About
The family love of the Chevy II /Nova started back in ’71. Chuck Sr. bought a ’63 coupe while in the Air Force in Arizona. With a .060 over 283, that car got the family safely back home to Ohio. It was a daily driver for a couple years and then parked.
In 1982 Chuck Sr. wanted to get his 10-year old son a car that they could work on together, and have ready when Chuck Jr. turned 16. They purchased a 67 2 door hart top with a 6 cylinder and a power glide. The car was totally rebuilt from the ground up and outfitted with a mild 327. This car became Jr’s high school hot rod.
In 1990 Sr. and Jr. started racing Jr’s car at Thompson Drag Raceway. In ’95 the car was tubed, being careful to maintain its stock appearance, back seat, and full interior. Dad saw how much fun Jr. was having and unpacked the ’63 from the moth balls. New paint, and a jazzed up 327 Sr. was chasing down Jr. at the drag strip.
Today Sr’s ’63 has a warmed over 327 running in the mid 12’s. His front suspension has been upgraded to the Church Boys Racing rack/pinion, Billet Spindles with C/6 13" Wilwood brakes, 18" Billet specialties Razor wheels, CBR Tirangulated 4-link and a Moser 12 bolt rear end.
Jr’s ’67 has been transformed from an alcohol fed 421 pushing the car into the mid 9 second range to a street pounding Pro Touring car with a Mast Motorsports 413 LS3. He also has the Church Boys rack/pinion up front with their Triangulated 4-link and a Moser M-9 rear end.
Chuck Jr. now has 4 children of his own and the love for the Nova has certainly be passed down. His oldest sports a 66SS which became a SEMA show car in 2018 for TMI interiors. This car was purchased for him when he was 11 years old and now enjoys driving with dad and grandpa to the car cruises around town.