On my way to my parents’ house this past Easter, I hit up the local Pep Boys to grab some parts for my ’77 Monza. On my way out, I spotted this restomodded ’70-’72 (?) Chevy Nova, and as is appropriate on a day set aside for celebrating The Resurrection, it only seemed fitting to celebrate resurrected classic rides as well.
Though the large front markers and centered backup lights peg it as a 70-72, so many of these cars have been wrecked, rebuilt, updated, or Frankensteined over the years that it’s almost impossible to tell their exact vintage without reading the VIN tag. But I digress.
Purists (including myself) will undoubtedly disagree with the owner’s upgrades, including the oversized rims and projector beam headlights. Quite often a classic car given the restomod treatment is like sushi or country music–you either love it or hate it. Although I’m not necessarily a huge fan of the “improvements” made on this car, I give the owner credit for its clean and straight presentation.
I tried to get some good shots of the interior, but the sun’s glare made it all but impossible. The inside is just as pimped-out as the outside, with custom silver leather upholstery, a custom full-length floor console complete with ’67-’69 Camaro console gauges, and bucket seats out of a late model F-body. The seats were apparently redone in their original pattern, and the rest of the interior–the back seat, interior side panels, and even the headliner–were all redone to match. The classic GM sweep-style speedometer and all the other gauge faces were refinished with black numbers over a silver face, similar to what you might see on a late ’70s or early ’80s Buick. Someone paid a pretty penny having all that done.
Next up is this 1962 Volvo P1800. As soon as this thing pulled up in the Pep Boys parking lot, the sparsely populated store emptied out. Everyone wanted to take a peek at it. The owner (the burly gentleman standing next to it) was momentarily taken aback by all the sudden attention, but happily opened it up for pictures and told us the story of how he acquired it.
When the current owner was growing up, this car was owned by an older neighbor who used it as daily transportation and took meticulous care of it. He rode in this car many times, always admired it, and looked forward to the day when he could either buy it or one just like it. Many years later, he got his chance. When the by-then elderly neighbor finally passed away, he purchased it from the his estate and has owned and loved it ever since.
I can’t remember what all the current owner has done to it, but from what he told me, it didn’t need all that much work.
I’m rather ashamed to admit that I don’t know anything about these cars as far as horsepower, displacement, etc. (Did you miss our recent P1800 CC?-Ed) But the engine compartment is as clean as the exterior. And it sounded quite healthy as he drove away.
Inside is just as sharp-looking as the outside. The dash is clean and functional, sporty yet practical. Why couldn’t Detroit machines from this period have a dash layout like this?
This car created quite a buzz in the Pep Boys parking lot. An attractive but rather rough-looking young woman who was apparently “working” approached him and said in a heavy ghetto twang “dayum… you gettin’ all the play today. You gettin’ all the play!” Yes indeed.
The final egg in our CC basket is this clean 1975 Ferrari 308 GTC/4. The GTC/4 is a rather odd branch off of the 308 family tree, what with its long wheelbase and 2+2 configuration. Many hardcore Ferraristi have shunned this car, treating it as the unwanted stepchild in a close-knit aristocratic family. Even as a youngster, I had heard about the apparent disdain that owners of other Ferraris have for this car, and I could never quite understand the reason why. It may not have the sheer sex appeal or perceived dollar value of more traditional Ferraris, but standing on its own, it posesses its own unique charm. At the end of the day, it’s still a Ferrari.
Much like the 400i and Mondial that came after it, the GTC/4’s lack of snob appeal could be a boon to a classic car shopper. If you can find one, it’s a relatively inexpensive way to join the cult of Ferrari. Plus, if you’re over six feet tall like I am, it may be the only game in Ferraritown.
My biggest gripe with this car is the rear end treatment. It just looks too dull, generic, and sedanlike, without the sporty flair of other Ferraris. Compared to the others, the rump styling on this one is rather a disappointment. It isn’t ugly, just dull. It’s as if Mr. Pininfarina took the day off and left a Lada stylist in charge. The rear end of a ’75 Toyota Celica has more personality than this one. A shame.
The classic Ferrari interior, with the equally classic long arm / short leg Italian driving position, with the trademark balky Ferrari shifter in view. This would probably be a fun road trip car, but I’m not sure how fun it would be to live with every day in city traffic. I still wouldn’t mind having or affording the opportunity to find out, though. 🙂
Finally, a view of the front. This GTC/4 shares its nose with just about every other mid-engined Ferrari from the mid 70s to late 80s, with only minor variations, including the federally mandated 5 MPH bumpers. While the U.S. spec front ends aren’t as clean or attractive as their European siblings, they’re also a lot cheaper and easier to fix after a mishap.
To those who are wondering, the owner is the guy with the long white hair wearing the black t-shirt. The other guy holding the drink and wearing the sunglasses is my good buddy whose daily driver CC ’69 Chevy C20 threw a mechanical temper tantrum, leaving him stranded at the house until I arrived. A few hours later he was back on the road again. The white Ford Super Duty pickup parked in the background is mine. 🙂
A few hours after those shots were taken, I was over at my mom and dad’s happily stuffing my face with honeybaked ham, garlic mashed potatoes, and chef salad. As my folks and I were saying our goodbyes, a mint ’63 Impala convertible cruised by. I didn’t have time to snap any pics though.
Related reading: Volvo P1800S CC 1969 Nova CC
Some days it just pays to hang out with a camera. Good finds.
The first time that I had been recognized a Nova as a cool cool car was coincidentally the Argentinian made Chevrolet Chevy displayed in the Auto Katalog’s W. German edition during the late ’70’s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK2GVJsngdU
…it’s a relatively inexpensive way to join the cult of Ferrari.
However, I bet it would cost just as much to *stay* in the cult of Ferrari.
That Ferrari does nothing for me and that vanity plate is beyond tacky and just maintaining that thing would cost as much as the car pretty damn quick.
Love the Nova (except the rims and the headlights, I prefer factory look or more low key myself) and the Volvo is sharp as hell.
Have to disagree with you on the 308 GT4. A fine example of wedge design spoiled only by the US bumpers. Its actually a Dino, although marque naming was confused when customers in the US demanded the preceding 206/246 be rebadged as a Ferrari. It suffers in comparison with its curvy forebear and the subsequent 308 GTB, but I’m one of its fans. Designed primarily by Gandini at Bertone, this was their first series production body for Ferrari (if you don’t include the Fiat Dino coupe featured recently).
I am impressed with the early P1800 with the little upward-bent bumperettes. Most of the ones I have seen in my life have been later models.
I am starting to like that generation of Nova. I used to give a big yawn when I saw one, but I must admit that the lines flow very nicely on the car. A very different direction from either the Duster or the Swinger/Scamp, but attractive.
I owned an ’84 QV Mondial, and I can attest that it was a fine car for the price. It still would be! Especially if you have kids – I have two sons who were both able to enjoy the car with me because of the back seat. And the maintenance costs are much more justifiable if you persuade yourself that you are a curator for an automotive work of art. 🙂
Drat. I meant the ’87. I blame creeping senility.
Chris,
Allow me to summarize some facts about that Volvo P1800.
1962 was the first full year that the model was available in the U.S. The first P1800s were assembled by Jensen of England, while the bodies were built by Pressed Steel Company in Scotland. Because these first-off-the-line P1800s were essentially hand-built vehicles, they had issues with build quality but the durability of the mechanical components could not be questioned.
This ’62 P1800 you photographed has the B18 “redblock” four-cylinder engine, which produces 100 hp at 5500 rpm and 108 ft-lbs. of torque at 4000 rpm. Fuel delivery is handled by dual SU HS-6 carburetors. The gearbox is Volvo’s bulletproof M40 4-speed manual.
Have you ever heard of Irv Gordon? He bought a P1800 brand-new in 1966. He still owns that car today and it is the highest-mileage car in the world, at well over 3 million miles (no I’m not joking).
The most Ferrari-looking of Volvos.
The most Volvo-looking of Ferraris.
+1 and a win- win situation too!
BAM!
I love the 308 gt4 but as the commenter above mentioned, they were originally Dino’s, and the reason for that is that apparently Enzo Ferrari himself considered only v-12 front engined cars to be Ferrari’s. The Dino brand I believe was a tribute to his late son’s evangelism for v-6 engines, and the 308 gt4 was added to the Dino 206/246 two seater and the Fiat Dino pair to add a 4 seat, mid-engine, v-8 model. I don’t know all the details but I believe that the unwillingness of american customers to buy models branded Dino lead to american dealers adding Ferrari badges. It seems that the mid-engine v-8 configuration was so popular that it justified the later pininfarina 308gtb that was such a popular car!
You’re right about the backstory to the GT4.
I think the difficulty for Bertone was that they were coming after the iconic 206 Dino. This Pininfarina line, initiated on the 250LM and finessed on the 206, was such a defining aesthetic it continues to this day on the current mid-engined Ferrari.
Bertone had been trying for a long time to get a Ferrari commission and finally landed it with this model. Problem was, the delicately curvy mid-cabin 206 was so good and Bertone wanted to make their own mark, so they went with the emerging wedge vernacular for their Ferrari entree. It’s not a bad design, but for many punters pales in comparison to its prancing horse contemporaries.
I actually prefer it to the 206. hehehe
I’ve long loved the 308gt4 too and it’s on my list for sure as well. Isn’t the lotus esprit bertone’s follow up to the 308gt4?
Esprit was out of Italdesign by Giugiaro. Other wedges from Bertone include the Urraco, Khamsin, Countach and the unparalleled Alfa Carabo concept.
I remember reading that the 308 GT4 was a Bertone design that was originally pitched at Lamborghini, or was the Urraco originally pitched at Ferrari as a 308GT4 proposal?
I’ve heard something similar, but can’t confirm at the moment. I’m hoping to do a feature on the 308 GT4; I found one over here with a towbar which the owner actually uses for towing, so I figured it would make a great CC. If the owner calls me back, that is.
Had a quick look. The Urraco predates the 308GT4 and some of the early sketches by Bertone for the Urraco look very similar to the 308. Neither of the Lambo prototypes, however, used this design so I would say Gandini re-used some of the elements in these early sketches for the Dino.
Yea, I think we need a Mondial CC.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-european/curbside-classic-1985-ferrari-mondial-qv-los-angeles-family-car-2/
Thanks.
I like everything on the nova except the headlights. If there’s anything uglier than factory projector headlights it’s retrofitted projector headlights. It came with sealed beams, just throw in some airport landing lights if you want more output lol
A nice trio, all in all! The Volvo is sweet, who DOESNT love a red classic Ferrari…
The Nova is actually not bad. I usually fall squarely in the camp of “don’t modernize a classic’ but if you MUST do so, this is the way to do it. The projector lights are probably the biggest question mark since the car already had classic round lights. But I gotta say, Ive softened a bit to those wheels. Maybe after living in Memphis and seeing literally hundreds of otherwise nicely restored examples of classic iron donked out on some ugly ass 20″ full face chrome wheels that look like crinkled up tinfoil polished up. These at least maintain the classic ‘coke bottle mag’ look and the grey centers are a nice compliment to the metallic mint green. Personally, Id go no more than 17” diameter wheels on any car if the calipers will clear them. But whoever did this car still respects the key styling points of the body style. All in all, not bad.
I think the console gauges mentioned on the Nova were actually optional on some Novas and some of the other X-cars in the early 70’s, with the silver faced gauges mentioned, so its a factory or factory style console.
The Volvo dash looks similar to a mid 60’s Pontiac dash except for the strip speedometer in the Pontiacs, so dashes like this were available from Detroit.
I had a ’73 Nova that had the console gauges and they were indeed a factory option; in addition to the gauges on the console there was a smallish tach located next to the speedo, where the fuel gauge usually was found. Novas of this era are fun to drive, they are reasonably light and any SBC is a bolt in. You have to be careful how much power you add unless you upgrade the suspension as well. It is easy to overload the back axle and generate axle tramp under hard acceleration. Ask me how I know this 🙂
I know nothing about the Chevy Nova (except that Axel Foley drove one) but I like the clean look this one has. The wheels go nicely with the colour, but are too big. A popular mod with sixties cars here in the UK is to fit Minilites, even if they were not original equipment, and indeed are a popular mod for P1800s. Minilites look sporty, but still ‘sixties’.
A nice trio! Like the color on the Nova and, while I may be in the minority, I don’t mind the wheels at all. I’m a fan of gunmetal centers and polished lips, and I don’t find them absurdly big (I would guess 18″). The projectors, on the other hand, look a little ridiculous, and the rocker panel stripes with the “SUPER SPORT” lettering in an odd font don’t work for me either.
I’ve never understood the disdain for the 308 GT4–sure, it doesn’t have the classic flowing lines, but it’s still clearly an exotic. Maybe it’s the back seats? Of course I personally can’t muster up any love for the Mondial, so maybe it’s just a matter of taste.
Nothing needs to be said about the Volvo. Its righteousness speaks for itself.
Though a Mopar homer, I must admit I prefer this Nova’s styling to that of a contemporary Duster. Short, plain, but solid and tough, like a good roofer.
I started out ready to yank your Mopar credentials, but have decided that you make an interesting observation. I might agree with you on the Duster (depending on color/trim on individual examples), but will still take a Swinger/Scamp’s classic square-rigged looks any day over the Nova.
Hey, if we’re getting choosy, make it a ’67-’69 Barracuda.
I guess the “FURRary” license plate explains why there is a bucket of kitty litter in the front passenger footwell.
Isn’t that standard equipment on a 70’s italian car?
I owned a 1979 308 GT4 and loved it. Great handling car and had room for three of my kids who also loved it. Great way to have the Ferrari experience.