It’s no thriller that motor oil runs via my veins, as demonstrated in a latest story of my late great-grandfather’s 1923 service station. There may be a lot extra to share, beginning with a automobile that I grew up listening to a number of tales about after I was youthful.

Tuxedos and Muscle Vehicles

Probably the most fashionable dialog items in my dwelling at this time is that this picture taken within the late Nineteen Seventies of my dad and his youthful brother, Bryon, standing in entrance of their muscle automobiles that have been parked on my grandma’s again garden in Logan, Utah. Bryon’s automobile (left) was a 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, and my dad on the appropriate had a 1968 Chevrolet Nova. The sibling rivalry was clear, however the wardrobe is as enjoyable to see because the automobiles themselves – it seemed like these boys have been prepared to go out in town with their dates for highschool promenade. We’ll get into the automobiles in a minute.

Nova Mannequin Historical past

The Nova mannequin began out on the Basic Motors X-body platform as the easy semi-unibody “Chevy II” in 1962. It slotted within the Chevrolet line up as a compact, and physique kinds have been provided in coupe, sedan, station wagon, and even convertible variants. The Nova identify first got here to life because the Chevy II 400 Collection, which was a top-trip variant for that first-generation. It is a picture of pop in 1965 with a Chevy II – maybe this was the automobile that first caught his curiosity within the mannequin.

A second-generation Nova launched in 1966 with a brand new semi-fastback roofline and vertical taillights (the convertible was dropped). Powertrain choices have been huge, starting from a 153cid inline-four to a 327cid V8. For the primary time, a Tremendous Sport trim bundle grew to become out there: distinguished with distinctive badging, a vivid deck lid cove, and particular wheel covers.

By the debut of the third era in 1968, the Nova was solely out there as a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan, and the Nova identify had begun to take over from the “Chevy II” moniker (the Chevy II identify can be retired totally the next mannequin 12 months).

Advertising supplies said: “The good-looking, smooth-riding 1968 Chevy Nova is totally new inside and outside. Although priced from simply $2,222 and economical to function, it neither seems to be nor acts like an financial system automobile.” Chevy touted the truth that the automobile had grown in general size by six inches and in width by an inch. The chassis, steering, and suspension had been tweaked, and 15 colours have been provided (12 of them new for the 12 months). For the primary time, the Tremendous Sport identify was tied to a efficiency bundle reasonably than merely a trim bundle. Key items of apparatus in that bundle have been a 295-horsepower 350cid V8 and a heavy-duty suspension.

Taking a look at a few of the brochures for the Nova, Chevy talked up the automobile’s Magic-Mirror end acrylic lacquers. Primarily based on the colour swatches behind the e-book, dad’s automobile was completed in Matador Pink. Obtainable choices for the 12 months included energy steering for $84.30, energy brakes for $42.15 ($100.10 with entrance discs), a tape radio for $133.80, air-con for $347.60, and a vinyl roof cowl for $73.75. Dad’s Nova was outfitted with that roof.

Dad’s 1968 Chevy II Nova

As for the story behind dad’s Nova, as I perceive it, the automobile had been wrecked by the prior proprietor. My dad acquired the automobile in about 1977 (when he was round 17) as a challenge from her, and he did the physique and paint work himself. Not one to depart issues alone, he moved to mechanicals subsequent. The miserly base motor was exchanged for a high-power V8 together with a Muncie four-speed guide transmission. My grandmother muses that it was customary round the home to have automobiles with out engines in them. Swapping motors grew to become a typical weekend prevalence (between dad’s automobile and his brother’s), and the purple Nova had varied powerplants over time.

Dad’s Nova had been bought by the point I entered the world in 1981, and we’re not certain if it’s nonetheless round at this time. Quests to search out it within the late Nineteen Nineties weren’t fruitful. However a few years later, my youthful brother Bentley acquired and stuck up an analogous 1968 Nova – this time, a real SS – and even managed to safe the identical “68 NOVA” license plate mixture from the State of Utah. Bentley’s pro-street Nova was later featured in a Hemmings Muscle Machines article in November 2016. It was a far cry from dad’s, having been modernized with an LS powerplant, a Tremec six-speed guide transmission, and a sport-tuned suspension from Pace Tech.

Because the years go by, automobile recollections like these stay a core a part of my childhood and proceed to be made every day. I’m glad dad captured so many pictures of his Nova in its glory days.

I solely want we had movies of his drag-racing adventures so we may see the way it sounded and carried out. I’m certain it had a barely extra growl than the primary automobile I ever modified, which was 1989 Honda Prelude!