chevrolet-nova

The "Spirit of America" Nova was introduced in 1974 in anticipation of the US bicentennial in 1976. They were painted white and featured blue and red accent stripes as well as red and blue interior carpets and fabrics.

The 1972 Nova received only minor trim changes. The Rally option with special suspension returned and was a rather popular choice with 33,319 sold. Super Sport equipment went on 12,309 coupes, some of which also had the Rally package.

1970 was the final year the 396 could be optioned in. The 350ci/300hp would become the top performance option, with only a handful of 396 Novas being produced in 1970.

The SS option was still available, but it was just a dress-up package with a blacked out grille and Rally wheels. It could be ordered with any engine. 35,542 SS packages were installed.

The most exciting news for Nova fans and performance seekers was the very limited Yenko Nova 427. These were Yenko dealer installed cars featuring a 427ci/450hp engine. They were built in both 1968 and 1969. Only 37 were built in 1969.

The Nova Super Sport was transformed from a trim option to a performance package for 1968. It could be had with a 295 hp 350ci up to a 375 hp 396ci. Along with the heavier engines came heavy-duty suspension and "rock crusher" transmission.

The 1966 Nova introduced the second-generation with a sharp-edged restyle based in part on the Super Nova concept car. To sum it up, dimensions were squared up a bit, but features changed little.

It did receive several safety-oriented upgrades like an energy-absorbing steering column and safety steering wheel, along with soft interior parts like armrests and sun visors, recessed instrument panel knobs, and front shoulder belt anchors.

The SS came as a sport coupe only, and its production dipped to just 9,100 cars. The Super Sports had a new brushed-chrome console with floor-mounted 4-speed manual, or Powerglide auto. Three-speed manual was "three on the tree."

The 1964 Nova changed very little. The most exciting addition, however, was the factory V8 option. The new optional V8 was a 195 hp 283ci V8 and max output from factory was rated at 220 hp.

The 1962 Chevy II was introduced to be a rival of the Ford Falcon. It was sporty, simple, and conventional. The Chevy II came in three series and five body styles: 100, 300, and Nova 400 series.