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Most Wanted Classic Cars: Chevy Nova (Part 1)

At the beginning of the 1960s, most of the major American car manufacturers were coming up with new budget compact cars; Chrysler launched its Valiant and Dart, Ford had its Falcon and Comet, and AMC released the Rambler American. Although Chevrolet had the Corvair, it wanted a car that could compete with the popular rear-wheel-drive compacts in the market. Therefore, it introduced a compact muscle car called the Chevy II in 1962, and the car would be renamed Chevy Nova several years later.

Three different models of the Chevy II were made available to car buyers, and they were the Chevy II 100, Chevy II 300, and Chevy II Nova 400. These cars were fitted with either a 153 cid inline 4 called the Iron Duke or a 194 cid inline 6, which was a revolutionary engine that used seven main bearings. In the following year, the car underwent minor changes, and the Chevy II Nova SS was added to the line. Chevrolet improved the performance of the Chevy II with the introduction of two new engines in 1964, which were the 230 cid inline 6 and a 238 cid V8. Two years later, a more powerful engine in the form of a 327 cid V8 was introduced, and this engine was capable of making up to 350 hp.

In 1968, the Chevy II was radically redesigned, and it was given a Camaro-like frame. This body design would remain unchanged for the next 11 years. It was in 1969 that Chevrolet decided to drop the Chevy II name, and the line became known as the Chevy Nova.