Yesterday Aaron65 favored us with some delectable ’70s U.S.-themed Curbside Classics. As mentioned, there were three Spirit of America Chevrolets available in MY 1974: Impala, Nova and Vega. However much I would have enjoyed showing you a SoA Vega (are any left?), I was unable to locate one. But, this Nova Hatchback isn’t too shabby, is it?
In 1973, the Nova received a mild facelift incorporating the now-required “park bench” front bumper, narrower grille, and quad taillights. Also new, and highly played up in advertising, was a hatchback.
Though losing a bit of their former sleekness due to the bulkier bumpers, the Nova was still a rather handsome compact, especially in higher-trim versions. All Novas were much the same in 1974, save for a newly-added bowtie emblem on the grille. Also new was–you guessed it!–the Spirit of America Nova. It was the flossiest compact Chevy you could specify!
Of course, the big difference between the Nova pillared coupe and the Hatchback was out back. Open wide! Yes, in 1973-74 a hatchback was a novelty, the “next big thing,” and the bodystyle had not yet become shorthand for “unpleasant penalty box.”
The rear hatch (also available on Nova döppelgangers Ventura, Omega and Apollo) offered lots of extra room to stash whatever stuff you needed to carry, no matter the flavor of X-body you chose. And with the SoA’s canopy vinyl roof, white paint and snazzy red and blue striping, you could do so in ’70s style.
Inside the Nova Custom interior was utilized, with plusher seats and more nicely-trimmed door panels. Clearly this example has had some modifications, and gave off a not-unpleasant ’80s street machine vibe.
The red, white and blue steering wheel insert with eagle emblem was a unique piece, and it would no doubt be all but impossible to locate a replacement these days. This one was mint, though. Note the blank out on the far right of the speedometer–someone added the Spirit of America package, but was still too cheap to order the clock.
I have always liked white vinyl interiors, so of course I had to check out this rare Nova while attending the Eastern Iowa Nova Club event at Riverside Casino in Riverside, IA–about ten minutes’ drive from Iowa City.
I will have to share some of the other finds from that event sometime, but with the Fourth of July weekend now upon us, I just had to give this one an early debut!
Love it! If I lived in a salt free area, I’d probably get a ’70s Nova as a daily driver.
A beautiful car ruined by jacking up the rear.
I kinda like it lol
Nova show? Judging from all the Novas in the background.
I know its to each his own….but really is the giant tach, B&M shifter and all the other Pep Boys gauges really necessary for what probably is a stone stock 160hp 350 with a chrome air cleaner and chrome valve covers?
Yep, the Eastern Iowa Nova Club meet. There was even a mint ’75 Nova LN coupe–I know the owner of that one, he and his wife bought it brand new.
You never know what could be lurking under those cheap parts store chrome accessories. That 350 could now be a roller-cammed 383 or 406 with cast iron Dart heads. You just never know. 🙂
If my Nova had been a hatch (68 hadn’t thought of it yet) and if I had known about trailers already, I would have probably have kept it instead of the 57 Chevy. Since it got decent mileage I probably would have been more interested even when the gas prices shot up.
I think the Nova Hatchback escaped the econo penalty box stigma simply because it looked so much like the regular coupe so that you had to be standing up close to see that there was a gap on both sides of the trunk rear window that indicated that it was a hatch or saw the badging that denoted it was a hatch. Otherwise it looked enough like the Nova coupe. (heck even the rear window was about the same size as the rear window in the coupe. GM did a good job of disguising the hatch back version so that it looked like a coupe.
This something that Mazda did with their Mazda6 hatchback. It looks so much like a sedan that a person would not know it was a hatch unless they looked hard at it.
Yeah, gotta admire the fact that it does a good job of not looking like a mini-minivan.
The hatch was also a worthwhile addition insofar as packaging efficiency was never among these cars’ leading virtues. (I don’t think styling is, either, but I seem to be the only one who considers these cars to be shudder-inducing eyesores.)
Another example of “it’s a hatchback, but it doesn’t look like one” styling is the Plymouth Sundance/Dodge Shadow.
IINM, the Nova (and the other GM X-body) hatchbacks actually didn’t sell very well, especially once you get past the first couple of years. The hatchback versions of certain models towards the end of the ’70s could fairly be called “rare”.
You mean there was a day when hatchbacks weren’t disdained? I must have missed that some how.
Hatchbacks go through cycles ~ for a year or two they’re in and hip , then they’re unsellable used and stop making them , wait a few years & try again .
Here in So. Cal. , Nova Hatchbacks were the rage for Hot Rods all through the 1980’s so they bought them up, Hot Rodded them then wrecked or junked them in droves , just like every other Hot Rod ever built .
-Nate
I for one have never understood hatch disdain. Maybe I’m too young (born in ’80)? Sure, a lot of cheap econoboxes were hatches, but on so many cars the hatchback version was better-looking than the sedan. And while the modern two-box hatchback does remind some folks of a mini-minivan as stated above, or alternately like a shortened wagon, you have to admit it’s so much more useful.
the stripe kit got exported even if the car didnt make it here GM NZ built a series of white Holdens for the 74 Commonwealth games all replete with blue and red Union Jack stripes and decals,
I got the perfect plate for it
Nice car, I’d like to get an Impala with that package!
I like the wheels on these! Usually seen on GM trucks but they also look like those Chrysler used on their full size cars.
I have pics of one of those too, but since Aaron65 just shared one the other day, it will have to wait a while.
Leaving the underside of a trunk lid bare is more acceptable, but not covering the underside of the hatch screams of cheapness. The hatchback is a great idea, but leaving that uncovered is bound to make the car noiser.
When I met my first wife, she was driving a 4 door 1975 Nova in a dark brown color with a tan painted roof, straight six auto with PS but manual brakes. AM radio and a/c that blew sorta cold. It was a turd, but it was cheap and cheerful transportation for several years. It got traded in on an early 90s Accord.
I had one of those ’74 hatches (w/o SOA package): reliable enough with the six, but rusted horribly, leaked around hatch, and was definitely noisier than a sedan would have been. (Teddy is right about cheap painted-steel inside hatch.)
Newspaper ad, mid-March 1974:
The Spirit of America Novas were the most common, and many were ‘hot rodded’ out too, as the car in the post.
I used to see one used as a Dirt Track car at Santa Fe Speedway [IL] in early 80’s. Still with the Spirit stripes, but all caked with mud and dents.
I would not have been a fan at the time, but what a great ’70s mobile now!
Those hatches were very shallow close to the back of the car. Probably not a lot more useful than the standard notch car, but I don’t have any practical experience using both.
But you can still fit bulky items in and just tie it closed. Did that many times in Dad’s ’83 Escort.
Classy, no, but it sure is useful.