Two-door station wagon The Nova is an interesting footnote in postwar American automotive history, as most manufacturers had phased out the body style by the early 1960s. Chevrolet produced one in 1965, but our pick of the day, a custom 1966 Chevrolet Nova wagon, challenges that view. A dealer in Kentwood, Michigan, has listed the car on ClassicCars.com. (Click on the link to see the listing)
In the world of Chevy, two-door station wagons tend to be the lower-priced model, but the Nomad was an exception. Throughout the 1955 Chevrolet lineup, both the 150 and 210 were offered with a two-door station wagon. The last year for full-size two-door station wagons was 1959, when the Biscayne line (the replacement for the 150) was offered with a model called the Brookwood.
The introduction of the Corvair in 1960 didn’t bring any new two-door wagons; nor did the more conventional 1962 Chevy II. But when Chevrolet introduced the midsize Chevelle in 1964, the Chevelle 300 model (the lowest trim level in the lineup) offered a two-door wagon. The best thing about this wagon was that all the side pillars except the A-pillar were raked forward, giving the wagon a sleek look. Was it meant to mimic the 1955-57 Nomad? Not exactly, but it looked good and was a top-of-the-line performance option for the Chevelle if you wanted it. Sales were few and far between, so the two-door Chevelle wagon was dropped.
So we have to tip our hat to whoever designed this 1966 Chevrolet Nova 2-door wagon. The Chevy II never offered this configuration, but someone special took the time to turn this idea into a reality. The seller doesn’t mention who built it or how it came to be, but he does mention that he was smart and equipped it with goodies.
“This car was built as a tribute to the nomads of the ’50s… It’s powered by a Chevrolet small-block V8 engine to L79 (spec), a 4-speed manual transmission and a 12-bolt Posi rear end.” Other mechanical highlights include an Edelbrock Performer intake, roller cam, MSD Blaster ignition, power disc brakes, instrumentation, a Hurst shifter and 18-inch wheels, among others.
While the two-door wagon seemed like a dated body style, it returned to Chevrolet’s lineup with the introduction of the Vega in 1971. Imported two-door wagons were popular at the time, so it made sense that a two-door wagon would be a good addition to our driveway. At $47,900, we can think of more reasons why this custom 1966 Nova would be a sweet addition to our driveway.
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