Al VerSchave has owned the same 1966 Chevy II Nova for fifteen years, dragging it through multiple moves while slowly turning a lightweight economy coupe into a Pro Street monster pushing past 870 horsepower. Builds like this don’t happen overnight – they take a decade and a half of patient upgrades, serious chassis work, and a refusal to trade in for something newer.
For as many hot rodders that buy and sell rides as a way of life, there’s a legion of others that tend to stand by their original choice, building on, modifying, and enjoying the same car for many years. Al VerSchave’s been hanging around with this Nova going on 15 years. He’s taken many steps, even changed addresses a few times along the way. Here’s what happened.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Full article:Â https://goo.gl/Er4JFm
A Decade and a Half Chasing More Power
Fifteen years is a long time to stick with any project car — long enough to move addresses more than once and still keep dragging the same Nova along for the ride. Al VerSchave is not the type of hot rodder who flips cars for the next shiny thing; he is the guy who buys in for the long haul and just keeps digging deeper. What started as a stock Chevy II eventually became a genuine Pro Street monster pushing well past 870 horsepower, and getting there was not a weekend project — it was a decade and a half of chasing more power, one upgrade at a time.
Fifteen Years, One Nova, No Regrets
Getting a small, light 1966 Chevy II to reliably make 870-plus horsepower and actually put it to the pavement is the kind of build that typically demands a seriously stroked big-block or aftermarket crate combination under the hood, backed by a beefed-up transmission built to survive that kind of torque, plus the unglamorous structural work — subframe connectors, ladder bars or a four-link rear, a narrowed and tubbed rear end to clear wide drag radials or slicks — that every real Pro Street build lives and dies by. None of that happens over a weekend, which is exactly why a fifteen-year build like this one tends to be dialed in far better than something rushed together for a single show season.
Why Chevy II Guys Never Let Go
Nova and Chevy II owners have always been famously loyal to their cars, and it is not hard to see why — the light unibody was cheap and plentiful when new, which made it a favorite budget drag platform back in the 1960s and 70s and still makes it a go-to choice for serious Pro Street and Pro Touring builds today, since the chassis takes big power exceptionally well. Al’s decision to keep pushing one car further through multiple moves instead of trading up for something newer is exactly the kind of dedication that separates true hot rodders from collectors who just write checks.
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related posts:
Alf’s 1965 Chevy II Nova SS—A Member’s Muscle Car
Which Cars Have the Most Horsepower per Dollar?
Classic Camaro Race Car in need of a New Driver
Restore a Muscle Car’s Stainless-Steel Trim: Just Add Water & Stir
Alf’s 1965 Chevy II Nova SS – A Member’s Muscle Car
The Amazing Stories Behind the Unrestored Original Cars at the 2016 Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals
How to Install Lokar Shift Knobs for a Factory Appearance
Restored 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS396 Goes Back for a Helping of Day-Two Goodness
Not Driving A Rare Car Shouldn’t Add To Its Value
1969 Pontiac Firebird Convertible Restored by New Mexican Priest Set for Charity Raffle
