Rare, Rally Green and Restored – a 1969 Nova Super Sport Rolls out of Creative Rod & Kustom
Congratulations to Jason Owens and his 1969 Nova SS396 for being named a Finalist for the Snap-on Muscle Car of the Year!
When Jason Owens began the restoration of his 1969 Nova SS396, the Pennsylvania resident experienced a Forest Gump box of chocolates moment. You know the line: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”
Jason says that when the work began at Creative Rod & Kustom in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania, shop owner Mark Giambalvo and his team discovered the car would need more work than anticipated – a common occurrence, unfortunately. The replacement quarter panels were badly installed, and the passenger side front fender had been hit, promptly expanding the project to a full rotisserie restoration. 
Smaller issues also surfaced. For example, during the big block car’s 56-year life, someone had installed a small-block radiator and radiator support bar. On the positive side, this Nova had a bench seat and a four-speed manual transmission. And it was originally painted Rally Green, an uncommon factory color choice for 1969 Novas.
While the ’69 Camaro SS was considered a performance icon right from the start, the ’69 Novas were often called family cars because of their boxy design. That pedestrian appearance was reflected in sales – four times as many SS396 Camaros were produced in 1969 than Nova SS396 models. But contemporary road tests showed that the Nova SS turned quarter-mile times similar to the SS Camaros, depending on horsepower, transmission, and rear gearing options.
Jason’s car represents the sleeper aspect of a 1969 Nova SS, ditching the flashy stripes and spoilers of the Camaro for a single-color, low-key appearance. With dog-dish hubcaps on steel wheels and understated badging, the only hint of something special under the hood are the two chrome faux vents on the hood.
The numbers-matching 396c.i. engine in Jason’s Nova is the 350-horsepower version (the 375-horsepower option was also available), and it’s backed by a Muncie four-speed manual transmission and 3.73 rear gears. Disc front brakes and rear drums handle the stopping chores. In a slight departure from original, Jason used 14×6-inch wheels in front and 14×7-inch in the rear.
Once the Creative Rod & Kustom team was done correcting the metal mistakes and applying the fresh Rally Green finish, Bux Customs of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, took over and restored the Nova’s black vinyl interior to stock specifications. This included rebuilding the instruments as well as the original steering wheel.
Bringing a 1969 Nova back to original condition is more difficult than working on a Camaro, for example, because there are fewer aftermarket reproduction options than you can find for comparable Camaros and Tri-Five Chevys. Thankfully, Jason found all the right pieces for this rare Rally Green Nova and can now enjoy the results of its first-rate restoration.
Photos: Damon Lee
