Chevrolet Nova

Specifications

First registration

1969

Mileage

16'000 km

Fuel

Benzin

Transmission

Automat

Power

1007 PS

Location

Grosswangen

Videos

Gallery

Vehicle description

In 2004, the Nova was bought in Texas and imported to Switzerland. At that time, a 350 V8 was still installed, and the bodywork was completely ruined in places, according to the seller “absolutely no rust anywhere”. Where there was no rust, there was filler, and after a party held on the roof of the Nova, among other places, it was accordingly dented. Nevertheless, the Nova project was tackled. The car was disassembled, sandblasted, and completely rebuilt. And by completely rebuilt, we really mean 100% rebuilt. The car was reinforced all around, and the pedals were moved to the left, as the choice of engine fell on a huge V8, built by Bill Mitchell Hardcore Racing Products. The unit is called Merlin Limited Edition Hardcore 632 and with the number indicates the displacement of 632 cubic inches – 10.36 liters. Forged pistons, forged crankshaft, a compression of 10.4 to 1, 1050 carburetor, torque values in the four-digit range, and almost 800 PS are some keywords that describe the engine quite well and are completely sufficient for the normal insane. Fortunately, this does not apply to the builder of this street-legal monster. The engine was further refined, and the car participated in several meetings and races, winning some of them. Depending on the race, the engine was optionally equipped with a 2-speed Powerglide transmission or with the currently installed 4L80E 4-speed transmission, as well as with different rear axles in the ratios 3.75 and 4.10. Currently and for the street, a Ford 9-inch rear axle with a ratio of 3.25 is installed, which harmonizes very well with the electronically adjustable 4-speed transmission. Since the first 632 said goodbye to V8 heaven in drag racing, a second 632, fresh from hell, is now in the Nova, currently carefully tuned to reliably send 1007 PS through the transmission to the thick rear axle. This, in turn, transmits power and torque to the monstrous 345 tires, which try to convert as much of it as possible into forward motion. The four-digit horsepower number was measured typically American directly at the engine, i.e., without all power-reducing attachments. To make enough space for the monster slippers, the frame was tapered inwards at the rear. Otherwise, fender flares would have massively disfigured the beautiful car. Light plexiglass windows and various plastic parts, as well as light bucket seats, ensure a weight acceptable on the track. The design of the Super-Nova was also important to the builder. Accordingly, the position lights were removed, and the chrome parts were painted in body color. In addition, there were chic, three-piece FIKSE wheels (4 rims for the rear axle) for the street and two different bonnets, both painted black but each with different air intakes. All accessories, consisting of several sets of street and racing wheels (Drag Racing), various exhaust systems, and countless other small materials and documents, already fill a small garage themselves and are, of course, included with the car. The documents and invoices comprise two decently filled federal folders, and the expert reports also strain the folder for the MFK to the utmost. A listing of all modifications and installed parts would unfortunately go beyond the scope of the text here. The car was first inspected in 2006 and every two years since then. The hell machine is also sold fresh from MFK. Details: - 16'000 km - 1st Inv. 01.01.1969 - MFK 17.06.2020 - 10'356 ccm V8-Motor - 1007 HP, estimated 800 when installed - Type certificate X - Master number 401.202.500 - Chassis 113 279 W37 193 4 - Unladen weight 1'400 kg Model history: The Chevrolet Nova, originally known as Chevy II, had a successful and influential career in Chevrolet's history, going through six generations before retiring. The Nova met consumer demand and proved to be a popular car for decades. An urban myth claimed that the Nova did not sell well in Spanish-speaking countries because of its name (Nova resembles the Spanish phrase "no va," which literally translates to "does not go") - a legend that proved to be false. On the whole, the Nova was a staple of the Chevy lineup, offering drivers everywhere a reliable compact car option. THE BEGINNINGS OF THE CHEVY NOVA At that time, Chevrolet was falling behind and needed a small, functional vehicle to compete with the compact cars of the time, such as the highly successful Ford Falcon. The Chevy Corvair did not have the success Chevrolet had hoped for, and so the Nova was an attempt to create something lasting and reliable. FIRST GENERATION - 1962-1965 The first Nova simply rolled off the assembly line under the name Chevy II - a simple name for a simple car. Smaller than most Chevy vehicles, but larger than the Corvair, the new Chevy II was available as a four-door sedan, convertible, station wagon, or two-door coupe. The Chevy II Nova 400 was the sportiest variant with a 120 PS six-cylinder engine. The car offered a smooth ride in a sensible version that appealed to many people. In 1963, the Super Sport RPO Z03 package was introduced to the world, combined with the Chevy II Nova 400. This package placed more emphasis on design than on performance. The new trim, the additional bucket seats, the new gadgets, and the improved steering wheel visually elevated the compact car into the realm of sportiness, but its performance lagged. In 1964, Chevrolet introduced a new 283 cubic inch V8 engine for the Nova, increasing power to 195 and later 220 PS. This increase in performance gave the Nova the label "Muscle Car" and allowed it to accelerate to 100 in 11.3 seconds. Despite the performance improvements and numerous options, Nova sales declined after the introduction of the brand-new Chevelle, Chevy's version of a performance-oriented muscle car. In 1965, Chevrolet brought the Nova's performance to 250 PS and 300 PS with the 327 V8. SECOND GENERATION - 1966-1967 Of all generations of the Chevy Nova, the 1966 to 1967 era is arguably the shortest, but it also produced a new and faster vehicle. The second generation differed little visually from the first, apart from minor equipment features, sheet metal adjustments, and performance increases. A new 327 made the Nova a 350 PS vehicle. THIRD GENERATION - 1968-1972 In the third generation, which began in 1968, the Chevy II Nova was completely redesigned. The Nova now closely resembled the Chevelle thanks to semi-fastback styling and a 111-inch wheelbase. The Nova SS, standard with a 350 V8, was very similar to the Camaro and also delivered similar performance on the road. The L34 and L78 models further highlighted the Nova as a true muscle car, with the L78 producing a whopping 375 PS. These two models were relatively rare and were produced and sold only in small numbers. The most powerful model of this generation was the Yenko Nova. It featured a 427 V8 and 425 PS. The Yenko Nova was and is extremely rare, with fewer than 40 units produced. 1969 - THE NOVA IS BORN In 1969, the Chevy Nova replaced the Chevy II as the sole name for Chevrolet's esteemed compact car. From then on, only the name Chevy Nova was used, sometimes appearing simply as "Nova" in brochures and magazines. In the following years, mainly the engines were changed without improving performance, which led to a slight decline in Nova sales. After the performance increases at the beginning of the second generation, the horsepower gains gradually diminished. The Clean Air Act of 1970 also targeted performance-oriented cars, prompting Chevy to throttle its gas-guzzling, roaring engines. The automaker discontinued its more powerful models and began to develop a new strategy for the fourth generation of the Chevy Nova.