Original Paint: 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS

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Upon visiting your neighborhood Chevy dealer in 1970, you could order a Nova Super Sport with a 350 cubic inch V8 or the 396 big-block, which was the last year it would be offered in the compact. This Nova has a 350 4-barrel/300 hp motor and the appropriate badging, but the seller doesn’t come right out and call the car an SS. And since we’re told the motor isn’t original, maybe the details aren’t either. At any rate, the automobile appears to be a good overall condition wearing factory paint, but there is a bit of rust around the wheel well openings. Located in a shop in Milford, Connecticut, this Chevy is available here on eBay where the next bid will have to top $11,600.

Interest in the Nova and the SS model remained high in 1970, as Chevy delivered more than 307,000 of the compacts, of which just under 20,000 carried SS badging and equipment. Unless you have a build sheet or original window sticker, it’s not easy to determine if a Nova SS is the real deal as the VIN does not help. And they could come decked out with bucket seats and a console or a bench seat with a column shifter. The seller’s car lends itself more to the Plain Jane category, with no extra exterior brightwork and the base Nova interior.

We’re told the dark green paint is original and it looks okay depending on the lighting. But it also looks faded at times and there is rust in places that may coincide with the area of the country the car could have lived in. However, what we can see of the undercarriage looks pretty clean. On the other hand, the black vinyl top looks almost new as does the upholstery so any cosmetic attention you might want to give the Chevy would be external.

The badge on the front fender says there’s a 350 V8 under the hood which the seller confirms. It has been recently rebuilt and runs quite well, but it’s not the motor the car left the factory with. The odometer reading is said to be 68,000 miles, which sounds like a low point to have to replace engines unless you were building an SS tribute. But you’ll see two sets of wheels, the steel wheels with dog dish hub caps in the photos, and four SS mags with raised letter tires (though they’re fairly well worn).

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Comments

  1. Sam Shive

    A Nova Is A Nova, A Small Block Is A Small Block. I put SS emblems on my 70 Impala ( My Initials ) and had to prove to people that it WASN’T A SUPER SPORT. Like it says WITHOUT the build sheet it is what it is and people are going to believe what they want. Buy It, Drive It, ENJOY IT

    Like 7
  2. joenywf64

    I would say a/c & disc brakes were rare on ’68-’72 novas. Not sure if p/w or cruise control were available.

    Like 2
  3. DON

    Hard to say what it is, but a LOT of V8 Novas became SS models when they became $1,000 used cars that teenagers bought – If you were lucky, you could find a wrecked SS in a junkyard, and take the SS trim pieces off, and presto ! Your Grandmothers car is now a muscle car !

    Like 16
  4. Paul R.

    I do remember a ‘70 ish Nova cruising around Montreal with a 454 big block under the hood. At least it was badged that way.

    Like 0
  5. Karlos

    Disc brakes were part of the “SS” package, along with heavier suspension, the badges, the hood thingies, and probably other things I don’t remember. When I ordered my ’69 Nova, 396/375/TH400 I had to order the $500+- SS package but it was so well worth it. My 2¢

    Like 6
  6. Rick DicksonMember

    Wow, I’m just imagining a 396 in a Nova, having driven my brother-in-law’s Chevelle 396-375 HP monster back around 1982. One would need wide tires to put all that power to the ground on a lightweight Nova!

    Like 2
    • Karlos

      My Nova was just over 3200#s so not as light as you might think. I had big fun with that car until one too many 7K neutral starts put a rod through the block. A 427 with closed chamber aluminum heads came next and that was totally different. I raced a lot of AHRA and IHRA drags running in their “Formula 3 Stock” with a honkin 2bbl carb. Ran a lot of 11.70s on a 12.09 record. Not quick by today’s standards, but not too shabby back then.

      Like 5
  7. Frank

    I seem to recall there was an engine option for the nova back then. A 375HP 327cu in.

    Like 0
    • bikefixr

      Nope. 1970 was a 6cyl, 350 or 396 with max HP being the L78 375hp 396.

      Like 2
  8. Steve Weiman

    A 12 bolt rear would go a long way to confirm SS status……….

    Like 2
  9. CaCarDude

    Had a nice lo mileage ’71 Cottonwood Green SS Nova back in ’76, Fun car, 350 4 spd. bench seat car. Nothing fancy, PS, AM radio & heater. Just under 10k SS Nova were made in ’71. That is one car I would like to have back today!

    Like 0
  10. roger coltrane

    don’t you remember the 307?

    Like 0

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