76 SS on eBay

[Novajay]

Any comments?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1976-Chevy-Nova-SS-Original-V-8-Rare-Optioned-Car_W0QQitemZ260007053774QQihZ016QQcategoryZ6172QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[big dog ss]

looks nice, wish it was closer to me!!

[jade76]

Looks nice, but I'd be a little weary of it's originality. It's obviously been restored inside and out. It does have original buckets and console, but I can't say I've ever seen an 76 SS with woodgrain dash bezel and door panels. 75 Custom and 76 Concous, but not SS.

It'd be interesting to get a pic of the cowl tag. The VIN he put in the listing (1X2706W127935) has some extra numbers that don't match up. I've never seen 2 numbers after the 27 and there's nothing to decode it. Hmmmm???:confused:

Also states it has F41 Sport Suspension and then later states it has F40. Which is it? The only difference being the rear sway bar. And did they come factory with dual exhaust?

It just says original SS option car, maybe I'm looking into that too much. It's definitely pretty either way. That's not too far from where I'm moving to next month.

Also check out some of their feedback. 3 negatives in the last year, 2 in last 6 months and several positives that I wouldn't exactly call positive. I'd say the buyer's were being friendly. Several happy buyers as well, but may want to beware of this seller.

[1975ssnova]

Nice looking car but did the SS come with a 305 V-8 ? And did they come with a 3 speed manual ? I had a regular 1977 nova with a strait six in it that had the 3 speed manual.I think he made a SS,But it does look nice to me!

[bbdon]

The car looks OK to me. You could get any engine with SS in 76, I have seen lots of original SSs with a 305 before. The fake woodgrain dash is what I have in my 76 SS. I think it's because both of them have the custom interior option. (ZJ1)
I'd ask about the rear swaybar before bidding. Lots of cars that had this originally have broken or missing bars. Unbroken rear sway bars are getting to be hard to find.

[Green Dragon]

[QUOTE=jade76]Looks nice, but I'd be a little weary of it's originality. It's obviously been restored inside and out. It does have original buckets and console, but I can't say I've ever seen an 76 SS with woodgrain dash bezel and door panels. 75 Custom and 76 Concous, but not SS.

- if the SS was made from a Custom or COncours then would it have the woodgrain trim ?
I know my brother has a 73 SS that's a "Y" custom model with SS package - also my 77 Rally has woodgrain trim as well .


It'd be interesting to get a pic of the cowl tag. The VIN he put in the listing (1X2706W127935) has some extra numbers that don't match up. I've never seen 2 numbers after the 27 and there's nothing to decode it.

- I think that's a typo or error in reading, the total numbers are correct, just not 'right'
as we know .. 1 = Chevrolet ,X = body , 27 = 2 door coupe, the '0' sounds like it should be a " U " which would be a 305cid same as my Rally and Phoenix both . W = willow run , then the actual vin numbers.


Also states it has F41 Sport Suspension and then later states it has F40. Which is it? The only difference being the rear sway bar. And did they come factory with dual exhaust?

- Tony, can you confirm that re: the F41 only having the rear bar as difference ? no change in spring or shock rates ?
I;ve been owndering on this , because our 73SS has rear bar (F41 documented car), but my 75 Ventura Custom I parted had a rear bar with "radial tuned suspension " option ( if you check Novaresource or others it lists that in 75 as a seperate option from the F41), but my Phoenix has the 'Radial Tuned Suspension" dash tag, but NO rear bar ( but has 6 leaf springs ). just curious if you have more info .



just my 2 cents owrth ( all I have left after spending it all on the car, lol )

~ AL

[Green Dragon]

Nice looking car but did the SS come with a 305 V-8 ? And did they come with a 3 speed manual ? I had a regular 1977 nova with a strait six in it that had the 3 speed manual.I think he made a SS,But it does look nice to me!

as noted, yes on the 305.

I've owned both a documented 74 SS, 250 6 cyl ( had a 4 speed when purchased, unsure if 3 speed originally, assume yes ).

Also we parted a very rusted 76 SS that was a 250 6 cyl, 3 speed floor shift (no console), bucket seats, F41 with rear sway bar and 3.08 posi, plus the rare tip-out rear windows. so just about anything is possible.

~ AL

[jade76]

Hey Al,

My info came from Nova Resource as well, and the 75 & 76 Brochures posted on my site have a little info about it as well. The F40 is the sport suspension which does have stonger rates than standard suspension. The F41 is the same F40 sport suspension but includes the rear sway bar, the only difference. So, if it's an F40 option it wouldn't include the rear sway bar, but otherwise would still have sport suspension. I couldn't tell you exactly what the sport suspension consisted of since all the one's I've seen were modified in some way. I've heard of some 4th Gens having 4 leafs, but all the one's I've seen had 5 leafs.

I've seen a magazine article listed on ebay a couple times about the F40 & F41 suspension package and if I see it again I'll probably get it. I believe it came out of a mid 80's Nova Times magazine, so that may have a little info on it too if you can find it. So far, nothing I've read about it has been very specific.

On my 76SS it has the F40 option which is the sport suspension but no rear sway bar. I upgraded it to 6 leaf myself, but can't say I've ever seen one that came factory that way.

As far as the interior, The Custom and Concours came factory with woodgrain, but to the best of my knowledge the SS had Standard interior unless perhaps it was ordered from the factory with Custom interior. As you said, anything's possible. I guess the only way to know for sure is if there's a build sheet with it.

It's definitely a nice looking car, I just don't believe it to be original from what I've seen and learned about them. If it is original, this is the 1st I've ever seen or heard of with the Custom interior package. And since they won't respond to my question for a pic of the cowl tag, there's no way to really decode it.

[==sYc==>]

It'd be interesting to get a pic of the cowl tag. The VIN he put in the listing (1X2706W127935) has some extra numbers that don't match up. I've never seen 2 numbers after the 27 and there's nothing to decode it.

- I think that's a typo or error in reading, the total numbers are correct, just not 'right'
as we know .. 1 = Chevrolet ,X = body , 27 = 2 door coupe, the '0' sounds like it should be a " U " which would be a 305cid same as my Rally and Phoenix both.
The 0 is probably a Q. The U was only for the 305 in 1977-79. In 1976, the 305 was Q.

[Green Dragon]

The 0 is probably a Q. The U was only for the 305 in 1977-79. In 1976, the 305 was Q.

there ya go , lol... a Q would be easier to mistake as an O anyways, I just used the info in my head instead of looking it up online and finding the 'Q' as an actual code.

Odd they'd use that, same as having no "I" because it's easy to read as a "1".

Will have to go and double check my Medallist, maybe it is a 'Q', been a long time since I decoded that... hmmm..

~ AL

[Green Dragon]

As far as the interior, The Custom and Concours came factory with woodgrain, but to the best of my knowledge the SS had Standard interior unless perhaps it was ordered from the factory with Custom interior. As you said, anything's possible. I guess the only way to know for sure is if there's a build sheet with it.

It's definitely a nice looking car, I just don't believe it to be original from what I've seen and learned about them. If it is original, this is the 1st I've ever seen or heard of with the Custom interior package. And since they won't respond to my question for a pic of the cowl tag, there's no way to really decode it.

I believe that's correct - the standard interior would be stock, unless the base model the Z26 SS option was added to was a 'Y' code custom model.

as noted, my Rally has the woodgrain,as does both my bro's 73SS and 74SS, although 73-4 might be different / not 4th gen.
the 76 6 cyl SS car we parted had red interior, and I honestly don;t recall the woodgrain or not ( we saved no interior parts except the 4 speed styff, not even the seats since it'd sat with no windows for years and was full of decomposed leaves,rotting interior,etc)

I'm sure there's variations and oddball combos,of course,too - this was the low point in GM quality control, much as we love the cars....:)

~ AL