1969 Nova 4 cylinder, 3 speed

[Guest]

I am starting a 69 Nova, 4 cylinder, 3 speed in Garnet Red. Here is the body, and the basic engine block after cutting and reassembly. I removed the #1 and #5 cylinders. I am using the Trumpeter 63 Nova 6 cylinder as the base engine.

[JasonC]

Very interesting! Will be different to see a Nova without a V8 in it. Leaving it a 6cyl to would of been cool also.

[Guest]

I almost went with a 6, but a friend of mine told me a few had 4 ,s, and I thought it would be cool and really different.

[george 53]

I THINK the LAST year they put a 4 cyl. in a Nova was in 68, my cousin had one, but I've NEVER seen another, 68 OR 69.

[george 53]

Just went an checked it out Lee, and 69 WAS the last year a 4 cylinder was available. Thanks for the info, I didn't know that!

[Guest]

Yep, 69. Tommy, aka roadhawgster herer, told me about them. He is a walking encyclopedia concerning vintage GM.

Edited April 14, 2013 by midnightprowler

[cobraman]

Cool project.

[1972coronet]

YES !!! I've never seen a '68-'69 Nova with a 4 popper , but I know that they exist .

Good call on replicating one of these oddballs !

My mother had a 1963 Chevy II with a 4 cylinder . Its only options were 4 speed and AM radio ; just a base 2 door post .

From everything that I've read , a 4 cyl / 4 speed "II" is quite rare .

Did these 4 banger Nova come with 13" wheels or 14" ?

Edited April 14, 2013 by 1972coronet

[Tom Geiger]

Cool model! That's one I though to do, but never got around to! So it will be fun to watch the build. I've never seen a 4 cylinder Nova in person (other than the 1980s Toyota built Novas) but I understand they were marketed as fleet vehicles, and not all that successfully. Gas was cheap and nobody really cared back in those days.

When I was in high school in 1976, the local gas and electric utility sold off a bunch of '66 Nova 2 door sedans, but with 6 cylinder automatics. Bare bones cars, rubber floor mats, no radio, manual steering and brakes. They were all painted gold, but dulled out due to years of never being washed or waxed. My friend Carlos bought one for $75. They sold a lot of them so you'd see them around town. In short order we figured out they were all on a fleet key, so my friends would see one in a parking lot, use Carlos' key and move the car to a different spot.

[Bonekrosha]

I never knew they had 4 bangers in them.

I had a 69 in Butternut yellow, one owner, 69K miles with a 230 c.i. 6 & powerglide.

The upper seat belts hadn't ever been moved from their headliner clips.

The only option it did have was power steering.

I wish I still had that car!

I've got to get one of these kits and make one of my car.

Very nice build so far...

[Guest]

YES !!! I've never seen a '68-'69 Nova with a 4 popper , but I know that they exist .

Good call on replicating one of these oddballs !

My mother had a 1963 Chevy II with a 4 cylinder . Its only options were 4 speed and AM radio ; just a base 2 door post .

From everything that I've read , a 4 cyl / 4 speed "II" is quite rare .

Did these 4 banger Nova come with 13" wheels or 14" ?

Good question, I will find out, but I suspect 14".

[vintagercr]

This is going to be quite interesting. I have never seen a 4 banger in a Nova before.

[Guest]

The official word from Tommy is 14".

[henry57]

I know where a 69 4 cyl nova is, only one I've actually ever seen.

[vypurr59]

The 4 cyl engine from Chevy was a favorite with midget racers, had more horsepower than the Offy, but when VW engines hit the midgets, the weight the others had, were their demise.

[charlie8575]

When my dad was looking for a new car in late 1968/early 1969, he drove a 4-cylinder Nova. NO power at all! And that screwy Hy-Drive transmission- a P/G with the automatic shifting removed, yeah...not a lot of fun. He ended up getting a leftover '68 Charger with a 318/automatic. I think that's his favorite car of everything he's owned still.

Lee, this is cool! I'll watch this with a lot of interest.

Charlie Larkin

[Guest]

I have all the cutting and reassembly done on the block, valve cover and oil pan, hope to have a pic of it in primer tomorrow.

[W-Machine]

A friend of mine in high school in the '80s actually owned a '69 four-banger Nova, and I have NEVER seen one since. You could outrun it with a bicycle. As I recall, whatever optional equipment might have been available for a Nova would definitely not have been ordered by someone who wanted cheap (and I mean CHEAP!) wheels like this. Very cool project idea.

Edited April 18, 2013 by W-Machine

[TheRX7Project]

VERY interesting! I didn't even know Novas EVER came with 4-bangers!

[spkgibson]

4 cylinder '69 Nova, Now I'll be sure to watch this build.....I've been thinking about doing the same project.....I just have to find the '63 Nova kit for the 6 to use....What color is that on the body?

[Guest]

I used Testors Ruby Red metallic.

[Guest]

Here is the engine in primer.

Edited April 19, 2013 by midnightprowler

[rmvw guy]

Never knew. Interesting subject matter. How many Flintstones would it take to get it going?

[Wonderbread Kustomz]

I never knew a four banger was available in a Nova... Nice work man!

[kalbert]

A friend of mine in high school had a '68 4dr Nova with a 4cyl. It also had a seat and a steering wheel but that was about it! Very unusual car, cool subject though!