The year 1969 saw Chevrolet drop the Chevy II nameplate, and all models were called Nova. It was also the year of power with the L-78 option. Photos from www.mecum.com

Chevrolet’s entry in the compact car wars continued in 1969. Number two on our top five list of Novas was the 1968 Chevy II Nova 396. By 1969 Chevrolet had dropped the Chevy II name, and the nameplate was switched to Nova. All models, despite the trim level, were simply Nova. Hidden behind the Nova name was a crown jewel in the line. The 396ci L-78 option that was available in the new Nova.

While the entire line had some changes with the coupes and sedans becoming identical body wise, all the doors now had frames around the windows, there were no more frameless-window coupes. The ignition was moved from the dash to the steering column, and other safety regulated changes like headrests, made their appearance.

The 1969 Nova promised better things for the future. It’s powerhouse BBC factory installed engine made it a real mover for a realistic price tag.

The base engine was still the 350ci that produced enough horsepower for budget hot rodders to still flock to the car. The 396ci however, was a special monster in-its-own-right. A 427ci V8 could also be ordered up from Yenko, but it was not a factory option. Therefore, it demanded a custom price tag to go with it.

The 396ci Nova was a powerhouse, and you could get it from the factory at a fair price. Despite the economical price – from a horsepower viewpoint – the 1969 Chevrolet Nova 396ci coupes were only sold in a limited number, which makes them highly sought after by collectors today. We rate this the number one Nova on our top five list because of it’s budget factory power.