What year 3rd gen is most desired by enthusiest?

Hey fellers,
I'm really starting to like 3rd gen's more and more.I'm really considering buying one once I'm settled in my new house.What year is most desired and why?There is one particular members car I really like....68ssgrandpa
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e200/Nova68SS/IMG_3631a.jpg
Are there any downfalls to getting a 68 nova?I know some years are harder to get parts for and some years have funky bumpers.Sorry for the questions...i need to learn more about 3rd gens.....educate me please.thanks bm

'68s are unique and hardest to get parts for. 69-72 are easiest to find parts for. 68-72 are the most desireable. 73-74 are big bumper cars. 74 has the biggest bumpers.

Kev

Thanks kev!
what makes 68's unique vs 69-73?bm

ashtrays !!! :D

1968's have the key in the dash, no head rest, differant door panels, and other Int. differances. Yes a ashtray would be nice for my car if I could afford one :confused: (I do not even smoke)

dash and pillars are different, it was still called a chevy II, which it said on the front hood instead of a bowtie..ignition switch was molded into the cluster not on the column..i even think door stuff is different..i had a 68 but it wasnt complete so nick nack stuff was hard to find

but if you find a complete car they are great..just IMO

From a value standpoint, the "Old Car Pricing Guide" would indicate the 68 Chevy II is most collectable.

I had a hard time with the side chrome as it is a "one year only", as is the steering colume, dash pad, heater control, etc.

Visually, from the outside, there is very little difference between the 68 and 72 cars. Only a few Nova "nuts" would know the difference.

I would recommend you try to find the best 68/72 body you can locate, restore the mechanics, and hit the road.

I love third gen nova's I can look at them all day long. I have owned a 70 and now I have my 68 bb car done. I like the dash layout of the 68 chevy2. It is unique for that year. Yes the parts are harder to come buy and cost alot more so I would have to say the 68 nova are worth more. If you are going to buy a 68 project plan on spending more money on parts everyone knows the parts are one year only. Like the ash tray, door panels, A pillars ,dash pad, dash, heater control etc. So it depends on what you want to spend I would search out a complete project and start there. just my 2 cents.

Jason

68's are rarest and most valuable IMO. 69-72's are ALOT easier to find the correct parts for.

So I would say if you are looking for a project car go with the 69-72s. If you want one already fixed up look for the nicest 68 you can find, and if you cant find one go up thru the year models from there.

Factory big block cars will command the highest prices (goes without saying) :)

Andy (3rd gen granny-car nut) :)

There is about 100 parts different between a 68 and a 69. Hood emblem, headlight bezels, door panels, door locks are farther back, steering column, mount and gasket, steering wheel, dash pad, dash emblem, door panel emblems, A pillar pads, dash, radio, heater controls, and cables, kick panels, ash tray, cigarette lighter, speedo numers are different color, quarter panel emblem, trunk emblem, lower SS emblem on front fenders, headlight switch. I can't think of any right more right now.

It's just me - but I love the 73, the turn signals in the grille and the grille itself not to mention the dual tail lites. Yeah the big bumper is kinda odd but hey I own one and it is my P&J.
Oh yeah the hatchbacks have heavier leaf springs too . :D :D :D :D :D

what year had the highest H.P. rating and had the best H.D suspension package ???


hey ye'ole BatMan... can you say BIG BLOCK ???


BE A BAAAAAAAD BatMan !!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :D

'Lower' s/s emblem on front fenders:confused: . I could be wrong but front drums are different I believe, but maybe only on s/s, color of front parking bulbs from certain years too. size of rear s/s panel and housings?

68's are rarest and most valuable IMO. 69-72's are ALOT easier to find the correct parts for.

So I would say if you are looking for a project car go with the 69-72s. If you want one already fixed up look for the nicest 68 you can find, and if you cant find one go up thru the year models from there.

Factory big block cars will command the highest prices (goes without saying) :)

Andy (3rd gen granny-car nut) :)

71 is looking good, Andy.
I have similar plans in mind for my 72 (original V8,F40 disc brake car),as I have an LS3 from a 72 Chevelle... right year, so why not, lol.
did you change tot he big block heater core setup ? hard to see in your pics.


as for the 'best' thread... well, 68's are just plain COOL,but as noted, hard to find parts for ( wish I had mine still), any other 69-72 is the easiest to build, partswise, which would keep costs down ( also better 'value' when done over a 73-4.
I personally like the 73 myself as was noted, and my brother has been a 73-4 nut for years (and has 3 currently ), so it's really more of a personal choice issue, and if you find a nice one, keep your mind open as to which is best :)

~ AL

The 1970 L78 for just one reason...the big block 396 that year was in reality a 402 :D :D . If I'd known I'd be retired within a year, I'd never have sold mine back in 1998. It was an SS, THM400, 4:10 posi, GM Canada documented and as far they could tell, it was the last big block Nova exported to Canada (end of June 1970).
Bob

the only big block i've ever been on was a 396 in my Dad's 68 Caprice... and it was a Monster. i'd love ta have a 427 in my 66 Bel-Air.


Bat, yer lookin' at a third genner or thinkin' of buildin' what ya want ???


ya know i'm a small block guy... but ta have BOTH !!! OHHHHHHHH Heaven !!! :D

Actually their all cooool,but for me its 68 ChevyII Nova SS BB 4spds....Dan

I like the 68's best just because they are so different from the 69-72 Novas. I also really like the 68 Nova emblem being on the quarter panel, it just adds something that the others don't have. I like the key in the dash thing too. 68's don't have that ugly fuel vapor canister whatever thingy behind the rear seat either :D

Tommy :)

Just curious...does your canadian documentation list the 4.10 as factory installed or was it supplied by the selling dealer?? My info has always indicted that nothing steeper thean 3.55 was available form the factory. As for horsepower it is true that the 70 motors were really 402's. But they had the low profile intake manifold which definately had an impact. The 70 #291 heads also had slightly larger valves..same head was used on the LS-6 454 motor. I don't think there was much real differnce in any of the 3 years....performance tuning by those who knew how was probably the biggest difference. They were all pretty choked up from the factory with the smog and stock manifolds. Headers, rejetted carb, dist. setup, and good tires and then watch out!

I love that motor!! wilma

Just curious...does your canadian documentation list the 4.10 as factory installed or was it supplied by the selling dealer?? My info has always indicted that nothing steeper thean 3.55 was available form the factory.
GM Canada documentation doesn't give rear gear axle ratios, just G80 Rear Axle-Positraction. It's my understanding the 4:10 was dealer installed. The car was sold new at Belmont Motors in Toronto, one of Canada's best known muscle car dealers of the day. There was no smog equipment on this car, but it did have the 'mortgage your house if you find one today' dual snorkel air cleaner. It had just turned 73,000 miles when I sold it.
Bob

Personally my dream Nova would be a 69 Yenko. But i know thatll never happen.

As far as collectible original third gens go, the 396 powered '69 Nova makes every top ten fastest musclecars list. The only reason a third gen never gets the number one spot on anybody's list is because GM scraped the plans for a LS6 powered '71 Nova due to emission laws introduced at that time.

The '68 is unique to all the other third gens for reasons that have already been well defined in this thread. Let's talk appearance differences. The '68 & '69 had smaller side marker lights and parking lights than later years. The '70 has clear parking lights in the front bumper while the '71 & '72 had amber. The '70 also had (non-functional) louvers on the front fenders (only V8 models).

The '70 was the last year before the emissions crackdown so it had a vented gas-cap. The '71 & '72 have a vapor canister behind the rear seat and a charcoal canister under the hood.

I personally like the bigger parking lights on the '70 - '72 models as well as the parts interchangeability. I just take what I like from each year and build the car I want. I think parts availability was the biggest thing that initially attrached me to these cars because twenty years ago they were everywhere. Not so anymore. Now I have too many spare parts stashed away and too much experience with them to be without one. Even running across one in the junkyard is like finding an old friend.

@ GreenDragon yes I did change the heater core in mine, but you don't have to the SB heater core and hoses will clear the BB with low profile valve covers.
Those pics on my cardomain page are old. before I got a new core.

'69 of course:D

For Me it would be in this order:69,70,68,71,72.

Greetings,

I've always been a fan of the '73s. I just didn't care for the '74 bumpers and you always see '68-'72s running around. At least you can finally get some '73-specific parts! It's about time.

Jason

Ok someone's got the represent the other X-bodys.... I like the look of the big blue Pontiac motor sittin in my 72....however i am also partial the the 73-74 hatchbacks too.

I'm partial to the 1969's myself. The '68's intrigue me with their one year only stuff, but I like the interiors of the '69+ years. So, Benjamin may have to wait till I test his SS for a few years before I hand him the keys :D
M

Well obviously it has to be the 68. :cool: Yes the parts are hard to come by. It took me three years and many nights searching ebay to finally collect NOS trim, chrome and emblems for the whole car. In some cases I was fortunate to find multiples of the harder to find emblems. I have three sets of the front fender super sport emblems and two hood emblems and I even have the headlight bezels which I think were the most difficult to find especially as a set ****$.:eek: but well worth it.

Ah-hem, can you guys find some repo 74 full quarters??? Tougher to find than the elusive 68 ashtray :eek:

I hunted for parts needed for mine for A long time and traveled to several states. I had A cool job so traveling around wasn't A problem. I found needed stuff in Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, and several places in Alabama. Ebay was A little help but most of the time I found stuff at swap meets and junkyards. I bought A couple of cars just to get parts then sold the junked out hulls.

Tommy:)

Ah-hem, can you guys find some repo 74 full quarters??? Tougher to find than the elusive 68 ashtray :eek:

Or 73 full quarters ;) :D . I know where a set is for $1500 :beat: , no way I'm going that route!!

Ah-hem, can you guys find some repo 74 full quarters??? Tougher to find than the elusive 68 ashtray :eek:

Just give it a few more years... :)

Bruce, don't listen to the 68 boys. They want you to join in their pain of searching out very hard to find parts. Ages ago there was a thread listing all the differences between a 68 and the rest of the 3rd gen family. There are tons of one year only parts on 68's. What you want is a 72. Try to determine if a 68-71 Nova is truly an SS. You can't without documentation. On a 72, you need go no further than the VIN. Also, you have other features, and models that were not available before 72. That was the second year the Rally Nova was available, in 71 there were only somewhere around 8000 Rally's built. Also, 72 is the first year the skyroof was available. It is the only year you could get a Rally with a skyroof.:D

I personally never liked the tail lights on 68 and 69 Novas. The tail lights on 70's were ok, but when they went to the big square backup lights in late 71, to me they just looked right.

I'm not biased or anything, you know I only speak the truth!!:rolleyes: :D

Randy (A 70 big block 4-speed would be my second choice!!):D

I think it's not so much the year rather the model that was built meaning either an SS, Nickey, Yenko, Harrell, Gibb and of course Motion which is probably the most rare of the 69's.:)

Jay

Get a '72 for a great price, then modify it the way you want (or get a '69 SS396 original and keep it bone stock).

Rod (72 modified)

Bruce, don't listen to the 68 boys. They want you to join in their pain of searching out very hard to find parts. Ages ago there was a thread listing all the differences between a 68 and the rest of the 3rd gen family. There are tons of one year only parts on 68's. What you want is a 72. Try to determine if a 68-71 Nova is truly an SS. You can't without documentation. On a 72, you need go no further than the VIN. Also, you have other features, and models that were not available before 72. That was the second year the Rally Nova was available, in 71 there were only somewhere around 8000 Rally's built. Also, 72 is the first year the skyroof was available. It is the only year you could get a Rally with a skyroof.:D

I personally never liked the tail lights on 68 and 69 Novas. The tail lights on 70's were ok, but when they went to the big square backup lights in late 71, to me they just looked right.

I'm not biased or anything, you know I only speak the truth!!:rolleyes: :D

Randy (A 70 big block 4-speed would be my second choice!!):D

Don't listen to Randy, come with us Bruce :D . Just sit in A 68 and notice how nice it is not to have A door lock in the way when you want rest your arm on the door :D , Just look at the way the key just hangs on the instrument cluster not bothering anything instead of scratching up columns on all other models :D notice how nice it is not to have A headrest to mess up your female friends hair and look at that cute little dash emblem that is different than everything else on earth and almost impossible to find...... No Bruce, don't listen to Randy, he clearly has been exposed to the wrong people and has now become ill.... Maybe Nova Guy can help Randy with this condition..;)

Tommy:) (just kiddin Randy, I don't know why I subject myself to endless torture with my 68)

You know Tommy, a good dash bezel for a 68 is easier to find than a good A/C dash bezel for a 72. I can find lots of 73-74 bezels, and non-A/C bezels are all over the place, but a A/C bezel, with the seat belt light (gotta be correct, even it won't be hooked up) seems to be impossible!!! I have seen some real nice 69-70 bezels, and I have thought of foregoing the seatbelt light, but I just can't do it yet.

Bruce, you know anybody who drinks as much sweet tea as Tommy can't be trusted!!:eek: :D :D

Randy (kiddin' ya right back!):D

I suppose the 68 is probably the most desired by the collectors and purists. As far as practicality goes I would go with a 70-72 as parts are easier to find and like someone said the taillights look better than the 68/69 models. Of course if you want a factory bb then a 69 or 70 would be better for higher hp engines.

If 68"s were easy everyone would have them. The 69-72 guys are just looking for an easy way. It's sad but true. 68's are Great!

If 68"s were easy everyone would have them. The 69-72 guys are just looking for an easy way. It's sad but true. 68's are Great!



i know what yer sayin' and i agree... it's rough when yer the BEST.


ask me, i'll tellya ;)


often imitated, never duplicated :rolleyes: :D

Hey fellers,
I'm really starting to like 3rd gen's more and more.I'm really considering buying one once I'm settled in my new house.bm


It's about time!!!hpg:D :D

If 68"s were easy everyone would have them. The 69-72 guys are just looking for an easy way. It's sad but true. 68's are Great!
I'm with you 68's are great.:D

Well, if its opinion time, I like the '67. I personally think they are the baddast looking car, especially if the are prostreet...68's are a great and tough to find parts for but I wouldn't trade my '72 250 pg for nothin'. Oh, thats right, the I-6 is gone and the glide has been traded for a 350 turbo. Guess I'm just nuts....for Novas!!:D :D

When I go to car shows and see a Nova I always check to see if it's a 68. If it is I think to myself "good choice"; if it's anything less I think "At least it's not a Ford". :D

I like the '67. I personally think they are the baddast looking carMe Too:D :D

I suppose the 68 is probably the most desired by the collectors and purists. As far as practicality goes I would go with a 70-72 as parts are easier to find and like someone said the taillights look better than the 68/69 models. Of course if you want a factory bb then a 69 or 70 would be better for higher hp engines.
I think the 68-69 taillights look better.

I think the 68-69 taillights look better.

Me Too :cool: .

Tommy:)

I got rid of a 68 because I didn't want to deal with finding the oddball parts they require. It was a freebie too! Had good interior, the body was straight except for a minor crunch in the right front fender, and only had rust in the drivers floor and around the right trunk hinge. It was a 250/powerglide that ran great, and I added discs from a 72 Chevelle that was also a freebie from the same guy. The only things I kept were the 350/350 combo.

Oh yeah, it had an ashtray!! It was 100% complete. Got $800 for it. I had about $123 invested. Could have got it back a year later for nothing, but it had about $500 worth of parking tickets on it.

1970's the are pink:D