New Box

Through the prime age of lead infused gasoline we still marketed cars meant to do little more than menial errand fulfilling while leaving the smallest cloud possible. These are the Falcons, the Darts, Valiant, and the Chevy II, otherwise known as the Nova.

Rolled out in 1962 as a frugal fuel consumer, the Chevy II closely competed with Ford's Falcon both in looks and sales. Merely a steel box with few, but durable cubic inches earned GM a ribbon for environmental consideration. Fortunately this lump received some throb because a new, power move was storming through.

Originally, the Super Sport badge tacked on trim and other options not necessarily related to drive train components. Simply put: an SS could have meant "Super Slow". In 1965, Chevy's little deuce optioned with Super Sport appointments did offer some serious heat. A hot 327 small block pushing 300 horsepower (code L74) made a SuperNova out of this compact offering. It was rare, 319 units, but this was a statement marked by Corvette-inspired performance in something else light and bothered

1968 marked a change. Parallel with the radical alterations taking place within the nation, the Chevy II, which debuted toward the end of American post-war optimism, needed to shift with this new war. Lengthened and only marginally shorter than the mid-sized Chevelle, the Chevy II badge looked to retire with force. A car once touted as a safe choice of a conscious generation now offered things like an M22 "Rock Crusher" four speed manual, a 375 horsepower 396 cubic inch "rat motor", and all the beef underneath to undertake so much more.

On the way down from top tier 396 power you could choose from assorted small blocks in the 327-350 cubic inch range for V8 strength and I6 choices were the bread . Accepting a muscle car's glorious retirement, the Chevy II became the "Nova by Chevrolet" from '69 on. Classic performance enthusiasts know few 1969 Novas went into Don Yenko's shop a gentleman and came out a reformed monster. Lethal as he claimed, such light bodies didn't mind a little flex.

A model born to timid duty evolved into the town brute right on schedule. For those who preach a car "act their size", think twice before chuckling the little II off because it was hungry enough to fight out of its weight class. In the days of fraying limits, GM produced an automobile that presented itself as a tailored gentleman only to open a fanged mouth, unleashing the power of a lion-fierce heart. Take on Nova; you'll see how hot the sun could be.