Chevrolet introduced the Chevy II in 1962, throwing its hat into the compact car ring. Developed to compete with the Ford Falcon, it soon developed its own following of faithful buyers. The L79 327 debuted in 1965 and produced 350 horsepower and 360 ft.-lbs. of torque. The great drag racer and engine builder, Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins, took the Chevy II and a little L79 and turned it into what was called the “mouse that roared.” He garnered great interest from the drag racing community as he took on Chrysler’s mighty Hemi in A/Stock competition. This amazing Regal Red Nova is available for bid now, here on Bringatrailer.com. The auction ends in 6 days from this writing, and the current bid stands at $50,000. It’s up $5k since I started writing. Thanks, Curvette, for another great Bowtie tip!
It’s no secret that I love small-block Chevys, especially the 327. The L79 was one of the greatest developments, in my humble opinion, that came out of the Norwood, Ohio, plant. This 327 was rebuilt in August 2020 and is said to produce 411 Horsepower on a dyno. It has a 4-speed manual transmission with a Hurst Shifter and a Posi-Trac differential. Long Tube headers empty out to a dual exhaust system with XL Performance mufflers. This Nova has updated Baer Disc brakes up front, plus power steering and sway bars. Jerry MacNeish is a well-known expert in certifying Camaros, Chevelles, and Nova SS vehicles. The seller provides his certificate of authenticity with the car.
The Regal Red paint is complemented by red vinyl upholstery. Color-matched door panels, headliner, and carpets complete the interior. The two-spoke steering wheel sits in front of the 120 MPH speedometer. The odometer shows 17,000 miles; however, the title carries a “Not Actual Mileage- Warning: Odometer Discrepancy” notation. The current Colorado title, though, is clear. The aftermarket interior gear includes three Autometer gauges, a factory-style tachometer mounted under the dash, and a hidden Sony cassette stereo. Kids, ask your parents or maybe your grandparents what a “cassette” is!
This car sits looking very stock. I think the red rims with Chevy Poverty caps and red-line tires look awesome. Not a real sleeper in its “give me a speeding ticket, Officer, please” bright Regal Red paint, but enough so that you may not think that the L79 lurks under the hood if you didn’t see the 327 badges on the fenders. Hagerty valuations say a 1966 Chevy II Nova with the L79 goes high at $39,567 and low at $31,933, so the $50,000 it is sitting at right now is pretty high, especially with 6 days to go. Let’s watch and see what it hits; maybe you want to get in on the bidding for this beauty?
Just BEAUTIFUL!! Love the L79 cars!!
Gorgeous car, expensive for a reason.
Steve R