East Coaster of the Day: 1969 Chevrolet Nova SS
In the late 1960s, anyone looking for a low-priced, intermediate muscle car couldn’t go wrong with a car like today’s East Coaster, a 1969 Chevrolet Nova SS.
Dave Bowen of Cole Harbour has owned this immaculate 1969 Chevy Nova for just a year. It is a beautifully restored example of one of the most popular hot cars of the day, pleasingly void of tape and trim, save 396 emblems on the fenders.
The Chevy II/Nova debuted in August 1961 as a 1962 model. It was General Motors’ answer to the hot-selling Ford Falcon. The Nova was the top model of the Chevy II lineup. In 1969, the name Chevy II was dropped and the car lived on as a Nova until it was replaced by the Chevrolet Citation in 1980.
The base, two-door post version of the Nova, with few options other than muscle, was popular in the 1960s. The version with the 396 cid engine was exceptional value. The 369 Nova has always been a car to be reckoned with unless you are driving a dual-quad or six-pack carbureted Super Stock street predator of the day.
Somewhere along the way, the original engine in Dave’s Nova was upgraded to a 454 Chevy V-8. So if you see this car around, remember those 396 badges on the front fenders and the label on the air cleaner are little white lies.
Sleeper.
