Base engine. Dog dishes. Powerglide.* This Chevrolet Nova from 1970-72 is a survivor of the plainest kind, the sort of car driven in large numbers by young families and grannies on tight budgets during the 1970s and mostly extinct for a quarter of a century. It is old-fashioned basic transportation without the hipster chic of a Falcon, the bulletproof appeal of the Dart/Valiant, or the budget muscle car second life of most surviving Novas. It was common and boring in its own time, but after the passage of 40 years, it is unusual and interesting because of its plainness.
* Any resemblance between this opening and the “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet” commercial jingle of 1975 is entirely intentional.
Spotting this car parked on a side street in Washington, DC in May 2014, during the same jog in which I found a household with Chryslers spanning six decades and five Eldorados and a Riviera on one street, brought back memories of my family’s slightly less basic 1973 Nova coupe, which drove past this very location many times. Our family’s first new car, it had a 307 two barrel V-8, automatic and full wheelcovers, but no A/C or other creature comforts. Its beige paint, always chalky, was the epitome of dullness but did a remarkable job of protecting the car from rust, because it never had any significant rust during the seven years that we owned it. This Nova lacks engine callouts indicating that a base six cylinder or perhaps even a four cylinder lives under the hood. Dog dish hubcaps, the first that I have seen on a Nova in many years, and white paint complete its basic and anonymous look.
Inside, the basic nature of the car continues. A shift quadrant marked PRNDL reveals a Powerglide transmission, which together with a base engine, would have given this car a leisurely accelerating but durable powertrain–unexciting, but fine for driving the kids to softball games or for granny to drive to church, with little trouble for many years. The vertical ventilation control panel with its many levers, identical to the first car controls that I was ever allowed to touch in our 1973 Nova, show no A/C markings. The fuzzy seat cover is the only dash of color in the dark interior, and it is probably a vast improvement over either the standard vinyl or the optional “cloth” of our Nova, a material reminiscent of woven synthetic fishing line whose only virtues were wear resistance (it inflicted wear on you, not the other way around) and imperviousness to sweat and barf (thoroughly tested during my childhood).
Looking around this old Nova, a fundamental “rightness” emanated from it. Straight, almost rust-free (the rust-through on the bottom edge of the passenger side door, probably from water pooling inside, was the most significant rust visible), and apparently unaltered from its original condition, it appears to be a car that has been used lightly and allowed to age gracefully. Only the seat cover and slightly oversized rear tires that give the car a slight rake depart from originality, and neither suggests hot rodding or any other adolescent attitude toward the car. At the same time, this Nova generation’s good proportions and slight “Coke bottle” hips give it a bit of style, and its versatility in accommodating any Chevy powerplant would make this car either a nice as-is daily driver or a great sleeper. I am not looking to re-create my first childhood automobile memories (Sweat and barf? No thanks!), but I do find starter classics appealing, and this Nova would be a very good one.
Note: a rerun of an older post.
Related reading:
Powerglide–A GM Greatest Hit Or Deadly Sin?, 1970 Chevrolet Nova – Have It Your Way
Back in the day, there were loads of bargain basement Novas around. I can still remember the “knock-knock-knock” of the Powerglide being shifted into drive, and the whine from the pump. Most of the ones I saw were four doors, and I’d say about 50% were sixes and the rest V-8s.
The two doors were often hopped up, as any GM part would blot right on.
“It inflicted wear on you”. Exactly!
This no-nonsense car matches the anonymous government utility building. Maybe it was originally a fleet purchase, but most fleets in the 70s bought plain big cars, not plain compacts.
At least where I lived at the time, it felt like this category was owned by the Valiant. I’m sure sales figures say different. The back seat of the Nova was a bit of a cavern, and the Valiant (and Dart) gave its rear-seat passengers a much better place to be.
Nice find, albeit twelve years ago. This one may be carrying on as is in 2026, or just as likely sitting at cars & coffee with an LS swap.
Basic Novas remind me of the movie Good Will Hunting. At the end he’s leaving Boston for California in his Nova, and his discomfort is just beginning. Or maybe that doesn’t matter when you’re going to see about a girl.
I was never a ‘Nova guy’, but I must admit that the 2 door of this vintage is a handsome machine. As a child of the ’80s, the Novas I recall were already thoroughly used up and on their third of fourth owners, usually with a set of Cragars and air shocks installed. I don’t recall any looking as tidy as the one pictured.
There was a very nice looking ’69 that sold from a dealer near me recently, albeit an SS. It rocked the same dog dish hubcap style…which I absolutely love, btw. I’ll take dog dishes over Cragars anyday!
https://www.connorsmotorcar.com/vehicles/1049/1969-chevrolet-nova-ss
Nice write-up, but the comment about the Nova “without the bulletproof appeal of the Dart/Valiant” is very misplaced.
Mopar compacts were very reliable. Novas even more so.
I was more surprised by the “hipster chic of a Falcon” claim. I think the author was just toying with us. I’ve never known anyone who owned a Falcon, much less a chic one. If it’s a six, I’ll take the Dart. If the Nova has a 307 small block v8 then I would have chosen it instead. These days it’s easier to get parts for the Nova. If it doesn’t fit a Mustang, you’re out of luck on Falcon parts.
This is a rerun of an older post. It was written towards the tail end of the Falcon’s heyday as a ironic fashion object for the kind of Millennial hipsters who were into microbrewing and Vampire Weekend. The hipster ideal was probably a 1963 Falcon Futura convertible; I think the 1966 and later Fairlane-based Falcons were the wrong kind of utilitarian. The peak for that fad has long since passed (the people who were into it are now pushing 40), but it was a thing for a while.
Yea, what could be mo’ “BULLET PROF” than a 6 banger ’69 Nova coupe? Uh-huh…except when that “reliable” 250 ci 6 ATE valves?? Which my light gold (like the ’72 Rally Nova pic) did-REPEATEDLY! It did it where purchased, in L.A. area; it did on vacation back home in Wisconsin, and it did it more times back in California. Parts were swapped out, but no Chevy wrench ever figured out the CAUSE of the problem: which Joe Mondello did for me when I stopped at his house to chat about the several Hi-Po Oldsmobiles sitting outside. I had finally traded my ’69 Nova for a new VW Super Bug….no more burnt valves or other mechanical problems! Well, at least not until the Bug was recovered after being stolen from the teacher’s parking lot at dear ol Compton High School…24 hours after I had paid it off. The Nova still looked brand new….sigh. ): DFO
I’m surprised this isn’t a 4 door since I can’t remember the last time I saw a surviving ’68-72 Nova trimmed like this. At a minimum I’d expect chrome Cragars or later-model Chevy Rally wheels at a minimum, if not a full SS “tribute car”.
in college in the mid 80s one of the RAs in my dorm had a similar 6 cylinder Nova and the engine looked lost under the hood compared to how packed my Volvo 164 was. Then my roommate bought a 69 C10 with a 6 and you could barely reach the engine.
This is very close to my first car. It was white with dog dishes but was optioned with black vinyl top and 307 Powerglide. Mine was a ’70 and was 4 years old with 70,000 miles and blew blue smoke. It was a tail dragger with the monoleaf rear springs. I put Gabriel Highjackers on it just to bring it to level. The one pictured here seems to have a California rake.
It was very reliable for the 3 years I had it but slow and boring. I really wanted a Dart GT but lacked funds.
My sister had a ’70 with the 250 six and the 250 callout was next to the marker light I believe. Not sure about the ’69s, but I would guess this is a 4 cylinder car.
These cars frequently were seen dog tracking. There must have been a problem clamping the axle to the springs. It was so commonly known that we used to joke that they needed a windshield wiper on the vent window.
A 1970 dark green Nova with a black vinyl interior was by 2nd car in 1977. It had the 250 cid 6 and Powerglide. Unlike my 1st car, a ’67 Chevy Caprice with the same powertrain, I could intermittently get a bit of ‘rubber’ when flooring it from a standstill. Something I didn’t do often, even at 20 years old. An indication of the very light back end. Was somewhat surprised I could at all given the Powerglide’s tall 1st of 2 gears.
Overall a decent car, but one significant drawback is that it did very poorly in snow. In the New England blizzard of ’78 I got stuck and had to ditch it, fortunately was within walking distance to my father’s convenience store where he was working. We fortunately made it home in his 1970 Ford Maverick. The Nova was towed across town and we retrieved it the next morning. I recall expecting better fuel economy than my Caprice but didn’t think I experienced it. Maybe that was just the perception due to the smaller gas tank.
On the way to look at this car with my father, we saw a similar year and color Dodge Dart or Plymouth Valiant. I always wished we stopped to look at that, likely with the 225 slant 6 and 3 speed automatic.
Always love a sleeper. The late 60’s/early 70’s Nova is one of my favorites especially in SS trim and before the ’73 bumper extensions. The SS 350 and 396 all time faves. Smaller and lighter than it’s big brother, the Chevelle, these machines represent a big warm spot in me heart. Unfortunately, and because of where I’am, haven’t seen any nice examples. Wouldn’t mind buying a nice, running car.
Wasn’t ’69 the last year for the 153 cube 4 cylinder?
no it was available in 1970 for sure. I saw one in the showroom with a Torquedrive transmission. That was the only option on it besides radio. The Powerglide was only available on the sixes. My sister opted for the 250 six with Powerglide.
Another nice survivor .
Millions of these cheap and durable cars littered the U.S.A. back then .
I was more enamored of the “shoebox” ’62 ~ ’64’s .
I’d run the wheels off this if I could get it .
-Nate
Any time I see a Nova of this vintage I am drawn to it. It was 1970, my first year at an out-of-state college, and Dad borrowed and wrecked my 1966 T-Bird. With only one day to buy a new car before going back to college I was given a blank check and sent to see my Dads friend at a large Chevy dealership. My instructions were don’t go crazy, meaning no Camaro. What I bought off the new car lot was a 1970 Nova SS 396. It was a beautiful Astro blue, loaded with about every available option except for a vinyl top which I didn’t like then or now. Every available bright trim & accent option, rally wheels w/whitewall tires, Sandalwood bucket seats, auto trans., etc. To this day I have never seen another 1970 SS 396 optioned like mine. I drove that car for about 100,000 trouble free miles and didn’t trade for something else until 1975. Plain or fancy you had a lot choices when ordering a Nova.