I'm sorry this isn't thirdgen related. But is the Chevy Nova considered an "Old school american muscle car"?

My mom said Nova's back in the day were like cavaliers today. EVERYONE Has one!


(One day I drove 10 minutes, and seen 14 Cavaliers! )

Nothing wrong with that though. My sis has one, nice cars



Thanks guys :hail:

 

well yeah they could be..a nova ss definitley would be

 

Yeah, back in school we'd laugh at kids who drove them, but there were some wicked novas. There were 396 and LT-1 powered ones that weren't to be taken lightly. The term muscle car gets throw around a lot, but isn't really understood any more. A 396 Chevelle SS was a muscle car, but a 250hp 350 Chevelle Malibu (like mine)wasn't. Camaros never were muscle cars, they were pony cars etc. etc. Today you could show a dodge duster with a 318 to most people, and they'd think it was a muscle car. So to answer your question, yes and no.

 

like most all of the cars back in the day they could be optioned from 19 second granny car to 11 second tire screaming monsters, the base models did suck with crappy gears, and tiny small blocks or inline 6 but the SS's did have bigblocks in them

 

How could an SS Nova not be considered muscle? At first glance I bet most have mistaked a Chevelle for a Nova. They're awesome cars with the right set up.

 

Most of the Novas sold in the 60's and 70's were six cylinder family cars.
The Big Block was offered in 68,69 and 70 in 350 and 375 HP ratings. Magazine reviews of the day called them, "scary".
These cars are pretty light and have the same suspension as the 67-69 Camaro/Firebird, but with an extra 4" wheelbase.
Perfect drag cars.
My 70 Nova SS 396 is as much of a muscle car as anything.
It's a little nose-heavy with the Big Block, but in a straight line-watch out!

Yenko also offered 427 Novas in 68-69.
In 1970 Yenko put Corvette LT-1's in them (Yenko Duece)
to beat the insurance problems with the Big Block cars, and
these were very impressive also.

-Rich-

 

I always considered them muscle cars, but my brother just bought a 67,000 mile '71 and we started reading about them, and everything says they were originally the "compact" cars of the day(early 60's) and after hot rodders started putting v-8's in them, GM followed. The first SS cars had straight 6's

Anyways his '71 already has 3rd gen seats/console, 16" iroc wheels, and a TPI/700r4 swap is under way.

 

Camaros weren't muscle cars? " Muscle Car " is defined as a car w/ too much power for the weight of car. The 1967 Dana Camaro w/ the optional 427 was a serious muscle car. 14's in the quarter mile stock was pretty quick for back then.

 

Ummm, there were OTHER Nova's, you know, the ugly *** ones that were made during the 80's, those things were JUST like Cavaliers.

Adam

 

Not to be picky but Plymouth made Dusters not Dodge, Dodge made the Demons and Darts, I always considered cars that came with big blocks to be the the muscle cars, although a lot of them could only cut a 14 sec. 1/4 mile and would get stomped by a strong running smaller car with a small block.

 

What is and what isn't a muscle car has gotten blurred over time. If you're interested in the strict definition of a muscle car, check out this page and read what I have taken from it:

http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclec...finition.shtml

Strict Definition of a Muscle Car:


A muscle car, by the strictest definition, is an intermediate sized, performance oriented model, powered by a large V8 engine, at an affordable price. Most of these models were based on "regular" production vehicles. These vehicles are generally not considered muscle cars, even when equipped with large V8s. If there was a high performance version available, it gets the credit, and not the vehicle that it was based on.

Examples: Buick GS, Chevrolete Chevelle SS, Dodge Charger R/T, Ford Torino/Cobra, Plymouth GTX, Plymouth Road Runner, Oldsmobile 442, Pontiac GTO



Fullsize Muscle:


The strict definition only includes intermediate size vehicles. In reality, performance oriented intermediate size vehicles didn't appear until 1964. Before then, manufacturers took existing fullsize vehicles and added extra performance to them. Because of this, the early fullsize performance vehicles are generally considered muscle cars.

Examples: Chevrolet Impala (SS only), Ford Galaxie (with 390 + cid engines only), Dodge Coronet (R/Ts only), etc.



Pony Cars and Compact Cars Muscle:


In addition to fullsize and intermediate muscle cars, a number of smaller vehicles started appearing on the automotive performance scene. These new "pony cars" and compact cars are generally considered muscle cars only if they have the top of the line performance engines and options.

Examples: Chevrolet Camaro (SS and Z28 models only), Ford Mustang (GTs and Boss only), Plymouth 'Cudas (no Barracudas), AMC Javelin, etc.



Personal Luxury Cars and Luxury Cars:


Although there were several personal luxury vehicles with performance engines and options, their heavy weight and high sticker prices went against the low cost performance definition of muscle cars. Therefore, they are not considered muscle cars.

Examples: Buick Riviera, Chrysler 300 Letter Cars, Pontiac Grand Prix, etc.

Two Seat Sports Cars:


Two seat sports cars such as the Chevrolet Corvette and the Ford Thunderbird are not considered muscle cars due to their high price and specialty nature. The only exception is the AMC AMX as it was relatively cheap, and was based on the AMC Javalin pony car.

Examples: AMC AMX, etc.

 

Yes, the Nova was the economy car of the Chevy line. However a 396 BB Nova, Yenko or Baldwin Motion Nova definately qualify as a Muscle Car.
It's hard to compare yesteryears cars to todays. Think of the Camaro, Chevelle, Nova and even Impala/BelAir/Caprice.
Each could be had with an economy 6, a base 8, an upgrade 8 or a bad-azz big block. Heck even the Corvair came with the Spyder pkg!
The same cannot be said of the transition Vega, Monza, Citation, Cavalier etc. Sure, each had a minor upgrade, Cosworth, 305 for the Monza, X11 for the Citation and the Z24 pkg. Just not the same options now as back then.

 

Plymouth, Dodge, who gives a s%$t? LOL Just a little humor.

My Catalina is considered by some (and magazines) a fullsize muscle car. And others see it as a family car. Novas are basically seen the same way. It also depends on the car itself. Ive seen some real muscle novas that rule and some granny grocery getters that are closer to a family car.
Just like my 71 Monte was based off the chevelle for more to the liking of luxury. But people see at as a muscle car. Maybe cause it was available with the SS option, who knows.

 

We had one, Dad knew it had the muscle flavor all along.
After we moved on to other 'family' rides, swapped in a big block 400 bored 60 over.

More fun that words can capture.

Muscle or otherwise. It was a bad car before the upgraded engine. I seem to recall that it had a 307 in it originally.

RB

 

My 1972 Pontiac LeMans (which my friends refer to as a muscle car) isnt one. But you take the same body stlye and throw a 455 or 400 v-8 in it and the GTO emblems, you have a muscle car. (For example, my 68 GTO) They were usually 14 second cars factory but many of them needed a special "tweak" to be at full potential. Exhaust manifolds were the number one restrictor on those cars.

 

Well the Spyder package was really just some badging and a H-6 with a single barrel carb turbo'd. It made 150hp. They were fairly light, but still they weren't that quick.

The Nova was a compact/family car back in the day. It was built to get some groceries. That's it. Every car in the 60s could have the biggest engine of the time. The reason we think the Nova is a muscle car is because those are the desireable ones and only ones left.

My dad has a mint, optioned-out 68 Chevy II/Nova with a 327. It's such a sweet ride.