Stroker Powered Project: 1972 Chevrolet Nova SS
In 1972, Chevrolet built about 12,300 copies of the Nova Super Sport which came with an L48 350 that had been detuned a bit to meet growing emissions control requirements. This 1972 Nova may or may not be a real-deal SS, but that original V8 is gone so the argument could be moot. Instead, it has a 383 Stroker that has been tweaked to produce more than 475 hp. But this is an unfinished project that leaves most of the remaining work to the application of paint. Located in Pennington, New Jersey, this Nova is available here on eBay where $15,200 has not yet cracked the reserve.
The seller is offering this Nova on behalf of a friend who may be the person who started the transformation of this Chevy but then had medical issues. The front half of the car looks to wear nice Gulf Green paint which could be original, while the back half is finished in grey primer. We’re told the car had a vinyl roof that was removed but the car has never had any rust. Since the trunk lid was replaced along with other things, perhaps there was some damage we don’t know about. But everything appears to be in good order now and may be ready for final touches (most of the chrome trim survives, too).
A boatload of mechanical changes have been bestowed upon this Nova (SS or not). Under the hood resides a new 383 Stroker with a 4-bolt main that may have 100 miles on it. Some of the brand names for parts used in the transformation are Headman. MSD, and Cal Tech (the latter pertains to the mini tub work in the rear). Fuel is now delivered from a fuel cell located in the center of the trunk where a new floor was required. The engine has an ample amount of bling applied, so when you open the hood, everything looks pretty hot. A new 700R4 transmission with a stall converter is also part of the mix.
As the story goes, the seller’s friend laid down 35 large to acquire the car and it was in the shop when he/she fell ill. Another $19,000 has been expended to get the vehicle to where you see it today. It had no driver’s seat, so the seller put in the front buckets you see now (and the rear seat will have to be adjusted for the tub). If you’re looking for a restomod that needs no mechanical work to speak of, would this Nova fill the bill?
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Comments
I thought all Novas this gen had staggered rear shocks – even those with 6 cylinders!
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/K1sAAOSwt1lk-OrE/s-l1600.jpg
Russ…The original owner didn’t pass away. But had a massive stroke.Unless you know something we don’t.He has his friend sell the car for him….. The Nova sounds like a wicked ride! This is the set up I like. Just bring into a good body shop and paint the back half and fix the other issues he wrote about. I would say the reserve is $25,000. I doubt the car will sell for over $30,000. Times are hard with the economy. Then again there is 5 days left in the auction. Good luck to the seller. And I hope his friend gets better. 🐻🇺🇸
Not sure if economy is tough. I have been on a fixed income for past 15 years and still have every penny in my 3 savings(401k + 2 annuities) from 2008. Plus I own 3 vehicles, 2019 Ram Classic, 2022 Hyundai Tuscan and my daily driver, 2005 PT Cruiser. All paid for along with my house.
My 1973 Nova had a horrible fit with the trunk. 307 engine, 26,000 original miles, one owner, garaged and all the stickers in the engine compartment looked brand spanking new when I sold it in 2004. Only rust were a few “bumps” under the vinyl top.
It had the best steering and the brakes would put you through the windshield.
I’m on a fixed income also MrD. All that my wife and I own is paid for. Taxes are low. But yes the economy is tuff now. I’m inflation is overwhelming. I had a red Nova back in the mid. 70’s
It wouldn’t take much to finish it, and the end result should be stunning! A much sought after car for reasonable money and not much work, the finished product should easily be worth far more than the money spent to buy and finish the car!
WHAT? It’s going to eat at least another 10k. These crazy prices are what a car is worth FINISHED. It might be worth 25k but to throw around 20k to start. Then finish up another 10k +. Sorry but it’s not worth it.
So he doesn’t know if it’s a true SS or not, but he didn’t post the VIN. 1972 was the only year of this style of Nova that told you if it was an SS or not. (should be a K as the fifth digit of the VIN)
Well, it may have the emblems, and the correct steering wheel….buuuut I’m pretty sure a 12 bolt belongs under there…which is the exact reason I passed on a 68 camaro”SS” one time. Not a complete clone
Pretty certain the last Nova to be factory equipped with a 12 bolt was a 1970. 71/72 used the 10 bolt rear. 12 bolts are stronger, of course, but a 10 bolt can be built to sustain some serious power. Good axles, good posi unit, weld the axle tubes to the carrier and add a rear cover with the bearing cap support. But this looks like a nice build with a few items to complete. The hard (and $$) work has been done.
Wonder if he has the original bucket seats because these aren’t going to match the back seat!
Assuming the original seats WERE bucket seats that is! The original seat could have been a bench seat, with a column shift, and been converted to bucket seats with a floor shifter. Back in the day, most of these were bottom feeder economy cars, “grocery getters”, driven by housewives and little old ladies, equipped with 250 I6’s, sometimes with a “three-on-the-tree”, but more often with an automatic transmission, as even back then, many drivers didn’t want to deal with the third pedal! To keep costs down, the optional bucket seats were NOT checked off on the order sheet. Often, the only other option was an AM radio, which was unceremoniously tossed into the trash and replaced with a Pioneer or Alpine aftermarket stereo and Jensen Coaxial speakers (6″x9″‘s in the rear deck and 4″ or 6″ in the front doors) when purchased as a $500 beater by some high school kid to be the second or third owner! I should know, because I WAS that high school kid, later college kid, who drove Mom’s 1972 Maverick to school when Mom upgraded her ride, and that was what WE did, LOL!
My friend used to drive his girlfriend in her parents Maverick. 6 banger, 3 on the tree and 50 mph, TOPS
Worst car I ever observed. He asked me to drive it. I did. ONCE. Never again. What a dog.
I don’t think those are Nova SS buckets & you can see it was a column shift originally.
Wouldn’t take a lot to make a nice cruiser though.
The only Nova I know of that came from the factory with an automatic shifter in the floor was a 1963 Chevy ll Nova SS.
$17,000 and appears the reserve is off. So looks like someone could get a heck of a deal on this one.
Good luck repainting the rear portion of this vehicle and getting the paint to match? It really doesn’t matter if it’s a “good” body shop or a an ametur painter. The paint really never matches correctly when a vehicle is painted at different intervals, or trying to repaint a section.
But, it would still look like the majority of the vehicles that I see listed for sale anymore. Some claiming to be original paint with hardly any mikes??
This Nova seems to be selling at a very fair price.
I would repaint the entire car when that time comes!
Just my oponion!
I agree. The good news is you shouldn’t have to take the color-painted section all the way back to primer by stripping the existing paint. Use an approved solvent to remove any wax or grease from the color painted section, and just rough up the surface before repainting the entire car in the color of your choice. You may want to repaint entirely in primer before applying the color to ensure a uniform final color, but that shouldn’t be a huge deal.
Back in 1996 I had the opportunity to purchase a 1972 Nova SS with the 250 net hp 350 and a 4 speed for $5000. Seller lived in my neighborhood and I knew he took excellent care of his Nova. It was white with a black vinyl top and black interior and had absolutely zero rust anywhere. Also had less than 50k miles. But I was a broke as a joke 21 year old working an underpaid construction job, so I had to pass. He ended up selling it to a good friend’s little brother who had just received a decent insurance payout from a car accident. Kid was only 17 years old when he bought it and then proceeded to run that poor Nova SS straight into the ground. Broke my car loving heart to see him tearing it apart with the way he drove, and the Pennsylvania winters weren’t very kind to boot. Just a tragedy, as far as I’m concerned.
When I think back to all the bada** cars for low prices I passed on throughout my life, back before the televised auction shows started giving folks the impression that their not rare, run into the ground muscle cars were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, I can’t help but feel a little depressed. I wish I could go back in time with the money I have now and start collecting all those cars and treating them like they should’ve been treated, which is as the treasures they are.
As do we all! Just think what we all could have done, buying a Dodge Daytona or Plymouth Superbird that would have languished on a dealer’s lot when they almost couldn’t give those cars away! The mind boggles!