Nova was nearly the car's name from day one in 1962 — it lost out only because Chevrolet wanted every model name to start with "C," then spent seven years as just the top trim before taking over in 1969.
Median 99 hp across 244 similar cars
Lead trim: 283 V8 (1964) · up to 300 hp
Chevrolet Nova first generation1962–1965
- 0spots by members
- Unclaimednobody has spotted one yet
- 0sets it belongs to
Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Chevrolet Nova first generation yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactNova was nearly the car's name from day one in 1962 — it lost out only because Chevrolet wanted every model name to start with "C," then spent seven years as just the top trim before taking over in 1969.
Chevrolet's compact X-body Chevy II, designed by Clare MacKichan. For 1964, sales hit hard by the new Chevelle, it received its first factory V8, a 195 hp 283, and an all-new 230 cu in straight six. In 1965 a 327 with up to 300 hp made the Chevy II a muscle car, putting Nova SS performance practically on a par with the GTO and 4-4-2 in straight-line acceleration.
Collectors Spotted in the Chevrolet Nova Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Chevrolet Nova yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 283 V8 (1964) | 1964–1965 | 4.6 L V8 | 195 hp | 285 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Nova SS 327 V8 (1965) | 1965–1965 | 5.4 L V8 | 300 hp | 360 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
An estimate, for the 283 V8 (1964) trim: fuel on its EPA figure and a dated national price, upkeep on a per-mile average for the kind of car it is.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Chevy's Nova Twin-Cam was a stealth limited edition — a 29% price hike over the base car, locked to one black-on-gray color combo, no hatchback allowed, and only about 3,300 ever built.
LA Sheriffs tested the 1976 Nova, then placed the largest compact police car order in U.S. history.
The 1968 redesign stretched the "compact" Nova onto a 111-inch wheelbase — just one inch shorter than the mid-size Chevelle coupe it was supposed to sit well below.
Nova was nearly the car's name from day one in 1962 — it lost out only because Chevrolet wanted every model name to start with "C," then spent seven years as just the top trim before taking over in 1969.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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