1974 Chevrolet Nova

Description

Popular cars are popular for a reason, and tried-and-true classics like this 1974 Chevrolet Nova remain perennial best-sellers here at Streetside Classics. Why? How about a combination of butch good looks, a rumbling 350 V8 under the hood, great options, and a spacious, useful interior that still looks great today? This one, with its super-cool paint job and impressive performance should also answer any other questions you may have.

The square-jawed 3rd and 4th generation Novas really looked good, even after performance started to wane (not that it's a problem here, but we'll have more on that in a moment) in the early '70s. With chiseled contours that make it look like it was carved from a block of granite, this Dark Green Metallic Nova obviously doesn't put up with pretenders on the street. Painted-on Silver stripes turn the otherwise subdued color into an extroverted beacon out on the streets - daring others to give it a run, but the smart ones know that light curb weight and a thirst V8 mean that it'll be a handful no matter what they're driving. Although it was finished a few years ago, this two-door sedan still looks a great driver today, which is a tribute to the workmanship and care it's received since the first day it was finished. Straight sheetmetal and good panel gaps mean that they took their time painting this old bruiser, and the deep, lustrous paint has been properly maintained to retain its gloss, especially important on cars with bright accent stripes. They left enough factory chrome in place to make it sparkle, lead by the beefy bumpers at the end caps, and they resisted the primal urge to add an obnoxious cowl hood or dated decals/pinstripes/airbrush work on the body – a plague most Nova builders succumb to during restorations. Instead, it's got plenty of attitude and is still stock-looking enough to not betray its original spirit. This Nova's like a road map of how to do it right.

Black is always the #1 color of choice for the interior of a muscle car, and at first glance everything looks 100% stock inside the doors of this Nova. A bench seat was standard equipment and it works well here, adding to the no-frills performance vibe of the entire car. The original steering wheel is tightly wrapped with a perforated leather skin that feel great in the hands of the driver, and it's joined on the original column by a shifter that manages the TH350 3-speed automatic transmission below. Ahead of them is the original instrument panel filled with factory gauges, and the black dash pad is remarkably free of stress cracks and discoloration. Black door panels match the bench seats, plush carpets on the floor insulate the cabin, and there's a taut replacement headliner up top. There are some minor signs of age inside, but for the most part the cabin shows very well and is certainly a comfortable place to be. A Kenwood AM/FM/Cassette stereo in the center of the dash is the lone break away from originality, powering speakers on the rear package shelf, and factory A/C is all there, although it needs a system recharge before it will blow cold again. Despite its moderate size, the Nova also offers a spacious trunk with no signs of the dreaded tin worm underneath.

V8 power in a lightweight package makes for impressive performance, and the believed original 350 cubic inch Chevy motor under the hood really delivers. With a Carter 2-barrel carburetor and Edelbrock intake manifold, a chrome Edelbrock air cleaner, and a great soundtrack from the H-pipe Flowmaster dual exhaust system below, this Nova certainly walks and talks like a true muscle car. Thanks to great service and maintenance through the years, the motor has all the virtues you'd expect of Chevy's famous small block and none of the vices. It's plenty punchy around town, and the TH350 3-speed automatic transmission below is a smooth-shifter that easily handles all the power, spinning a 10-bolt rear end out back that's designed to last forever. The chassis is impressively solid if not overly clean, more proof of an easy life spent in warm Texas, and color-matched steel wheels adorned with bright beauty rings and turbine-style center caps are wrapped in 215/75/15 Hankook radials with plenty of grip.

Offered with its original bill of sale, owner's manuals, and Protect-O-Plate, this is a really solid muscle car for the money. Fast, inexpensive fun was always the Nova's promise, and this one still delivers more than 45 years later. Wondering why these are so popular? Come on down and we'll show you. Call now!