Dealer-prepared performance cars are known as “Supercars,” with Chevrolets garnering the lions share of the spotlight due to the breadth of its dealer network and the popularity of its vehicles. Our Pick of the Day, a 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS, was built by what was arguably the king of the Supercar manufacturers. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada. (Click the link to view the listing)
When the third-generation Chevy II was introduced for 1968, it was available with several new high-performance engines plus a carry-over. The latter was the L79 327, newly rated at 325 horsepower. The other new engines were available for the Nova SS, which included a standard 295-horse 350 that previously had been an exclusive for the Camaro SS. After several months of production, the 396 big-block was introduced, available as a 350-horse L34 and 375-horse L78. Thanks to the efforts of Dick Harrell and Fred Gibb Chevrolet, 50 of the latter were built with a special heavy-duty automatic via the COPO (Central Office Production Order) channel. Both of these big-blocks would be available through the 1970 model year.
These were the days when Chevrolet was out of sanctioned racing based on an edict enacted General Motors in the beginning of 1963. Ever notice how Chevrolet was not producing factory specials for NASCAR and sanctioned drag racing, unlike cross-town Detroit rivals? Additionally, GM had a funny rule that restricted available engines to 10 pounds per horsepower, if not cubic-inches per platform. This is why Chevrolet never installed a 427 in anything other than a full-size model or Corvette until the limited 1969 COPO Camaro and Chevelle models; it’s also why the L78 was rarely advertised in marketing communications. As the big-block Nova SS likely weighed less than 3500 pounds, the L78 would have been flaunting the weight per horsepower rule. That being said, the L78 Nova SS was a monster on the street.
But sometimes that wasn’t good enough. Certainly, there were people who enjoyed building their cars, but there also was a market for a street machine straight out of the dealership. Joel Rosen was one of the men who catered to this psychographic. As the owner of Motion Performance in Baldwin, Long Island (New York), Rosen had a reputation for creating the meanest machines in America. In fact, he teamed up with Baldwin Chevrolet so you could order your car, and then it would be sent to Motion Performance for set-up, whether it was just a super tune or a full-honking Phase III SS-427 Supercar.
Or you could also bring your own car to Motion Performance. That appears to be the approach taken by the original owner of this Fathom Blue 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS. Sold new at Atkins Chevrolet in Wayne, New Jersey, this Nova was ordered with the L78 396, four-speed manual, Positraction, bucket seats, center console, and the Exterior Decor group, which included front fender louvers and bright window moldings.
The numbers-matching big-block was upgraded with Motion Performance valve covers, headers, “fly eye” air cleaner, fiberglass “Stinger” hood with hood pins, sidepipes, and 15-inch ET mags. “A letter from Mr. Motion himself, Joel Rosen, accompanies this car, as well as an NCRS Shipping Data report, owner’s manual and previous owner history,” says the seller. “Being a L78 SS Nova is special, but the added Motion Performance modifications make this example a notch above the rest,” which sums it up quite nicely.
Unfortunately, the price is listed as “Contact Seller,” which usually suggests a vehicle at a price point for no one other than the well-heeled, but that simply may be the cost of owning a Supercar.
Click here for this ClassicCars.com Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com