Chevrolet Nova Engines by Year

Chevrolet sold its compact as the Chevy II from 1962 and as the Nova from 1969, when the trim name became the model name, through 1979. The name returned for 1985–1988 on a front-drive car built with Toyota.

Pick a year to see every engine offered that model year, with its code, rated horsepower and the trims it came in. Each engine links to its full specs.

Jump to a year

Chevy II: 1962 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1967

1968–1979: 1968 · 1969 · 1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979

1985–1988: 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988

Chevy II (1962–1967)

The first Chevy II offered a four and a six. Chevrolet added V8s in 1964, and the 327 followed in 1965, reaching 350 hp in the 1966 L79.

1962 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
153 inline-four	90 hp gross	Chevy II 100, Chevy II 300
194 inline-six	120 hp gross	Chevy II 100, Chevy II 300, Nova 400

1963 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
153 inline-four	90 hp gross	Chevy II 100, Chevy II 300
194 inline-six	120 hp gross	Chevy II 100, Chevy II 300, Nova 400, Nova SS (RPO Z03)

1964 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
153 inline-four	90 hp gross	Chevy II 100
194 inline-six	120 hp gross	All series
230 inline-six (RPO)	155 hp gross	All series
283 V8 (L32)	195 hp gross	All series except 4-cyl

1965 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
153 inline-four	90 hp gross	Chevy II 100
194 inline-six	120 hp gross	All series
230 inline-six (L26)	140 hp gross	All series
283 V8 (L32)	195 hp gross	All V8 models
283 V8 (L77)	220 hp gross	All V8 models
327 V8 (L30)	250 hp gross	Nova 400, Nova SS
327 V8 (L74)	300 hp gross	Nova 400, Nova SS

1966 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
153 inline-four	90 hp gross	Chevy II 100
194 inline-six	120 hp gross	All series, Nova SS standard
230 inline-six (L26)	140 hp gross	All series
283 V8	195 hp gross	All V8 models
283 V8 (L77)	220 hp gross	All V8 models
327 V8 (L30)	275 hp gross	Nova, Nova SS
327 V8 (L79)	350 hp gross	Nova, Nova SS (not 100 series or wagon)

1967 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
153 inline-four	90 hp gross	Chevy II 100
194 inline-six	120 hp gross	All series
250 inline-six (L22)	155 hp gross	All series
283 V8	195 hp gross	All V8 models
327 V8 (L30)	275 hp gross	Nova, Nova SS

1968–1979

The 1968 redesign made room for the 396 big block, offered in the Nova SS through 1970, when it displaced 402 cubic inches. Ratings are SAE net from 1972, and the last Novas offered the 250 six, the 305 and the 350.

1968 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
153 inline-four	90 hp gross	Nova (base)
230 inline-six	140 hp gross	Nova
250 inline-six (L22)	155 hp gross	Nova
307 V8	200 hp gross	Nova
327 V8 (L30)	275 hp gross	Nova
327 V8 (L79)	325 hp gross	Nova
350 V8 (L48)	295 hp gross	Nova SS
396 V8 (L34)	350 hp gross	Nova SS
396 V8 (L78)	375 hp gross	Nova SS

1969 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
153 inline-four	90 hp gross	Nova (base)
230 inline-six	140 hp gross	Nova
250 inline-six (L22)	155 hp gross	Nova
307 V8	200 hp gross	Nova
350 V8 (L65)	250 hp gross	Nova
350 V8 (LM1)	255 hp gross	Nova
350 V8 (L48)	300 hp gross	Nova SS
396 V8 (L34)	350 hp gross	Nova SS
396 V8 (L78)	375 hp gross	Nova SS

1970 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
153 inline-four	90 hp gross	Nova (base)
230 inline-six	140 hp gross	Nova
250 inline-six (L22)	155 hp gross	Nova
307 V8	200 hp gross	Nova
350 V8 (L65)	250 hp gross	Nova
350 V8 (L48)	300 hp gross	Nova SS
350 V8 (LT1) Ordered by Yenko Chevrolet through Central Office Production Order (COPO) 9010; 175 built.	360 hp gross	Yenko Deuce
402 V8 (L34) Badged as a 396; displaces 402 cubic inches.	350 hp gross	Nova SS
402 V8 (L78) Badged as a 396; displaces 402 cubic inches.	375 hp gross	Nova SS

1971 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
250 inline-six (L22)	145 hp gross	Nova, Rally Nova
307 V8 (L14)	200 hp gross	Nova, Rally Nova
350 V8 (L65)	245 hp gross	Nova
350 V8 (L48)	270 hp gross	Nova SS

1972 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
250 inline-six (L22)	110 hp net	Nova, Rally
307 V8 (L14)	130 hp net	Nova, Rally
350 V8 (L65)	165 hp net	Nova, Rally
350 V8 (L48)	200 hp net	Nova SS

1973 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
250 inline-six (L22)	100 hp net	Nova, Custom
307 V8 (L14)	115 hp net	Nova, Custom
350 V8 (L65)	145 hp net	Nova, Custom
350 V8 (L48)	175 hp net	Nova, Custom, SS package

1974 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
250 inline-six (L22)	100 hp net	Nova, Custom
350 V8 (L65)	145 hp net	Nova, Custom
350 V8 (LM1)	160 hp net	Nova, Custom
350 V8 (L48)	185 hp net	Nova, Custom, SS package

1975 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
250 inline-six (L22)	105 hp net	Nova, Custom, LN
262 V8 (LV1)	110 hp net	Nova, Custom, LN
350 V8 (L65)	145 hp net	Nova, Custom, LN
350 V8 (LM1)	155 hp net	Nova, Custom, LN, SS package

1976 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
4.1L / 250 inline-six (L22)	105 hp net	Nova, Concours
5.0L / 305 V8 (LG3)	140 hp net	Nova, Concours
5.7L / 350 V8 (LM1)	165 hp net	Nova, Concours, SS package

1977 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
4.1L / 250 inline-six (L22)	110 hp net	Nova, Custom, Concours, Rally
5.0L / 305 V8 (LG3)	145 hp net	Nova, Custom, Concours, Rally
5.7L / 350 V8 (LM1)	170 hp net	Nova, Custom, Concours, Rally

1978 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
4.1L / 250 inline-six (L22)	110 hp net	Nova, Custom, Rally
5.0L / 305 V8 (LG3)	145 hp net	Nova, Custom, Rally
5.7L / 350 V8 (LM1)	160 hp net	Nova, Custom, Rally

1979 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
4.1L / 250 inline-six (L22)	115 hp net	Nova, Custom, Rally
5.0L / 305 V8 (LG3)	130 hp net	Nova, Custom, Rally
5.7L / 350 V8 (LM1)	165 hp net	Nova, Custom, Rally

1985–1988

The front-drive Nova was built in California by NUMMI, a GM–Toyota joint venture, with Toyota's 1.6 four. The 1988 Twin Cam used a 16-valve version.

1985 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
1.6L / 97 inline-four (LC9)	74 hp net	4-door notchback, 5-door hatchback, CL

1986 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
1.6L / 97 inline-four (LC9)	74 hp net	4-door notchback, 5-door hatchback, CL

1987 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
1.6L / 97 inline-four (LC9)	74 hp net	4-door notchback, 5-door hatchback, CL

1988 Nova engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
1.6L / 97 inline-four (LC9)	74 hp net	4-door notchback, 5-door hatchback, CL
1.6L / 97 inline-four (LW0) Twin Cam, 16 valves.	110 hp net	Nova Twin Cam

Working on one of these engines?

• Engine displacement from bore and stroke
• Static and dynamic compression ratio
• Which camshaft for your build
• What size carburetor
• Horsepower to torque at any RPM
• Torque converter stall speed

← All Chevrolet vehicles