Solid Project: 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS
While it might have some heavy surface corrosion visible in a number of places, this 1970 Nova SS appears to be short of any significant rust issues. It would make a great father/son or father/daughter project where the end result would be an attractive and relatively potent classic. Located in Germantown, Tennessee, you will find the Nova listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding on the Nova has reached $5,300, but the reserve hasn’t been met. If you’d really like to take on the Nova but want to avoid the fun and games that come with auction bidding, there is a BIN option, and this has been set at $8,500.
The Gobi Beige paint on the Nova has certainly seen better days, while the Black vinyl top has been removed at some point. It is a bit hard to tell whether there might be a couple of spots of rust visible around the rear window, or whether what can be seen there are a few remnants of the original vinyl. There are a few spots of rust visible in the lower edges of the deck-lid, but the rest of the vehicle’s exterior looks to be really solid. The trunk pan might have a few very small holes, but if what can be seen are holes rather than just some sort of dirt or gunk, then they really are quite minor. The floors have a very heavy coating of surface corrosion, but I don’t think that there is any actual penetrating rust present. It is a bit hard to be sure from the supplied photos, but it does appear to be very promising. Some of the external trim and chrome will require restoration or replacement, but at least it does appear as though it is all present. The inclusion of a set of Rally wheels is a nice bonus, and it looks as though these are wearing relatively new tires.
The harsh reality when we look inside the Nova is that it is going to require a complete retrim. It appears as though all of the upholstered surfaces have deteriorated quite badly, so a trim kit is probably going to be a wise investment. One of these can generally be found for around $1,200, while a replacement dash pad will add another $260 to the bill. It also looks like the Nova will require seat foam and a few other miscellaneous minor parts, but the end result should be well worth the effort. The fact that it was optioned with bucket seats and a console is a nice touch, and while the console itself is now looking pretty tatty, I think that it could be restored okay. Certainly, most of the parts for it are readily available, so it would be interesting to see how what is there now would respond to a good clean first.
The Nova is a numbers-matching car, meaning that you get a 350ci V8, a 3-speed Hydramatic transmission, a 10-bolt rear end, power steering, and power front disc brakes. This combination endowed the vehicle with spritely performance, allowing the car to produce sub-16-second ¼ mile passes with ease. Unfortunately, the owner provides no information on the mechanical health of the Nova, so it isn’t clear whether the 350 even turns freely, let alone whether it runs. However, the owner does appear to be willing to supply a video of the vehicle to interested potential buyers, so hopefully, this will answer those sorts of questions.
This 1970 Nova SS is a car that would appear to have plenty of potential as a restoration project. If it is in reasonable mechanical health and is as physically solid as the photos would seem to indicate, then it could be a really rewarding vehicle to own. At the time of writing, there have been a mere three bids submitted on the car. However, with 114 people also watching the listing. I think that there is a pretty fair chance that the situation might heat-up pretty quickly.
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Comments
That motor would be worth putting some money into – much higher compression than a 350 from say ’75.
Or ’74 for that matter.
Looks good outside but….
inside tells the story.
Its toast
This car has potential, but needs a thorough up close inspection. This year Nova is incredibly easy to clone. Two sets of emblems and some swapmeet hood louvres and you can make that claim. The engine VIN and code need to be checked and an expensive 12 bolt rear end will need to be sourced. The bucket seats and console are nice to have but aren’t useful when it comes to verification purposes. If the rust isn’t bad and the numbers match and are correct for an SS this could prove to be a solid project for someone looking for a musclecar at a reasonable entry price.
Steve R
It’s not very often that we see a center console without the gauges.
The car is marked on the windows “FOR SALE” and clearly visible to a lot of people passing buy.
I didn’t think the price was off for todays market, but if it hasn’t sold locally there may be need for a better inspection, HMMMMM
Console i would imagine is fairly rare in novas.
For novas with buckets & no console, this console & shifter from a ’68-9 camaro might be an interestin upgrade …
http://cdn.dealeraccelerate.com/smc/5/553/45218/790×1024/w/1972-chevrolet-nova
I had Winston RWL tires on my first car, haven’t seen a set of those in 40 years.
I wonder how long it’s been since they made them.