1967 Chevrolet Nova

Description

Sorry Ford fans, but the first-generation Nova is everything Ford hoped the Falcon would be: stylish, fast, and most of all, cool. From the beginning, Chevy's compact was embraced for its combination of timeless styling and the ability to put big horsepower in a lightweight package, and this 1967 hardtop is a fantastic example of how the Nova got it right.

Restored and upgraded a few years ago, this one still looks awesome, and the sizzling paint looks awesome on the crisp Nova shape. Code R Bolero Red always looks right on '60s muscle, regardless of whether it's a Camaro or a Nova, and it happens to be this car's original color. On a Nova like this, it's like a threat because you can't paint a car this color and not back it up with some serious blasting powder under the hood. The crisply creased sheetmetal will never go out of style and there are no modifications to the bodywork, not even a cowl-induction hood, which I always appreciate. Instead the workmanship is very well done, letting the basic design speak for itself and in bright red, it's broadcasting loud and clear. And despite being about 10 years old, it still sparkles. All the trim was retained, too, and all of it has been plated, polished, or replaced to give this Nova a bright outlook indeed. Original "Super Sport" and "327" emblems were added, but who can blame a guy for advertising with a car like this?

With Bolero Red, the only smart choice is a black interior, which backs up the Nova's aggressive looks. Neatly upholstered buckets flank a beautiful center console with a shiny chrome shifter for the 4-speed manual gearbox underneath. Silver accents are reminiscent of the upgraded seats you'd see in a Camaro and the floor mats have matching silver monograms. The rear bench features factory-style upholstery, too, and it actually looks completely unused and like new. Base Novas didn't get a lot of gauges, so this one let the aftermarket come to the rescue in the form of a set of auxiliary gauges mounted under the dash, adjacent to the aftermarket A/C vents. There aren't many other deviations from stock, including a big, skinny steering wheel, factory AM radio, and handsome two-tone door panels. In back, the trunk offers a fresh coat of gray spatter paint for an ultra-clean look and includes a full-sized spare.

In the light, compact Nova, you don't need a massive chunk of cast iron to make for entertaining performance, and as a result, the 327 cubic inch Corvette-spec small block in this provides exhilarating acceleration while maintaining some pretty impressive street manners. It's topped by an Edelbrock intake and Holley 4-barrel carb, plus chrome valve covers and an open-element air cleaner for a little flash. It looks tidy, sitting there in the satin black background which gives it a highly detailed look. The 4-speed is new and feeds a 10-bolt rear end that's plenty tough enough for this lightweight cruiser. A recent dual exhaust system sounds great and the highly detailed undercarriage still shows quite well despite being a decade old. And for a totally traditional high-performance look, it has been fitted with factory Rally wheels wearing 215/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A radials.

So go ahead and drool; this ultra-clean Nova proves that good things definitely come in small packages. Call today!