The 1969 Chevrolet Nova 427 Yenko/SC, also known as the Super Nova, is said to be the rarest and fastest Yenko vehicle ever built. With only 37 of these bad boys being sold from Don Yenko's dealership, there are only about 7-10 left known to be in existence today.
Taking The Nova SS To The Next Level
Mr. Yenko only used the Nova SSs to complete the Yenko conversion because they were already equipped with a lot high performce stock parts he could use for the project. And not to say that the '69 Nova SS with the 396 cu-in engine wasn't already a pretty stout vehicle; Don Yenko always loved to push the envelope.
The only problem that Don had with these 427 Yenko/SC projects was that, in his own words, "These cars are lethal and barely legal at best." He goes on to say, "It's the craziest project I ever did."
Problems With Insurance Companies
Since the Nova was labeled a compact car, it was almost impossible to get your Super Nova insured. Insurance companies were already a little shy about insuring the Nova when it had the 396 motor in it, but putting a beefed-up L72 427 in a labeled compact car with extra beefed-up goodies left insurance companies feeling uncomfortable about taking on the risk.
What insurance companies saw was that street racing was becoming more and more popular and dangerous, and all the extra performance would only give drivers more of an incentive to push the limits even further.
And oddly enough, although the Nova was labeled a compact car, it actually weighed about 50 lbs. more than the 69 Yenko/SC Camaros, which had fewer problems with insurance companies because they were labeled a sports/muscle car. End the end, as far as anyone knows, there were no Yenko fatalities.
The Super Nova Go-Fast Recipe
It starts with yanking out the 396 cu-in engine and replacing it with a L72 427 cu-in big-block that would produce an estimated 450 horsepower.
The original 396 heads would be used on the 427, completing an 11.0:1 compression ratio. Also added was an aluminum manifold, 780-cfm Holley four-barrel carburetor, and an A/C Delco single-point ignition system. Add in a little extra high-performance tuning, and the heart of the Super Nova would be ready to pound the pavement and embarrass competitors.
Slamming gears was easy with the Muncie M21 four-speed transmission. Making it even more fun was the positraction rear-end with either 3.55 gears or 4.10 gears.
Keeping all this power and asphalt on the ground safely was a F41 front and rear heavy-duty suspension with an 11/16-inch diameter front anti-sway bar. Pulling the beast to a stop after some pedal to the metal action was a Delco Moraine heavy-duty master cylinder, which activated the 11-inch power front disc brakes and 9 1/2-inch power rear drum brakes.
How Did The Super Nova Perform?
It performed like an out-of-control monster. The Nova could get from 0-60 in between 5.1-4.7 seconds while strutting down the quarter-mile with estimated 11-second passes and reach a top speed of about 120 MPH.
Visual Hop Ups For The Nova
Not much to speak of here. Don wanted to keep the Nova looking pretty modest. His classic Yenko decals were placed on the exterior, and some Yenko emblems were placed both on the inside and out. A Stewart-Warner tachometer was installed for hard-driving accuracy and looked pretty cool. For wheels, 14 inches were standard with the Dog dish hub caps, or some came with 14-inch torque trust.
Coming Across One Of These Rare Novas For Sale
First, if it is a true Super Nova, you should know to have a lot of money on hand. Second, make sure it is real. These are not hard cars to replicate, and you could lose a fortune. Not to say that a true Nova SS 396 isn't a nice car to invest in, but they are not as valuable as a true '69 Yenko/SC Nova.
There are plenty of little things that can tip you off to an impostor, so make sure you have a Nova expert or a trustworthy spec sheet that you can cross-reference with the car instead of just taking someone's word for it. Happy Hunting!
