1970 Chevrolet Nova SS

- Southern Car
- 396ci built by Performance Engineering
- 4 Speed Manual
- Power Steering and Power Brakes

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the car due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 150 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

“… every other 19-year-old in the late Sixties… wanted the 375hp, 396-cu.in big-block in his Nova….” – Hemmings, February 2013

For a committed group of bowtie-performance fanatics, the 1970 Nova SS 396/375 remains a very special highpoint for the Chevy brand, a Goldilocks sort of Chevy. Lighter than the Chevelle, roomier than the Camaros, the Nova SS, the 396 cubic-inch, 375-horsepower V8 was “just right.” Due to a lack of coding for the engine in the VIN, authenticating these rare, big-block muscle cars can be difficult.

Offered here is a black-over-black, 1970 Nova SS 396 showing the key details known to represent a “real 396 Nova SS.” The car's correct front grille, correct emblems properly placed, together with the Performance-Engineering-built engine under the hood tell the tale. Showing 91,755 miles on the odometer, or just 1,800 miles per-year on average, the car's excellent, original condition is a tribute to the care it's received from prior owners.

The Nova's jet-black body paint remains in very good condition with good shine overall and a few signs of aging (notably on the hood and left-front fender). The blacked-out front grille, characteristic of the SS cars, shows excellent condition as does the bodyside trim. Likewise, front and rear chrome bumpers are in like-new condition. The proper “SS” emblems fore and aft and the “396” front-fender emblems remain in place; even the dealer's identification (Baldwin Chevrolet) trunk emblem is still on the rear deck. The factory black vinyl top on the gently sloping fastback, which adds distinctiveness and style, is free of rips or other damage. Cabin glass and all lighting lenses are clear and free of cracks or other damage. Five-spoke styled steel wheels with “SS” center caps are mounted with BFGoodrich® Radial TA performance tires.

Inside, the black color theme continues: black-vinyl upholstery features a classic, vertically-pleated design; a black “SS”-branded steering wheel frames a black dash; black carpeting (protected by rubber floor mats) covers the cabin floors. Door trim mimics the seat upholstery design with an added ivory-colored trim strip; roll-up window-cranks are chrome. Instrumentation includes a 120-mph speedometer with four monitoring gauges for battery-draw, fuel supply, engine temperature, and oil pressure mounted on the console, forward of the 4-speed manual-transmission shifter. The factory AM radio remains in place on the dash; rear speakers are mounted on the rear package shelf. The car was optioned with both power steering and power brakes. Condition of the vinyl, plastic, and dashboard surfaces is excellent overall, especially so after a half-century of use. The trunk is clean with a (probably original) Uniroyal® Tiger Paw 70-series 14-inch spare.

Under the hood (with the SS twin faux vents), the Nova's powerplant is a beautifully turned-out, Performance-Engineering-built Chevrolet 396 cubic-inch, 375-horsepower V8. Trimmed with a chrome air cleaner cover and valve covers, the engine is spotlessly clean and correct. The entire engine bay shares that same look with all wiring and hoses refreshed and properly routed. The brake booster's zinc finish sparkles. Viewed from below, the car's chassis is clean, and well ordered. The eye is drawn to the full-length dual exhaust system with crossover pipe, and the view of the bottom of the 396. There is no sign of chassis or component damage.

The car's identification and data tags remain in place. Original owner manuals are included in the sale.

While the more than 150 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '70 Chevrolet Nova SS in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

The fortunate next owner of this Nova SS 396 can expect compliments from, and conversations aplenty with admirers. After all, this is muscle-car history in the metal. Even a trip to the drive-in or a Sunday morning cruise is almost certain to draw spectators. The car is that special.