Although the official U.S. Bicentennial birthday was still a couple of years away, Chevrolet got a head start on its celebration by introducing 4 special autos in 1974 to commemorate our Country’s independence, and probably also to help increase sales. For an additional $399, a patriotic trim package known as the Spirit of America, or corporately badged as RPO Z51, could be added to the Impala, Vega, and El Camino. Another recipient was the Nova, such as this one here on Facebook Marketplace in Cumming, Georgia. Priced at $35,000, this is one beautiful Chevy, and we’d like to thank reader PRA4SNW for finding it and sending us the tip!
While the Spirit of America package didn’t include any performance upgrades, it did provide some catchy cosmetic features, with the Nova featuring a white body with special red-and-blue striping running down the sides and over the roof. There was also a partial vinyl top, plus front-fender and deck lid graphics where the metal Nova emblems ordinarily resided, along with additional stripes on the hood, so passersby knew this was no ordinary Chevy, regardless of which angle they spotted it from. This one looks to be in excellent shape outside, and the once-chrome bumpers have been turned white, a nice custom touch that adds extra appeal.
Also in impressive condition is the interior, which features a mixture of red, white, and black components throughout. All of the Novas built with the Spirit Of America package were hatchback models, and there’s some serious cargo room back there, especially when the rear seat is folded down. White is an unforgiving color for upholstery, but the buckets and rear seat look great here, and finding the mini-console up front with gauges and a floor shifter definitely adds to the sporty feel inside.
A mostly stock 350 is under the hood, which should deliver plenty of pep to satisfy most drivers. The seller says the engine has fewer than 10,000 miles and also features a new Holley 550 carburetor, plus a set of headers to improve exhaust flow. The bay is also about as clean as the rest of the car, and although the cost here isn’t exactly cheap, this is one mid-seventies Chevy that might be worth considering at or near the asking price. What are your thoughts on this nationalistic Nova?
Now this is a NICE car. Absolutely beautiful under the hood! We had a Nova growing up and I remember this model but seeing this one brings the nostalgia factor back four-fold! Great find!
Nice Nova wish I had it but the wife says NO!!😆
$35k??!! They have to be kidding. You’d have to replace/rechrome the bumpers. The dashboard has been forever altered by trying to cram a modern stereo unit into it. All the chrome nonsense under the hood would need to be converted back, as would the pedals. There are far nicer Novas (and Venturas, Omegas and Apollos) out there for far less. And frankly, I think the jingoistic paint job is a bit much, even for back then….. and especially for today.
On that note, they make a Bluetooth receiver that you can install behind the dashboard. It plugs into the antenna port and will broadcast anything you can stream from your smartphone (Sirius XM, Spotify, etc) through a station you set on your stock radio. Your dashboard stays intact, and you can stream whatever you want.
I don’t know how well it works yet. I bought one for my 1995 Park Avenue, and I will update once it’s installed.
35k is way too much for a ’74, which the seller admits is not perfect. Nice car, but I think the seller is being unrealistic. 15-20k maybe. 10-15k if you wanted to move it quickly.
I tend to agree bone stock and as close to original as possile
I prefer that chrome nonsense under the hood.
It doesn’t look like they actually hacked up the dash for that head unit. Just replace it with one of the new fancy Bluetooth “vintage” units, no biggie.
the once-chrome bumpers have been turned white, a nice custom touch that adds extra appeal.
No they cheaped the hell out when repainting it
I wish that GM would bring it back, with a body on full frame and a modernized (although, still cast iron block and heads) V-8 with some serious horsepower.
My neighbor friend had one back then but it was a 6 cylinder .. Don’t know if that was rare or a special order ..
My dad bought a new 1976 Chevrolet short bed pickup with a bicentennial package. White exterior with a white (with blue and red details) interior. He swapped out the steel wheels with then popular white spoked ones. Topped it off with BF Goodrich white lettered TA radials.
A pretty snazzy look.
Very very nice sweet Nova. I use to have one and then was a passenger in it at the time it was in an accident and put the motor up in to the driver’s and passenger compartment of the car and I was pinned under the dash. God wish I had a nother one like it.
Beautiful Chevy!! I wish the owner would have left it all original though.Such a gem why would you mess with it???
Nice car, small block-auto is pretty standard fare, but plenty of push. I’d forgotten about that trim package. I wonder which new vehicle you could apply “Spirit of America” to, now? I’m thinking it would end up on a pickup these days. Or would one boldly emblazon it on an a Tesla?
I was 17 years old and received this same car as my senior of school, I love this car it brings memories, the hach back was great for putting anything in need the back , I’m really surprised to see 1 still in this world!
Nice find ❄️ Cool Chevrolet. 🇺🇸
This car is in great shape body wise to bring it back to stock would not take to much not a bad car for the money but 35,000 is a little much maybe 25,000 tops
I had a spirit of America 1974 El Camino
saw more Novas when the chevy was making these model than any other model. white bumpers look lame and says they cheaped out. instead of spending the money on all the chrome gack under the hood they should had the bumpers done. i am sorry 35k for a 74 nova no way.
The price is unrealistic imo. Maybe $20k to 25k tops. The paint and badging of “Spirit” I could do without. Looks cheesy to me, as do the painted bumpers. What it does have going for it are condition, engine, buckets, small console and especially the hatchback, which are rare finds. Good luck with the sale. Nice car.
I had one of these. Six cylinder that ran so smooth you thought it died setting at a light. Three on the tree. Great car for a Chevy.
Both doors look like they were put on by a body shop that employs blind people.
Market on these is $22-25k. Neighbor and former co worker has one, it was given to his wife, and him by her dad. It’s a nice car.
I’m NOT a purist so as long as they prepped the bumpers correctly for the paint to stick, I prefer these painted as opposed to the factory finish. I never warmed up to that. If it was the previous Nova that didn’t have 5 mph safety bumpers my opinion would be opposite. I loved those. To me the newer (as on this Nova) are very….Eh. I can’t say I love the price, seems a bit unrealistic, but the car I do love. I was old enough to clearly remember these when they came out.
Looks to me like the bumpers and drivers door are a brighter white than the rest of the car. 35K, a little high to me.
The driver’s door is a mess.
The engine has center bolt valve covers. The center bolt chevy heads came out in 1987-1988.
35k when you can buy a decent Vette for 12k? Guys nuts