The 1970s Ventura II was Pontiac’s version of the Chevy Nova with a different front-end clip and taillights. The “II” designation was used because the Ventura name had previously been applied to a full-size Pontiac. This ’72 edition is unique in that it carries a Z28 driveline from a 1996 Camaro and is a great runner, but not quite a show piece. If you’ve been looking for a Nova from the 1968-74 generation, this Pontiac could be an interesting twist. Located in Mineral, Virginia, the bidding is already up to $5,801 here on eBay, but the reserve is still open.
Pontiac hadn’t had a compact in its line-up since the Tempest was promoted to intermediate status in the mid-1960s. Cloning the Chevy Nova was a logical and inexpensive way to roll out a new car for customers to consider. There were a few physical differences, such as the grille, and the Ventura would be treated to a few more amenities than the Nova. You could get a 250 line-six under the hood or a couple of V8s, the 307 and 350. 50,000 buyers would flock to the Ventura II in 1972, the second year of the “new” car, which the seller’s automobile represents.
Perhaps a previous owner of this 1972 Ventura yearned to have the one-year-wonder that would be the 1974 Ventura-based GTO but couldn’t find one. In 2009, whatever motor that was in the car to begin with was replaced by a 5.7-liter, 350 cubic inch, fuel-injected, Z28 LT1 which would produce between 275-350 horsepower, a big improvement over what would have been in the GTO/Ventura. It wears the “shaker” hood and scoop that the GTO had. The 6-speed transmission came from the same donor the motor did and the car was properly rewired in support of its newer hardware.
We’re told the Ventura has been driven regularly, but we don’t know how many miles have added up. Besides the engine/tranny, the Pontiac has a big 10-bolt rear end with 3.7 posi-traction. More recently, it received all new brakes and some suspension upgrades including load-leveling shock absorbers on the rear. About the only thing in the mechanical department that still needs help is the non-working speed-o-meter.
The interior has been redone with the inclusion of a Z28 console to help further confuse the car as to whether it’s a Pontiac or a Chevy. The headliner still needs attention as it sags a bit, so tightening or replacing it will be in order. The car was treated to a “backyard” paint job about eight years ago, which is fine at 20 feet but not of show quality. At the same time, some rust repairs were made in the rear quarter panels and floor pans, but the metal in the trunk is original and in good shape.
If you’re interested in speed, this car really hauls. The seller says it has been clocked at 13.42 in the quarter mile. But that was with drag radials that they will come with the car. The seller goes as far as saying this Pontiac is easy on gas, but I guess that depends on what your expectations are. This auto could be a great addition to Cars & Coffee, but some work with the paint would really seal the deal. If this were a stock Ventura, it could be worth as much as $20,000 according to Hagerty. But since its essentially a one-off, would it be worth more money or less?
Less.
But cool car nonetheless.
Very cool and it is what i would do given the same circumstances, I would like to see how the shaker and “air cleaner” are attached to the engine.
Given the “backyard” creation, it’s a cool car, and I’m sure it’d be a ton of fun, but not worth anywhere near what a stock Ventura might go for.
1996-z28 had that large of hp engines?
No LT1 Z28’s were more than 285 but 100 1997 SS SLP cars came with the 330 hp LT4.
I like the looks of this, and if it is everything the owner says it is, a quality paint job would really improve it! GLWTA!! :-)
The Ventura looked like the Nova it was built on , but sheet metal wise , only the doors ,trunk and rear bumper were the same . Even the quarters were slightly different – found that out the hard way !
This is a really cool solid looking car ;I would have gone with a Pontiac engine , but that just my preference.
I’m fascinated by this clique of “illegitimate” Novas. A friend’s grandma drove a ’73 or ’74 Buick Apollo, and there was a green Oldsmobile Omega among my high school teachers’ cars. At the time, it seemed like a lazy way of branding without offering substantive differences between makes. But with Novas well represented among collectors, I love seeing these oddballs in the mix.
The 1996 Z28 made 285HP and did the 1/4 in 14.2
And the Z28s weighed 3,466 to 3,593 lbs – about 500 more than a ’72 Noventomega. A little more power than stock, with the right gears, and that quarter-mile time sounds believable.
Some of these cars, I don’t mind the non-originality of some. Just as long as not done to a numbers matching one as the canvas. I love the look of the ’70 Chevelle SS. What I don’t care for is the tail lights. If I had a non numbers match, I’d rid the rear bumper for a ’71-’72 style better. I’d put in a pair of more comfortable buckets too, nothing more modern dated looking but a pair looking like this Ventura’s are nice. If you ride, you know what I mean as we do the same on the HD’s to personalize them.
NOVA:
Omega
Ventura
Apollo
All basically the same cars. Different trim levels
That shaker is for show only – would be a little useful in this setup if it was bolted to the hood & the air cleaner was discarded. Otherwise motor is getting hot underhood air.
Better yet would have been some kind of formula hood with front scoops.
& a hood tach.
On my ’75 Formula 400, I cut open my 2 scoops & connected flex hosing direct to a dual snorkel. Worked very nice. Then a year later before the repaint, cut the hole thru & found a ’75 T/A shaker I put thru the Formula hood. Opened that scoop up too & took the flex hose off & just let the duals cool the eng. It needed it as had a factory set of Ram Air IV heads I acquired a few yrs before I bought the Formula for a ’69 Bird project I sold. Had some work done on those heads polished inside, Edelbrock torquer mani w/ a 780 dbl pumper, 10:5-1 TRWs, Hookers, was one of the fastest of over a dozen pre ’75 muscle cars I had, traded for the ’70 Vette conv.
I wonder about the hood scoop too, but I’d like to drive it.
I like it. Fuel injection and a 6 speed, what’s not to like. Not sure how I feel about the JB welded fake shaker ram air contraption though. I would probably sell it at a swap meet and put the stock hood back on.
I had a 74 GTO that I put a 71 455 in.
It had the functional shaker, when I kicked the Quadrajet wide open it sounded like a dragster echoing out of there. Fun car
Its the right idea in many ways for a full on driver, even weekend fun car. Its unleaded friendly With good performance along with an overdrive manual tranny. Not overly pretty just functional so slight dings or chips won’t cause for alarm.
It might not be worth as much as a total stock Ventura II money wise, just a lot more fun to drive. Drive.
Interesting choice of words that gave me a chuckle. Those old enough will remember when everybody used to say “it has a Corvette engine.” Really, that meant nothing, considering the L48 Corvette engine back then was pretty much the same as the standard LM1 350 offered in almost every Chevrolet product.
I probably would have called this an LT1 swap. But regardless, if it was done right, this should generate some serious power.