autoevolution
 

This 532ci Chevy Nova Can Run Quarter Miles in 8.8 Seconds at 153 MPH

Introduced just before the rise of the muscle cars to power in 1961, the Chevrolet Nova may not have been a bomb during its prime years, but it certainly has become one of the favorite platforms on which custom shops all over the country exercise their prowess.
Chevy Nova dragster 23 photos
Photo: Gateway Classic Cars
1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova1966 Chevrolet Nova
As part of autoevolution’s various special coverages over the past few months, we uncovered a wide number of Novas wearing different bodies and packing different hardware. But this one here can easily top them all off, if we are to trust what we are being told about it.

The car as you see it in the gallery above is for sale, and is presently listed on a specialized website. The price tag is not for the weak of heart – it reads $71,000 – but then again neither are the advertised performances of this cute bad boy.

Build on a Ford 9-inch rear with 4:30 gears, the Nova presents itself from afar as the usual boxy machine, only painted in bright colors. One close look and you get the feeling this is no usual Nova.

The first hint of that, if you approach it from behind, are the massive, drag race-bred wheels at the rear, and the added wing on the edge of the trunk lid. Move toward the front, and the truth reveals itself: this is, above all, a drag car.

The huge protrusion on the front hood is there to aid the massive engine under the hood. That would be a 532ci (8.7-liters) powerplant – we are not given any info on the performance numbers (for buyers, the spec sheet is available), but there’s a tiny little detail revealed by the seller that gives us an idea of its capabilities.

According to the ones selling this Nova, the car was a regular presence on the Thunder Mountain (Bandimere Speedway). There it faced other giants and we’re told it managed to complete the quarter mile in 8.8 seconds at 153 mph.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Daniel Patrascu
Daniel Patrascu profile photo

Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories