1970 Chevy Nova 355 V8 Four-speed

This 1970 Chevrolet Nova hides a built 355 small-block — forged pistons, a solid cam, roller rockers, and a Holley four-barrel — behind a plain, straight body with no rust. It’s a modern take on the same sleeper formula that made factory Nova SS models, with their optional 375-horsepower 396 big block, a favorite among budget-minded muscle car builders. There’s nothing about its looks that hints at what’s under the hood.

Very solid 1970 Chevrolet Nova. It’s powered by a 355 small block V8, backed by a four-speed Muncie transmission. The engine is equipped with forged pistons, a solid cam, roller rockers, an Edelbrock Torker intake, and a Holley four barrel carb. There is no rust and the body is nice and straight!

This 1970 Nova doesn’t look like much from the outside, and that’s exactly the point — the Nova’s whole reputation as a muscle car sleeper was built on cars that hide real horsepower behind an unassuming shell just like this one. What’s actually sitting under the hood, though, isn’t a factory big-block; it’s a built 355 cubic-inch small-block backed by a four-speed Muncie, fitted with forged pistons, a solid cam, roller rockers, an Edelbrock Torker intake, and a Holley four-barrel carburetor. That’s a serious departure from anything Chevrolet actually offered on a showroom-floor Nova in 1970. So how does a hopped-up small-block compare to what buyers could actually order back then?

⚑ Featured Gear

Start Car Conversations →

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

How the Factory SS Compared

The third-generation Nova had barely changed since its all-new 1968 redesign, but sales kept climbing anyway — Chevrolet built 307,280 Novas for 1970, more than 55,000 over the year before, with roughly 19,000 of the total 274,344 built as SS models. Buyers who checked the SS box got a standard 350 cubic-inch V8 rated at 300 horsepower, or could step up to the SS-396 package for $475, which actually used a 402 cubic-inch big block despite keeping the “396” name for brand recognition. That 396-badged engine made 375 horsepower and required either a four-speed manual or Turbo Hydra-matic automatic, riding on a 111-inch wheelbase that made the compact Nova a genuinely quick car in a straight line.

The Sleeper Nova Formula

A base Nova started at just $2,335 in 1970, which is exactly why the model became such a favorite canvas for builders looking to hide serious power in a cheap, lightweight compact body. This car’s forged-piston, roller-rocker 355 and Torker-intake combination follows that same tradition, trading factory-original numbers-matching value for genuine, modern-built performance — no rust, straight body panels, and a driveline built to actually be driven hard rather than trailered to shows.

Whether it’s a factory SS-396 or a built 355 like this one, the appeal is the same: a plain-looking Nova that has absolutely no business being this quick.

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter