The Chevrolet Nova was a popular compact car from its debut in 1962 to the last one left the assembly line in 1979. I prefer the 1969-72 versions from a styling perspective, and had a ‘70 edition I wish I still had. This 1974 Nova is being sold because its owner passed away, and a family member has been given the unfortunate task of disposal. It was a work-in-progress when he died, so it needs more work, including final mechanical touches and new paint. Located in a garage in Gresham, Oregon, this SS (or wannabe) is available here on craigslist for $6,000. Our thanks to “Curvette” for another Bow-Tie tip.
Chevy updated the successful Nova in 1973-74 to add a hatchback model to the coupe, and to accommodate larger bumpers fore and aft. That made the car heavier and bulkier looking than before, but sales continued to be strong. In fact, the 1974 model year had the marque’s best sales run at 390,000 units. The Super Sport was still offered, but the 396 cubic inch V8 had left the building in 1970, so a 350 was the standard SS engine. This car has one, and the fender script suggests the Chevy came with one from the factory.
We’re told the deceased owner of this Nova acquired it during high school, though we don’t know how many years ago that was. It was a good runner until he decided to make it better, adding an electric fan, pulleys, an intake manifold, and a carburetor. If we had the VIN, we could tell if the car is a factory V8 version, with or without the SS badging. But work stalled as he became ill, so the car remains an unfinished project. The raised hood that doesn’t match the rest of the car in color suggests this was a non-SS back in the day.
This vehicle could have 52k miles or 152k; the seller isn’t sure. A floor-shifted automatic transmission backs up the V8 (a TH-350?). The red paint is fading, and the passenger side door doesn’t quite match up to the rest. The Chevy has a black vinyl top that may be okay, but it’s hard to tell about the interior with the dark photos and stuff piled up in the front seat (likely a bench). Overall, the car is said to be in fair condition, and, with a clean title and bill of sale, this may be a great project for someone to finish to their tastes.
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