In 1960, Ford had the Falcon and Chevy the Corvair, but the latter was hardly conventional compared to the Blue Oval product. By 1962 Chevrolet was looking for a “regular” compact to compete and the Chevy II was born. The nameplate would carry on throughout the balance of the decade, to be succeeded by the Nova moniker which had been the Chevy II trim upgrade for a number of years. This 1964 Nova has its original (but tattered) paint and a really nice interior, so it may just need a new home. Or maybe a V8 dropped in? Located in Fort Collins, Colorado, this car is available here on eBay where the bidding sits at $5,100. The reserve has not been met but won’t exceed the Buy It Now price of $10,000.
It looks as though Chevrolet made the right call in rolling out the Chevy II. Through its third year on the market, the Nova outsold the Corvair by about 70,000 units. And combined, they sold 1.9 million cars in three years compared to the Falcon’s 1.0 million. This ’64 edition has a clean body with no signs of rust eating away at the original paint. While you could soldier on with it the way it is, the little car is crying out for a fresh coat. The chrome and glass also look up to par. There are no tears in the upholstery that we can see inside the car and the headliner and dash look fine, so we assume the carpeting is up to snuff too.
The seller confirms there is a six-cylinder under the hood, which was common for the day as 1964 was the first year you could get a V8 in the Nova. But we’re told this is a 235.5 cubic inch six, which sounds like the same “Blue Flame” engine that powered the original Corvette a decade earlier. However, the record books show that the available six-bangers that year were either the 194 or 230 sixes, so that points to the motor in the seller’s car being a replacement. A Powerglide 2-speed automatic is in place and would have been correct regardless of the engine selection. Probably not an issue as the seller says the little Chevy runs and drives with 64,000 being the reported mileage.
The car wears Rally wheels, which didn’t come out until 1967. And they would be for a five-lug pattern, although I thought the early Chevy II’s had a four-lug configuration. So perhaps this Nova has been converted on all four points. Might also explain the 10-bolt rear end, suggesting that maybe this car was slated for a small-block V8 transplant at some point. First-generation Chevy II’s with basic powerplants don’t attract the same collector interest as the souped-up 1968-72 versions of the Nova do. So Hagerty’s top-line assessment of their value is at or below the seller’s Buy It Now price.
PLEASE….quit encouraging people to rip the original motor out of a car and replace it with a more powerful one. There are few enough original cars around as it is!
When I restored my 66 Acadian Canso Sport Deluxe I took the inline 6 cylinder 194cid out and dumped it in the local dump where it belonged with all the other garbage flotsam & jetsam thrown out because nobody could find a use for it anymore.
I could have used my 194cid as a door stop or yard art, but my neighbours would have complained to Bylaw and then I would have had to dump it in the local dump at a cost of inconvenience.
Inline six cylinder engines in Chevy II 64 is like running a sewing machine engine with a steam whistle for a carb.
And $10k USD for a dirty old Chevy II that needs new paint and a motor is highway robbery at it’s worst.
The seller is drinking the bong water in his bong.
Bob
The 194 was a great engine. Trouble free and reliable.
I can remember with my ’62 Chevy ll 300, the engine started to cough and sputter. I undid the two nuts holding that “steam whistle” single barrel carb on, undid the linkage, took the carb off and shook out all the accumulated crud. Put the carb back on and the car ran fine again , for years.
Took about 15 minutes.
Try doing that with today’s vehicles..
So if you are not interested in laying a trail of rubber on the pavement , it was and is a great engine.
I know exactly where Ft. Collins, Colorado is. I used to live about 50 miles up the road. This is a great car, as is, IMHO. I would love to have it. Yet, I have no way of getting it back here to the mid Atlantic region. That 234 ci six will do just fine in that lightweight car. This is a very practical car and I would love to own it. Seats and headliner look good. could use a new paint job. But, that would be later. One criticism…no underside pics. that causes me to step back a few steps. But, thanks for the wrie up. Keep cars like this coming!!
My first car was the more door version of this year. It came with a 2 barrel, 283, v8, 2speed, PG trans. and it had 5 lug rims. My parents paid $500.00 for it in 1980 with 72,000 miles. I became the 3rd owner. They bought it from a local mechanic who had advanced the timing a tad bit which created a pleasant snap to the ride when I stepped on it the first time. Mom and Dad, my passengers at the time weren’t as impressed as me. What was I thinking?!
I have a 64 Chevelle Malibu. Its a 230 six and runs great on highway at 70-75 MPH with a three on a tree. No need to shoe horn a bigger engine in my opinion.
This engine is VERY likely a 230 engine.
I looks from pictures an automatic trans.
FYI: My 1954 Chevy 3100 pickup runs a 235 six banger.
This is a 2 door, right?
This car looks like a ‘2-Door Sedan’ and not the more desirable ‘2-Door Sport Coupe.’ All 1964 Novas came equipped with 5 lug wheels.
The image of the engine on eBay appears to show patina damage near the shock mount.
I vote this is a 194 or a 230 six, not a 235. 1962 was the last year for the latter, plus most of them were blue.
She looks like a surprisingly solid little Nova. The possibilities are endless, cool car.
It was back in the late 70’s but I came across a chevy powerglide that supposedly came out of a nova. There were large holes in the bell housing that i assume were for cooling as it had no cooler lines or holes for them to go into, but that was a long time ago and never saw one again
Not one side picture to show its actually a 2 door coupe. Every picture could be hiding that it’s a four door. Do better picture taking for ten grand.
Go to the link to the e bay website and there are five pictures that show it as a 2 door.
I’ve owned 5 of these (back in the olden days), all 2 doors except 1 factory V8 wagon. They are what they were designed to be: great little commuter cars UNTIL you drove one with a V8, then they were something else altogether. My first one,circa 1966, a red ’62 hardtop, had the 194 six,3 speed until Dad and I put in a 283. Then 2 years later swapped that out for a 327. Great street fighter that embarrassed a lot of kids in their factory muscle cars that Grandma bought for them. :-) Terry J
Chevy II vs Corvair. Which is more popular today?
No contest, not even close. Chevy 2s are a hot item and command top prices for a good one. Corvairs are pretty specialized in the marketplace and but for the dyed in the wool Corvair buff, they don’t spark the same kind of interest or prices. No offense to air cooled fans. :-) Terry J
Well, in my case I guess love is blind. (the Corvair must be less popular because you can’t easily drop a giant V8 in it.)
I preffered my 1962 Chevy 2 to my 1960 Corvair, both 4 door cars, as a daily driver but the Corvair got a lot more attention at car shows than the Chevy did. Horses for courses is my motto.
I ironically I bought a 1965 just about like this one last Friday Feb 12 2021. It is in White primer. Has been converted to a 350 with a 3 speed Saginaw behind it. New upholstery. Nice little car.
You’re correct Tim, That would be an air cooled trans.
What were they thinking to do that considering the amount of heat a trans generates.
I certainly agree with Paul R. the 194 was a good engine. If you think about it the “big three” and American Motors all made good in-line 6 cylinder engines. They were economical, provided ample power, were very dependable and they were easy to work. I miss the in-line sixes.
My first car. Same color, 6 with a three on the tree. Paid 20 bucks for it because it had a rod knock. Found a 283 4 bbl from a wrecked 62 wagon, put shackles and some 70’s on the back, flex tube exhaust with glass packs and I was a hot rodder
Sweet little car, great bones for a V-8/manual swap, but 10K reserve is way too high. $5k would be a decent price and when it goes unsold at the reserve, it’ll be relisted with a saner price.
Another boring “I had one of these” Stories. Bought a ’62 wagon from a guy I worked with. He wanted a Metropolitan, had original air cooled PG and a worn out 283 in it. Swapped that out for a 283 punched to 292, Isky cam, Edelbrock and a Holley. This was 1969 and I was 19. Oh ya. Z28 heads with 2.02 intakes. Got rid of the PG installed an M21. Left 13″ 4 lug wheels on. What a great sleeper it was.
I had many ’62-’67 Nova’s in the early 80’s before they were a hot commodity like they are today. Only one of them had a V8, I bought a ’64 with a 283 that I bought very cheap since the owner thought the transmission was bad. After I fixed it by adding two quarts of trans fluid I couldn’t wait to see how a V8 performed but I was very unimpressed. My ’67 with a 250 felt snappier especially after I installed headers and a tiny 4bbl.
I had a 63 NovaSS when I was in HS, nice car,but gutless. The 194 was the biggest option in 63. They put the 283 in the 63’s and beyond. It was easyto work on, but had low power for the highway. I now have a Nova 63 convertible restomod. I put an LS3 connect and cruise, Heidt front clip with coilovers,tubular control arms and rack pinion steering. A 9″ rear end posi with 4 link coilover suspension. It is not the same car I had in HS. 450HP in a car that size is a little on the edge. I go around corners like a go kart and can fly on the highway. I can dust just about every car I want off the line, but don’t, but I don’t mess with those Tesla Model S, who would have guessed.
10k is a little on the high side but the seller can always come down a bit. Paint it and refresh under the hood with elbow grease and paint and leave the motor where it sits and take it cruising.
I agree on the price. It’s a $5000. car. Maybe.
A couple of writers above spoke of doggy 283s. Odd. I had some hot ones and knew of others. A 4 barrel carb and dual exhausts resulted in 220 hp , no slouch at all. I even had a factory 283 powered ’65 Studebaker Daytona that was a quick car. You could do lots to them also. A 327 crank resulted in a longer stroke and 307 cubic inches, not to be confused with the later smoggy 307. The cylinder walls were thick and could usually take even a .120 overbore resulting in 301 cubes. In a Chevy 2 the sbc had a front sump pan, and stock 283s had a special threaded boss cast into the block at the rear driver side for the clutch linkage bell crank if it came with a stick tranny. :-) Terry J .
That was the one big problem with my RHD Chevy 2. The special threaded boss on the RH side broke off, a replacement bell housing was not available, and although I had it repaired a couple of times it just became too much as every time I drove it I was waiting for the boss to break off again, so I sold it to a friend, who knew about the problem, but it broke on him a couple of times before he sold it on. Great car for all that.
Had a 62 that I put the v8 in and found the problem with the clutch lingage Made a plate that came off of the motor mount boss and bolted the ball to that. Worked out fine. Used the three speed from the six. This was about 72-73.. then saved up and got a used 70 olds cutlass SX with 455 Nice car
That’s my story too Robert. My Dad & I pulled the 194 from my ’62 , 3 speed Chevy 2 and put in a 283. Great set up. But not good enough for an 18 year old. A pal rolled his Corvette and I bought the 327 from him and in that went. Scary fast, but way too much. Broke Saginaw 3 speeds and 10 bolt differentials continually. When I ran it hard ( constantly) about every week or two I had to get the front end re- aligned. That screaming 327 just wanted out of there. Sure was fun to drive though. :-) Terry J
I have a 63 2 door post with the original 194 in it, i like to keep them original, that one looks just like my 63..
The 194 is a great little six and plenty lively in the Chevy II. I’ve got an all original 64 sedan like this only much nicer condition. I can’t even imagine what a V8 would be like in a car this light. The 194 has plenty of get up and go for me. Three on the tree is a novelty for some too.
I’m off a few years on the car here but the L79 327 Chevy II was a killer of a drag car. Like Bill Jenkins toy.
Considered a quicker ride than even the SS396 Novas that came a year or two later.
That’s what I’m looking at here, a potential storm trooper. I know it will happen to this old Chevy II…I think it’s great.
My 1st hot rod out of high school back in ’76.
Pulled the six and dropped in a 350, 4 speed. Off came the 13’s and on went 15″ slotted rims. Iridescent blue paint, Vega buckets, wrinkle black dash board.
Scary, terrible handling great looking little monster!
Wanna do it again – the Right way, with upgraded front suspension to start!
These cars are easy to work on clean it up give it a paint job have fun