![]() However, it used its size to its advantage. CompetitionĪs far as muscle cars were concerned, the Nova SS was too small to be considered a true member of the class. Though sales would fall significantly the following year, they would soon be back up to an all-time high. In addition to the more powerful standard engine, the SS models also came with standard front disc brakes, red-striped tires and a blacked-out grille. The selling price of the base Nova SS was not even $300 more than that of the base Nova, so the car attracted numerous buyers – 19,558 were built throughout the model year. 1970 Nova SSĪs had happened the year before, sales of the Nova SS continued to rise, as well. One of the car’s biggest assets was its low selling price, which started at $2,335. The new egg crate grille was an easy way to tell the model apart from those from the previous two years. The base model Nova was by far the best selling of the models, as it had been for most of the lifespan of the car. 1970 Nova Two-Door Coupe and Four-Door Sedan In all, 307,280 Novas were produced, which was over 55,000 more than had been produced the year before and the first time since 1963 that production broke the 300,000 mark. The later was rated at 200 horsepower.ĭespite the lack of changes (or more likely because of them), sales of the Nova continued to rise greatly. ![]() The base models Novas had a choice of a 153 CID four-cylinder rated at 90 horsepower, a 250 CID six-cylinder that produced 155 horsepower, or a 307 CID V8. The horsepower for the 396 did not change, however, and was either 350 or 375 depending on which version was chosen.Īs for other power options, the Nova SS came standard with a 350 CID V8 rated at 300 horsepower. Far more changes would be coming for the car (and all cars) in the coming years to account for increasingly strict emissions standards. The 396 CID V8 that had been available as the highest performance option in the Nova SS the year before had been modified into a 402 CID engine to account for new emissions standards. The changes to the car mentioned above in the highlights section are just about the only changes made to the car in the carryover year. Using sales numbers as an indicator, it seems the company had the right idea. The car had barely changed from those 1968 models, and Chevy would choose to leave the cars alone for 1970, as well. Since the third-generation Novas had been introduced in 1968, year-to-year sales had grown every year, so Chevy had little reason to mess with success – so they didn’t. But they were back with a vengeance by the time the next decade rolled around. Shane has dipped the car well into the 5-second zone with terminal speeds topping 250 mph – both indicators of a bright future to come for the aspiring new team.The Nova/Chevy II was a huge seller when it was first released back in 1962, but then sales went into decline in the mid-1960s. This car features a chassis built at Hinrichsen’s RH Race Cars (Kelowna, British Columbia), but Ryan admits that it is a bit of a rolling testbed while he hones his skills for an even more concentrated and higher-tech approach for his company going forward. Powered by a Generation III Pro-Line Racing built 481X engine, the car and the team have shown steady progress and improvement in their first season on the tour. That duo, in conjunction with crew members Tyson Carr (crew chief), Justin Bond, Cole Welch, Mike Micelli, and Tom Gaynor, have focused their attention within NHRA’s 10-race RPM (Real Pro Mod) scene with a slick twin-turbo 1970 Camaro. The beautiful Pacific Northwest has produced a very interesting new Pro Mod racing alliance this season featuring Washington state’s Shane Molinari and British Columbia’s Ryan Hinrichsen. At the track and at the shop, Bell receives great support from dedicated right-hand man and crew chief Mike Stanfield. The beautiful red car is as fast as it looks, too – capable of low 8-second e.t.’s. ![]() While the car’s primary destination is NHRA’s now-thriving FSS (Factory Stock Showdown) class, he can also race the machine legally as a Super Stocker. Depending on his intended class destination, Bell chooses between either a 327ci (500hp) or a Roush-supplied 350ci (548hp) engine combination. This car features an apparent first for the COPO breed – it is a five-speed car that has been back-halved (by Vic Custer at East Texas Race Cars). Bell’s car was selected for that event’s coveted Aerospace Components NHRA Excellence in Engineering Award over a massive field of contenders. During the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals last spring, some special recognition was given to the 2012 machine raced by Louisiana’s Stephen Bell. The “beat” in popularity and innovation for the fifth-gen COPO Camaro in drag racing continues.
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