We all dream of striking gold with a barn find, and the owner of this 1966 Nova SS has managed to do that. It is an essentially complete car that would make a fantastic restoration project. Making it something above the ordinary is the engine that hides under the hood. The owner has decided to part with this beauty, so he has listed it for sale here on eBay. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, the bidding has already rocketed to $14,200. This has taken it past the reserve, so this is now a “winner-takes-all” vehicle that will be headed to a new home very soon.
It isn’t clear how long the Nova has been sitting in the barn or where the barn was. However, if it was close to the vehicle’s current location, that could be excellent news for potential buyers. Classics that have lived their lives in climates like the one offered in Nevada are less prone to being consumed by rust. The owner doesn’t indicate whether there are any problems for the buyer to tackle, but there is no external rust visible in any of the supplied photos. That doesn’t mean that this will be a quick restoration because there are issues to consider. The Aztec Bronze paint is now pretty baked, and if the buyer is seeking spotless presentation, a repaint will be required. There are a few dings and dents to address, but none of these are bad enough to justify panel replacement. The chrome looks good under the layer of dust, and I would give it a clean and polish to determine if anything requires replacement. The original owner ordered the SS with tinted glass, and I can’t spot any problems with that.
Lifting the hood is where things become interesting and a bit exciting with the Nova. It is powered by a 327ci V8 that is backed by a 4-speed manual transmission. This is no ordinary 327 because it is the optional L79 version. While Chevrolet sold 73,900 examples of the Nova in 1966, only 5,481 featured the L79 V8. This was the most potent offering in the range, producing 350hp. Thanks to the lumpy idle, it was never offered with an automatic transmission, so if a buyer wasn’t inclined to tackle shifting duties themselves, they steered clear of this option. Fire this car down the ¼ mile, and the journey would be over in 13.9 seconds. The engine appears to be close to complete, but its condition is unclear. It is missing the distinctive dual-snorkel air cleaner, so the buyer will need to hunt for one of those. Otherwise, I can’t spot any missing parts.
It looks like the Nova has been fitted with replacement front seat covers at some point, but otherwise, the interior is unmolested. The rear seat looks reasonable, but the buyer will need to source a carpet set, a headliner, and a few other pieces. Once again, I would clean everything before I went ballistic with the credit card because there might be a few items that can be restored. The original radio is intact, and the gauge cluster includes the factory tachometer.
Both NADA and Hagerty quote eye-watering potential values for an L79-equipped Nova SS, and there’s a massive disparity between the two. Recent sales results paint a clearer picture, and once fully restored, this vehicle should easily sail past $50,000 if placed on the market. As usual, I urge caution when considering a purchase like this, but there is one aspect that I find encouraging. The owner seems to be extremely approachable and willing to answer questions. That suggests that he doesn’t believe that he has anything to hide. If that is the case and the Nova is as good as the listing and photos would seem to suggest, potential buyers could be onto a winner here.
I like the Aztec Bronze color for 66. Would be really nice to see this one restored to original condition. It’s certainly worthy of it.
6 plus days to go, this one will reach a lot higher (in my opinion) than one might think…
Great cars that don’t come up for sale often in this condition.
Would be a great restoration project!
Well it is gone already. I hope he had considerable proof this is a legit l79 because my understanding it is just about impossible to tell a real one. Nothing in vin or plate give it away. In fact, all SS cars say 118 on the plate because Fisher was not aware what GM would do with the car. Only a matching 118 VIN indicates a V8 car, but only a V8, not which flavor. You can look for things like larger fuel line (but some other V8 options came with those as well). Exhaust hangers can also help identify, but I am under the impression that unless you pull the cam and have it measured there is no real way without full documentation. I love these cars (have a 67SS) but L79 claims need to be looked at very very carefully.
If it had a factory tach in it,redline would be 6500 rpm I presume it’s been a loooong time lol
Dumb question, but does this motor use solid lifters?
Hydraulic. The L79 option was $198.05. Nice!
W ring intake, oil filler tube should have a pcv fitting I doubt if this is a true L 79 car, no mention of the 12 bolt diff
One way to distinguish the RPO of this non-AC Nova’s engine is to check the rear end. The L30 and L77 were shipped with 3.08:1 gearing. The L79’s ratio was 3.31:1 unless a performance rear end was ordered. No disassembly required.
Would love to see this with a professional paint correction and detail.
Not a Chevy guy, but this one is way cool. Nice to see one not “tubbed out” with some terrible ‘80s colors. Seems most of the restored ones always have a way too shiny BC/CC paint job. Even better to see such an ideal specimen.
I never understood the popularity of these. While looking at cars drove a 66 327 4 spd. SS for my first car.
Then Wow factor. I saw a 69 AMX 390 4 spd. I mean a then young guy. A car that looks like you borrowed it from your mom or a Bittersweet Orange with Black stripes with AMX would pull the front wheels. Wasn’t a choice at all to me.
Opinions. Meh never a shortage.
The 350 HP was advertised but this motor was considerably more. I wanted one so bad in 66 but inventories were low. The color selection was poor. These cars were faster than the vette. Then 67 came and that engine choice went bye bye. Had to settle for 68 GTX.
Put one of these engines in a 16 ft. mahogany speedboat. Passed Donzis all day long, and souped-up bass boats. Fountains hadn’t been offered yet. Awesome engines.
Opinions. Meh never a shortage.
mopar, FoMoCo’n this on the line, a warm summer evening 55 yrs ago…