Photo: eBay seller Country-Classics
Let's be honest about it: 1978 wasn't by any means the best year for the otherwise fantastic Chevy Nova, and the sales numbers speak for themselves.
Chevrolet sold 100K fewer Novas than during the previous year, with the annual performance dropping to 288K units.
To put this in perspective, the Nova was the only Chevrolet model whose sales declined in 1978, with the hatchback, in particular, losing ground heavily.
It doesn't mean this unrestored 1978 Chevrolet Nova should abandon the fight. The car was recently pulled from a barn, though we know nothing about the storage location. The owner hasn't shared many specifics about the long tenure in storage, so it's impossible to tell if the Nova struggled with high humidity levels or spent this time in a dry climate.
However, the photos shared by eBay seller Country-Classics suggest the Nova is still daily driver material, and this could be a sign that you won't spend too much time dealing with metal issues. The undercarriage is likely clean, but you should still put the car on a lift and thoroughly inspect everything. The rust has already reached certain metal parts, but most damage appears to be only on the surface.
The car is still complete and original, making it a great candidate for restoration. What makes it less of an ideal candidate is the engine under the hood.
The 1978 Nova was available with three engine choices. The base and the laziest was the 250 six-cylinder unit, while the next unit in the queue was the 305 V8 with 145 horsepower. The top choice was the 350 with 170 horsepower.
Unfortunately, this Nova comes with – you guessed it – the lazy mill. However, if you want to see the glass half-full, learn that the engine still starts and runs. The unit is paired with an automatic transmission.
The vehicle rolled off the assembly lines with power steering, power brakes, and air conditioning.
The biggest shortcoming is the selling price. As I said earlier, the 1978 release wasn't the most successful iteration of the Nova, so the car isn't exactly a collectible. While it'd make for a fancy daily driver – and I'm sure it'd turn a few heads in tip-top shape, a 1978 Nova can't sell for Impala or Corvette money.
The sellers seem confident they can get $7,000 for this Nova, probably betting big on the unrestored and original part. However, they also enabled the Make Offer button, so if you're interested in the car but don't want to pay that much, you can use this option to negotiate the selling price. Meanwhile, the car is available for inspections in Staunton, Illinois, and while it runs and drives, you should still take it home on a trailer.
To put this in perspective, the Nova was the only Chevrolet model whose sales declined in 1978, with the hatchback, in particular, losing ground heavily.
It doesn't mean this unrestored 1978 Chevrolet Nova should abandon the fight. The car was recently pulled from a barn, though we know nothing about the storage location. The owner hasn't shared many specifics about the long tenure in storage, so it's impossible to tell if the Nova struggled with high humidity levels or spent this time in a dry climate.
However, the photos shared by eBay seller Country-Classics suggest the Nova is still daily driver material, and this could be a sign that you won't spend too much time dealing with metal issues. The undercarriage is likely clean, but you should still put the car on a lift and thoroughly inspect everything. The rust has already reached certain metal parts, but most damage appears to be only on the surface.
The car is still complete and original, making it a great candidate for restoration. What makes it less of an ideal candidate is the engine under the hood.
The 1978 Nova was available with three engine choices. The base and the laziest was the 250 six-cylinder unit, while the next unit in the queue was the 305 V8 with 145 horsepower. The top choice was the 350 with 170 horsepower.
Unfortunately, this Nova comes with – you guessed it – the lazy mill. However, if you want to see the glass half-full, learn that the engine still starts and runs. The unit is paired with an automatic transmission.
The vehicle rolled off the assembly lines with power steering, power brakes, and air conditioning.
The biggest shortcoming is the selling price. As I said earlier, the 1978 release wasn't the most successful iteration of the Nova, so the car isn't exactly a collectible. While it'd make for a fancy daily driver – and I'm sure it'd turn a few heads in tip-top shape, a 1978 Nova can't sell for Impala or Corvette money.
The sellers seem confident they can get $7,000 for this Nova, probably betting big on the unrestored and original part. However, they also enabled the Make Offer button, so if you're interested in the car but don't want to pay that much, you can use this option to negotiate the selling price. Meanwhile, the car is available for inspections in Staunton, Illinois, and while it runs and drives, you should still take it home on a trailer.
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