Nova Engine Options: 1971

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250-turbo-thrift-use

The 250 cubic-inch Turbo-Thrift Six cylinder was the only inline engine available in the 1971 Nova.

In 1971, Chevrolet was ready to jump into the compact car market, so they introduced the Vega. This introduction would cause the elimination of an engine option for the Nova this year, but we’ll have more on that later. Across the board, General Motors was reducing the compression ratio of their engines, and this had to do with the impending unleaded fuel mandates. So, while cubic-inch displacements remained the same, power-building potential was down across the board.

When it came to the car’s looks, the 1971 Nova was virtually identical to the prior year. In fact, the most discernible difference was the lack of the simulated front fender louvers. A new sub-model was added to the lineup this year, the Rally Nova (RPO-YF1). The Rally featured a special stripe package, a blacked-out grille, Rally wheels, and sport mirrors. Any engine that was available in the rest of the Nova line could be ordered in the Rally.

307

The 200 horsepower gas-sipping 307 cubic-inch V8.

Speaking of engines, the 90-horsepower four-cylinder that was an option in select Novas in prior years, was finally eliminated. That engine was now going to power the Vega. The 153 cubic-inch four cylinder was not the only engine casualty of 1971, the Turbo-Thrift 230 cubic-inch six cylinder was also gone from the lineup. With the elimination of the four cylinder, and the smaller six-cylinder engines, the base Nova came standard with a 250 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine that produced 145 horsepower. Once again, the 307 cubic-inch engine was the standard V8 engine, and provided 200 horsepower. The 350 cubic-inch engine was again available with two horsepower ratings. In non-SS cars it delivered 245 horsepower, and in SS models, it carried 270 horsepower. The end of the musclecar years was upon us, and the 350 cubic-inch engine was the largest V8 engine available in the Nova.

1971 LT1

There were 125 Novas ordered by Don Yenko through the Central Office Production Order system. They were equipped with 350 cubic-inch LT1 V8s with dual exhaust, either a Muncie M20 (four-speed manual) or M35 (Turbo 350) automatic transmissions, and 12-bolt rear axle with a posi unit and 4.10:1 gears.

Some might argue that the musclecar era would continue for another couple years after 1971, but the declining horsepower being delivered by auto manufacturers makes that a seemingly unwinnable argument in our mind. That’s our take on the subject, what do you think?

About the author

Randy Bolig

Randy Bolig has been working on cars and has been involved in the hobby ever since he bought his first car when he was only 14 years old. His passion for performance got him noticed by many locals, and he began helping them modify their vehicles.
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