1968 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova
![]() The 1968 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova was a larger new rendition of Chevy's compact. |
The 1968 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova had a freshly contoured body that featured a new "tunnel effect" roofline. Bodies were longer, lower, and wider, displaying the trendy long-hood/short-deck shape. Chevrolet boasted of its "clean sweep in styling, performance and economy" with the 1968 Nova.
Gone were wagon and two-door hardtop body styles. The 1968 Chevrolet Nova was available only as a two-door coupe or four-door sedan. Four-cylinder, six-cylinder, and V-8 engines were offered.
Compared to the 1966 Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova, the 1968 Chevy Nova had more shoulder room and legroom and a redesigned interior with a contoured new instrument panel.
With the Chevrolet Camaro and Chevelle lines competing for sporty-coupe shoppers, production of the Nova Super Sport dropped to 6,571 from over 10,000 for 1967.
Still, the Nova SS offered plenty of fun. A 295-horsepower Turbo-Fire 350-cubic-inch V-8 was standard. There were simulated air intakes on the hood, black accents on the grille and decklid panel, and special emblems and badges. The Nova SS also included a deluxe steering wheel, red-stripe wide-oval tires, and stiffer suspension. A floor-shifted three-speed gearbox was available, as were a four-speed manaul and Powerglide automatic.
The engine lineup for the basic 1968 Chevrolet Nova started with a 90-horsepower Super-Thrift four-cylinder and a 140-horsepower Turbo-Thrift 230-cubic-inch six. A 250-cubic-inch six was also available. The V-8 choices were a 200-horsepower Turbo-Fire 307 cubic incher or a 275-horse Turbo-Fire 327. The hot 350-horsepower 327 was gone.
All told, the sales brochure claimed 15 power team choices for coupes and a dozen for sedans. Options included power brakes and steering, Four-Season or Comfort-Car air conditioning, rear shoulder belts, and head restraints.
Performance buffs could select front disc brakes, a heavy-duty clutch, dual exhausts, rally wheels, Positraction, and special instrumentation. Chevy, perhaps recognizing the wordiness of the car's name, would soon drop the "Chevy II" designation and simply call all these compact simply Novas.
1968 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova Facts
| Model | Weight range (lbs.) | Price range (new) | Number built |
| Chevy II Nova | 2,760-3,025 | $2,222-$2,419 | 201,000 (approx.) |
![]() The 1968 Chevy II Nova came only as a two-door coupe or this four-door sedan. |
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