BY NICK LICATA IMAGES BY PATRICK LAUDER

ometimes the best project cars start with a carefully planned search. Other times, they begin with a leap of faith that fails to stick the landing.

For Chris Corona, it was a little of both.

Long before the striking supercharged 1966 Nova SS sitting before you existed, Chris was just another teenager who wanted a muscle car but lacked the budget to buy one. Roughly 30 years ago he scraped together $250 and dragged home a tired 1968 El Camino. Calling it “rough” would be generous, but to Chris it was an education that started outside the classroom.

“I couldn’t afford a cool muscle car back in my high school days, so I had to settle for the Elco,” Chris says. “It was way before YouTube, so I had to learn everything by trial and error. My dad helped when I got stuck, and I’d ask friends questions whenever I could. I made plenty of mistakes, but that’s how I learned.”

Those hard-earned lessons eventually turned into experience. Chris, now an established electrician from Gilroy, California, graduated to a 1968 Camaro before life temporarily interrupted the hot rod hobby. The Camaro eventually found a new owner, but the itch to build another muscle car never disappeared.

This time, Chris wanted to do something he’d dreamed about for years. “I always wanted to build a supercharged car,” he explains, “and I really liked the small stature of the second-gen Novas.”

His search led him to what appeared to be the perfect candidate. Listed on eBay and living in New Jersey was a black vinyl-top Nova that looked solid in the photos and sounded even better in the seller’s description. Confident he’d found the right starting point, Chris bought a car sight unseen and waited for the transporter to arrive.

Then reality rolled off the trailer.

“After we unloaded it, I fired it up and took it for a drive,” Chris recalls. “What was supposed to be fun turned into one of the worst driving experiences I’ve ever had. The brake pedal went straight to the floor, and I barely got the car stopped. Not long after, the wheezy small-block overheated.”

Upon further inspection, Chris noticed some bubbling under the black vinyl top, which, of course, is never good. Pulling off the top, Chris discovered a massive amount of rust and rot. That unveiling was a promise of more to come. “The car was nothing close to what was listed by the owner, but I took the risk and was rewarded with a major disappointment, shoddy bodywork, lots of Bondo, and a poorly running car,” Chris confesses.

A TREMEC T56, prepared by Dederichs Motorsports, puts Chris firmly in control while a McLeod twin-disc clutch and Strange driveshaft transfer power to a Detroit Speed 9-inch housing equipped with 3.73 gears, Eaton Truetrac differential, and Strange 30-spline axles.

From there, Chris completely upgraded the Nova’s chassis. A TCI Pro Touring front subframe with tubular control arms works alongside the Ridetech ShockWave air suspension, while the rear utilizes Detroit Speed’s QUADRALink suspension system with matching Ridetech components. AccuAir management with dual ViAir compressors allows Chris to dial in ride height without compromising handling.

Massive Wilwood brakes feature 13-inch front rotors with six-piston calipers and 12-inch rear rotors and four-piston calipers providing the stopping power necessary for a car capable of generating serious acceleration.

Budnik G-Series Gasser wheels, 18×8 up front and 20×10 out back, wrapped in Hankook Ventus V12 rubber complete the aggressive stance.

Inside, is a careful balance between classic styling and modern comfort. While recognizing the limitations of the Nova’s unibody construction, Chris designed and fabricated a custom rollcage integrated into the subframe connectors. The added reinforcement significantly stiffens the chassis, improving handling and stability while providing an extra measure of safety for a streetcar capable of putting 784 rear-wheel horsepower to the pavement.

Minaglia’s Auto Upholstery wrapped the factory seats, custom door panels, and dash in rich Burgandy Wine leather over German loop carpet. Dakota Digital instrumentation and Ididit steering column, Restomod Air climate control, and an impressive Alpine, JL Audio, and Focal sound system make long drives every bit as enjoyable as short blasts through the gears.

One of Chris’ favorite memories came during a 450-mile road trip to The Classic at Pismo Beach, California. His wife drove the 1963 Nova wagon Chris had previously built for her while he piloted the freshly completed ’66.

“Seeing people hanging out their windows giving us thumbs up all the way there was incredible,” Chris says. “People are always surprised that we actually drive these cars.”

For Chris, that’s the point.

“I was confident I could take this car that was in shambles and turn it into a running, driving car,” he reflects. “I have to admit it was a lot more work than I expected, but it came out way better than I ever imagined. Thanks to my wife and best bud, Rich, we pushed hard, stayed on track, and never gave up no matter how difficult it got.”

Looking over the Nova today, it’s hard to imagine it was once host to rust, rot, and major disappointment. Maybe that’s what makes the finished product so rewarding. Sometimes the best builds aren’t the ones that start with the best cars. They’re the ones rescued through determination, shared effort, and unwillingness to let a bad purchase become the final chapter.

Chris Corona simply wrote a much better ending.

BODYWORK AND PAINT: Hollister Power Sport Custom Paint and Body (Hollister, CA)
PAINTERS: Greg Gonzales and Nick Boffa
PAINT: Paint House custom mix Randy Apple
HOOD: Steel 2-inch cowl
GRILLE: Stock
BUMPERS: Stock
HEADLIGHTS: Dapper Lighting
TAILLIGHTS: Fesler
BODY MODS: Factory seams filled, cowl vents smoothed, all trim rechromed