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There are no shortages of descriptions that sellers use to describe their cars. They run the gamut from zero description to a tome, from a complete downplay to an over-the-top “give me a break, please” exaggeration and then all points in between. Sometimes the fun is in just perusing the listings to review the quality of the creative writing employed. With that thought, let’s take a look at this 1966 Chevrolet Nova SS, located in Everest, Kansas and available here on eBay for a current bid of $8,600, reserve not yet met or a BIN price of $14,500.
The ’66 Nova, and its near-identical ’67 successor, have been very popular cars with the performance set since the early ’70s. I can remember a time when a clean, non-cobbled example came up for sale, buyers flocked to it and this was just a five or six-year-old used car. While the SS was the preferred variant, a non-SS, two-door hardtop had a resale game as well; the two-door sedan, not so much so. Clearly, Chevrolet got it right with this version of the Chevy II/Nova. (The extended spring shackles weren’t part of the original design!)
This example is advertised as a true SS, the VIN prefix provided by the seller checks out, but what does that really mean? Well, The SS option was mostly an appearance package based on trim, wheel covers and badges as applied to the two-door hardtop body style. It also included bucket seats and a center console but not necessarily a performance engine as an in-line six-cylinder was standard on the Nova SS. This example, based on the fender badge, indicates that it was originally a 283 CI V8 good for either 195 or 220 HP depending on the version. The VIN will delineate between a six and eight-cylinder engine but will not denote which six or eight-cylinder motor. A clutch pedal is present so that would attest to a manual transmission. A four-speed would have come with a floor shifter but a three-speed was column activated, even on a SS. There is a shifter opening cut into the floor but it looks more Sawzall performed than factory-cut at the Norwood assembly plant. None of this matters at this point because, obviously, there is no engine or transmission present.
The exterior and underside look pretty solid, there doesn’t appear to be any perforation, just typical surface rust which is always the case it seems. The seller does reference rust-through on the top of either one of the front fenders but it’s not clearly visible. The original SS trim all appears to be present, the glass too. I’m not sure what the claim, “THIS IS A SEMA QUALITY PROJECT” means exactly unless the seller is trying to tell us that this is the grade of the body necessary for a zillion-dollar redo that is performed annually at SEMA and then televised. That said, there is a ton of Bondo in the various body panels; don’t know that is SEMA acceptable or not. Most car guys/girls that I meet generally are not looking to accomplish anything remotely close to a SEMA creation with their various projects. I guess this Nova is tailored to that higher-end target market taking into account its advertised, “NOT CHEAP” price. Is this a good start? If rust and the overall integrity of the platform is job one, then I guess so. It’s curious that this Nova is photographed with Chevrolet OEM style “mag” wheel covers when they are not included with the sale – they actually have some real value.
The interior is pretty well gutted which I guess helps if you want to get a good idea of the solidity of the floors. There are bucket seats present but according to ’66 Nova marketing material, they’re wrong; again, not that it matters in this case. The dash pad and door cards are done and the console is missing, but again, it probably doesn’t matter in this case assuming the seller’s presumed buyer.
What is this Nova really? It’s a roller that needs a lot of work, a base for a project. Is this something that would serve as the foundation for a SEMA style custom or resto-mod? Probably but I’m not the best informed on that topic. How about a base for a nicely redone/restored driver? I’d say yes to that too, but at what price? Let’s get a discussion going, what’s the logical thing to do with this Nova to get it back on the road and add some fun to it?
