Stored 43 Years: 1963 Chevrolet Nova SS
Though it sold well enough, the Corvair was a rather unorthodox compact car. So in 1962, Chevrolet added the Chevy II, which had its water-cooled engine in the front like every other GM automobile. The Super Sport edition would arrive in 1963 – like the one pictured here. It was a big seller, available only as a hardtop and convertible – more than 42,000 copies in the first year. This ’63 SS has been in storage since 1981, and the body and interior are pretty good, considering the downtime. Located in Urbandale, Iowa, this smaller Chevy is available here on eBay, where the opening bid of $7,500 has yet to be cast – and there’s still a reserve to be met.
The Chevy II’s second year saw the addition of the Super Sport option. The 1963 models were the car’s best-selling year until 1974 (during the OPEC oil embargo). Like its big brother, the Impala, the SS could be equipped with any engine Chevy offered in the series, but that was limited to an inline-6 until 1964 when a V8 finally came along. More than 372,000 Chevy IIs were built in 1963, and 11% of them were Nova SS editions.
As the story goes, this Nova has been in the same family since it was new. But for whatever reason, it’s been in storage and not driven for 43 years. That would explain why the driver’s side front wheel is stuck solid and must be moved around on rollers (or skates). The 194 cubic inch six-banger looks mighty lonely until the hood has plenty of room for something bigger. The SS has bucket seats, but the manual transmission is column-shifted (“3-on-the-tree”).
Other than some scrapes and scratches, the body and white paint look pretty decent. And the red interior is quite good as well, though the carpeting might need refreshing. The seller would prefer to restore it and keep the car, but space will be an issue (as is time). The car was listed for sale previously, but the buyer backed out. This looks like a solid Nova to work with, and if you can get the engine going again, it will be a more economical drive than a later SS 396.
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Comments
The SS on this car means Super Slow. I wouldn’t get near this car without a real good look at the underside. If it’s worth doing at all put a V8 in it to match
the name.
I can just imagine your reaction to an early impala ss with a strait 6 & a powerglide. lol
I’m not really a car aficionado, and I don’t really know what designates an ‘ss’ badge on any given vehicle that sports one, but I’ve always been under the impression that it meant the car had the bigger motor, more sporty transmission setup, and a varying list of other performance goodies. So I’m kinda surprised to see this little Nova ss with a straight 6 and 3 on the tree, as well as the Impala ss you mentioned with the same drivetrain. So I guess my assumptions have been incorrect all these years, and they did indeed produce ss model cars with low performance engines and clanky column shifters, neither of which are conducive to racing, performance enhancement, or any other dynamic you’d typically associate with the words ‘super sport’… I have a buddy who has a ’62 Impala ss, it’s a beautiful thing, with a fire-breathing 327 and a floor shifted 4 speed. Black on black with the little red stripe down the side, I took one of the scariest rides of my life in that car, getting air as we crossed a one lane bridge on a windy little 2-lane near the farm I grew up on, at roughly 120 mph… So I have learned something today! That’s a neat little car for sure, but if I bought it, the little 6 banger would have to go. But then again, I’ve seen some straight 6’s that had been tuned to the max, painted up and slathered with chrome bits that were fairly lethal, and the horsepower had been exponentially increased. Hmm, decisions decisions…
Yeah Joe, it was Super Sport before SS was cool !
Salesman : Why don’t ya be a sport and buy this car ?
Buyer: ok, i’ll take it like they made it.
(Bwaaahaha) !
Absolutely my mom had one. It was popular for a second car. We had a 61 impala v8 as the primary vehicle. It was good on gas parking lot friendly, kid hauler and errand running shopper.. as you know built proof 6cyl.
Oh yeah …gots the good stuff !
Lucky you didn’t roll it !
I blew the 6 cylinder then swapped a in a 283 with a 3/4 cam. It needed heavier springs up front to handle well, plus bigger brakes, wheels and tires.
I drove it for a while and then sold it.
The buyer totaled it a few months later.
6 cylinder 4 lug with a strange seat material recover along the way. I’d need some serious undercarriage photos and would like to know if it turns over at least. State by taking the maximum amount of quality photos and then write a detailed ad. You’ve got zero feedback so people already don’t trust you. Not a terrible ad but you could certainly do better.
My Dad had Chevy 2 ,3 sp, early 70s he put 292 6 in won many trophies at 1/8 mile drags.
292 in a Chevy II , sounds like fun and a sleeper two. 292s are nothing to sneeze at. Good bit of potential but not a pretty engine.
The car is located on the outskirts of Des Moines Iowa, people will try and see it in person, I know I would. Then try and buy it on the spot if the seller is willing to end the auction early. The bidding should get interesting near the end. Early Nova SS’s are very desirable, even with a 6cyl and 3spd column shift. Unless the undercarriage has rusted away this will be a good project, a new front suspension, rear end and updated drivetrain are almost a given. I can’t see the purests willing to open their wallet wide enough to get a deal done.
Steve R
Yep….starting bid’s not going to get it…..
Sold for a high bid of $10,000.
Steve R
I know I will be crucified for this but this car REALLY needs a small block with a 4 speed. I have an old Hurst straight shift 4 speed shifter that would be perfect for this car. Hardest part of building it like I would want it would be talking my brothers landlord out of the Mickey Thompson built 327 he has. Apparently only 4 of them were built and he found one. Would be cool.
Wow these early Nova’s are getting harder to find. I own a 1963 Nova SS convertible has the power top and power assist steering option, could get it with manual top and manual steering,with factory 4 speed. Whomever ordered mine new got the good stuff lol. Good to see this one and with Colorado tags because that’s where I’m from. Saved my lil Nova from going to the scrap yard and in past 6 years learning history of the first edition Chevy2s . Great write up keep them coming. This is a good price for a complete SS .
I had a 63SS convertible also. Always thought about pulling the 6 but being the 1st year for the SS and the only year for a SS convertible I left it alone. Wish I still had it it was either the car or the wife and I got rid of the wrong one!
It is a Nova SS so that makes it desirable. Need to see more pics but if solid then this is a keeper.
Just looking at the engine bay, there’s a reason there’s no under side pics. 2,500 starting bid would be more reasonable. Max payout maybe 5-8k.
If the underside looks anything like the battery tray it’s a parts car.
This is a neat little car. It would make a nice every day driver IMO, and I would leave it exactly like it is. The body looks to be almost rust free and if the frame and underneath is as solid as the body looks to be it just needs to be serviced and put back on the road. Serviced in this case means brakes, tires, and fuel system at a minimum..
Would this Chevy Nova SS accept a Corvair engine? It seems not, as room inside hood looks not wide enough, Flat-Six Air Cooled Corvair engine is 95 cm wide.
Price at $7’500 seems too high for a car not relevant and not in extremely good condition. Gesund +
Not sure why a Corvair option would be desirable. Still slow. Most drop little V8’s in them and build to about 300HP. These little cars are popular amongst the hot rod crowd as they are good looking and light. 300HP in this and it is a fun ride.
Why would you even think of doing that???? 327 is a perfect fit under that hood
While I love Corvairs, sure, you conceivably could, with some creative engineering (and after converting the engine to reverse rotation) install a Corvair engine. It would certainly be unique… but other than that it’s not much of a power upgrade.
I am a twin and my Dad bought my brother and me the same car (in SS trim) in light aqua to share. We were 16, driving about 2 months, one night we were out with some friends, 5 boys in the car and he was driving on a gravel road swirling the wheel back and forth, well, we ended up on our side in a ditch, the windshield and rear glass just popped out and we all crawled out. Luckily nobody was hurt. The car was wasted. My Dad came to the conclusion a ball joint broke, I wonder why? We pulled the engine and put it in a (given up for dead) ’63 wagon. We learned a lot from both of these experiences.
I posted yesterday I saw a Nova conv.in the retirement community, it’s at Allen’s in Sun City West.
I had a Nova SS convertible when I was much younger. Shoved a .060 over 11 to1 283 with three duces and 1.94 heads in it, 3.70 gears and 4 speed. fastest car I ever had, until I tried to straighten out a corner at 100. Surprisingly it didn’t roll but the drop off the road sent the shock towers thru the hood, really made a mess out of that one. But it was fun while it lasted. Would of fixed it, out a new stub and hood on it, but the bottom was very rusty the reinforcing tubes behind the rockers had big holes in them. So I scrapped it.
Surprisingly the 4 bolt rear end in these used the same pumpkin as the full size 55-64 Chevys
It looks like the left front wheel isn’t the only thing on this car that’s stuck. The body looks mostly solid. With the probable engine rebuild you’ll need to spend $7500 just to get this presentable, so I hope the seller lowers the reserve just to get rid of this thing.
Believe it or not, the motor mounts will accept a 283. I know because I used to own a chev 2 and the six that it came with had a rod knock. I found a cheap 283 and simply switched engines. It worked so well that I drove the sucker out to Indy and back w no problems. If fact I almost got a speeding ticket in Indiana, after telling the officer where I was headed, to the (500 race) he let me go and said leave the racing on the track, not the highway!! P.S. I used the same power glide transmission!!
Already over $9k with 3+ days left. People are crazy 🤣. Way more than it’s worth to me.
Just my opinion, it maybe a SS but with that engine and a 3 on the tree I would be a hard pass, its more like a slug.
If you was able to adapt that corvair motor you would have one forward gear and 3 reverse…
Had a 63 Nova wagon. Wish I’d never sold it.
I’d like it completely stock and in like new condition. Then I’d build a small block 327 to swap in and out now and then and enjoy the best of both worlds .she would be my other baby my wife is first.
I swapped in a 283 from an Impala
w /Powerglide. I did rings and rod bearings & installed a race cam/lifters. It came out of a school teachers junked Impala. Got lucky at the wrecking yard bought it for $55 circa 1973. It should have had pop up pistions and a 4 barrel/ headers but I never got it there.
It was peppy but it didn’t handle well. Needed stiffer springs up front, bigger wheels and brakes. I had to.modify the distributor drive and use a 66 SS Nova 327 oil pan. Had to change the tranny odometer gear and frankinstein the drive shaft.
I originally bought the car with a 6 cyl automatic. High gear was out on the transmission. I figured i would just do a tranny change. While driving home slow in low, all was going well untill half way up a steep hill, the 6 cyl. threw a rod. I loved the design of this compact car and this hardtop was robins egg blue with blue interior.
I know very little about these cars. I have a 63 hardtop, non SS. It came to me from the original owner that bought when it was a 6 month old demonstrator. My car is the 6 with a glide. The car has the multi leaf sprung rear with the pumpkin type carrier. The car has factory ac, power steering. The dash pad is toast. There is a tachometer in the dash that resembles the one in my 64 Impala less housing. The car has bumper guards, tissue box and the headlight dimmer but never had a radio and has the chrome dash delete. I’m guessing from what I have seen is the SS was simply a trim option with the split or bucket seats. They are fun to drive and the power was fine except when you kicked the ac on, you noticed the drop but on the highway it was great. Interest must have changed as I never met anyone over the years that thought these were good for nothing but drag cars. I was forced by the original owner to never do, or let that happen to his car. I promised I would not and in 30 years or so it still looks like the day he gave it to me.
Chevy never made an SS with 3on tree or a six bange.
Yes they did, at least through 1966, not certain of the 67. A base SS, either Impala or the Nova came with a 6 cylinder column shift 3 speed.
Isn’t the front suspension on this Nova very similar to the Falcon’s? & if so, are early Novas also missing grease fittings for the upper control arms & do they eventually make the same squeaks as the Fords?