Papa’s Nova | 1969 Chevrolet Nova
FollowVehicle Quick Facts
Profile ID: 45221
Year: 1969
Make: Chevrolet
Model: Nova
Markets: Driven Daily, Muscle Car, Performance, Racing
Vehicle Type: American
Contact: Lydia Meyling
Vehicle Story
Grandpa (Papa) Dennis put together a good running 1969 Nova to take to the local cruise spots in southern California. He built a reliable street car with some go fast goodies. Dennis built the 383 cubic inch small block Chevy with White Performance aluminum heads, comp cam, MSD billet distributer, World Products Motown intake manifold topped off with a SMI prepared Holley 750 double pumper. To squeeze even more ponies out of it, he added a Holley Nitrous Oxide Systems kit. The power is connected to a modified GM TH350, out back is a 9” Currie rear end with 3:70 gears and True Trac. For traction Cal Trac bars were installed along with Moroso subframe connectors. A pair of Mickey Thompson ET Street 27 x 10.50 -15LT tires put the power to the ground.
In 2012 Dennis sold the Nova to family friend, Martin Driehuyzen in the Netherlands where he raced it for two years in the Dutch Hot Rod Association (DHRA). He competed with the Nova in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany winning his overall class both years.
Fast forward to now — Dennis’ granddaughter Lydia attended Frank Hawley Drag Racing School where she received her NHRA Competition Drivers License. A call was placed to Martin and he agreed to sell the Nova back to the family and it is back in the U.S. For added safety we installed a Ridetech TigerCage, Procar by Scat Sportsman Pro seats and RaceQuip 5-point harnesses. Additionally, we relocated the NOS bottle from inside the car to the trunk. Nitrous Supply re-certified and filled the bottle. Chris Beanes of Beanes Family Motorsports added a driveshaft safety loop. Lydia is doing test & tunes at local race tracks and hitting the local car cruises.
You can follow the Nova at: https://www.instagram.com/papas_nova/.
Build Sheet
Manufacturers
- AEM Performance Electronics - AEM – Air/Fuel gauge
- AutoMeter Products - Pro Comp gauges & shift light
- B&M Racing & Performance Products - Ratchet shifter & line lock
- Be Cool Radiators - Aluminum radiator & electric fan
- Classic Industries - Restoration parts/trim, moldings & Procar seats
- Comp Cams - Camshaft
- Currie Enterprises - 9” rear end 3:70 ring & pinion, Trac Lock 28 spline 4 spider gear traction lock unit
- Design Engineering, Inc. | DEI - Heat shield
- Dynamat Inc. - Sound deadener
- Dynomax Performance Exhaust - Headers
- Flowmaster - 2 chamber mufflers
- Grant Products - GT steering wheel
- Holley Performance Products - 4150 750 CFM double pumper, red electric fuel pump, NOS kit
- Hotchkis Sport Suspension - Sway bars
- JEGS - Misc. performance parts
- Lokar Performance Products - Transmission dipstick
- MICKEY THOMPSON TIRES & WHEELS - ET Street 27 x 10.50-15LT tires
- MSD Performance - 6AL, coil, Pro billet distributor, Knock alert & Rich/Lean indicator
- Original Equipment Reproduction | OER - Restoration parts/trim, moldings
- Powermaster Performance - Starter
- Precision Industries - Torque converter
- PROCAR by Scat - Sportsman Pro seats
- RaceQuip - 5-point harnesses, SFI-5 racing jacket & Vesta15 Matrix helmet
- RideTech - TigerCage
- SCAT Enterprises, Inc. - Crankshaft
- Steele Rubber Products - Weatherstripping
- Summit Racing Equipment - Misc. performance parts
- TCI Automotive - Valve body
- Tuff Stuff Performance - Vacuum tank
- WELD Racing LLC - 15” x 7” and 15” x 8” Draglite polished wheels
Shops
- Santini Paint & Body - Paint hood and touch up
Services
- Nitrous Supply - NOS bottle certification and refills
- Sean Murphy Induction, Inc. - Carburetor modifications and tuning