1966 Chevrolet Nova

If you are going to Barrett Jackson in Las Vegas this coming weekend it will be worth your while to see this absolutely beautiful Nova. You can call me at 702-234-1387 .

This exception 66 Nova SS is the car everyone is trying to find. It took me years to find this car and now it's time to let it go.   A truly photo documented rust free southwest car. A very low mileage car. This is as close to a survivor car as you will want.

This Nova Super Sport started its life from the Warren Ohio plant in the 4 week of September 1965. After assembly it made its way to Madisons Chevrolet in Scottsdale AZ and was sold to Mr. McMurry of Scottsdale AZ on Dec 19th 1965.

The Nova SS spent around 20 years of its life in Scottsdale AZ and then was sold to a gentleman in the San Diego CA area. After 20 years in Southern California. it was found by me in 2007 and now resides in Las Vegas NV.

In 1973 I had a 66 Nova SS and after all these years and many car's later I wanted my 66 nova SS again.  So I was on the war path to find one.   Almost every car I would find was either junk or poorly restored.   I have been in the auto body business all my life and have owed my shops that were Mercedes Benz certified. I do know a thing or two about how to repair cars. when I found this beautiful SS Nova I couldn't believe it. I think I finally found a true unmolested car. Except for the paint that was finally going bad and it had all the original body panels on it. Stamping numbers on the quarter panels. the floor stamping in the truck and on the trunk lid. The original rocker panels.  I really at that time didn't care if the bolt on items were ever changed; as long as the roof/quarters. rockers and floor were original and perfect. the car looked solid as could be.

After about 6 months in Vegas I decided to give this beauty a new paint job. again I didn't want to get crazy and do a rotisserie restoration on this car. It didn't need it. The underneath was as spotless as a 50 year old car should look like. no spray undercoating covering whatever. After de-trimming the chrome and sending it to DNT Polishing in Michigan I had the Nova walnut shelled and not sandblasted. Sand blasting is too aggressive and can warp body panels so walnut shelled it was. I also ask that he doesn't do the bottom and to stay about 6 inches above the bottom. I didn't want any walnuts to hit the underneath of the car. I hand sanded and orbital sanded the remaining. And at that time I really didn't know what kind of Nova I had. It wasn't until the blaster called me and said you will not believe your car; I said what you mean. He said in all his years of blasting he has never seen a car this many years old with no rust on it anywhere! I couldn't get there quick enough. I took many pictures of this car in bare metal. and yes there was no rust anywhere! You talk about making a dream come true. I finally found the perfect Nova.

So I have it brought back to my shop and everyone there was amazed. At that time more picture of the bare metal Nova are taken. Now it got sanded with 180 grit sand paper and put in the paint booth and epoxy primer was applied. My shop uses only BASF Glasurit paint. With to good help of my friend Jürgen Book at Glasurit in Munster Germany he arranged all the Glasurit products to be used on the Nova. /p>

 After about a month of the dry desert heat of sitting outside the first sanding were done.   Minor dents that were found were repaired. Priming was done with epoxy primer again. Not only is Glasurit epoxy primer the best in the world it's also the easiest to sand.   So now the Nova sat for about 3 moths before I began to work on it again. letting the primer to naturally dry out.   Now the doors and the trunk lid were reinstalled and fitted to make the best alignment I could possibly achieve.  People in the Nova community thought I was nuts. all I heard was they weren't that nice from day one. but I didn't care. mine was going to fit better than anyone's! At this time of my life I was taken off of my Nova to help a fellow Nova gentleman by the name of John Piccola who many of you may know that are associated with the Nova national committee with his 65 Nova. I helped him assemble his car that another body shop in town didn't finish for him.  After about nearly a year gone by I went back to my Nova. After all letting primer sit long is the best that could happen before painting.   So a final sanding was done to prepare it for painting. One thing I contplated for a long time was to paint it like new cars with clear or put it period correct. After all clear was not used in 1966 to paint cars. So a quick call to Germany with Mr. Book at Glasurit. At this time Glasurit was starting their classic car paints lines. He persuaded me to go with a urethane enamel seeing lacquer or enamels were used in the aftermarket fields back then.  Even though they were painted with lacquer. enamel was used in bodyshopd then also. And I know that. So Glasurit made up some urethane enamel Lemonwood yellow for me.  As he stated the urethane will have the UV protecting needed to protect the Nova. The Nova was then painted. In the paint booth it had a coat of sealer applied and the 4 coats of lemonwood yellow. After it was painted about a week later it was buffed out to look as good today as it did 7 years ago. To this day when I pull the cover off it still looks beautiful. I have never had to rebuff it. No shrinkage what so ever. thank you Jürgen Book and BASF Glasurit!

Also as a side note in my humble opinion one should never purchase a car that was freshly restored. You just don't know what you are getting until a few years down the road and you may be very disappointed if it wasn't done correctly. don't take the gamble.

After helping John Piccolla put his Nova together he gave me two NOS front fenders to put on and I did.   So everything is original even the NOS front fenders. He also gave me PUI door interior trim panels and PUI seat covers. I also put new carpet in it. And a new headliner.

I was going to repaint the engine compartment but decide not to. Why you ask? Well the engine that was in the car when I bought it wasn't the engine that was it when it was new. BUT I DO HAVE THE ORIGINAL ENGINE. The second owner didn't know what was wrong with the original engine when he bought it because the original owner Mr. McMurry had passed away and the heirs didn't know why the engine was replace.   But it's the same stamping numbered that's on the protecto plate.   So yes the original engine goes with the car. Why haven't I changed the engine. very simple. the engine in it runs so beautiful I didn't feel like it. and according to many that I respect in the auto community as long as you have the original engine that's what people want. So I decided to go that route.   Next guy if he wants can pull the engine and clean up the engine compartment and install the original engine. I just don't have the time anymore.

 Also I sent the rocker molding to get reandized in California at Trim King Anodizing so they also look perfect.   I do have a lot of NOS parts that will go along with the sale. I have NOS front wheel opening molding and both NOS quarter panels and an additional a/c unit. A beautiful used red right side door that is absolutely stunning. I do not think the interior door trim panel has ever been taken off of it. it was found in Mexico. And boxes of parts to numerous to write down.

The Nova has very low mileage with only 56400 some miles on it. From everything I know about the car these seem very likely to be original. I myself haven't out 500 miles on it in over seven years. The second owner told me he may have put 5000 on it all the years he owned it. He also told me the original owners heirs stated it sat in the garage for many years in Scottsdale AZ.

The original engine is a 327 with 275 hp.   I know it's not an l-79. but heck they made so many l-79s and many have cloned them there are just way too many of them out there.   They actually made less 327 275 hp cars! And to me the less of anything is the rarer.

 Factory air conditioning power steering and power brakes. rare rear speaker.

The grille was assembled with correct General Motors piercing rivets and not carriage bolts and nuts that are so commonly seen at car shows.

The wheels were powder coated black for a more durable achievement instead of painting.

I put on the red line tires and I know the hubcaps are from 67. But heck I found NOS ones and I personally like them so if the next owner wants correct one for the year they will have to find them.

All the windows are date correct.

T-3 headlights

NOS SS grille emblem

NOS Hood Molding and NOS front emblem

NOS front turn signal assy.

NOS rear bumper

NOS front fenders

Even have the original license plate frame from Madisons Chevrolet and 1968 license plates with the inspection sticker that matches the plates.

Have all owner manuals with dealer and warranty books and protecto plate.

I've tried to explain this beautiful Nova the best I can. but if you need anything else please let me know and I will gladly help. Also any of you guys in the Nova National community can also call John Piccola about the car.

Also published at eBay.com

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