1965 Chevrolet Nova Chevy II Coupe 350 V8 Crate 4 Speed Manual Classic Vintage C

1965 Chevrolet Nova Chevy II Description

The formula was a good one: take a lightweight car like the Chevy II and stuff it full of small block V8. This 1965 Chevy II (also known as the Nova) is a road-ready example of that formula in action, and it offers a host of upgrades to make it a first-class cruiser with a ton of eyeball appeal. And yes, it's got a manual gearbox! Subtle colors help give Chevy's compact a bigger presence, and you're... probably not going to see this one coming until it's too late. They're not big cars, which is why they're so potent out on the road, but in dark colors you have no choice but to treat them with respect. The paint and bodywork on this car was done to a high standard and remains in excellent condition with only 1600 miles on the build, there are very few signs of use. It's not a perfect trailer queen, of course, but if you like to drive, there aren't many better Bowties for the job and there's a reason the 2-door post was a favorite of drag racers. The steel underneath is quite straight and shows off good gaps, suggesting that when the work was done, they took their time, and the cowl induction hood is a nice addition. Nice chrome, including the factory grille and the 'Chevy II' logos on the rear fenders, gives it just enough flash to get some attention as you go rolling past. The interior is extremely well done, offering newer seats and carpets, all in black to match the car's low-key bodywork. Modern power buckets are a nice find and the rest of the interior pretty much sticks to the factory recipe. There's a custom center console, a big 3-spoke steering wheel on a tilt column, and fresh carpets on the floors. The floor-shifted 4-speed manual gearbox has a Hurst shifter with a custom knob and it's a lot of fun to rack it through the gears. The factory gauges cover the basics, but a Sun tach was neatly tucked into the center of the original gauge panel and a trio of aftermarket dials hang underneath. An upgraded AM/FM/cassette radio lives in the center of the dash and a trio of 12-volt power outlets were added for modern equipment like your phone or GPS. The back seat was upholstered to match those modern buckets and the trunk carries a correct mat. Due to pressure from sales of the all-new Chevelle, the Nova's option list finally received a V8 in 1964, with this 1965 Nova carrying a hot-built 350 cubic inch crate motor. Using authentic finishes and equipment combined with a few dress-up pieces, it has a great period performance look with modern horsepower on tap. Upgrades include Dart aluminum heads, a Lunati cam, Edelbrock intake manifold, Holley 4-barrel carburetor, and an HEI ignition system. It makes enough power that someone has decided to chain it to the frame to keep it from torquing over too much in its mounts. The 4-speed manual transmission is plenty tough for V8 duty and channels power to a custom-built Ford 9-inch rear. A newer dual exhaust system gives it a sinister voice and you'll note that the chassis really is in nice shape with clean floors and lots of new hardware. Shiny aluminum wheels really fill the wheel wells yet keep the '60s performance look and carry 195/65/15 front and 225/70/15 rear performance radials. This is one mean little Chevy with a ton of firepower on tap. If you like the promise of light weight and horsepower, then perhaps this car deserves a much closer look. Call today!