Chevrolet Nova Generations: Through the Years

Tag along through the years at all the Chevy Nova generations as it transforms from a simple compact car to a big-engine muscle car to a rebadged Geo. 

The Chevy Nova: a Compact Street-Racing Hot Rod 

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An unlikely candidate to become a muscle car, the Chevrolet Nova was developed because of the Ford Falcon. After the 1960 Falcon outsold the rear-engine Chevrolet Corvair in 1960, Chevrolet designers got to work on a conventional compact economy car. After just 18 months of prep work, the Chevy II debuted. It would eventually become the Chevy Nova and transform into a big-block legend.

After hitting its heyday in the late 1960s, the Nova lasted five generations into the 1980s but, eventually, federal regulations and a shift in direction put a damper on any possible continued success the Nova could have had. Look back on the better times and all the changes, good and bad, of the uniquely versatile Chevy Nova.

1st Generation Chevy Nova (1962-1965) 

• Not technically a separate model, the Chevy Nova was introduced as a top trim level for the 1962 Chevy II. It was available as the 100 Series, 300 Series, and Nova 400 Series.
• Body styles included a four-door convertible, sedan, or station wagon, and a two-door coupe.
• The lower series had a 2.5-liter four-cylinder under the hood, but the Chevy Nova 400 Series came with a 120-horsepower 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine. This mated to a four-speed manual transmission.

• It was sportier than the regular 1962 Chevy II. The demand was clear in the form of 23,741 Nova 400 convertibles produced that year. Meanwhile, the 200 Series was discontinued almost immediately.
• After a successful first year, the 1963 Chevy II expanded. The Chevy II Nova Super Sport was released with an instrument package, wheel covers, side moldings, bucket seats, special emblems, and a floor shifter. It was only available on the 400 Series sport coupe and convertible.
• 1963 was actually the only model year that the Chevy II Nova SS was available as a convertible.

• 1963 was actually the only model year that the Chevy II Nova SS was available as a convertible.
• Though no Chevy II was offered with V8 engines at the time, Power enthusiasts performed engine swaps that upgraded the Chevy II with small-block V8s.
• For the 1964 Chevy II, Chevrolet added an available V8 for the first time. A 3.8-liter or 4.6-liter straight six generated 195 or 220 horsepower.

• With more power, the Chevy Nova was now competing with the likes of the GTO and Mustang. Chevrolet’s own newest addition, the Chevelle, made a dent on Chevy II sales though.
• The V8 engine lineup expanded with the 1965 Chevy II. Available as the Chevy II 100 and Chevy II Nova 400, it became a muscle car with two versions of the 5.4-liter V8. One made 250 horsepower. The other made 300 horsepower. A two-speed Powerglide transmission could be ordered for this model year, too.
• Engine upgrades weren’t the only changes for the ‘65 Chevy II. The front end was updated with a full-width grille that featured new integrated headlights. The 1965 model year sedans also received a new roofline.
• Trim levels for the 1965 Chevy II included the entry-level 100 Series and the Nova 400. Both were available. The Nova Super Sport came only as a sport coupe. It had exclusive features like a brushed chrome console and a floor-mounted, four-speed manual transmission.

2nd Generation Chevy Nova (1966-1967) 

• The second-generation Chevy II was faster than the previous generation. The 1966 model had a 5.3-liter eight-cylinder engine that made 350 horsepower. It took just 15.1 seconds to complete the quarter mile.
• Sharper edges were part of the restyling that was based on Super Nova concept car. Chevy also introduced a semi-fastback roofline on Chevy II models.
• A L79 version of the 5.3-liter six-cylinder engine was rated at 350 horsepower.

• 172,485 units sold in 1966. Of those, 20,986 were the Super Sport version.
• The 1966 Nova 400 could be upgraded to a Nova Super Sport on sport coupe models. The Nova name wasn’t used on the body but it was promoted as the Chevy II Nova Super Sport.
• The Chevy II 100 Series had a 2.51-liter inline-four, good for 90 horsepower. A 3.18-liter inline-six delivered 195 horsepower and a 4.64-liter V8 cranked out 220 horsepower. There was also 275-horsepower 5.36-liter V8 and 350-horsepower 5.36-liter Turbo-Fire V8, an engine first used in the Chevelle.

• Changes on the 1967 Chevy II included some cosmetic enhancements like a new interior pattern and the addition of the Nova SS badging.
• Some Government-mandated changes were also made. Those updates involved making interior armrests and sun visors soft fabric, adding front seat belt anchors, and using recessed instrument panel knobs.
• 1967 Chevy Nova SS was given a black-accented anodized aluminum grille, but the ‘67 Chevy II only sold 106,500 models, a dip from the 163,300 units sold the year before. One ‘67 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova SS we found was the perfect candidate for a LS swap.

3rd Generation Chevy Nova (1968-1974) 

• The Chevy Nova became the Chevy Nova at the start of the third generation. Well, basically. It was the Chevy II Nova.
• The Nova was based off of the Chevy Camaro, both aesthetically and mechanically, though the platform was first intended for the Nova before it was shifted and introduced in the 1967 Camaro to catch up to the Ford Mustang.
• With a 111-inch wheelbase, the 1968 Nova had a long hood and a short rear deck. It was just one inch shorter than the midsized coupe.

• The full redesign offered 15 powertrain choices, including power brakes and power steering, for coupes and dozens for sedans. The standard 5.7-liter V8 made 295 horsepower.
• An available L34 6.4-liter generated 350 horsepower while a L78 V8 made 375 horsepower. The redesign and changes paid off because the 1968 Chevy II reached 183,552 units sold, the best number since 1963.
• There were only 234 of those L34 Novas made and 667 of the L78 Novas were produced. Both are now great finds for Nova collectors.

• Don Yenko, best known for his Yenko Camaros, took a handful of 1968 Chevy Novas and refitted them with a stronger body frame, a better suspension system, and a 7.0-liter V8 engine. They delivered 425 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. 37 Yenko Novas were produced, originally selling for $4,000 each.
• Outside of adding five extra horsepower, the 1969 Chevy Nova didn’t see any real changes. The 1969 model did take another step towards becoming the Chevy Nova, though. Technically, it was the 1969 Chevrolet Chevy Nova.
• The 1970 Chevy Nova was the last high-performance Nova. One factory option allowed for a 6.4-liter engine that produced 375 horsepower.

• The Clean Air Act of 1970 impacted the Chevy Nova, just as it did several other muscle cars at the time. The differences could be seen in the 1971 Nova, which was given a 5.7-liter engine and 270 horsepower. The result was a slip in sales.
• The Rally Nova, or RPO-YF1, was introduced for the 1971 Chevy Nova lineup. It had race car styling but didn’t deliver racecar performance.
• The 1972 Chevy Nova didn’t improve when it came to power. A 5.7-liter V8 that made 200 horsepower was the only engine available. The two transmissions included the three-speed automatic or four-speed manual.

• The Rally Nova was dropped after selling 33,319 vehicles in 1972.
• 1973 Chevy Novas brought with it bigger bumpers, bigger rear windows, and the removal of door vent windows. A three-door hatchback was also introduced. For the first time, the Chevy Nova SS was available with any engine.
• After the changes of the 1973 Nova, there weren’t any significant changes to the 1974 model except for a Spirit of America edition of that gave the Nova red, white, and blue accented trim levels.

4th Generation Chevy Nova (1975-1979) 

• The new 1975 Chevy Nova used new sheet metal and was boxier, but it still had the semi-fastback shape.
• The front suspension and brakes were refined, and a catalytic converter was added with the goal of reducing exhaust emissions.
• Under the hood was a 4.3-liter V8 engine. Other changes included steel-belted radial tires and the mandatory use of unleaded fuel.

• Also, Chevrolet debuted the Nova Custom, an upscale version with a top-of-the-line package called the LN, or Luxury Nova.
• A new 5.0-liter V8 was used for the 1976 Chevy Nova. After just one year, the LN trim level was replaced by the Concours. It had rosewood vinyl on upper door panels, on the instrument panel, and on the steering wheel. A fold-down front center armrest was added in a Nova for the first time.
• The Concours also had bumper guards, black bumper impact strips, and full wheel covers. The redesign added 100 lbs of curb weight.

• The 1976 model year also had the sad distinction of being the last year of the SS.
• Engines for the ‘76 Nova included a 105-horsepower six-cylinder, a 140-horsepower 4.9-liter V8, and a 165-horsepower 5.73-liter V8.
• In 1976, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept placed the largest order for compact police cars in the U.S. ever. The order was for Chevy Novas.

• Changes in the cabin of the 1977 Chevy Novas included a refreshed cluster, more rounded gauges, and a flatter dash. The ‘77 Nova was also offered in a few new colors.
• The Nova SS name was dropped, but the Z26 package continued on under the Nova Rally name. Meanwhile, the Nova Custom replaced the Contours.
• After the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept placed such a large order for the ‘76 Nova, other departments followed that trend, ordering the ‘77 Nova with a 4.9-liter or 5.7-liter V8 making 145 or 170 horsepower respectively.

• All 1978 Chevy Novas received a new steering wheel.
• The 1979 Chevy Nova was the last year for the vehicle (at least for a while), but there were some updates: a new grille with modified rectangular headlights, a chrome hood and fender moldings, and new front bumper filler panels.
• Less than 98,000 1979 Chevy Novas were made. It was actually the only Chevy model in 1978 that had a sales decline, so the end of the line was expected.
• The last 1978 Chevy Nova was produced on December 22, 1978. However, Nova Customs were built on special order until early 1979. The last Custom was finished on March 15, 1979. Chevy compact models quickly became FWD models from then on.

5th Generation Chevy Nova (1985-1988) 

• Despite the hiatus after the 1979 model, the Chevy Nova wasn’t done yet. Chevy resurrected the badge as the fifth generation of the vehicle.
• The new 1985 Chevy Nova was the result of a General Motors and Toyota team-up. It was produced at a previously unused GM plant in Fremont, California. It was offered in a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback.
• This time, the Chevy Nova was built on the same FWD platform as the Toyota Corolla. The subcompact was given a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine which paired with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

• There weren’t big changes made to the 1986 Chevy Nova.
• A rear-window defogger was standard on the 1987 Chevy Nova. Another change was silver highlights on the vertical grille bars. The 1.6-liter 74-horsepower engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission or four-speed automatic.
• Closing out the short-lived fifth generation of the Chevy Nova was the 1989 model.
• Minor upgrades included a rear window defogger, standard AM/FM stereo radio, and rear shoulder seat belts.
• A Twin-Cam version of the 1.6-liter engine was added to the 1987 Nova. This addition increased output to 110 horsepower. That was an increase of 36 horsepower compared to the single-cam version. This sportier model was aptly named the Chevy Nova Twin-Cam.
• The Twin-Cam also came with a leather-covered steering wheel, a tachometer, power steering, sport suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, wider tires, and aluminum wheels.

• The base model of the 1988 Nova had a price of $8,800 while the Chevy Nova Twin-Cam sold for $11,395.
• The end of the line for the Chevy Nova came when the GM moved it over to the new Geo division of the company, ultimately repurposing the Nova as the Geo Prizm.
• Chevy created Geo to attract buyers from Isuzu, Hyundai, and other popular Japanese automakers at the time.
• Although the Chevy Nova seems to be gone for good this time, it’s one even ordinary car enthusiasts can own. The Nova made our list of the Most Affordable Classic Muscle Cars, though you’ll find that the SS is going to be a little pricier.

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