It's not often that we get to talk about the more humble children of the 1960s. And we can think of none more deserving than this 1966 Chevy Nova SS, which has the classic hot rod treatment and is meant to be driven.
We've become accustomed to 60s muscle cars that get rid of nearly everything to create the illusion of an old car yet have the power and convenience of modern technology. But not everybody wants 700 horsepower and a weekend toy that costs $200,000.
This Nova SS sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. It's got the classic shade of Marina Blue going on, a legendary color shared with its Camaro and Corvette siblings. Plus, you get a lot of the correct details like the right Super Sport badging, full rocker trim, and wraparound chrome bumpers front and rear.
It's not super-custom, but the Rally wheels have been replaced with 5-spoke alloys from Hot Rods By Boyd. These sit in front of an upgraded brake system with 14-inch front rotors and 6-piston calipers, assisted by the Wilwood brake booster.
Normally, a '66 Nova SS is supposed to have a 327 cubic-inch (5.3-liter) engine connected to a four-on-the-floor. But here, we have a custom-built Chevy 350ci (5.7-liter) with a 700R4 gearbox. It's nothing major, as the sub-400hp output indicates, but the suspension has been substantially improved for comfort and safety. Like the Ford Falcon, this was designed to be a very cheap car with no features just so Detroit could compete with the imports (the VW Beetle). By 1966, the Nova SS was actually one of Chevy's fastest, but ride refinement wasn't really a priority.
There was a solid investment inside to stay close to the factory black interior look. The seats are just a little more comfortable and less "basic." Everything looks original in there, from the chrome accents on the black door and push-button AM radio that's still on display.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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