Chevrolet Nova doesn’t necessarily make for a highly desirable collectible, especially when lacking SS tags. Moreover, despite a massive redesign, the 1973 model year was hardly a head-turner. It still served as an affordable way to go to the supermarket, but otherwise, the Nova was slowly becoming a dull model.
Living proof is none other than the engine lineup available in 1973. Due to a questionable strategy, Chevrolet killed off the SS’s performance appeal, turning it into a visual package worth $123. It included only the typical SS badges, Rally wheels, and a special grille.
Other than that, the SS could be ordered with pretty much any engine in the lineup, including the six-cylinder. That’s right, the Nova SS could be had with a straight-six too, though it goes without saying not too many of those ended up rolling off the assembly lines.
The Nova that you see here wasn’t born with this subtle SS treatment but rather as a regular model allegedly powered by a V8.
Here’s the thing about the V8 options available on the ’73 Nova. Because this model was supposed to be an economical Chevy from the very beginning, the GM brand obviously didn’t invest in performance-oriented units. But even so, the offered V8s were incredibly lazy, in some cases almost as lazy as the straight-six.
For example, the six-cylinder unit on the Nova developed 100 horsepower, while the 307 (5.0-liter) V8 produced… drum rolls… 115 horsepower. Insanely powerful options (read this with an ironic tone) came in the form of the 350 (5.7-liter), as it could reach 175 horsepower with a four-barrel carburetor.
These details are no longer important for this 1973 Nova, as the car lacks both an engine and a transmission. It’s a roller that’s been abandoned in the middle of nowhere in what looks to be a junkyard full of other classics. Interestingly enough, the car still comes in good shape, so despite sitting under the clear sky for so long, the Nova might still check many boxes for a daily driver candidate.
The rust doesn’t seem to be a concern, which makes sense given the car was found in Cubero, New Mexico, so it shouldn’t require too many metal fixes.
At the end of the day, a 1973 Nova isn’t exactly the kind of car collectors would pay a huge fortune for, but it’s still an intriguing appearance if you somehow manage to bring it back to tip-top shape. With the right restoration treatment and a potent engine, this Nova wouldn’t end up costing a lot more, but at least it would make for a very cool companion.