1965 Chevy II Nova - Make Your Own

No engine, no trans, a trashed interior, and no title-it turned out finding the parts was easier than finding the title, but we figured that. John and Sylvia Piccola found an ad for a '64 Nova in their local Las Vegas paper and checked the car out. It turned out to be a '65, but John took it in trade for a decklid and Powerglide. Smart restorer that he is, Piccola went on a title search first. When that was complete, he tore the car apart and put it on a rotisserie for a "little restoring." Two and a half years later, the body shop finished up, which gave John time to find a correct date-coded 327/300hp engine and 12-bolt rear. That gave him the impetus to make it a full-restoration.

As the saying goes, "the devil is in the details." Rubber floor mats and the four-speed boot weren't available in N.O.S. or repro, so Piccola found someone to reproduce them. After finding N.O.S. seat-covering material, he found the back seat was wrong, so another search began for the correct seat. SMS Fabrics made a set of door panels, and Trim Parts tooled up and made some correct taillight lenses. It appears to have been worth it, as the car is hard to beat in its class at Super Chevy Shows and draws large crowds of admirers. The only thing John is concerned about now is building another Nova and wondering what parts he'll have to reproduce for it. Of course, the ones he already has, he won't need for the next project.