Is there a better time capsule for so many men of a certain age than a Nova coupe? It isn’t the Nova you wanted then, which had at least a 350 under the hood, and not a wheezy six. But when it comes to first cars, you make do with what you can afford.
And now that you can afford a ’69 Z-28 or a 1970s BMW, who wants to have what all the other guys at the reunion now have? They might be living their high school dreams, but that’s not the same as actually reliving high school. Isn’t their an expression about high school being the best years of one’s life?
Sadly, there’s no price. And I haven’t been back to see if it’s still there. But maybe the market for these isn’t as strong as it once was.
Yeah, a used Nova coupe was cheap back then, and the next best thing to the real thing. Hey, it really was a ’67-’69 Camaro under the skin, except for a few inches of extra wheelbase. Which wasn’t all that good a thing, as the gen1 Camaro wasn’t exactly a ballerina, to put it lightly. The ’71, with its new front end and steering was a lot better, but the Nova (and its stablemates) would have to wait until 1975 to get those goodies. This was 1968 revisited.
Unless I’m being deceived, from the lack of fender call-outs this should have a 250 six and a three speed. The wheels and tires are mighty modest as is the stance. But then maybe this is what makes it such a time capsule: plenty of young guys couldn’t afford a set of mags after they plunked down their savings from the after-school job at the Dairy Queen or gas station.
This is a hatchback, no less. Hmm; does that increase the odds of it having a six? I’d say so. In my recollection, hatchbacks were more likely to be bought new by a female driver; easier to load the shopping or baby stroller. Or am I being sexist?
There’s something about this pairing that speaks louder than words. While a Nova V8 coupe might have been the hot thing in the 60s, by the 70s things were changing fast, at least in some parts of the country. Of course the BMW was more expensive and not as fast as a 350 powered Nova, the lure of the spinning propeller was big and getting bigger by the day.
It was not a coincidence that the ’75 Nova sported a decidedly BMW-esque flavor, most so in the roof line and the “Hoffmeister kink”, which of course had been around long before Herr Hoffmeister ever thought of it, and which was already present on the ’73-’74 Nova. But it was all just a well-done re-skin of the ’68-’74 Nova from the cowl back, with a new front end courtesy of the ’71-up Camaro, with its much improved suspension and steering. The Nova was finally worthy of being called a four door Camaro.
In 1974, no one would even dream of accusing the Nova of having BMW aspirations. But then a 350/THM 350 Nova was a whole different animal from the BMW: a world-class power train in a third-world body. But a six cylinder, three speed manual Nova? Dream on, kid…
In 1976, a friend of my parents was broadsided at an intersection while driving a dark green and white vinyl-roofed 1973 Nova coupe, equipped with the 250 six. He must not have been wearing his seatbelt properly, as the seatbelt did internal damage under his rib cage. He never worked again. Medical retirement in his 30’s, at the time.
I rode in that Nova once. Spring of 1975, I joined this couple on a daytrip. And he managed to briefly get it stuck in mud, as we visited Murphy’s Point Provincial Park, near Kingston, Ontario.
1976 was the earliest days of the seatbelt law here. I can remember getting stopped on the QEW for not wearing my belt (properly) in 1977. That sounds like an awful outcome for your acquaintance.
I remember it well. Plenty of people initially took liberties with their seatbelts. Some pulling the shoulder harness down under their armpit. As the OPP hadn’t yet started serious enforcement.
I do think it generally negatively affected the gentleman’s life outlook, after the life-altering event. He passed away, several years ago.
I don’t know what the lack of any badging on this one indicates. Was it being readied for a paint job before they thought to sell it? Or is this the rattle can paint job done, and they haven’t bothered to put the badges back.
With those aftermarket gauges below the dash, perhaps the 250 got swapped with something more lively. A 350? A 327 out of a crashed Camaro? We may never know.
If that hatchback was held open with hydraulic shocks, one would hope they had been pretty strong to hold all that assembly in place.
The interior does not look all that inviting. Rather dark and dull.
These were never as plentiful as Mopar A bodies where I am. I didn’t know anyone who had one of these. Closest I can come is someone I knew who had a 72 Nova with a six and three on the tree.
> Or is this the rattle can paint job done, and they haven’t bothered to put the badges back.
Supporting this theory is that Nova hatchbacks of this generation actually had “hatchback” badges on the C pillars, and they’re missing here. I’m not sure if this car was born with a V8 in it, but with the aftermarket tach and auxiliary gauges and the non-stock-looking floor shift, I’m guessing it got a driveline transplant of some sort.
Inline sixes seem to have an elevated rep nowadays. BMW’s straight 6’s were vaunted, and most Bimmerphiles I know consider the turbo 4-bangers that replaced most of them to be a serious downgrade (many also prefer the old NA versions over the blown I6’s now used and only in higher-end models). Mercedes had a new I6 awhile back, and Mazda is trying to position themselves in the big leagues with their recently new inline 6, which gets a callout on the fenders of SUVs so equipped, something I rarely recall seeing in the ’50s through ’70s on anything with less than eight cylinders. An inline 6 often correlates with rear drive, since the configuration doesn’t lend itself to transverse/FWD applications. The I6 love seems jarring to me because I grew up associating inline 6s with low-end ’60s and ’70s American cars with dog-dish hubcaps and base-level trim, what cheapskates bought when they didn’t want to pay extra for a V8 (or the gas it guzzled). Not an engine for luxury cars. The big three seemed to be the Chevy 250 six, the Chrysler slant six usually a 225, and the Ford 3.3L which seemed underpowered for its size; some Fords also used the Cologne 2.8 V6 which was the only V6 that seemed common. I have little experience driving any of them, but I don’t recall any of them having a rep for being especially smooth, quiet, or well-balanced, traits ascribed to this engine configuration today. If you wanted that (or more power) you paid extra and got the V8.
By 1970’s, Novas and everything else came with a “wheezy” 350 that power peaked by 3900 RPMs or lower… if that’s what you ordered. Too bad Paul didn’t crawl underneath and see how many exhaust pipes were coming down. LOL! Hopefully, this has a V8 rebuilt for HP and MPG. Tach, added gauges, and Hurst says that, as Morten points out.
Those breathable coarse cloth center seats look comfortable in cold winter and hot summer. Better than all vinyl or leather. Somewhat similar style to my ’77 Astre seats. That Nova prolly doesn’t have A/C. My Astre does.
My aunt Eva drove a ’70’s Nova with 350 callouts. I teased her about it being a little hot rod one day. She said yes, it certainly moved out OK, no complaints there. Her son, my cousin, Butch, was a test driver at the Chrysler Proving Grounds in Chelsea, Michigan. He is built and looks kinda like Steven Seagal. On the back of hot rod magazines in 1960s was usually a Chrysler ad with a hot car driving away so you could read its name and call outs. Through the back window you could see his big square head. He was kinda famous, except nobody but us knew who he was. LOL!
I didn’t care for high school or college, felt like I was working hard enough to be making $100K/year, but I was always near broke. Little money for dating. Boys pay, girls enjoy. I’d rather re-visit or stay in my well to do years. College at GMI was OK, otherwise, though. Car minded students, rear wheel dyno in the basement of the school, gymkanas in GM parking lots. College sports players can legally get paid $$Millions now, imagine being a millionaire in a giant college and around 25K college girls…
OMG, my family had one of these, purchased brand new. A 1974 Nova hatchback with a straight six. The worst car we ever had! My memories are as follows:
Leaky hatch. We’d use carwash vacuum cleaners to get the water out. I think my brother later drilled a hole in the floor of the trunk to just let it drain out. (I’ve had to do the same with every hatchback I’ve ever owned.)
Dieseling. One time, the car continued to run for almost three minutes after it had been shut off. To call the pollution controls on that car “primitive” would be an understatement.
Annoying ignition interlock. It had a buzzer that would sound if you didn’t use your seatbelt. You had to follow the “sit, belt, then start” sequence or you’d get a nice, loud buzz. This was easily disabled by clipping one wire under the seat, which Mom eventually had a mechanic do for her. Mom being Mom, she waited to have this done for about a year after buying the car. After all, it was technically illegal to cut that wire.
My only positive memory is that it was insanely easy to work on. With a straight six where a V-8 would normally go, there was plenty of elbow room.
The car was mercifully totaled one snowy winter day in the early 80’s by a hit-and-run driver. They did us an enormous favor.
My parents had a ’72 Nova they got new. 4 doors. Power steering and brakes. My dad added a cruise control he got from Sears later on.
Car had a 250 inline six with an air-cooled Power Glide.
It was Mom’s car and I learned to drive in it.
I have very few fond memories of high school and have zero desire to relive it. Same goes for cars like this. I can respect them for being survivors but that’s about it. I graduated in 1994, and there were still plenty of ’70s cars such as this Nova in our school parking lot; living out their last sad days as the training wheels for new drivers.
College, on the other hand…THAT I would relive in a hearbeat!
My brother had the “Pontac Ventura”, cuz, version. “6”, auto, radio,bucket seats, were about the options.
H got it in “76ish”. The prior owner had outfitted it with some early “70’s Pontiac”,wheel covers.
Milage was not high, car in very good shape. The throaty, buzzy, “6” was it’s signature.
Very reliable, nice looking, tudor. He had it till near “1980”.
With a Hurst-shifter and extra gauges, I would guess this Nova has a V8 under the hood…
This story certainly hits home. In 1980 I am 16 years old and I desperately want a Monza Spyder of an El Camino Royal Knight. Pocket book allowed for a slightly used 79 Nova Hatchback. It was ok. 305, rallye wheels, AC and an AM radio that was swapped for a anyo cassette deck immediately.
A high school friend had one. Gold. V8. 4 speed. The “SS letters almost a foot high” version. Jacked up so high in the rear the cops made him weld a “”Mansfield bar” under the original bumper.
https://www.streetmusclemag.com/news/vintage-74-ad-showcases-the-custom-nova-ss-coupe-in-its-glory-days/
As I graduated from high school in 67, someone had a mid 60s Nova 6 cylinder with the rear end jack up and a set of slicks on the back. It looked bad, but 6 cylinder engines were weak at the time/
I had 4 Nova 6s: 3 were new 250s, but my u$ed ’69 was a 230. It proved to be a good, basic car in Wisconsin Winters. My nu California ’72 was the worst: more smog equipment BOLTED ON, than engine. It got 15 mpg HIGHWAY…..got rid of it for a ’73 VW Super Bug.
My nu ’79 3 on the tree 250 6 was quite good, for what it was…after a nu short block was installed following 3 “eaten” camshafts!! Being a dark brown, no A/C 2 dr it did get a wee bit toasty when we lived in Dallas, Texas!! Upon returning to Wisconsin its limited HVAC worked fune. 🙂 DFO
In the mid 80s the RA for our dorm had a 70 or 71 Nova with a 6, that had almost as much room under the hood as my roommate’s 69 C10 with 6. By comparison a class mate had a 73? with a V8 and a 4 speed, much more interesting.
The subsequent generation (75-79) must have had some BMW aspirations what with the Hofmeister Kink on the 4 door. They still live, my son’s friend has a 76 Nova 2 door with a 305
My fate was considerably better – a 1972 el Camino and it may only have had the 350 but it had an exhaust that exploited its capabilities to be antisocial (though in later years I found the 2000 Prelude once the VTEC switched to the higher-rev cam profile to be a FAR sexier sound). I’d spent most of 1984 sanding and priming that car and saving for a cheap but effective paint job that summer – only to rear-end a truck that decided to stop and turn left from the lane of traffic rather than ease over. Was able to piece it back together (as shown) but it never looked as good as that week.
It’s not a car I wish I still had today unless I’m trying to bring something large home. Reality on those 70s machines also frequently involved a totally flat bench seat with no angle adjustment, upholstered in black vinyl so unless you wanted 2nd degree burns on your thighs and back you packed beach towels in the summer even if there were no beach visits planned. Instrumentation was a ribbon speedometer with an occasionally scratchy cable and a fuel gauge stuck on past full – meaning after cashing the check I went straight to the gas station, but was never caught empty-tanked.
During my tenure this car never held more than 17 people at any one time and never exceeded 105mph.