exactly peanuts. At a minimum, this is a top end rebuild to fix. If it were me, I would probably drive it until I could do a full long block rebuild later on.
I’m always happy to see one that’s been left alone. I walk past a lot of restomods at shows but, last Wednesday in a town called Belle Plaine, Mn., I stopped for awhile to do a thorough look-see at a ’69 Chevelle SS 396 with 4,500 actual miles with a/c. Probably Olympic Gold color with a black vinyl roof and interior. Sooo sweet!
I’d fix the gauge and maybe do a quartz clock conversion or score a nos one someplace, clean up the engine compartment, buff out the paint and enjoy. Oh, possibly upgrade the radio.
nice but boy that’s a stiff ask price for stripped down nova
The thing about 1 & 2 owner cars is once you buy it the provenance is gone. Now it’s just an old used car, even in great condition. My first bran new car was a 1969 Nova. At the time it was a sweet car. Now-a-days they’re nice to look at with fond memories of days gone by, but there’s other 69 model cars much nicer that I’d rather have. Still it will be a great toy, (or divorce material) for someone.
God Bless America
For that price i expect a 396 4 on the floor
Those have been 6 figures for a while.
Other than A/C, this looks like a well optioned Nova SS in great original condition. Even the paint has a nice shine to it. Some chassis photos would be nice, too. $31k is $10k too high, IMO, but who asks what they want to actually sell a car for? I’d add Vintage Air, a modern, but retro look stereo with Bluetooth, and convert it to a 6-speed (with a 4-speed knob). GLWTS.
Great car. For the asking price I would have expected the fuel gauge, carb and smoke issue to be addressed. Great car.