Chevrolet Nova wasn’t as popular as other nameplates launched by the GM brand, such as Impala or Corvette, but the SS model helped it expand on the performance territory dominated by its more admired siblings.
A 1973 Nova SS is trying to get back to the road not from a barn or a garage but from the drag racing world, where it impressed with a 454 big-block monster.
The Nova SS wears the Custom trim and is one of the approximately 35,500 cars featuring the same treatment in 1973. Chevrolet produced over 369,000 Novas for this model year, but an SS with the Custom equipment is much rarer (not impossible to find today, though).
The car rolled off the assembly lines with a 350 V8 under the hood. Considering it wears the SS tags, the 350 served its purpose very well, though I always said that a big block with a displacement over 400 cubic inches is a better choice for a Super Sport.
The previous owner thought the same, so they upgraded the car to a massive 454 Chevy engine. It made sense, as they wanted to use the Nova SS for drag racing. They also installed a roll cage, racing seats, a new shifter, modern gauges, and all kinds of other parts to prepare the car for the drag racing world.
The owner eventually decided to sell the car, so they returned to the original 350. The long tenure of the original V8 out of the car allowed the mileage to remain low, so the odometer now indicates just 29K miles (approximately 46,000 km). On the other hand, they did not remove all the interior upgrades, so you still get a roll cage, the racing seats, and the shifter.
Seller 2196ben says the roll cage lets the driver easily get inside and outside the vehicle, as it sports a special design.
The biggest surprise hides in the trunk, as the seller decided to keep the nitrous tank and the wiring to the engine bay, allowing the next owner to turn the car into a small rocket on wheels if they’re interested in a performance boost.
The Nova SS is otherwise working properly, as it received regular maintenance, with some settings restored to factory specs. The battle for this impressive Nova SS is underway. The vehicle is parked in Nashville, Tennessee.