Chevrolet Nova (1966)
for sale
Price: US $79,000.00
Price: US $79,000.00
If you are going to Barrett Jackson in Las Vegas this coming weekend it will be worth your while to see this absolutely beautiful Nova. You can call me at 702-234-1387 .
This exception 66 Nova SS is the car everyone is trying to
find. It took me years to find this car and now it’s time to let it go. A truly photo documented rust free southwest
car. A very low mileage car. This is as close to a survivor car as you will
want.
This Nova Super Sport started its life from the Warren Ohio
plant in the 4 week of September 1965. After assembly it made its way to
Madisons Chevrolet in Scottsdale AZ and was sold to Mr. McMurry of Scottsdale
AZ on Dec 19th 1965.
The Nova SS spent around 20 years of its life in Scottsdale AZ
and then was sold to a gentleman in the San Diego CA area. After 20 years in
Southern California, it was found by me in 2007 and now resides in Las Vegas NV.
In 1973 I had a 66 Nova SS and after all these years and
many car’s later I wanted my 66 nova SS again. So I was on the war path to find one. Almost every car I would find was either junk
or poorly restored. I have been in the auto
body business all my life and have owed my shops that were Mercedes Benz
certified. I do know a thing or two about how to repair cars, when I found this
beautiful SS Nova I couldn’t believe it. I think I finally found a true
unmolested car. Except for the paint that was finally going bad and it had all
the original body panels on it. Stamping numbers on the quarter panels, the
floor stamping in the truck and on the trunk lid. The original rocker panels. I really at that time didn’t care if the bolt
on items were ever changed; as long as the roof/quarters, rockers and floor
were original and perfect, the car looked solid as could be.
After about 6 months in Vegas I decided to give this beauty
a new paint job, again I didn’t want to get crazy and do a rotisserie
restoration on this car. It didn’t need it. The underneath was as spotless as a
50 year old car should look like, no spray undercoating covering whatever.
After de-trimming the chrome and sending it to DNT Polishing in Michigan I had the
Nova walnut shelled and not sandblasted. Sand blasting is too aggressive and
can warp body panels so walnut shelled it was. I also ask that he doesn’t do
the bottom and to stay about 6 inches above the bottom. I didn’t want any
walnuts to hit the underneath of the car. I hand sanded and orbital sanded the remaining.
And at that time I really didn’t know what kind of Nova I had. It wasn’t until
the blaster called me and said you will not believe your car; I said what you
mean. He said in all his years of blasting he has never seen a car this many
years old with no rust on it anywhere! I couldn’t get there quick enough, I
took many pictures of this car in bare metal, and yes there was no rust
anywhere! You talk about making a dream come true. I finally found the perfect
Nova.
So I have it brought back to my shop and everyone there was
amazed. At that time more picture of the bare metal Nova are taken. Now it got
sanded with 180 grit sand paper and put in the paint booth and epoxy primer was
applied. My shop uses only BASF Glasurit paint. With to good help of my friend Jürgen
Book at Glasurit in Munster Germany he arranged all the Glasurit products to be
used on the Nova,
After about a month
of the dry desert heat of sitting outside the first sanding were done. Minor dents that were found were repaired. Priming
was done with epoxy primer again. Not only is Glasurit epoxy primer the best in
the world it’s also the easiest to sand. So now the Nova sat for about 3 moths before I began to work on it
again, letting the primer to naturally dry out. Now the doors and the trunk lid were reinstalled and fitted to make the
best alignment I could possibly achieve. People in the Nova community thought I was
nuts, all I heard was they weren’t that nice from day one, but I didn’t care, mine was going to fit better than anyone’s! At this time of my life I was taken
off of my Nova to help a fellow Nova gentleman by the name of John Piccola who
many of you may know that are associated with the Nova national committee with
his 65 Nova, I helped him assemble his car that another body shop in town
didn’t finish for him. After about
nearly a year gone by I went back to my Nova. After all letting primer sit long
is the best that could happen before painting. So a final sanding was done to prepare it for painting. One thing I
contplated for a long time was to paint it like new cars with clear or put it
period correct. After all clear was not used in 1966 to paint cars. So a quick
call to Germany with Mr. Book at Glasurit. At this time Glasurit was starting
their classic car paints lines. He persuaded me to go with a urethane enamel
seeing lacquer or enamels were used in the aftermarket fields back then. Even though they were painted with lacquer, enamel was used in bodyshopd then also. And I know that. So Glasurit made up
some urethane enamel Lemonwood yellow for me. As he stated the urethane will have the UV
protecting needed to protect the Nova. The Nova was then painted. In the paint
booth it had a coat of sealer applied and the 4 coats of lemonwood yellow.
After it was painted about a week later it was buffed out to look as good today
as it did 7 years ago. To this day when I pull the cover off it still looks
beautiful. I have never had to rebuff it. No shrinkage what so ever, thank you Jürgen
Book and BASF Glasurit!
Also as a side note
in my humble opinion one should never purchase a car that was freshly restored.
You just don’t know what you are getting until a few years down the road and you
may be very disappointed if it wasn’t done correctly, don’t take the gamble.
After helping John Piccolla put his Nova together he gave me
two NOS front fenders to put on and I did. So everything is original even the NOS front fenders. He also gave me
PUI door interior trim panels and PUI seat covers. I also put new carpet in it.
And a new headliner.
I was going to repaint the engine compartment but decide not
to. Why you ask? Well the engine that was in the car when I bought it wasn’t
the engine that was it when it was new. BUT
I DO HAVE THE
ORIGINAL ENGINE
. The
second owner didn’t know what was wrong with the original engine when he bought
it because the original owner Mr. McMurry had passed away and the heirs didn’t
know why the engine was replace. But
it’s the same stamping numbered that’s on the protecto plate. So yes the original engine goes with the car.
Why haven’t I changed the engine, very simple, the engine in it runs so
beautiful I didn’t feel like it, and according to many that I respect in the
auto community as long as you have the original engine that’s what people want.
So I decided to go that route. Next guy
if he wants can pull the engine and clean up the engine compartment and install
the original engine. I just don’t have the time anymore.
Also I sent the
rocker molding to get reandized in California at Trim King Anodizing so they
also look perfect. I do have a lot of
NOS parts that will go along with the sale, I have NOS front wheel opening molding
and both NOS quarter panels and an additional a/c unit. A beautiful used red
right side door that is absolutely stunning. I do not think the interior door
trim panel has ever been taken off of it, it was found in Mexico. And boxes of
parts to numerous to write down,
The Nova has very low mileage with only 56400 some miles on
it. From everything I know about the car these seem very likely to be original.
I myself haven’t out 500 miles on it in over seven years. The second owner told
me he may have put 5000 on it all the years he owned it. He also told me the
original owners heirs stated it sat in the garage for many years in Scottsdale AZ.
The original engine is a 327 with 275 hp. I know it’s not an l-79, but heck they made
so many l-79s and many have cloned them there are just way too many of them out
there. They actually made less 327 275
hp cars! And to me the less of anything is the rarer.
Factory air
conditioning power steering and power brakes, rare rear speaker.
The grille was assembled with correct General Motors
piercing rivets and not carriage bolts and nuts that are so commonly seen at
car shows.
The wheels were powder coated black for a more durable
achievement instead of painting.
I put on the red line tires and I know the hubcaps are from
67. But heck I found NOS ones and I personally like them so if the next owner
wants correct one for the year they will have to find them.
All the windows are date correct.
T-3 headlights
NOS SS grille emblem
NOS Hood Molding and NOS front emblem
NOS front turn signal assy.
NOS rear bumper
NOS front fenders
Even have the original license plate frame from Madisons Chevrolet
and 1968 license plates with the inspection sticker that matches the plates, .
Have all owner manuals with dealer and warranty books and
protecto plate.
I’ve tried to explain this beautiful Nova the best I can, but if you need anything else please let me know and I will gladly help. Also
any of you guys in the Nova National community can also call John Piccola about
the car.
update: 2016-10-10
Condition: | Used | Year: | 1966 |
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): | 123456789 | Mileage: | 56,400 |
Interior Color: | Black | Make: | Chevrolet |
Number of Cylinders: | 8 | Model: | Nova |
Transmission: | Automatic | Trim: | Super Sport |
Body Type: | Coupe | Engine: | V8 |
Warranty: | Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty | Drive Type: | RWD |
Vehicle Title: | Clear | For Sale By: | Private Seller |
Exterior Color: | Lemonwood Yellow |