1962 Chevy Nova II 400 convertible. Photo from wikimedia.org

In 1962, Chevrolet needed a car that would be able to compete in the compact car wars that were becoming popular in the early 60s. FoMoCo had the Falcon and the Comet, Chrysler produced the Valiant and Dart, AMC backed the Rambler American, and even Studebaker had its Lark.

Chevy had just released the innovative Corvair that was targeted for the compact market, but the company needed a conventional rear-wheel drive car to really get traction with sales. Along came the car designed to be very basic, but performed well with the frugal crowd. The Chevy II Nova was an instant hit.

The nameplate eventually became the Nova and it had a long and eventful career. Several of these became noteworthy cars that gearheads actively seek out. Number 5 on our top 5 list of Novas is the original 1962 Chevy II Nova 400.

1962 Chevrolet Nova Sport Coupe. Photo courtesy of gm.com. Copyright by General Motors.

Chevy’s new compact came in your choice of a convertible, sedan, sport coupe, or station wagon body style, with a 194ci 6-cylinder engine to power it. The engine was the first year of the third generation of Chevy’s inline 6-cylinder design. Chevrolet designed the new engine with a 7-bearing crankshaft design – groundbreaking for its time – with cylinder dimensions that were shared with the V8s and inline 4-cylinders that Chevy offered. The combustion chambers were also changed to a wedge design, patterned after the V8s.

This car and engine combo worked well, and as a result, Chevrolet continued to manufacture the 194ci engine through 1988. These powerful economy engines were even outfitted in base model Chevelles from 1964 – 1967. In the Chevy II platform, this mill became a favorite of racers on a budget, which earns it a place in our top 5.