The Al Pacino movie Carlito’s Way was something of a coming-of-age movie for a generation of Pacino fans. If you saw the movie, like the rest of us, you will instantly recognize this Chevrolet Nova and probably think someone did an excellent job of cloning it. You’d be wrong though. This is the actual car that was seen in the movie.
In 2008, it sold at auction for $17,600, and the lucky buyer went home with not only a sweet piece of movie history, but a bunch of movie memorabilia as well. As part of the selling price, the buyer also received a copy of a contract, and check stubs from the movie’s production company, Universal Studios’ Carlito Productions, Inc. Al Pacino had to use a cheat sheet script during filming of the movie, and this was safely tucked away in the glove box where he left it.
The base of the Carlito’s Way Nova is a 1973 Chevy Nova that paint genius Lenny Smith squirted with a custom-flamed covering of shiny. Prior to the painting, the top was chopped 4-inches, giving it a meaner and more aggressive look than an original Nova. Completing the exterior upgrades is the grille from a 1954 Chevy, Camaro front and rear bumpers, and custom tail lights. The wheels were painted to match the paint scheme.
The exterior isn’t all that’s modified. It’s got a built 350 cubic-inch small-block under the hood, with Tuned Port Injection. The only thing not original to the car as-built for the movie, is the new Flowmaster exhaust system the new owner installed.
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