Stored 34 years by a former car dealer who collected interesting trade-ins, this 1972 Chevrolet Nova in Orange, California recently returned from the dead with enough parts and attention to start “right up.” Far from a daily driver, it needs a bumper-to-bumper parts inspection before hitting the highway. An original two-barrel 350 V8, front disc brakes, and air conditioning highlight an otherwise basic sedan. The interior needs a complete overhaul including a headliner, but it sports new tires on the 14 inch steel wheels and enough promise to attract 70 bids during a prior auction. The current listing here on eBay has 11 bidders mining for Chevy gold, raising the faded sedan’s market value beyond $2400.
Rubber floor mats make for easy clean-up. Wasted original cloth upholstery hides beneath the bargain seat covers. Door openings show off the original color in contrast to the sun-beaten exterior. A miserly straight-six powered many of these plain Jane family movers, making the 350 an interesting choice in this long-parked budget bomber.
Tinted windows pair with the air conditioning (intact but not blowing cold) to keep things cool. Buyers in the “too many doors” camp will never give this Chevy a second glance. Australians and a small sliver of others actually prefer four-door performance cars, a practical preference I share. My philosophy about two-seaters is similar: why share the fun with only one other person? I’ve driven a 350-powered ’70s Nova sedan, and predict no trouble keeping up with traffic, thanks to the 350’s torque. The 2.73:1 rear axle gears should make for decent highway cruising.
There’s no engine picture so… check out that headliner! Some motorheads would rather swap an engine than install a headliner. I once started puling a 351 Windsor after work, changed out the freeze plugs, and had it resting on the engine mounts again before 9 pm. No way would I have been that far along with a headliner in that time. A couple decades ago I’d have changed the channel on this this Nova faster than a PBS special called The History of Lint, but I’m about sick of technology-induced modern car problems. Count me among buyers would could put a little money into this nothing-fancy sedan and drive it all day in the slow lane with a giant smile on their face. What future do you see for this too-many-doors Nova?
Drop the nose a bit healthy 383 and some suspension bits, paint and interior. Don’t forget some stylish 18 rims and tires. May need to find a skin for that rear door. Family car with a little punch
A crew cab Nova.
Looks like a fun little sleeper
A friend’s late father was a Chevy dealer through the early 60s until the late 80s. He loved mid-year Corvettes when they were not widely appreciated or valued. He kept most of the trade-ins, especially cars with period mods that nobody wanted. His baby-boomer kids have kept the collection intact, and maintained in driving condition. They resisted the urge to restore the cars to NCRS standards, and preserved them the way they ere when traded.
The faded and chipped custom paint, fender flares, and slightly corroded mags bring back memories of times gone by. They are always a hit at cruise nights.
A lot of the old dealers squirrelled away cool cars that are still being rediscovered.
I don’t have a problem with sedans in general, but GM’s ’68-72 A-body and ’68-74 X-body sedans have a certain dowdy, old lady, crocheted afghan-on-the-back-shelf look that I just can’t warm up to.
Awesome looking car! I’ve never seen a Chevy Nova 4 door. Assuming everything is there, and that there are no rust holes anywhere, I can see this car being an awesome resto project for anyone who likes original survivors.
Looks like some people are hooked on grandpap cars
With this Nova and similar plain Jane ones you can count me in as one of them. Now that I’m an adult and then some, I absolutely adore cars like this. Friend of mine is a mechanic. The horror stories he tells me about newer cars once they get 10 or 15 years old. The new stuff is absolutely great but I’d never own one unless I could afford to trade it in right before the warranty runs out. I own an 04 Crown Vic and the main saving grace is that it’s a ex Highway Patrol. About as simple and plain as you can get. Besides, as I’ve grown older I have grown to love 4dr cars. That plus the fact of when I had small kids. 2 door cars are awesome for single guys or a couple with no children.
When I was a boy, this was something my parents would’ve driven.
Best patina I’ve seen on a 4-door Nova in quite some time!
As long as the patina is on the surface, and that there’s no holes in the bodywork, then I don’t mind it.
With a bit of repair here and there I’d drive this Made In America 🇺🇸 car across the Homeland all day long.
Go Bless America 🇺🇸
I agree. I’d rather a car like this restored to driving condition than turned into a rat rod.
Fortunately Classic Industries and others carry enough of the parts for a 4 door, that resto-modding this would be a pretty straight forward process. You won’t have quiet the room in the back as you would a 4 door Chevelle or full size, but it’s still plenty to put a couple of friends back there and hit the town. I love the odd ball cars like this and I wish they would catch on more for restorations. Seeing something different is always nice. After so many years of tri fives, Camaros, Chevelles, and Mustangs, seeing a change is a nice relief. Hopefully a owner finds this one and has the deep enough pockets to give her a new lease on life.
So funny thing, I’ve always wanted to replace my favorite car. It was a gift for my 17th birthday – a gold, 1972 Chevy Nova. Since I’m a So Cal girl, I saw this and wondered…was this mine?