From its inception, the Chevrolet Nova was an economy car. The original version, the Chevy II, was a stripped-down compact built for basic transportation that later became a fire-breathing monster with the liberal application of both Small Block and Big Block horsepower.
Built for the penultimate year of the Chevrolet Nova’s fifth generation, the 1978 Nova utilized the same grille used in the 1976-1977 Novas, with a gold Chevy Bow Tie emblem at the hood’s leading edge. Sadly, the following year would mark the Nova’s last until it was revived in 1985 as a re-badged version of the Toyota Corolla.
Our feature 1978 Chevy Nova is a bare-bones economy version. Stored for thirty-five years, it has covered just 5,310 miles from new. This number is even more surprising considering these base models were intended to be basic transportation and would have little to spur collector interest.
This Chevrolet Nova is painted in its original Carmine Red Metallic hue. The paint looks to have held up quite well, retaining significant gloss. There is a small dent in the nose adjacent the Bow Tie emblem, on the passenger side. Mud flaps have been fitted at all four wheel openings. Painted steel wheels have the basic dog dish hubcaps. The original window stickers, somewhat discolored from age, are still in the driver’s side rear door window.
Inside the Chevy Nova, everything presents as new or nearly so. The seatbelt operation sleeve is still in place on the passenger-side sun visor. The carpet and vinyl seats are both colorfast and free of any signs of wear. Gauges are crisp and clear. There are no cracks on the dash. In fact, the interior shows no sign of having been exposed to the elements. The Nova is propelled by a 250 cubic-inch inline six cylinder engine backed by a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission. It is equipped with power steering.
This mint Chevrolet Nova will be crossing the auction block at the Mecum Auctions Chicago event taking place October 21st-23rd.
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Comments
What makes it interesting is: It’s a car. It is not image. It is not fancy. The dashboard tells you fuel level, temperature, speed. It is not a rolling video game.
I work in the “classic car” industry and it’s beginning to get painful and sad as we see more and more late 70s through early 90s, boring, unremarkable, plain jains like this Nova come in to showrooms and dealerships as “classics” they garner no real interest or actual monetary value. Only being recognized for ironic nostalgia “hey my unlce had one of these sh#t boxes” or “I had a 89 Sunbird like this as my 1st car, it was a turd…this one is nice though” and so on.
Until the sports cars and SUVs of the 2000’s and up start getting cheap (they wont, production numbers are too low and used car values are too high” modern collectors cars” like the coyote powered mustangs and 5th and 6gh gen Camaros or Challengers and Chargers will be holding value for a long time and rarely passing into aspiring hands in the same way 90s 80s, 70s and older sports cars and big stylish cruiser did. Much of the collector base will whither and shrink. Especially when cars like this Nova are considered “classic”.
We just picked up a 3k mile 89 Accord sedan at my job. It still smells new. When parked amongst the older steel, its UTTERLY UNINSPIRING and definately not desirable. The future looks bleak boys.
My guy, not every classic car you see is going to be a $40k-$60k muscle machine. So what if this Nova isn’t a high value car? A younger guy (24) like me would be thrilled to own this car, despite it being a 4 door, since I know damn well I’ll never be able to afford a Mustang, Camaro or Challenger/Charger.
Is it for sale and if it is how much and what is the mileage?
A bare bones no frills car, my kind of car.
Wow. My grandfather had this exact same car until the day he died.
Exactly the same. Right down to the paint color, interior, and those mud flaps. I don’t know what kind of engine theirs had and I think they had different wheel covers. But I remember being impressed as a youngster that the front turn signal indicators had little Chevy bow ties on the lenses.
Thanks for posting. This was awesome to see. And kind of brought up some great old memories.
Does anyone have a good sense of what this car might sell for? Mileage & condition are obvious plusses, but the inline-six, three-on-the-tree and practically nothing else has to severely limit its desirability…in an already not very desirable model/year/configuration.
I do not think you get this car at all.
You’re right; I don’t.
No you dont get the collector car market. I sell classic cars for a living. Dont fool yourself, this was a sh#t box when new and its still one now. No matter how much weird nostalgia it inspires.
Its not a big money car of any measure. Just an interesting suvivor of modest value.
3 speed on the column isn’t rare, I bought this exact car in 77 new and I’m still driving it.
What was sticker price? Three on tree in 1978 is very rare. Last year of this version of Nova?
Next to last year.
These are the kind of cars a government agency or old man would order.
It is in good shape but too bad it has nothing anyone wants.
Good find if you want an old dead guys car.
Looks like $3,800 sticker? Classmate and twin sister had bare bones Novas for college commuters. My bro ordered ’78 Nova 2-door with 4-speed.
2 door/4 speed has an entirely different level of desirability.
I sold new Chevys back in 1978. It was so common getting these in with the front fenders and hood being a slightly different color from the doors and back. Without body side moldings, wheel arch moldings and rocker panel trim, it could be noticeable, at least to me. My aunt ordered a 78 Nova coupe I Buckskin color and it was rally noticeable. Hers had cloth seats with an automatic, am radio, power steering and power brakes. That was it!
The reason for the paint mismatch is that on many GM cars the body from the cowl back was built and painted by Fisher Body, and the hood and fenders were painted and put on by the division or GMAD assembly line.
Nice car! But too many doors.
I think you meant “two many doors”.
How many know how to drive a 3 speed on the tree? I wanted to order a new v8 4 speed but 78-79 not available for sale in the state of California emissions BS even if I found one today still has to pass California smog Ck do I could plate it here
Put in a set of factory rally wheels on would be fun to play with. I’d drive it. Have to see what Mecum gets for it. $8k?
Nailed it. $8,800, including buyer’s premium – so your $8k guess was…right on the money.
As PhD PE said, great guess and about right on the money, even considering it’s an “auction price”.
Drove one of these 1978 after I graduated the police academy in 1980.It had the police package in it , 350 4 barrel .it looked like a dual exhaust but it went thru a single converter. Full bench seat . no frills and not even a AM radio. For 1978 it looked good and was quick for the standards back then. The good old days.
Another lump that would make a great boat anchor
Shame whomever preserved this didn’t preserve any cool
How much are you asking for the nova? I think the car is just the car for a older couple like my wife and I.
The two doors are much nicer. Yes it’s a plain car with not much options like the tic toc clock, rear defroster fan and the radio. Simple car to work on with out needing a computer to troubleshoot codes.
Too many doors, too few cylinders.