In the October and November 2007 issues of Styling & Performance magazine, we covered in depth the lucrative early- and late-model Camaro restoration and performance parts sales and service
aftermarket and how they relate to your business's all-important "bottom line." In this issue, we cover Camaro's older brothers—the
Chevy II-Nova and Chevelle product lines. Once again, we focus on both restoration and high-performance parts availability,
the marque's sales potential and popularity, and most importantly, how to capitalize on said popularity and turn it into cold,
hard cash.
THE CHEVY II-NOVA/CHEVELLE PARTS AFTERMARKET
Whenever old timers speak of either the Chevelle or Chevy II-Nova, it always conjures up images of bygone-era "match race
stockers," like Tom Sturm's "Just For Chevy Lovers" and Doug Thorley's "Chevy II Much." However, when it comes to measuring
these rides to contemporary Chevelle-Chevy II-Nova standards, they’re strictly "image cars."
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Whenever you think of Gen-I Chevy II-Novas and Chevelles, you immediately conjure up images of Doug Thorley's wheel standing
"Doug's Headers-Chevy II Much" match racer, which debuted in 1964, or Tom Sturm's 1965 Chevelle match racer "For Chevy Lovers
Only," both of which were the fore runners of the modern-day funny car.
Large V-8 engines still attract attention in the modern era. For example, this all-aluminum, fuel-injected big-block Chevy
engine with a unique intake system got our attention.
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But those were basically "image cars." The reality is a modern-day Chevy II-Nova/Chevelle enthusiast movement exists with
an increasing amount of consumer-owners coming into the "sport" at one end of the spectrum (like members from the National
Nostalgic Nova Club or National Chevelle Owners Associations, for example) and participating SEMA/ARMO manufacturers developing
new products on the other.
JIM MAXWELL
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Traditionally, the Chevy II-Nova/Chevelle segment of the aftermarket parts industry is divided between restoration, estimated
to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 25-35 percent Chevy II-Nova and 35-40 percent Chevelle, while high-performance takes
up the remainder of the pie. Let's look at the restoration side of the aftermarket first.
The restoration aftermarket covers body panels, hoods, fenders, floor pans, interior trim pieces, soft trim items like rubber
molding and upholstery, exterior trim, and hard mechanical parts. Companies like Classic Industries Parts & Accessories-OER,
Dynacorn International Inc., Goodmark Industries, National Parts Depot, The Paddock, Year One, Original Parts Group (OPG),
and others support the hobby with top-quality GM Licensed Reproduction Parts manufactured by the likes of OER, DII Inc., Classic
Soft Trim, PUI, Trim Parts, OPG, Distinctive Industries, Ted Williams Products, J-Ley, the Right Stuff, and numerous other
manufacturers.
THE RED ROCKET
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Conversely, the hard parts or "gear-head" segment of the Chevy II-Nova movement covers a much broader spectrum and includes
manufacturers like American Racing, Barry Grant-Demon Carburetion, Billet Specialties, Bassani Xhaust, Edelbrock, Comp Cams,
Crane, DART, Doug's Headers, Flowmaster, Holley-Weiand, Hooker Headers, Iskenderian, MSD, SCAT, TFS, World Products, and countless
others.
THE CRATE ENGINE ADVANTAGE
