Unassuming 1966 Chevrolet Nova Pro-Touring Build Makes 1000 HP, Is Lowered on TCI Suspension

The Chevrolet Nova has a cult following within the muscle car community, but it’s difficult to say what the ideal example looks like. Some like a mean dragster with big-block Chevy power and some prefer a stock appearance. Somewhere in between, we find this 1966 Nova that stands out for two reasons: huge power and the way it’s lowered.

The Nova is maybe the coolest compact car of the 1960s. It started life in 1962 as the top trim level of the new Chevy II, one of two Chevy economy models. While the Corvair was designed to compete with the VW Beetle, this was aimed at the Ford Falcon, which had a very successful launch in 1960.

While the Corvair was an ambitious little car, the Chevy II Nova was thriving precisely because it was simple, familiar. This X-body car was available in a multitude of styles, two-door and four-door sedan, convertible, and the coolest of them all: the two-door hardtop coupe with no B-pillar.

This featured build is a 1966 model which is particularly important and popular because Chevy introduced some classy design upgrades. With a 350 horsepower version of the 327 cubic-inch V8 introduced that year, it’s easy to see why people liked it. This spicy setup only lasted for about a year, until the 1967 Camaro arrived.

I still like the 1970 Nova design a little better because of the grille, but that’s precisely why this Nova build got my attention. It highlights how classy the compact muscle car can look, even when it’s mostly stock and painted in a factory shade of green.

The suspension is half of what makes this Nova great. It’s got a full front clip from TCI (Total Cost Involved) and a 4-link rear supporting a big Currie 9-inch rear end. The air bags (ShockWave with RideTech control module) allow it to sit pretty low, but it’s not one of those silly setups where the pan is almost touching the ground. This looks more like coilovers.

Tower of power

Like many of the builds featured by AutotopiaLA, there’s a sense of family here. The young boy of the guy who put it all together is present for the filming, while the wide apparently got her hands dirty installing the pulley system for the supercharger. It’s a great reminder that cars can bring people together, a hobby that can be passed down to the next generation.

Like I mentioned, a 1966 Nova could have 350 horsepower, and that was pretty nice. But the owner thought it needed an LS3. About a year ago, this was still making the typical 430 horsepower at the wheels. However, the build has progressed, gaining an aggressive cam setup and a supercharger.

After being tuned to run on E85, this now makes 926 hp at the tires and about 845 foot-pounds of torque. Did we mention this was supposed to be a compact car? That’s like putting Hummer EV power in the Bolt.

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