Slide 1

As a teenager, the baddest ride in Jim’s hometown was an L79 Nova sporting Marina Blue paint over Bright Blue vinyl. When this lookalike showed up on Ebay more than 40 years later, he knew he had to have it!

Slide 2

If you’re thinking that Jim’s Nova looks brand new, you’re right! Much of the trim has been replaced with NOS (new old stock) pieces for that fresh-from-the-factory look. Closer inspection reveals the car’s CPP front end kit, hinting at the full complement of high performance hardware hidden just beneath the surface.

Slide 3

Not even the gnarliest Nova ever rolled off the showroom floor packing this much firepower! A clear nod to Jim’s drag racing roots, the Chevy’s original small block has been swapped for this tire-melting setup built by Horsepower Sales in Cincinnati. Featuring a Dart Little M block, forged rotating assembly, and bolt-ons from all the biggest names in the business, this 420 cid bruiser pumps out a dyno-proven 612 hp and 537 ft.-lbs. of torque.

Slide 4

By finishing the seats in factory-reproduction vinyl and replacing the worn carpet, the upholstery wizards at Wicked Whips Customs were able to take more than four decades of wear and tear off the Nova’s interior. The trio of Auto Meter C2 gauges and the Hurst short-throw shifter are your only hints that this Nova is packing a 600-horsepower surprise under the hood.

Slide 5

That aggressive stance isn’t just for show! Packing a CPP complete front end kit, Detroit Speed Quadralink rear suspension, and adjustable QA1 coil-overs all the way around, this Nova is built for straight-line speed and bombing down the backroads.

Slide 6

With more than twice the original horsepower to contend with, you better believe that this Nova wears some serious rolling gear. Expertly selected by Jim’s wife, Jann, the SS features three-piece Forgeline ZX3R wheels finished in Titanium powdercoat. The lightweight forged aluminum wheels feature a race-proven center lock design (rather than traditional lug nuts), and come wrapped in ultra-grippy Nitto NT555R drag radials. Behind that, you get a peek at the beefy Wilwood disc brakes.

Slide 7

Jim’s Nova didn’t always sport the arrow-straight sheetmetal you see here. Among the handful of previous owners, one was clearly a “Bondo Picasso,” as Jim puts it, masking some serious damage to the rear quarters in layer upon layer of body filler. As part of the restoration, the offending panels were replaced with reproduction panels.