The 1966 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova SS is one of the great sleepers of the muscle car era. Chevrolet comprehensively restyled the Chevy II for 1966 and, for one year only, offered the L79 — a 327 cu in small-block rated at 350 hp — in a car weighing around 3,000 pounds. The result put a compact Chevrolet on equal terms with the GTO and the 442, and landed it in NHRA’s A/Stock class alongside the 426 Street Hemi. Almost nothing on the outside gave it away: two small SS badges, Super Sport scripts on the rear fenders, and 327 flags behind the front wheels. Only 3,547 cars received the L79, and it was the engine that turned the Nova SS into a genuine muscle car.
Table of Contents
- Overview and History
- The 1966 Restyle
- Chevy II, Nova, and SS
- The L79 327
- Full Engine Lineup
- Transmissions and Drivetrain
- Chassis, Suspension, and Brakes
- The Sleeper Look
- Performance and Drag Racing
- Production Numbers
- Collectibility and Buying
- Key Features Summary
- Full Specifications Table
Overview and History
The Chevy II had been created in a hurry. Developed in roughly eighteen months and entering production in August 1961, it was Chevrolet’s conventional answer to the compact market after the rear-engined Corvair proved too unorthodox for mainstream buyers.
For its first years it made no attempt at performance. A V8 did not appear until 1964, when the 283 became available, and in 1965 the 327 arrived at 250 and 300 hp. Then came 1966 — a comprehensive restyle, and the one-year-only L79.
The strategic context matters. Ford’s Mustang was selling in enormous numbers and Chevrolet’s own Camaro was still a year away. GM needed a small performance car immediately, and the freshly redesigned 1966 Nova SS was drafted into that role. Equipped with the L79, it could run a 15-second quarter mile — genuine muscle car performance from a compact body.
The Chevy II sold 172,485 units in 1966 following a slow 1965. Nearly 21,000 were ordered in SS trim.
The 1966 Restyle
The Chevy II was significantly restyled for 1966 with new lower-body sheet metal and, on the hardtops, a more streamlined and faster-looking roofline. The effect was to replace the boxy, upright look of the first-generation car with something altogether more modern and better proportioned.
Dimensions stayed compact. The Chevy II Nova SS rode a 110-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 183 inches, a width of 69.9 inches, and a height of 56.8 inches. Against a Chevelle or an Impala these are small figures, and the low weight that came with them is the whole basis of the car’s performance.
The restyle gave the Nova SS the visual credibility it had previously lacked, without making it conspicuous — which, as it turned out, suited the car perfectly.
Chevy II, Nova, and SS
The naming of these cars causes constant confusion, so it is worth setting out clearly.
Chevy II was the model line. Nova was the top trim series within it, above the Chevy II 100. Super Sport (SS) was the performance and appearance package applied to the Nova.
A further quirk: the 1966 Chevy II SS did not carry “Nova” badging anywhere on the car, although the sales brochures made clear that it bore that name. So a correct 1966 Nova SS wears SS badges and Super Sport scripts but no Nova script — a detail that routinely trips up people assessing originality.
The Chevy II name was dropped after 1968, from which point the car was simply the Nova.
The L79 327
The L79 is why this car matters. It is a 327 cu in small-block rated at 350 hp at 5,800 rpm with 360 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm, and it was offered in the Chevy II only in 1966.
The rating was conservative. Dyno testing of authentically restored L79s demonstrates that the engine comfortably exceeds its factory SAE gross figure — a pattern common to Chevrolet’s high-output small-blocks of the period.
Installing it in the Chevy II required specific hardware changes. A Chevy II-specific block casting was needed, with the oil filter pad moved up to clear the steering linkage, and the clutch linkage mounting relocated. This was true of all 283 and 327 V8s fitted to the first-generation Chevy II, not just the L79, and it is a useful authenticity check.
The L79 came with one mandatory condition: a close-ratio four-speed manual was the only transmission available with it. There is no such thing as a factory automatic L79 Nova.
Although officially a 1966-only option in the Chevy II, experts have verified that six were somehow also built in 1967 — a quirk worth knowing when assessing an unusual car.
Full Engine Lineup
The 1966 Chevy II range spanned:
- 194 cu in six — the base engine in lesser models
- 230 cu in six — the larger six
- 283 cu in V8 — the base V8
- 327 cu in V8, 250 hp — with Powerglide available
- 327 cu in V8, 275 hp — with Powerglide available
- 327 cu in V8, 350 hp (L79) — three- and four-speed manual only
The jump from 275 hp to 350 hp is substantial, and in a car this light it transforms the character completely. For a buyer today the L79 is the configuration that carries the premium, but a 275 hp 327 Nova SS is a genuinely quick and far more affordable car.
The big-block 396 arrived in the Nova for 1968, when the SS became a performance package — but in 1966 the hot small-block was the whole story.
Transmissions and Drivetrain
Transmission availability depended on the engine:
- Three-speed manual — standard
- Four-speed manual — optional; mandatory with the L79 in close-ratio form
- Powerglide two-speed automatic — available with the 250 and 275 hp 327s, not with the L79
Positraction limited-slip was optional and highly desirable on an L79 car, which otherwise struggles badly for traction. Drive was to the rear wheels through a live axle on leaf springs.
Chassis, Suspension, and Brakes
The Chevy II used a semi-unitized structure with a front subframe — an arrangement the 1967 Camaro would subsequently share, and which the 1968 Chevy II Nova continued.
Front suspension was independent with coil springs; the rear used a live axle on leaf springs. Standard tyres on the Nova SS were 6.95 × 14, larger than the 13-inch fitment on lesser Chevy II models.
Brakes were drums at all four corners as standard, with front discs available. On an L79 car, discs are strongly worth seeking — 350 horsepower in a 3,000-pound compact with four-wheel drums is a combination that demands respect. The leaf-sprung rear axle also suffers badly from axle tramp under hard acceleration, which is why traction bars were such a common period addition.
The Sleeper Look
What makes the 1966 Nova SS so admired is how little it advertises itself. The external identification amounts to:
- Two discreet SS badges, on the grille and the trunk
- A pair of Super Sport scripts on the rear fenders
- 327 V8 flags behind the front wheels
There are no stripes, no scoops, no spoilers. From any distance a 350-horsepower L79 Nova SS is indistinguishable from an ordinary six-cylinder Chevy II — and since the car carried no Nova badging at all, it looked plainer still.
That restraint is the entire appeal. Contemporary buyers who wanted to be seen bought a GTO; buyers who wanted to surprise people bought this.
Performance and Drag Racing
Car Life tested a Chevy II Nova SS hardtop with the L79 and four-speed in its May 1966 issue. Quarter-mile times of around 15.1 seconds were typical — figures that put the compact Chevrolet on level terms with far larger and more expensive intermediates.
The drag racing community noticed immediately, and the consequence was awkward. Because of the Chevy II’s low advertised shipping weight combined with the 350 hp rating, the car’s power-to-weight ratio placed it in NHRA’s A/Stock classification — where it was required to run head-to-head against Detroit’s most powerful production cars, including the Chrysler 426 Street Hemi.
That classification tells you everything about what the L79 Nova actually was. On paper it was a compact family car; on the strip the sanctioning body treated it as a top-tier machine.
Production Numbers
The 1966 figures:
- Total Chevy II production: 172,485
- Ordered in SS trim: nearly 21,000
- Equipped with the 327 V8: 10,589
- Equipped with the 350 hp L79: 3,547
Rounded V8 production by series was approximately: Chevy II 100 — 2,500; Chevy II Nova — 19,600; Chevy II Nova SS — 16,300.
So while an SS Nova is not especially rare, the L79 cars are: 3,547 of them, built in a single model year, in a car that was frequently raced and rarely preserved.
Collectibility and Buying
The 1966 Nova SS has been steadily reassessed upward. For years it was overshadowed by the 1968–72 SS 396 cars, but enthusiasts increasingly regard the 1966 L79 as the car that turned the Nova into a genuine muscle car — and the one-year-only engine availability gives it a clear hook.
Values follow the engine. A documented L79 four-speed car sits well above a 275 hp 327, which in turn sits above a 283 or six-cylinder SS. Base prices when new started at just $2,535 for a V8 Nova SS, which makes the current spread all the more striking.
Buying priorities:
- Verify the L79 through engine casting numbers and suffix codes. The Chevy II-specific block casting, with the relocated oil filter pad, is an important supporting check.
- Confirm the four-speed. No factory automatic L79 Nova exists, so an automatic car cannot be a genuine L79.
- Check the badging. A correct 1966 SS carries SS badges, Super Sport fender scripts, and 327 flags — but no Nova script.
- Inspect for rust in floors, trunk, rear frame rails, and lower quarters, standard weak points for the unibody Chevy II.
- Establish whether front discs are fitted, which matters for usability on a fast car.
Aftermarket support is good, helped by the sheer popularity of the Nova as a platform, so a solid car is a practical restoration — but originality is what drives value at the L79 end.
Key Features Summary
- Significance: The L79 turned the compact Nova into a genuine muscle car — 1966 only
- Model Structure: Chevy II is the line, Nova the top series, SS the package
- Badging Quirk: The 1966 Chevy II SS carried no “Nova” badging on the car
- Restyle: New lower-body sheet metal and a faster hardtop roofline
- Dimensions: 110-inch wheelbase; 183 inches long; 69.9 wide; 56.8 high
- L79 Engine: 327 cu in, 350 hp @ 5,800 rpm, 360 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm
- L79 Transmission: Close-ratio four-speed manual mandatory — no automatic
- Block Note: Chevy II-specific casting with relocated oil filter pad
- Other Engines: 194 and 230 sixes; 283 V8; 327 at 250 and 275 hp
- Quarter Mile: approximately 15.1 seconds with the L79
- NHRA Class: A/Stock — against the 426 Street Hemi
- Appearance: SS badges, Super Sport fender scripts, 327 flags — no stripes or scoops
- Production: 172,485 Chevy II; nearly 21,000 SS; 10,589 with 327; 3,547 with L79
- Base Price: $2,535 for a V8 Nova SS
The 1966 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova SS Specs
| BODY | |
| Manufacturer | Chevrolet (General Motors) |
| Class | Compact |
| Model Line | Chevy II |
| Series | Nova — top series |
| Package | Super Sport (SS) |
| Structure | Semi-unitized with front subframe |
| 1966 Change | New lower-body sheet metal; faster hardtop roofline |
| Badging Note | No “Nova” badging on the car despite the brochure name |
| Production Start (Chevy II) | August 1961; developed in roughly 18 months |
| DIMENSIONS | |
| Wheelbase | 110 inches (2,794 mm) |
| Overall Length | 183 inches (4,648 mm) |
| Overall Width | 69.9 inches (1,775 mm) |
| Overall Height | 56.8 inches (1,443 mm) |
| Front Track | 56.8 inches |
| Rear Track | 56.3 inches |
| Standard Tires (Nova SS) | 6.95 × 14 |
| Approx. Weight | around 3,000 lbs |
| ENGINE — L79 327 V8 (the headline engine) | |
| Displacement | 327 cu in (5.4 L) |
| Horsepower | 350 hp @ 5,800 RPM |
| Torque | 360 lb·ft @ 3,600 RPM |
| Carburetor | 4-barrel |
| Availability in Chevy II | 1966 only (six verified 1967 cars) |
| Block | Chevy II-specific casting — oil filter pad moved up to clear steering linkage |
| Clutch Linkage | Relocated mounting |
| Transmission | Close-ratio 4-speed manual — mandatory |
| Rating Note | Dyno testing shows the engine exceeds its SAE gross rating |
| OTHER ENGINES | |
| 194 cu in six | Base engine in lesser models |
| 230 cu in six | Larger six |
| 283 cu in V8 | Base V8 |
| 327 cu in V8 | 250 hp — Powerglide available |
| 327 cu in V8 | 275 hp — Powerglide available |
| TRANSMISSION AND DRIVETRAIN | |
| Standard | 3-speed manual |
| Optional | 4-speed manual |
| Optional | Powerglide 2-speed automatic (not with L79) |
| Limited Slip | Positraction optional — highly desirable on L79 cars |
| Drive Layout | Rear-wheel drive |
| SUSPENSION, STEERING, BRAKES | |
| Front Suspension | Independent, coil springs, on front subframe |
| Rear Suspension | Live axle, leaf springs |
| Brakes | Drums standard; front discs optional |
| Known Weakness | Axle tramp under hard acceleration |
| SS APPEARANCE | |
| Badges | SS on grille and trunk |
| Scripts | Super Sport on rear fenders |
| Engine Flags | 327 V8 flags behind front wheels |
| Stripes / Scoops / Spoilers | None |
| PERFORMANCE | |
| Quarter Mile (L79, 4-speed) | approx. 15.1 seconds |
| Period Test | Car Life, May 1966 |
| NHRA Classification | A/Stock — raced against the Chrysler 426 Street Hemi |
| Comparison | On level terms with the GTO and Oldsmobile 442 |
| PRODUCTION (1966) | |
| Total Chevy II | 172,485 |
| Ordered in SS Trim | nearly 21,000 |
| With 327 V8 | 10,589 |
| With L79 350 hp | 3,547 |
| V8 Production — Chevy II 100 | approx. 2,500 |
| V8 Production — Chevy II Nova | approx. 19,600 |
| V8 Production — Nova SS | approx. 16,300 |
| Base Price (V8 Nova SS) | $2,535 |
| AUTHENTICATION | |
| Engine Verification | Casting numbers and suffix codes |
| Block Check | Chevy II-specific casting with relocated oil filter pad |
| Transmission Check | Must be four-speed manual — no factory automatic L79 |
| Badging Check | SS badges and Super Sport scripts, but no Nova script |
| Rust Areas | Floors, trunk, rear frame rails, lower quarters |
1966 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova SS – Frequently Asked Questions
What is the L79 and why does it matter?
The L79 is a 327 cu in small-block rated at 350 hp at 5,800 rpm with 360 lb-ft of torque, offered in the Chevy II for 1966 only. Dropped into a car weighing around 3,000 pounds, it transformed the compact Nova into a genuine muscle car capable of a 15-second quarter mile — on level terms with the GTO and the Oldsmobile 442. Only 3,547 were built.
Could you get an L79 Nova with an automatic?
No. The L79 was available only with a close-ratio four-speed manual. There is no such thing as a factory automatic L79 Chevy II, which makes transmission type a quick and reliable authenticity check. The 250 and 275 hp 327s could be had with Powerglide; the L79 could not.
Why does a 1966 Nova SS have no Nova badging?
Because Chevrolet did not fit any. The 1966 Chevy II SS carried no “Nova” script anywhere on the car, although the sales brochures made clear it bore that name. Correct external identification is limited to two SS badges, Super Sport scripts on the rear fenders, and 327 V8 flags behind the front wheels. A car wearing Nova badging is not configured as the factory built it.
What is the difference between Chevy II, Nova, and SS?
Chevy II is the model line. Nova is the top trim series within it, above the Chevy II 100. SS (Super Sport) is the performance and appearance package applied to the Nova. The Chevy II name was dropped after 1968, from which point the car was simply called the Nova.
How many 1966 Nova SS were built?
Nearly 21,000 Chevy IIs were ordered in SS trim out of total 1966 production of 172,485. Of those, 10,589 had the 327 V8 and just 3,547 received the 350 hp L79. So an SS Nova is not rare, but an L79 car genuinely is.
Why did the Nova end up racing against the Hemi?
Because of its power-to-weight ratio. The Chevy II’s low advertised shipping weight combined with the L79’s 350 hp rating placed it in NHRA’s A/Stock classification, where it was required to run head-to-head against Detroit’s most powerful production cars — including the Chrysler 426 Street Hemi. It is the clearest possible illustration of what the car actually was beneath its plain exterior.
How do I verify a genuine L79 car?
Check the engine casting numbers and suffix codes first. A useful supporting check is the Chevy II-specific block casting, which has the oil filter pad moved up to clear the steering linkage and a relocated clutch linkage mounting — this applies to all 283 and 327 V8s in the first-generation Chevy II. Confirm the four-speed manual, since no automatic L79 was built, and verify the correct SS badging without Nova script.
Is a 1966 Nova SS a good classic to buy?
Yes, and it has been appreciating as enthusiasts recognize the 1966 L79 as the car that made the Nova a muscle car. Documented L79 four-speed cars command a clear premium; 275 hp 327 cars offer much of the character at a far lower price. Aftermarket support is good thanks to the Nova’s popularity as a platform. Check for rust in floors, trunk, rear frame rails, and lower quarters, and look for front disc brakes if you intend to drive it hard.
