Ask muscle car enthusiasts how they feel about the third-generation Chevy Nova SS and you'll get plenty of positive answers, with this being the most sought-after iteration of the badge. However, things are quite different with the Gen III Mustang, since the Fox Body is a known opinion splitter. However, none of that mattered when the two recently got together as part of a drag racing competition.
Built between 1967 and 1972, the Nova reached its peak during those years, with the Golden Bowtie leaving the Chevy II budget car branding behind and fully betting on the muscle car card.
The 1970 units in the adventure we have here has kept most of the classic styling untouched, right down to the vinyl top. However, as hinted by its drag pack wheels and tires and its cowl hood, this is no factory machine.
Instead, the Chevrolet is now animated by a stock bottom end 5.3-liter LS (yes, that LSX badge on the front wings does raise some questions), which works with an 85mm Borg Warner turbocharger and sips on E85.
The Fox Body on the other hand wasn't as lucky, since its 1978 introduction placed this in the heart of the Malaise era, which meant performance was seriously affected by a mix of strict emission reduction targets and outdated laws that prevent many innovations from being introduced. Fortunately, the said era ended in 1983, with the pony becoming sharper and sharper throughout the following decade.
And while its styling continues to polarize enthusiasts, the compact size, along with the affordable aura of the Blue Oval toy have turned this into a darling of the drag racing community.
The example in the adventure we have here doesn't come with any details, but we can tell you this is a 5.0 hatchback model sporting the 1983-introduced facelift that brought a more rounded front end and a sleeker grille.
However, the quarter-mile results of the 'Stang speak for themselves, with this managing to one-up the Nova SS despite the latter being capable of mid-8s runs.
The two slabs of America got together earlier this month as part of the Summit Midwest Drags competition, which asks participants to drive hundreds of miles between three drag strips in just four days. Oh, and here's a fun fact for you: this remastered 1970 Nova SS will do about 10 mpg (25L/100 km) on the road.
The video below, which comes from Drag Racing and Car Stuff, allows us to notice the massive gap between the reaction times of the two drivers (1:30 timestamp). However, the ET (Elapsed Time) numbers that decided the winner don't take that into account, with the Nova getting a nasty surprise.
However, you might also wish to check out the rest of the clip to see the Chevrolet showing its taillights to quite a few opponents.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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