1966 Chevrolet Nova in Ft Worth, Texas

Vehicle Description

The awesome Lemonwood Yellow paint on this '66 Nova SS is merely a disguise. Underneath, it has a rocking 502 cubic inch V8, a Tremec 5-speed, a heavily upgraded suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes that make this resto-mod a street racer's worst nightmare.

A take-no-prisoners build, this car is as impressive in person as it appears on paper. And yes, it is a real code 18 V8 SS, although the original was a mere shadow of the car you see today. Kudos to the builder for choosing a subtle and attractive color rather than basic red or black, and thanks to outstanding bodywork underneath, the finish is simply gorgeous. Modifications are limited to a steel cowl-induction hood, and nothing has been shaved or deleted, leaving it clean, although the '502' emblems give it away if you're looking closely. Gaps are excellent, and it's obvious that a lot of money was invested in getting this Nova to look just right. It looks fast, yes, but there's plenty of evidence that simply being fast wasn't enough; it had to look right. Given how many cars we've seen here at Streetside Classics, it's safe to say that there aren't a lot of cars that can compete at this level.

Modifications to the interior are subtle and effective, too. The original black buckets remain, as does the original SS center console, but that cue ball shifter now controls five gears instead of four. The original dash has been filled with Auto Meter gauges in an attractive brushed aluminum panel, and a new AM/FM/cassette head unit. Vintage Air supplied the A/C system (which is so new, it hasn't been hooked up yet), along with a billet panel that fits in the original controls' spot under the radio, and everything is finished to show standards. Even the trunk is custom finished with new carpeting and an embroidered rear panel that hides things like the battery and other electronics.

There's a thundering 502 under the hood, and if you wonder why pro-built cars cost so much, just check out the workmanship on the firewall and inner fenders. Everything was custom fabricated to conceal the wiring and plumbing, and anything that was left exposed was polished, plated, or painted for show. A billet accessory drive spins a chrome-plated water pump, alternator, and A/C compressor, and every hose was given a braided stainless cover, including the A/C lines. There's a massive aluminum radiator keeping the big block cool and a Wilwood billet master cylinder keeping it safe. The front suspension has been completely reworked and now uses Heidt's tubular upper and lower control arms, coilover shocks, and a polished rack-and-pinion system. The Tremec spins a limited slip 9-inch Ford with 3.81 gears, all hanging on a set of composite leaf springs and air shocks. The exhaust is all new from headers to tailpipes, and there's a big disc brake at each corner. It rolls on a set of staggered 17-inch Billet Specialties wheels with 215/55/17 front and 235/55/17 rear BFGoodrich radials.

Completed only 600 miles ago, this amazing Nova is poised to start winning some pretty serious trophies. It's also a blast to drive, with limitless torque from the 502. Resto-mods don't get much nicer than this, but you'll never know unless you call!