Guess what?  Another eBay special auction story.  It was March 6, 2023.  Given the 1969 Nova SS is moderately rare as a standard Super Sport, with 17,564 models produced, finding one that has not been drag raced or highly modified is an even tougher challenge.  I decided the Nova I sought would be a complete restoration project to really test my skills.

After a good seven months of hunting, I came across an eBay listing for a car located west of Albuquerque, New Mexico.   Thinking “oh good, a desert car is always good for minimal rust”, I had no idea just how “desert” this car would present.  I’m talking literally waaay out in the desert.  I did my VIN research to verify the year and model and determined the car was indeed a true Super Sport.   The car had the right front disc brakes, power steering, power brakes and factory A/C.  However, the car was a “roller”, meaning, no engine and transmission. (More on that shortly.) And the listing pics showed a definite project car… aka rough condition. 

So, I jumped into the auction and crossed my fingers. After 12 bidders noodled up the price, the final number was still a great bargain, and I scored the winning bid.

After sending the requested $500 deposit via Venmo, we agreed on a pick up date and I headed out West.   Driving a day to Albuquerque, I picked up a U-Haul Auto Transport Trailer and proceeded the extra hour and half West.  I quickly found myself out literally in the middle of nowhere.  Scrub brush, rolling baked hills and miles of dirt and sand lay ahead of me.  And it was freakin’ hot.   Thank God for Google Maps as after turning off the main highway, I navigated a set of complicated turns on dirt roads and located the trailer house address.  Upon arrival, I met a lovely young couple with small children out playing in an endless sea of abandoned classic cars – all parked among the hills and brush.  The owner and his extended family had built this small junk yard empire over the years.  He proudly showed me his workshop/tin shack where he and two other men were meticulously conducting metal work on a 1960 Chevy Impala.  They were rebuilding the intricate internal metal structure on the rear fins and doing incredible work. I was pleasantly surprised given the working conditions, but it just goes to show that passion for classic car restoration knows no boundaries.

After locating the Nova, we proceeded to push it slightly uphill, so I could get a running start at the trailer located downhill.  With a bit of luck, we managed to roll it onto the trailer in one big shove.  Chatting a bit more with the owner while exchanging a bill of sale, I learned that he had acquired the car from a local mechanic’s shop.  Sadly, the prior owner had the car in for repairs (with the original engine and transmission!) and had fallen ill and died from COVID 19.  The shop waited and waited for months for a relative to come pay his bill.  With no response, the shop owner pulled the engine and tranny to cover the outstanding debt.  The current owner then acquired the car from the shop as a roller.  Hoping to perhaps secure the pulled parts, I hunted down the shop owner while still in the area and unfortunately, he had sold the items a week prior.  Such a bummer, but that’s automotive life.