zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
For $14,500, Could This 1972 Chevy Nova Yenko Homage Have You Singing 'Send In The Clones'?
For $14,500, Could This 1972 Chevy Nova Yenko Homage Have You Singing 'Send In The Clones'?-January 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:56

In Spanish No Va means you’re not going. Contrarily, today’s Chevy Nova looks plum-full of get up and go. We’ll decide if its price makes the getting up and going all worth it.

Have you ever heard the joke about the accordion player who’s stops for a meal at a diner on his way home from an accordion convention? He has locked his accordion in the back of his car while goes inside the roadhouse to eat. Upon finishing his meal and returning to his car he discovers his worst fears have been realized as someone has smashed one of the car’s windows and has cruelly placed another accordion inside.

There was no such fear at finding yesterday’s , and in fact that Little Old Lady From Paso Robles’ (or somewhere in the Bay Area) hatchback took home a decent 63-percent Nice Price win for its trouble.

Back on Monday, when we were ruminating on that day’s candidate, a , a number of commenters averred that driving most old cars just plain sucks. The accusation was that certain parameters like handling, braking, and comfort were of another era, and to drive an old muscle car was a challenge akin to trying to bed a recalcitrant Neanderthal.

I’d like to counter that opinion with this . Now, before you start foaming at the mouth, see that this is not an unbelievably rare real Yenko, nor does it have that car’s L-72 427. That doesn’t make it a bad thing, and it does make it a shit-ton cheaper than a real Yenko would be. It does come with a big block, a four-speed and a posi-traction rearend for all your rubber-laying pleasure.

That big block is a 396 and it looks pretty tidy under the car’s hood. The ad notes that the Nova originally was a 307/3-speed car so this is definitely an upgrade. It’s not clear if that upgrade arrived at the same time as the rest of the work but the seller says it sports a restoration old enough to drink.

The Grabber Orange paint seems to be perfectly serviceable, and unless you’re a stickler for authenticity the Yenko stripes and sYc (Yenko Super Car) logos add some appealing visual interest. Five slot mags give the car some vintage charm, and I should also note that the third-generation Nova is a damn-fine looking automobile.

Moving on to the interior you’ll be delighted to find the cheap dater’s best friend: a split-back bench seat. That needs reupholstery as it’s seen a few too many entries and exits, but how hard could that be to have done? The back seat—also a bench, good for double dates—looks okay.

The dash has a new cap and there’s a fat tach down next to the driver’s knee and in front of the T-handle for the four-speed. The horizontal speedo in the instrument cluster is, in my humble bumble opinion, reason enough to buy an old Nova.

The negatives here are the lack of any climate control other than cracking a window. The seller says that the heater has been omitted, but does come with the car. He hypothesizes that a previous owner’s intention was to fit the car with a hot rod HVAC, and that’s still a viable option if a new owner is so inclined. He also claims 100K on the clock and the car comes with a clean and clear title.

All that could could be yours for $14,500 or about where a Kia Rio starts. That Kia will come with a warranty, antilock brakes, airbags up the wazoo, and the ability to keep you cool or warm as needed. This Chevy on the other hand has a 396. I’d say the Chevy wins.

What do you think, could this Yenko look-alike command that $14,500 asking? Or, is that price, like the car, a no-go?

You decide!

Cleveland OH , or go if the ad disappears.

H/T to THEWILLNEVERDIE for the hookup!

Help me out with NPOCP. Click to send a me a fixed-price tip, and remember to include your Kinja handle.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
Subaru XV Crosstrek: The Jalopnik Review
Subaru XV Crosstrek: The Jalopnik Review
Subaru says the buyer of its all-new XV Crosstrek will be relatively young, maybe have a few small children, enjoy hiking, biking, racing triathlons and partake in a multitude of outdoor adventures. A buyer fitting this demographic will be looking for a practical car that presents a cool, hip appearance...
Jan 11, 2026
For $25,000, Go The Full Monte
For $25,000, Go The Full Monte
If you're even half-way good looking, going topless in public is bound to cause a stir. Today's custom Monte Carlo is both damn-fine and topless, but will its price leave you unstirred? The personal coupe is a category of car that seems to have fallen out of favor. That wasn't...
Jan 11, 2026
For $1,000, Dust Off Those Sheryl Crow CDs
For $1,000, Dust Off Those Sheryl Crow CDs
In Web parlance using all-caps equates to yelling. The ad for today's Celica GT ragtop is caps locked and loaded, but is its price anything to shout about? It's the height of summer here in the northern hemisphere, and for those hot days and warm nights nothing is better than...
Jan 11, 2026
For $22,000, Would You Remain Dino Denied?
For $22,000, Would You Remain Dino Denied?
Dino was the birth name of Ratpacker Dean Martin, who was famous for both his baritone and his boozing. The 3-litre V8 in today's Dino 308 GT4 probably also makes beautiful music, but will the car's price drive you to drinking? A running, registered car for only a grand? Why...
Jan 11, 2026
For $20,000, Would This R32 Give You Wood?
For $20,000, Would This R32 Give You Wood?
Custom paint on a car is nothing new, and custom under-hood colors are more common today than ever. It is strange however that the customizer of today's VW R32 decided to go with a mountain cabin motif for its engine bay. Does its price however, warrant getting your pines in...
Jan 11, 2026
Bentley Continental GT V8: The Jalopnik Review
Bentley Continental GT V8: The Jalopnik Review
Bentley's seen eights come and go; the 8-litre coach of 1930, the cloth-seated Eight "training Bentley" of the 1980s, the Le Mans-winning Speed 8 prototype of 2003. Two of those even had V8 engines, like the new Continental GT V8. Can the more-fuel-efficient octomill match the mighty W12? Let's find...
Jan 11, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved