1971 Chevrolet Nova Restomod

Description

Yep, you're seeing that right, there are not-so-subtle '502' badges on the front fenders of this 1971 Chevrolet Nova. Sure, GM played around with the big block in the Nova, but this one packs an advertised 680 horsepower, making it formidable as well as attractive.

But before we get to that big block engine, let's talk about how great it looks. The handsome burgundy paint sets of the clean lines of the second-generation Nova rather well, don't you think? Add in a cowl-induction hood and you get a car that looks like speed rendered in sheetmetal without being too obvious about it. No stripes, no wings, no spoilers, just a clean 2-door sedan that means business. Finish quality is impressive, with a great shine to the paint and decent gaps all around, and it's obvious at a glance that there's a lot of time and effort tied up in this build. Look at the clear reflections in the paint, the bright chrome trim, most of which has been restored, replaced, or polished, and the understated look is insanely appealing once you know what's going on under the hood. It's perhaps too pretty to be a sleeper, but man this is one heck of a potent car without the flash that usually goes along with it.

The interior is equally clean and low-key, with factory-style upholstery on bench seats. Of course, everything's new, so the carpets, door panels, and even the dash pad are in excellent condition, and they even kept the stock steering wheel for a true sleeper look at first glance. Looking closer you'll find a full set of Auto Meter gauges in the dash, a neat installation that replaces the original speedometer with a custom-made panel. And yes, you're seeing that correctly, this car has only 46 miles on the build, so it's fresh! There's no radio, no heater, nothing that gets in the way of going fast, and the B&M shifter on the transmission tunnel makes it easy to find the right gear in the heat of battle. Embroidered floor mats dress things up a bit and it's a sure bet that nobody's been in the back seat yet. Even the trunk is beautifully outfitted with a correct mat, spatter-finish paint, and a full-sized spare with jack.

The good stuff lies under the hood, where you'll find a 502 cubic inch V8. The braided stainless steel hoses make it look like it was built for the strip, but it's docile enough to work well on the street and it never gets cranky with a giant radiator up front. Some polished aluminum valve covers, Chevy Orange on the block, and satin black inner fenders give you plenty to look at when you pop the hood, and things like power steering make it easy to handle, even with that big chunk of cast iron up front. Power flows through a built TH350 3-speed automatic transmission to a heavy-duty 12-bolt rear end, which is suspended on new leaf springs with traction bars to help put it all down. Long-tube headers are ceramic-coated and feed a fantastic-sounding dual exhaust system, and the ultra-clean floors suggest that the quality workmanship is more than skin deep. 4-wheel disc brakes keep all this go power under control and they chose exactly the right rolling stock in factory Rallys with modern BFGoodrich Silvertown redline radials.

This is an extremely well-built car that's as fast as it is pretty. There's nothing else like big block power and this one is set up to use it most effectively. Call today!