1972 was a magical year for the Nova, as its sales once again went through the roof after a difficult 1971. Chevrolet sold close to 350,000 cars, albeit the Super Sport was no longer as successful as expected, accounting for only 12,000 units.
However, 1972 was also the year when the transition to V8s became more obvious. The Nova was born a decade earlier with four- and six-cylinder engines exclusively, but the more customers insisted on aftermarket upgrades, the more evident it was for Chevrolet that a V8 option was needed.
The long overdue engine upgrade landed in 1964, with V8s gradually gaining popularity every year until becoming the choice spearheading yearly orders. 1972 witnessed a new record, with approximately 210,000 Novas rolling off the assembly lines with a V8 engine under the hood.
The 1972 Nova in these photos has a 350ci block under the hood. It’s paired with an automatic transmission and runs and drives well.
The nearly-perfect engine condition is unsurprising, as the Nova has already been restored. However, if you wonder why the car looks so bad after a complete restoration, the answer comes down to one word: ignorance. The previous owner, who overhauled the car, parked the Nova under the clear sky ever since, so you can imagine that the fantastic Chevy had a hard time and eventually failed to retain its mint condition.
It now needs another refresh, including in the cabin, where the front seat exhibits the typical sun fade damage. The interior was redone as part of the previous restoration, so you’ll have to inspect everything in person to determine how much work the Nova will need inside.
The body shows obvious damage, including dings and dents that the next owner must resolve to bring the car back to a tip-top shape. It’s frustrating to see a Nova that looked perfect only 10 years ago in such a bad condition, but it’s proof that some people don’t truly appreciate legendary models. Fortunately, eBay seller jodelga53 got their hands on the car, and they’re now willing to let it go to someone who can save this Nova and park it inside where it belongs.
The Nova isn’t expensive, either. The owner wants only $5,750 for the car, but they also enabled the Make Offer button, so they’re willing to negotiate if you have another deal in mind. eBay’s statistics indicate that 17 people are already watching the listing.
Meanwhile, the best thing you can do is to pay a visit to the owner and inspect the Nova in person. It’s parked in Dos Palos, California, and considering the engine is still in working shape, you shouldn’t have any problem taking the Nova home. The listing will expire in four days.