Two-door station wagons are an interesting footnote in postwar American automotive history, as the body style had been relegated to obsolescence by most manufacturers by the beginning of the 1960s. Chevrolet produced one through 1965, though our Pick of the Day, a custom 1966 Chevrolet Nova wagon, challenges that notion. It is listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Kentwood, Michigan. (Click the link to view the listing)
In the world of Chevrolet, two-door wagons tended to be on the cheaper trim levels except for the Nomad, which was an outlier. Glancing at the hallowed 1955 Chevrolet lineup, both the 150 and 210 each feature one two-door wagon. The final year for a full-size two-door wagon was in 1959, with one in the Biscayne series (replacement for the 150) called the Brookwood.
The introduction of the 1960 Corvair did not lead to any new two-door wagons; neither did the more conventional 1962 Chevy II. But when Chevrolet introduced the mid-size Chevelle for 1964, the Chevelle 300 model (the lowest trim level of the bunch) offered a two-door wagon. The best part about this wagon was that all side pillars beyond the A-pillar leaned forward, giving the wagon a stylish look. Was it faking the Nomad from 1955-57? Not quite, but it looked good, plus it was available with Chevelle’s top performance options if so desired. Few were sold, so the two-door Chevelle wagon was dropped.
So we have to give kudos to the person who thought up this custom 1966 Chevrolet Nova two-door wagon. The Chevy II was never offered in this configuration, but someone special took the time to develop this idea into reality. The seller doesn’t mention who did this build or how it came to fruition, but the seller mentions that (s)he was smart enough to equip it with the good stuff.
“The car here, built to tribute the Nomads of the 50s … is powered by a healthy small-block Chevy V8 that has been professionally built to L79 [specifications], 4-speed manual transmission, and 12-bolt Posi rear end.” Other mechanical highlights include Edelbrock Performer intake, roller cam, MSD Blaster ignition, power disc brakes, gauges, Hurst shifter, and 18-inch wheels, among others.
Though seemingly an obsolete body style, the two-door wagon would return to Chevrolet’s lineup with the advent of the Vega for 1971. By then, import two-door wagons were a thing, so it made sense. For $47,900, we can think of several more reasons why this custom 1966 Nova would be a sweet addition to our driveway.
Click here for this ClassicCars.com Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com