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There are cars we could have bought. Cars we would have bought. But this is the car I should have bought back in high school. My well-meaning parents helped me get a 1972 Vega in 1973, before the self-destructive properties of that model became so awfully and costly apparent.

They were thinking “small and economical” for my first car, but looking back in hindsight (as we all do), the long-term costs of a Chevy Nova would have been far less. And it wasn’t much larger than the Vega.

The Chevy II/Nova line started in 1962 and went to 1979, and again from 1985 to 1988. But I’d like to focus on what I would have had in my high school years, the ones made from 1968-1974, which are now known as the 3rd Generation Nova. Those other cars have their own followers, and deserve separate posts.

So what’s so unique about a Nova? Well, really, practically nothing at all. Recirculating ball steering, drum brakes (discs were optional), blah sedan styling (window frames remained after the glass was rolled down), and spartan interiors and gauge clusters made up this car for the most part.

Maybe that’s what makes the Nova so special. GM took their best, proven build ideas at the time and made them work, skipping on some of the frills. And the test of time has proven that they still work. These cars were built during the heyday of muscle cars, and the Nova undoubtedly benefitted from some of that technology.

This foundation made it possible to build a Nova as anything from a nurse’s car to a dragster and anything in between. I would not call them luxury cars during these years, but you could opt out of the vinyl floor and flat front bench seat with the LN Package in 1973. Of course, bucket seats were available all along.

These Novas were sold as coupes or 4-doors. There were no wagons or convertibles during this time.

One thing that was especially well-designed about the Nova was that it had a subframe up front, but was unibody from, say, the bulkhead/firewall on back. This large piece continued under the floor somewhat, as it had to be bolted to the main body. It added immense support for a large engine, but made the overall car much lighter than a full body-on-frame design. The F-Body Camaro and Firebird had a similar unit.

Where many unibody-car front-ends would have been beyond repair in an accident, this allowed the possibility of unbolting the subframe and replacing it, along with the front clip (that’s the fenders, hood, and radiator support assembly to some of us). I have seen it done, and this kept many Novas out of the scrapyard prematurely.

The Nova offered Strato seats, Astro ventilation, and an optional Turbo-Hydromatic transmission … GM sure went wild with space-age marketing names back then!

A bud had a Nova, circa-1969 model, that was plain and stripped to the bone, and I got to drive it on several occasions. Seems it had power steering, manual brakes, an automatic, 6 cylinders, and moon hubcaps–remember them? His car, in that form, was about as exciting as watching paint dry, but it got the job done. It was a solid car, until a battery turned over in the trunk. We all know what happened after that.

The Nova was reskinned for 1973. Though style is always subjective, I think the new looks took the car out of the 1960s and was a pleasant update. The front vent windows disappeared for a sleek, more modern look, and 5-mph bumpers were fitted as pleasantly as possible. A potentially hot hatchback was offered for the first time, and I remember a cool snap-on camping tent option for the hatchback. Well, at least I think it was for camping.

A Nova SS (Super Sport) was and is known by some as “The Hot Set-Up.” Imagine putting a 396-cubic-inch (6.5-liter) V-8 with 375 horsepower into a 3,300-lb. car (A 2001 Miata with 144 horses weighs 2500 pounds). Install a 4-speed, add disc brakes, and tighten the suspension. Don’t forget a sporty trim package. Better yet, let the factory do all of this for you and give you a warranty. The model years of power availability vary, but is there any wonder why folks love these cars?

This Nova has a claim to fame with Cadillac. With a little frame stretching and an all-new body, the first Seville sprang from the Nova. The altering of the Nova’s backbone and new coachwork earned the Seville the K-Body designation over the Nova’s then-X-Body. At $12,479, the Seville was the highest-priced Caddy of 1975.

Buick/Olds/Pontiac also had their versions, namely the Buick Apollo, Oldsmobile Omega (shown here), and Pontiac Ventura (later the Phoenix, years before the front-wheel-drive X-Car with the same name). Yes, they were virtual clones of the Nova, but at least each had a different face, with styling cues resembling other cars from each respective GM division, such as the “Pontiac Point.” 

But, unlike the Nova, those cars are now almost forgotten. They were offered only as a small car alternative in those divisions, like the Chevy Cruze and upcoming Buick clone. Will GM ever learn that badge-swapping may not be the best idea?

Maybe the Nova was a bridge between a large GM car and a sub-compact–tidy dimensions, but tons of power and a solid feel. The doors sounded like a big car when you shut them, and there were no complaints of claustrophobic proportions once inside.

If I had owned a Nova in high school, I’m sure I’d have one now for reflection. I think this is one of the best cars GM ever built, as there are many still around. Their owners are fiercely faithful, and with good reasons. This is the best small car Chevrolet ever built, and I wish that they had stopped here–most everything that followed has been a total disaster.

–That Car Guy (Chuck)

The first image is from MuscleCarClub.com. The dash image is from Hemmings.com. The body/frame image is from ahwagner.blogspot.com. The red Nova SS is from Wikipedia. The Olds Omega photo is from www.NorCalOlds.com.