1969 Chevrolet Nova Restomod

Description

What's the one thing you do every day without a second thought? You get into your modern car, turn the key, and know that the engine will start instantly and get you where you're going. That's entirely the idea behind this cool 1969 Chevrolet Nova, which packs a modern fuel-injected LS motor for great performance but loses none of its muscle car heritage in the process. A daily driver muscle car, this Nova definitely delivers.

I suppose if you look closely, you'll see the side pipes and SS stripes and figure there's some serious blasting powder under the hood, but overall this Nova likes to keep a low profile. The handsome graphite metallic paint gives it a strong, no-nonsense look and the finish is quite good overall. Yes, there are a few signs of being driven, but with only 1500 miles or so on the build, they're quite minor. The original hood with its cool chrome inserts is a welcome sight and the car wears appropriate SS badging in its blacked-out grille. The emblems on the front fenders read '350' and that's not too far from the truth with the 5.3 liter engine under the hood, and it certainly keeps it looking stock. Nice chrome bumpers, plenty of polished stainless steel trim, and blue dot taillights really stand out from the anthracite paint.

From behind the wheel, you'd never know there's 21st century tech under the hood. The standard black buckets have been reupholstered using factory patterns and materials, there are new carpets on the floors, and nicely finished door panels add a bit of bright contrast to the otherwise monochromatic interior. Heck, this one even keeps the stock gauges without so much as a column-mounted tachometer and the Hurst shifter for the Muncie 4-speed is as industrial-strength as ever. The money was spent in all the right places, because it's a great place to spend some time and finish quality is excellent. You'll note there's a block-off plate for the radio, which adds to the industrial-strength vibe and the back seat is fully finished and in as-new condition. You'll also be pleased to see that the trunk is simple and uncluttered, additional evidence that this car was built for a purpose.

OK, the good stuff is under the hood, and the modern 5.3 LS1 V8 is a very neat fit in the early Nova's engine bay. It was installed and tuned to work just like an OEM setup and in that regard it has succeeded in a big way. There's a stand-alone wiring harness and custom air intake, but the rest is GM engineering, making this car not only fast, but reliable as well. It's estimated to put out about 300 horsepower and perhaps 320 pounds of torque, plenty to make the Nova feel very quick around town and with the lightweight aluminum components, handling is superb. The aforementioned 4-speed manual transmission drives a stock 10-bolt rear end with 3.55 gears inside on a Posi limited slip. The custom exhaust uses long-tube headers and Flowmaster mufflers for an awesome, buttery-smooth V8 sound and the sucker loves to rev. Clean floors, a new gas tank, power disc brakes, and just the right stance all set this Nova up for success. Factory Rally wheels complete the resto-mod vibe and wear 15-inch white letter radials.

We could almost call this a sleeper, but we think the term resto-mod works better, and if you've ever wanted an early muscle car that's as easy to drive as your usual ride, this is it. Call today!