(first posted 6/29/2016) There are some cars that are hard for me to find any excitement about. Yet after looking at this burgundy Nova it appears I may be experiencing a softening of heart in my middle years; it certainly isn’t nostalgia.
Growing up, I went past one of these Novas every single day. The road leading to the house I grew up in necessitated turning right next to Louie and Pauline’s place and they had a green Nova of this vintage. They were good people in spite of Louie having a fairly broken down spirit from Pauline’s incessant barking of orders. Her barking wasn’t limited to just Louie either; she barked at the three kids and got into their business so bad she accompanied the two older girls on dates until they were married.
Shocking and lingering rumors – perpetuated by my bachelor great-uncle Stan, the town gossip – claimed Pauline had even been present for their daughters’ wedding nights to ensure the union was consummated. What a stone cold sobering and nauseating thought. If true, this is a situation in which only true love (or the new husband being a totally hen-pecked and intimidated idiot) could overcome and/or endure. Performance anxiety, indeed.
Louie and Pauline’s youngest, Buddy, must have also fallen prey to his mother’s perpetually heavy-handed directions. Literally a forty year-old virgin, Buddy drove their green Nova at an infuriatingly slow 45 mph top speed – on long, flat, straight roads. Being stuck behind him was the automotive equivalent of a root canal as it was horrifically painful and getting anywhere seemingly took forever if one was so unfortunate to be trapped behind that pokey green Nova.
Is it any wonder this generation of Nova has imprinted itself on me in an unjustly negative way? While it’s guilt purely by association, I know I’m likely overlooking the bountiful goodness this Nova possesses. It isn’t the typically glum 1970s era sedan.
Perhaps the thawing of my icy to indifferent thoughts about this generation of Nova can be attributed to my co-worker, Bill. Bill and I spend time together every summer on an annual project that involves us scurrying around an area that is about 150% the size of Wales. Having a lot of windshield time, we talk about everything and no subject is taboo. It’s great fun for being at work.
One day while out and about, Bill mentioned a Nova sitting at his mother’s house. Curious, I asked more.
Originally, Bill was thinking this was a 1974 Nova. Being off by a year is by no means a big deal, although there is a distinct visual difference between the 1974 and 1975 Nova. But with his thinking this was a ’74, it’s a terrific tie-in to what makes the 1975 and up Nova so unique.
www.hemmings.com
When AMC set out to capture the police car market in the early 1970s, they offered up a Matador that was quite noteworthy for the times. While not exactly the most reliable and durable car ever built, the availability of the 401 cubic inch V8 made the police specification Matador unusually rapid. It made a big splash, with many cities, especially in Los Angeles, counties, and states providing them for their law enforcement branches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JIMyadDD3Q
If you’ve ever seen the later episodes of Adam-12, you’ve seen one of these Matadors.
During 1974, Motor Trend Executive Editor, and reserve deputy for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, John Christy helped make a few tweaks to the procedure Los Angeles County used to evaluate cars for purchasing. These revisions allowed less than full-sized cars to be considered for use.
One of the cars tested by the department was a 1974 Nova. Powered by a 350 cubic inch (5.7 liter) V8, this Nova was a mixture of Camaro and Nova SS parts with brakes from a full-sized Chevrolet thrown in for good measure. It made a good impression as the Nova was evaluated again for 1975, when Chevrolet, in a microburst of genius, released a factory police package Nova.
The police Nova for 1975 was noticeably slower than the 401 powered Matador, but it also had a 100 horsepower deficit that was not completely offset by it being 500 pounds lighter (the 401 was not available anymore in the 1975 Matador). In its favor, it out handled the Matador and went two miles further on a gallon of gasoline.
Also tested was the 1975 Plymouth Fury; powered by a 360 cubic inch (5.9 liter) V8, the Fury was also outmaneuvered by the Nova. The Nova was observed as getting four miles per gallon more than the Fury.
The Nova had been all-new in 1968, sharing the platform for the new 1967 Camaro. And in 1975, it was pretty heavily revised, both visually as well as under the skin, as it got a completely new front end with the new suspension and steering from the acclaimed 1971 F-Body Camaro and Firebird. There was a reason it was almost universally considered the best handling domestic compact sedan. It would become quite popular in law enforcement circles, going a long way to diffuse the mindset that full-sized cars were the only cars suitable for police work.
Of course, the annual de-escalation of the horsepower race helped detract from the full-sized cars. A 454 cubic inch (7.4 liter) V8 cranking out 215 horsepower in a 4,220 pound Impala could best be described as pitiful. Opportunity was ripe for the Nova, which would continue in police work through 1978. For 1975, the standard Nova’s 350 V8 was rated at 145 hp, and the optional four barrel brought that up to 155hp.
This particular Nova belongs to Bill’s aunt and uncle. They are getting on in years and, sadly, they have moved into assisted living. No longer able to drive, the Nova was transported to Bill’s mother’s house for safekeeping.
Don’t let these pictures lure you into thinking this Nova is a decrepit derelict of a Chevrolet. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Until last year, this Nova had been sitting in a garage in northern Idaho. Bill’s aunt and uncle rarely drove the Nova they had purchased new, with its longest trip usually being the four blocks to the grocery store. The dirtiness you see is entirely pollen from the nearby trees.
There is an usually heavy amount of tree pollen on this parcel of land as this Nova sits within spitting distance of what had for years been the largest black walnut tree in the entire state.
It’s documented as being at least 240 years old and this picture does not even begin to do justice to the sheer size of this tree. It is one of the biggest trees I’ve ever seen and certainly the biggest I’ve seen in my state of residence. It’s a monster.
This nearly pristine car is yearning for some elbow grease. A little wax would do wonders for this 35,100 mile Nova. Everything works and the car runs great.
Even the straight six under the hood had me excited. That’s a statement I have never made before. The ice said “crack” when it started to melt.
Of course there is a fly in every ointment. Bill is one of ten children; there are certain dynamics within every family, and it seems to grow exponentially when there are large numbers of offspring involved. Let’s just say the future of this Nova is somewhere between muddy and murky.
Despite what the outcome may be, let’s appreciate this Nova for what it is – a simple, straightforward car that was considered a compact in 1975 and a car that was able to realize even greater successes later in life.
Shouldn’t we all be so lucky?
Photographed in Fayette, Missouri, June 2016
A low mileage RWD Chevy sedan with a six! I could actually see that as a DD! And, given it’s heritage, upkeep and upgrades should be cheap!… See what happens a 4am! I’ll be on eBay Motors for the next 2 hours!
Yet again Jason, you inject such warmth into a story. Nova – meh; tree – wow!
Thank you. I had completely forgotten about Louie and Pauline until seeing this Nova; the story had to be told.
Pauline. Your description of her reminded me a bit of Mrs. Taggart, Bette Davis’s character in “The Anniversary”, and Pauline’s and Louie’s son could be “Henry”. I love it.
‘Buddy drove an infuriatingly slow 45 mph’. If it had been like the similar 1974 Buick Apollo I (mistakenly) bought back in the day, the subtle deep knock in the engine seemed to give notification not to push it too hard lest you not make your destination. Seriously, I drove about 50 mph, even on the six-lane ‘I’. But the speed limit was 55, so that’s not quite as bad as it would be today. The car and engine made it through two years of my ownership without me having to get a new one, which I anyway could not afford.
Defending the Apollo: It had a great Buick two-note horn that would blow your eardrums if you were too close. The bench seat was well stuffed and the whole car felt solid and heavy, certainly relative to the Maverick I’d driven a few years earlier. The manual steering was not awful, much more supple than AMC Grem-Hornets I’d driven. GM cars are often relatively heavy but there can be a benefit, a higher-quality, solid and quiet feel vs. competing lighter cars.
Tell your friend Bill to just take the keys the next time he’s over at his Mum’s and move the car somewhere to keep it out of the elements. If the other 9 siblings don’t like it they can go pound sand. 35,100 miles in 41 years isn’t much and it would be a shame to let the exterior of the car become weathered after being garaged so long. This Nova deserves better!
Someone tell Perry Shoar we found his new curbside classic.
Going from a maintenance heavy mini-Cooper S (let’s call it a mini-BMW and be done with it) to a Nova makes a lot of sense.
To a CCer that is.
I too have a long time bias against the 75 Nova, and I am not sure why. I never liked the greenhouse on these, but after looking at the pictures, it is plainly more attractive than the 74, at least as a sedan.
This car may have been one of the first of a breed that would eventually become common:. A competent, or even excellent, car that is not nearly as appealing in the showroom as inferior cars made by others. The Granada ate the Nova’s lunch, but for a DD today, I would pick this over a Granada in a heartbeat.
I agree with comments above. It would be a shame for this car to let the elements go to work on it.
Given my father’s experience with a NEW Granada that “killed itself” in two years, I’ll agree!
That generation Nova is one of my favorite GM cars from the decade. To me, it’s one of the best “sensible” American cars built, and in my eyes was quite attractive to boot. Never owned one, but would love to find one nowadays for cars and coffee weekends (yes, I get tired of all the Mustangs, Camaros, and the same couple of Ferraris showing up every session).
And I’d love to find a Concours edition. My idea of what a 70’s luxury compact should be, not that in-your-face bling of the Grenada.
I totally agree with your comments about the Nova being one of the best GM cars of the ’70s, and the Concours being what a luxury compact should be. The ’75-’79 Novas were much nicer than what came before, and a damn sight better than what came after.
The Concours has a nice interior, but that elegant woman looks like she is about to tell you that you should have sprung for the Seville.
The copy doesn’t mention extras, so she must be standard equipment. 😉
A few hours with the buffer and it will look like new. If it sits there another year or two, however, all bets are off.
Did GM still use lacquer in the ’70s? If so, all that tree gunk is going to be hard on that paint.
Yes on the lacquer, and this is a great point. That soft lacquer paint will not suffer weather gladly. GM did not switch to enamel until some time in the 80s.
yep, it requires almost monthly waxing/polishing to keep it looking good.
I breathed some life into the original metallic green paint on my 77 Chevelle not long after I got it, with a ton of elbow grease and lots of fine wet sanding and polishing compounds. Car looked awesome, but the 3 years of it sitting outside (life and kids) has left it looking more silver than green again. It gets waxed every 3 or 4 months but it fades out again.
I hope it is realized that this X-body shares nothing with the
early ’80s X’s, except that they all have 4 tires, an engine, and
a steering wheel.
If anyone doesn’t realize that ,they are surely not the type who reads CC! (4 wheels were optional on early ’80s GM Xs) LOL!
They share krappy upolstery, krappy headliners, and krappy light bulbs that burn out before tbe first oil change.
Far too many ’80s X-bodies had an Iron Duke instead of an engine.
I drove a 75 Nova 2-door for a year and a day in 1976-77. Handled and rode well for what it was, but a victim of the worst Malaise-Era engine management I’ve ever experienced. 250ci six, automatic and 2.73 rear end, geared tall for highway mpg but getting going was dreadful — starting the car from cold, putting the car in gear before letting the engine warm up for TEN MINUTES meant the engine would stall. I got to the point of parking on a hill, starting the car up and warming it a bit, and coasting downhill until maybe 15mph and then putting the car in gear and usually it would not stall. As you might expect, this got old fast.
Malfunctioning heat riser for sure. Common issue on this generation of Stovebolt, and something mechanics routinely miss.
I have always thought the Novas were massively overweight post 1968. When the 75 restyle was being put together it should have been obvious that some weight should have come off to allow for a four cylinder base engine. C/D tested a fairly broughamy 77 X body 2 door with a 305 that weighed 3720 pounds. Gm in the late 70s was doing a better job having their engines retain hp. For example a Chevy 250 6 made 115hp in 1979 versus 90hp from the Chrysler 225 slant 6 and 98 from the Ford 250 6, but this advantage was squandered by this overweight generation of X body
3720 pounds! Seriously?
That’s impressive and not in a good way. Sounds like all the GM products were porky in the mid 70’s. The downsized ’78 Malibu, in uplevel classic trim and with the 305 V8 and automatic, only weighed 3300 lbs.
Chevy showrooms must have been odd places in ’77 and ’78. In ’77, the “intermediate” A-body was both larger and heavier than the “full-size” B-body. For ’78 the A-body shrank, so now the “compact” X-body was both longer and heavier than the “intermediate” A-body.
All that going on at all GM dealerships was one of the things that made the late ’70s……unusual…..Radio stations going from The Bee Gees to Charlie Daniels to Stevie Wonder in the same sweep was another… Hell, at least it was interesting!
Especially when almost everyone from the top on down were using “recreational drugs”. Maybe that explains some of the bizarre things to come out of that time period.
The automobile catalog website lists the 75 Nova Custom 4 door with auto 250 at 3503 pounds base curb weight. Their guestimate is 0-60 in 16 seconds and a top speed of 101. The 2.73 axle ratio allowed relaxed cruising at 2090 rpm at 60mph.
“The downsized ’78 Malibu, in uplevel classic trim and with the 305 V8 and automatic, only weighed 3300 lbs.”
AND don’t forget that the ’78 Malibu was body-on-full frame, something not generally associated with light weight, while the Nova was what GM referred to as “semi-unitized”…basically unitized from the firewall to the rear, with a stubby frame for the engine and “doghouse” attached under the front floorpan.
I’ve seen the weight of the original Seville – derived from the Nova platform, of course – listed as 4,675 pounds. That’s within 500 pounds of a Sedan deVille of the same era, despite being over two feet shorter!
It is naturally to assume that the 1975-79 Chevrolet Nova would be heavier by around 150-200 pounds than the 1978-83 Chevrolet Malibu since the Nova was several inches 196.7″ long compared to the Malibu at 192.7″. In addition a fully loaded or stripped down economic version along with comparable available engines 250/*262/305 and 350 cu. in for the Nova vs. the Malibu’s available engine options throughout its production years with 200/229/267/305 and 350 cu in., the Nova would still be naturally heavier than the Malibu. The only time a Malibu might be heavier than the Nova would be with the fully loaded 350 cu in. V8 for the station wagon version if compared to a stripped down Nova 2 Door Coupe with it a 250 cu in. inline 6 standard version and yet this 2 Door Coupe stripped down version of the Nova would still be larger/longer than a fully loaded Malibu 4 Door Station Wagon with a 350 cu in V8 engine option since this station wagon version still measured in at 193.3″ long which was slightly larger than the Malibu 2 Door Coupe and the 4 Door Sedan.
The 262 cu in. V8 engine for the Nova was only available in 1975 since the 305 cu in. version was not available yet until 1976.
In 1977 (only) you could get a Pontiac Ventura (only) with an Iron Duke. It came with a five-speed manual and thus cost more than the standard 250 6/3 on the tree – but it could also be had with an automatic which must’ve been a true exercise in patience and treating the gas pedal like an on/off switch.
I drove a Ventura like that, a pre-production/early production model Pontiac shipped out to San Diego Yellow Cab in the fall of ’76 for reliability testing. With the automatic, of course. Very slow indeed.
The thought of driving a car so equipped causes the same sort of shudder I get when I remember inhaling diesel fumes…
Well, compared to the 1971 Biscayne six/PG I was driving, it didn’t feel all that bad! 🙂 And at least it had a three speed automatic, and it handled very nicely, with so little weight in front. It was a bit like…a Peugeot with an automatic, as I was soon to find out. The 404 Automatique’s ZF automatic (up until 1968) did the same thing as so many older three-speed automatics: it started in second unless dropped into first/Low at take off. Well, MBZ was still doing that in 80s and early 90s with their four speed automatic; it was my least favorite thing in my 300E.
It may have been my imagination, but the Iron Duke’s vibrations seemed a bit better dampened than in the X/A body FWD cars.
A nice old Nova .
.
I hope some younger uncaring Family member doesn’t get it and kill it in six months as usually seems to happen .
.
-Nate
I’ve experienced a similar increase in warmth toward this generation of Nova in the past few years. I never had a “Buddy” experience; the only person I knew who had one of this generation was a kid a year below me in high school. Good guy, totally roached ’79 Nova in an unpleasant shade of brown.
And therein lies the genesis of my less-than-charitable feelings: it seems that, when I was growing up, practically all of them were totally roached. Worn-out, rusty, crapmobiles. I know cars didn’t last as long back then, but compared to the B-bodies which overlapped this generation of Nova by 3 years and the A-bodies with two years of overlap, it seems that the Novas were all just universally trashed. Either from neglect, or from redneck modifications (primered, jacked way up in the back with extended shackles, bullet hole alloys or wagon wheels…) Nice ones were few and far between. This was even backed up by pop culture–in the original “Back to the Future” George McFly’s car that gets wrecked by Biff Tannen is a ’75-’79 generation Nova, and it was not portrayed kindly.
Today, most of the truly deplorable ones are long gone from this world. Some of the remaining ones are still a little rough, but generally, when one is spotted it’s not a total beater. And, while I doubt I’ll ever be a *fan* of this generation, it’s good to see them every now and again, and I can see the generally attractive nature of the shape. Hopefully this one will go to a family member who cherishes it as-is, rather than to one who makes questionable mods (this being a sedan probably lowers those chances) or just sees it as cheap wheels.
The “roaching” was due to the VERY poor quality materials found inside these cars. They went south fast, and despite bullet proof drivetrsins, were never worth investing in to keep looking nice.
Love that tree, wow! And the Matador, of course.
The Nova, not so much. I too have a longstanding bias against these, I guess because of the difference between what these started out like and how they ended. Several of my highschool chums had Novas, and they looked more like this one:
I guess my attitude has softened somewhat as well. This one would be a fun old driver car for someone. Someone other than me.
One of those odd coincidences, I had an Aunt Pauline who had a ’75 Nova. She was single and lived with her mother (my grandmother on dad’s side) until she transferred across the state with the phone company.
Aunt Pauline drove her Nova – yellow with black interior – at 35 mph whether on the interstate or in a parking lot. She passed at a relatively young age and my Aunt Sue (a battleaxe along the lines of your Pauline) inherited the car, didn’t want to be “mistaken for a cab driver” and had the bright yellow Nova painted dark metallic brown, almost black. Within a month she was rear-ended in a parking lot while backing out of a space, by a driver who claimed not to see her. She was lucky for it – her previous car was a Pinto…
My kindergarten teacher also had a Nova of this generation, light metallic blue with matching interior, in my memory gleaming in the springtime sun.
Ahh, the old exploding Pinto from an 8 mph impact thing. 🙄
I know, right? You were safe all the way up to…gosh, nine or maybe ten!
So many older cas used the gas tank behind the rear axle, I’ve spent close to 70 years in junkyards and I’ve seem many Pintos and others rear ended y big rigs at speed and only a very few ever caught fire .
-Nate
These are about tbe only cars that can make a 1988 Hyundai Excel seem high quality.
I have a lot of respect for these mid-seventies Novas because they were durable and properly equipped for police work, had the performance required by the constables who drove them. They were quite a change from the 73 Malibu sedans used as marked and unmarked cars. The Malibus were so bad they disappeared from the police fleet after a couple of years.
Once in a while I’ll spot a Nova on the streets as I did a couple of weeks ago. It was “dog tracking” but keeping up with traffic and seemed to be complete not missing many parts.
In ’73 wouldn’t police fleet cars have been a Chevelle Deluxe rather than a Malibu?
Good question.
The Chevelle Deluxe Malibu apears to be the entry level model. The Malibu Classic a step up offering two station wagons.
For ’73 only, the base Chevelle was simply called Deluxe. Malibu Classic wasn’t out until ’74, replacing the ’73 Laguna [2/4 doors and wagon] as top of the line. The ’74-’76 Laguna S3 then replaced the Chevelle SS.
From 1970 to 1981, the two basic trim levels of Chevrolet’s A-body sedans were as follows:
1970-72:
Chevelle
Chevelle Malibu
1973:
Chevelle Deluxe
Chevelle Malibu
1974-77:
Chevelle Malibu
Chevelle Malibu Classic
1978-81:
Malibu
Malibu Classic
As noted, in 1973 there was also a Chevelle Laguna sedan slotted in above the Malibu, but that was the only year the Laguna came as anything other than a coupe. For 1974, the Laguna was rebranded as the Laguna S-3 and repurposed as more-or-less a replacement for the discontinued Chevelle SS, now coming only as a 2-door.
1982 and 1983 went down to one trim level. All 1982 models were Malibu Classic, and all 1983 were simply Malibu, with a new script on the badge for the final year.
I had forgotten there was a Laguna sedan for ’73. There was also a Chevelle SS Wagon for that one year only.
Back in 1978 I went through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia, which had a fleet of these for use in pursuit driving courses. 350-4 bbl with the police package. Really outstanding handling for the time. Not as fast as the 440 Mopars, but they could easily outhandle them. Better fuel economy as well.
Not bad looking either. Always thought they had a bit of a BMW vibe, especially the 4 door. With the 350 4 bbl and handling package you had a 5 series clone, but faster.
I’m that guy that has always liked Novas. Owned one with a six and would have kept it a lot longer but couldn’t transport a motorcycle with it. Obviously hadn’t heard of a trailer.
I suppose that all you say is true and that they became way too fat to be desirable. However, my personal experience was limited to the early lean models. If I had a do-over it would have four doors but that changes the looks. They were very practical cars IMO.
As good as these cars were, I remenber reading contemporary reports that Chevy dealers were concerned that the car wasn’t as brougham-tasstic as the rival Ford Granada. Ford had a Maverick police package, but the 302 V8 would have pretty weak next to the Nova.
Yeah, I’m one of those that thought the Granada was a much better looking car; obviously the Nova ran and handled circles around it.
I’ve always been a fan of the ’68-’72 versions of these. As time goes by, though, I appreciate the looks of this ’75 more then in the past. It will be a shame if this car just rots away outside after the care it’s received up to this point.
It is interesting that this generation of nova is still very popular in iran.used to be put together in tehran and stayed in production till 1992.in line six and four on floor for base and 350automatic for nova royal with power everything.also its sister’s skylark and Seville.
If you live in Iran, I would love for you to take some curbside pictures of interesting cars there. We really need a Contributor from Iran. Interested?
Will do Paul.
Thanks! I was friends with the son of the head of Iranian GM under the Shah over thirty years ago. He was going to school in the Netherlands at the time. His father had lost his position when the Shah did, as I understood it, but he was still able to wire my friend a new Astra 1.1 liter in 1984. It wasn’t a hot rod, but it was pretty high class compared to the 50 cc brommers everyone else had in the Netherlands at the time.
You can reach me direct at curbsideclassic@gmail.com I look forward to anything you can contribute.
I had some seat time in one of these in 1975, a base fleet six but with the HD (police) suspension and fat wheels and tires. That was the best handling sedan I’d ever driven; it was a ball to toss into tight curves. Well, it was a Z-28 six under the skin.
Brings back so many memories of a friend’s mother’s 1978 black Nova sedan with the same drivetrain as this and also in Custom trim level which gave nicer but still rather spartan looking seats and interior materials. It was as reliable as the sun, started every single day, even in 20 below zero weather and never left us stranded that I can remember. The 250 six was a bit of a wheezer but made decent low down torque, ran smooth and went around the clock well over two times before succumbing to Upstate, NY Winters during the later 80’s.
Another friend of ours, who is a Nova nut, found a nice original low mileage 1979 coupe with 305, bucket seats, rally wheels and gauges in black with a 350 automatic trans. He hopped that car up with a fresh paint job, cammed the engine along with some bolt ons and it would lay rubber by the pound which was quite a difference from the stock 130 HP 2BBL 305 when he got it.
Aaron’s Firebird thread and the Rockford Files references remind me that Jim mixed it up with one of these in one episode.
My take on the last-gen Nova…
The important components – drivetrain and suspension – were created at a time (mid to late 60s) when Chevrolet engineers ruled the roost. They were sturdy, perhaps even over-built.
By the early 70s, the beancounters had taken over, so the body and interior were built to a price.
That’s why these cars would run forever while looking totally dilapidated.
That’s because GM’s endless specialisation had led to massive duplication and inter-division competition. GM simply could not afford it and the 1971 B bodies were the first example of cheapened out cars. Not that this mattered much, since Ford and Dodge were usually even worse.
A friend of mine had one of these circa 1980 with a high output 350, a four speed manual salvaged from some other GM product and the F41 suspension package. In his mind it was a four door Camaro, and this point of view wasn’t far off the mark. This particular Nova cornered with elan; the tires stayed planted even if the body did lean more than a little bit. I don’t know that I would spend serious money on one of these but almost any suspension part that is made for a Camaro will bolt onto one of these Novas.
Exterior styling alone, I like this generation of Nova above all others. The 1975 finally got rid of the dumpy-frumpy look with which the Chevy II was born in 1962, perhaps in an effort to out-conservative the Ford Falcon which had been eating the Corvair’s lunch on the sales floor. The airy-looking greenhouse even made the four-door look more correct to my eye than the two-door. GM interiors, however, were then made of low-bid materials, and after a few years they showed it.
I agree, and my loathing for the 1968–74 cars is well-documented. The main visual failing, from a basic exterior design standpoint, is that the revised front end is really begging for rectangular headlights (which the Nova got in what, ’77?) rather than round lights in a rectangular bezel. Of course, the cheapo materials and detailing doesn’t help, but the basic shape is really quite acceptable.
The Nova got rectangular headlights in its last year(1979). The irony is that the last year was a very short production year, so I am not exactly sure why they would invest in redesigning the front of the Nova for a short year. Unless GM management was not sure about the Citation being released on time or if it would be liked (a thought echoed by Ford with the Taurus in 1986 (they kept the LTD around for an extra year)
These cars were everywhere in the 1970’s and the Nova was widely used by taxi fleets of the era because it was a simple, reliable car, although the rear seat was small.
We had only one, a Canuckistani spec police car. Suffice to say in the stripper X Body it had plenty of power for the day. So much so, it only survived two taxi shifts before being totaled. We didn’t buy any more for that reason.
Like so may roaches of the road, nobody cared much about them, so there aren’t a lot of them around now.
There’s a nice 76 Concour on Hemmings right now
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chevrolet/nova/1779565.html
After the Chevrolet Nova had a short production run through 1979 and only to be replaced by the Chevrolet Citation, Iran continued to produced the 1979 Chevrolet Nova through 1992 on the right. Their earlier Chevrolet Nova which had a very unique Iran exclusive grille on the left was produced in 1977. The Buick Skylark continued onto 1987 and the Cadillac Seville through 1985 of this generation Nova design in Iran.
I thought the 75-78 Novas were handsome cars. I liked the green house of all the X-cars, but I thought the Novas had the best front and rear ends.
I thought of them as “American cars with ‘European’ influence”. Maybe because I believed the advertisements as a kid. Still, when I started driving in the 1980s, I liked driving in my mom’s 75 Pontiac Ventura, which I thought looked as good as a Nova from the front (different), and had better tail lights. Ours had a 260 V8, which probably had slightly better acceleration as the featured 250 Chevy 6 (110 hp vs 105, and 205 lb-ft vs 175), and burned 2-3 mpg more gas, but it was a smooth engine, and I’m sure it outlasted the sixes. I always wished we had a 350. My mom’s cousin had a 76 Omega 350 sedan, and I remember thinking it was quick…
The Ventura wasn’t the lightest car, but I don’t think it was that heavy for the era. I don’t remember the exact weight, but the NY registration had it as 3600 or 3650 lbs, equipped as it was with the Olds V8 (probably 20-50 lb heavier than the 250-6), auto, A/C (that never worked), power steering and brakes). That’s around 220-270 lbs of equipment more than a “Base” Nova. And compared to family/friends who had Novas, their cars seemed noticeably cheaper inside than ours–we had much nicer trim, cloth bench seat, color-coordinated steering wheel.
Definitely a lot more weight than my dad’s 80 Fairmont, which had only power steering and brakes, and came with the Pinto 4-cyl and a manual trans–and more leg room in the back. The NY registration on that one read 2599 or 2699 lbs. My father called the Ford “the tin can”–the Ventura felt like a tank in comparison.
Nope, a 260 V-8 will not outlast a Chevy 250 Six. If there ever was an engine that could be described as “unkillable” this would be it. I saw them so abused in taxis that the taxi owners never changed the oil, just added. And they still ran. I saw them come in to our shop with half a million km and only need valve guides. I saw them encrusted in oil due to the imfamous GM gaskets, but wash it away and you’d get 160 psi in each cylinder. I never saw one fail. Not one, and that includes a lot of Chevy half tons with stake bodies for hay.
The 250 was the pinnacle of what GM could do with a Stovebolt design. The crank had seven main bearings and the head was much like the SBC, as was the combustion chamber shape. It even used the same rocker system. It was designed as a stalwart workhorse and about a zillionteen were made. They were in postal vans, trucks, buses, cars, boats and stationary engines and there is a load of hop up stuff available.
That’s an impressive testimonial about the robustness of the Chevy 6.
My thinking was that a small-block Chevy is more robust than the 6, and that an Olds Rocket was of higher quality than the Chevy small-block, and that a VERY understressed Olds Rocket (the 260 is a debored 350) would last even longer.
I may be wrong.
However, I’m sure the V8 was smoother.
I used to joke it had the power of a 250-6 with the gas consumption of a 350-400 cid V8 (14-17 mpg typically)
Yes, these were very tough. I drove for yellow Cab of San Diego in 1977, and the whole huge fleet was Chevy sixes, except for some newer V8s. These sixes were all between 7-5 years old already, in daily round-the clock use. They had their own re-build shop, but these would typically go 200-300k or more miles before needing that. Some of these cars had 600,00-700,000+ mile son them.
An inline 6 has perfect primary and secondary balance, so the Olds 260 would not be smoother. It would also be a little heavier.
The 1975 model year was when the Chevrolet six had the integrated intake manifold casted into the cylinder head (passenger cars and light trucks exc the 292 received the redesigned cylinder head – when used in a C/K truck or van the integrated head was known 2 warp; I still have the original cylinder head with an August 1974 date stamp (GM do Brasil did manufacture the six overseas (including Argentina, Chile) where it kept the separate intake manifold where it received MPI injection; after 1979 GM phased out the six 4 passenger car use where it was optioned with the truck/van line (the 250 lasted until 1984 (USA/Canada) where the 4.3L replaced it – at the time the V6-90 (200, 229) was optioned with the remaining RWDs exc. the Camaro and S-series until 1987 when it was truck/van exclusive (fleet Caprices used it until 1992); in the USA the six does not have a cult following unlike the SBC and LSx where aftermarket parts to build a six is 5X over a SBC or LSx buildup (im also the owner of a Jeep product with the 4.0L where the AMC six has a cult following within the Jeep world unlike the Chevrolet six which is a redhead stepchild)
Another unique find but this time in Mexico. Buicks were not imported to Mexico during the mid-1970s through at least the early 1990s so Chevrolet was given another luxury line up to the already crowded Nova line up. This time GM Chevrolet de Mexico had given the car name Chevrolet Concours De’lujo which essentially was our Buick Skylark here in both U.S. & Canada with the standard Nova tail end/taillights.
These Novas didn’t register on my radar until my HS best bud inherited a yellow, ’76 coupe with a 305 and a white, vinyl interior. It wasn’t the quickest thing on wheels, but for a then-15 year old car (and from the Malaise era, no less), it endeared itself to me by being reliable, distinctive (among Cavaliers and Escorts), and just fun – and I even warmed to its “cab-backward” proportions.
I owned the ’76 Omega version of this. The original owner was a car-nut
GM fanboi wanted an SX without the gaudy graphic, so Olds allowed him to add the SX items ala carte, including the Rally Wheels, the FE2 supension and that cool 4-spoke steering wheel that earlier 442s had.
Black with white vinyl interior, it was striking. He also got AC and the 5-speed, which turned out to be it’s downfall. While very clean and tight at 43,000 miles when I bought it, it seemed to have a time release capsule to make everything go sour at 50,000. The idler arm loosened up, so high speeds and keeping it your lane were no longer compatible. The Borg-Warner T-50 (not a typo, not a T-5 ) trans started wearing and getting noisy. No replacement parts as early as 1982. Subsequent research revealed that this box was super weak, even a 231-V6 taxed it max torque capacity. Even that feeble 260 was too much for it. While clean when I got it, it aged rapidly after a time. Constant steel wooling & waxing of the bumpers was necessary to keep the rust zits off. I removed the chrome wheel lip moldings to extend the life of the wheel wells, and even at only the tender age of 4, the right rear was already starting to flake.
The real suspension was incredibly weak on these also, springs braking and collapsing, and the locating pins for the axle were known to shear, causing the dog-track that so many have. Or maybe the dog-track came from the front,
when the big-wheel barrow subframe would get knocked out of line, possibly because they rusted right where the 4! bolts held the whole shebang on.
It might be my imagination, but F-Bodies with the exact same construction never had that issue as much.
In all fairness, Roger, 50,000 miles was the fall and/or rust to pieces of most prairie cars of the era.
In 1984, I helped to deliver a used ’76 Nova 2-door from Niagara Falls to NYC for the lady who lived next door. It was a fun road trip. I believe it had the same six as the subject car and was that typical grayish blue color of so many Novas. The car acquitted itself very well during that long drive, and subsequently served the lady reliably for 7 or 8 years, until the early 1990s. But while mechanically bulletproof, it did look pretty worn by then, with the paint faded and all the plastic pieces cracked. I always liked seeing it in her driveway…
I always liked that era Nova. It wasn’t compact, but it wasn’t as bloated as those horrible colonade “intermediates” that were offered.
My buddy bought a new Concours sedan back in the late 70’s? It was black with a black vinyl top, red velour upholstery, and wire wheel covers. It had a V8 and a/c. I know that he bought it as a pseudo Seville. It was a nice car, it was new! The back seat was a little cramped.
I imagine that one of these sedans could be set up as a four door Camaro if that was what the owner wanted. Fun to drive with a back seat for the kids. That’s a real consideration, that’s why I had a 2+2 Datsun Z for many years. It was perfect to drive my two kids around, the alternative would have been to drive my mini van all the time. It could be like the Fox bodied LTD sedan with the 5,0 V8. There are better choices available now that would be faster and get much better fuel mileage.
In 1975 Chevrolet offered the Nova with a performance package that included the 350 ci engine (180 hp I think) with an optional 4 spd manual and sport suspension. You could get it in the 4-dr version with front bucket seats. I remember Road & Track did a road test of one. Definitely a 4-dr Camaro.
I bet you couldn’t get that in California. Rated HP was falling like crazy, if any Chevy 350 had 180HP it was the Corvette, and I doubt they would have let the Nova use the same engine.
Over the years, long ago, I had 4 of these Novas. Two ’69s, 1 CA ’72 and a final year ’79. All were 2 door, 6s with the ’79 being a very basic 3 on the tree with full hubcaps and all vinyl interior that became at least 6 different shades!
The ’79 did lots of traveling with me and with its DARK BROWN metallic color it was a true “joy” down in Dallas, Texas in the Summer……..NOT! Despite that it was a very reliable, basic car that gave me better service than the new ’69 and horrible CA. ’72. My used ’69 had the 230 ci 6 with the strange semi-automatic trans, however, that worked well in a WISC Winter!
Overall they, except the smog equipped ’72 were quite good automobiles for the time…..well, the new ’68 did eat valves and rocker arms………….. 🙁 DFO
It would be interesting to find out what eventually happened to this Nova.
The 1975-79 Chevy Nova (1977 featured here) always stands out very well amongst its chief competitors such as the Ford Granada, Plymouth Volare and the AMC Hornet later Concord and very competitive in the Compact Car segment as well and it just depends upon your choice and where your brand loyalty is.
Here are their photo montage compilations which didn’t load in time.
One thing these got so right that many older cars got so wrong is the way they sit on their tires. The sitting with the tires at the edge rather than tucked way up under makes it look much better.