The Nova holds a special place in the hearts of Chevrolet enthusiasts. Dan Shelley, 55, of Wapakoneta made it a point to find and restore a 1972 Nova.
Jim Krumel | For The Lima News
WAPAKONETA – Dan Shelley has owned his 1972 Nova “for around 25 years.”
And, “for around 25 years,” he’s been working on it.
Looking at his Nova today, you would think the restoration is complete. It has a new 355 engine, replaced sheet metal, a new interior and a blue paint job that catches your eye. So, not much more needs to be done. Right?
His wife, Helen, knows better, though.
“He keeps tinkering with it. … keeps him happy,” she said.
Dan used the internet to find the Nova. It was located in Corbin, Kentucky, a five-hour, 280-mile trip from his home in Wapakoneta. He knew the car would need some work, but didn’t truly envision how much until he picked up the car.
“I thought, ‘Oh my God, what have I done?’ This is a major project. It was a rust bucket … in pretty bad shape. I’ve been working on it off and on ever since,” he said.
The Nova has been a popular vehicle among car collectors, despite its checkered history.
General Motors introduced the Nova in 1962. It was part of Chevrolet’s lineup for 20 years, from 1962 to 1979 and 1985 to 1988. It never hit the sales figures that General Motors desired though, partly because GM never had a long-term vision of what the car was to be. It went from being a compact economy car to a muscle car and then a luxury car. It also found itself competing against two other new Chevrolets in the same market segments – the Chevelle and Corvair.
There also was even some confusion about the Nova’s name. It was introduced as the Chevy II Nova. That’s because members of the GM marketing team insisted that the names of all Chevrolet models begin with a “C.” It wouldn’t be until 1969 that the nameplate dropped the Chevy II.
For Shelley, the reason for selecting a Nova to restore was a simple one.
“I always just liked its looks,” he said.
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