Chevrolet Nova
The Chevrolet Nova got its start when the Chevy II was debuted in 1962. It was designed because of the unconventionality of the Chevrolet Corvair and that car's lack of ability to compete with the Ford Fairlane. The Chevy II models of 1962-1963 had either a four- or a six-cylinder engines, and at that time, the Nova was just a trim package available for the Chevy II.
The II was a compact car, but it had a large engine bay that could easily accommodate a V8; some dealers offered this as an option. However, the dealer-offered V8 wasn't very popular with buyers because it added upwards of 75% to the car's cost. It did make the II a fixture on the drag strip, though. Some drivers even equipped their Chevy II's with engines from Corvettes.
The Nova SS II was offered in 1963, but it only had a 6-cylinder as Chevrolet didn't allow the installation of a V8 in their compact models at that time. Certain dealers circumvented that restriction by offering a small-block V8 as an option. The Nova SS was more or less a trim package with bucket seats, a better steering wheel and wheel covers. The Nova was finally offered with a factory V8 in 1964, but it was anemic at 195 hp. In 1965, a 327 CI motor was offered.
1966 meant new styling on the Nova/Chevy II, but the dimensions remained largely the same. The Nova designation was removed from the SS model, and a 350-hp V8 was offered, making the II a real contender either on the street or the strip. 1967's II models had safety improvements such as an energy-absorbing steering column and a shoulder belt anchor. The L79 was removed as an engine choice that year, because that particular motor was then being used in the Camaro (but a few of these motors found their way into that year's SS models).
1968 was the last year the II name was used; from then on all were called Chevy II Novas. 1969 saw the II designation dropped entirely, and the Nova underwent massive styling and engineering changes. The 1968 model saw the Nova become a performance package as opposed to a trim level, and that year was the first to feature a standard V8 engine. In 1969 and 1970, no major changes were made to the Chevy Nova.
The Chevy Nova featured prominently in an urban legend; it was claimed that they did not sell well in Latin America because the Nova name translated to "doesn't go". However, this is untrue. In fact, in most Latin American countries, the Nova exceeded everyone's sales estimates.