Good morning! Today’s cars both have one thing in common: they’re both hatchbacks, but they don’t look like it at first glance. They’re like one of those hidden doorways behind a bookcase, only not as cool as that. I mean, come on, nothing is as cool as that.
Yesterday we looked at a couple of seriously cheap project cars, and I had a feeling that little yellow Saab was going to steal a lot of hearts. And I was right: it’s another victory for the Swedes. The Spitfire had a lot of fans, especially since it was the one of the two that ran, but it sounds like the race setup turned a lot of you off.
Besides, who could say no to that Saab? It’s adorable, cheap, and viable, and I think a lot of us would snap it up in a heartbeat if it weren’t in the middle of nowhere. (Sorry, residents of Temecula, but it’s the truth.) It’s nice to see that there are still some good cheap projects like that floating around, as crazy as classic car prices are these days.
Now then: My biggest beef with modern sedan designs, apart from the fact that they’re all being scrapped in favor of crossovers, is that they have those dinky little mail-slot-sized trunk openings. They all look like they should be hatchbacks, but very few of them are. Dodge has it right with the new Charger, but it seems to be alone. That’s why I appreciate these two designs from days of yore, that don’t look like hatchbacks, and yet, they are. Let’s check them out.
1975 Chevrolet Nova – $2,000
Engine/drivetrain: 350 cubic inch overhead valve V8, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Tenino, WA
Odometer reading: unknown
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Some of you may be too young to remember it, but there was a time when cheap Chevy Novas were everywhere. I knew half a dozen people in high school and college who had Novas (or Oldsmobile Omegas, or Buick Skylarks, or Pontiac Venturas), and I had one myself – a blue 1978 two-door that I paid $300 for. I found a nice four-door Omega for a friend of mine for $350 with not a speck of rust on it. That’s why it’s strange to see them creeping up in price these days. Two grand still isn’t much for a classic V8 coupe, but it sure feels like a lot for a freaking Nova.
It’s got the goods at least; under the hood is a good old 350, topped with a four-barrel carb on an aluminum intake, and backed by a TH350 automatic. Like a good cheeseburger or an AC/DC song, it’s a classic for a reason. It runs and drives well, but the seller says it “could use an exhaust.” I’m guessing that means it sounds pretty good, just a little antisocial. Easy enough to take care of.
Malaise-era American car interiors are almost universally terrible quality, and the fact that this one is only a little ripped up is a minor miracle. Mostly it just looks like it could benefit from a good thorough cleaning. You could have the front seat redone and leave the rest alone, if you wanted, or even just toss a wool blanket over it and call it good.
It’s quite a bit rougher outside, with some rust spots, bad paint, and a truly terrible vinyl top. It’s a good color, at least, and all the trim seems to be intact. As long as the rust is just on the surface, you could probably remove the vinyl and repaint it, but I wouldn’t put too much work into it. It’s just an old Nova, after all.
1989 Plymouth Sundance – $1,700
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2-liter overhead cam inline 4, three-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Vancouver, WA
Odometer reading: 73,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives, but needs a head gasket
The Plymouth Sundance and Dodge Shadow were yet more variations on Chrysler’s K-car theme, meant as a replacement for the long-running Omni and Horizon hatchbacks. They were hatchbacks that looked like sedans, like the earlier and larger Dodge Lancer and Chrysler LeBaron GTS models, and I know from experience that you can fit a surprising amount of stuff back there. I once carried a full-size futon and frame in the back of a Sundance – with the hatch open, admittedly.
Like all small K variants, the Sundance is powered by an overhead-cam inline four, displacing either 2.2 or 2.5 liters. The seller doesn’t say which one this is, but the 2.2 was more common, so I’m guessing that’s what this one is. It drives the front wheels through Chrysler’s archaic but trusty Torqueflite automatic. The 2.2 has a bit of a reputation for popping head gaskets, and it sounds like this one may have suffered that fate. It runs and drives, but I wouldn’t drive it too far until you figure out what’s going on.
It only has 73,000 miles on the clock, and it looks like it has been well taken care of. The interior photos in the ad look like brochure photos, except for the classic ’80s droopy headliner. The Sundance was never a fancy car, but it’s reasonably comfortable, more so than a lot of cars in its price range, actually.
Outside, it’s nice and clean as well, save for one missing hubcap. If you wanted to have some fun, the boring taupe color and chrome trim could actually work to your advantage: ditch the 2.2 and automatic, find a 2.5 turbo and a five-speed, and build a fun little sleeper.
All right, I’ll admit it: the only really interesting thing about either of these is the hatchback. But I’ve had enough positive experiences with both of these that I’m drawn to them. One needs a little mechanical help, and the other is pretty scruffy-looking. Either way, you’ll have to put in a little work. Which one is for you?
I was actually going to vote Sundance until I read blown head gasket. Whereâs the neither button? Oh, I guess it will be the craptastic Nova.
Nova, hands down. All day, every day. Warm the engine up a bit, refresh the suspension, find gravel roads, laugh like a maniac.
If I put money into a K-car, I’m still left with a K-car.
As much as I hear the lyrics from Barenaked Ladies in my head, I’m not up for a nice Reliant automobile.
It’s honestly a tossup for an ’89 Sundance whether it has the 2.2 or 2.5. I feel like more people opted for the 2.5 in the Sundance than the Shadow but that’s just vibes.
That Sundance interior is surprisingly clean, i’ll take it!.
Mom had a teal Sundance with a leaky sunroof. I think that car is the reason I wouldn’t consider American cars for a long time. I would take anything over it. RWD v8 as competition feels like cheating.
Nova. I was the second owner of a flawless Shelby Lancer, and there is no way I’d own another of those without the Turbo-II and 5-speed, as they made the car. The rest of it was pure crap K-car, and that’s all I see in that Sundance. The Nova isn’t my favorite year for a Nova, but it is a lot closer to being fun to own – especially since it is already a V8 car.
Take the Nova, upgrade the 350 with EFI and fix up the interior.
I remember the Sundance/Shadow as being decent, simple little cars at the time as a late Gen-X. Ridden in a few and the hatch was always a boon. How many are still around?
Nova’s are still a dime a dozen.
The only answer: Neither.
I would skip both of these and pay cash for a nicely kept Caprice Classic B body sedan….
Not for $2 grand you won’t.
Well I “might” be able to get a beater Caprice Classic or Oldsmobile Regency that I will fix and drive…
Yeah, you could get a rusty beater. They’re still plenty fun. The only vehicle I regret selling, was my rusty ’94 Roadmaster wagon.
You know, whatâs funny is that I tried to sell a B-body wagon that was a bit rough but fully functioning (including AC and cruise control) for $2500 and no one wanted it. Ended up taking $1500 to just get rid of it.
To get rid of it, as in?
If it was rusty, its not worth dealing with it.
Zero rust. SC and NC call its entire life.
By get rid of I meant I took the lowball to stop dealing with the tire kickers and time wasters on FB marketplace and Craigslist. It went to a wagon enthusiast who was going to polish it up as a daily driver.
Then it makes sense….
In Kuwait these were used as police cars….that is, before the Kuwaiti police started to use Crown Victorias.
This is a hard neither. I agree that old novas were everywhere I am sure I knew more than 1/2 dozen. I remember a lot of still common old novas when the sundance was new. Both are garbage for different reasons.
I mean, I guess the Nova but Christ this might be one of the worst choices yet. Ugh. At least the Nova has a 350, although in 1975 spec it probably makes about 110 horse while getting 16 mpg. I suppose that’s enough to to beat a generic 90’s crapbox with a blown headgasket but talk about being damned with faint praise.
Mine had closer to 130-140 when I got it. I was able to get it to near 170 by getting a new carb (1991) and asking my uncle, who is a gear head that still tinkers with his first gen RX-7, for help. I don’t remember what he did…but I could definitely feel the difference.
The Nova seems to be in better shape, so I picked the Nova.
If you need 4 doors, maybe head gasket sealer will work on the Sundance. Bars Leaks and Blue Devil make good head gasket sealers that actually work and have a good reputation.
I once had two 1975 Nova SS, but neither one a hatchback so a SBC grocery getter sounds like fun. It is so easy too make a bunch of cheap power with the 350/Th350 combo, the weak link is the rear axle, but it can be solved.
I had a Sundance, in white; with a manual. Aside from every major system in it slowly failing it was surprisingly fun to drive. The Auto? No thanks. Voted Nova.
Went to high school in the 90s and Sundances were pretty common and durable machines at the time. Sure, 30 years has passed but I’m still picking the much more modern machine.
Is that Sundance even worth $1700 as a running and driving car? Maybe, but with a blown head gasket? Not no way, not no how.
Gimme the Nova.
I see the Nova as a classic (albeit not the best looking or most desirable classic) but I see the Sundance as just an ordinary old car. I have an appreciation for preserved ordinary cars, but I don’t necessarily want one. I’ll go with the Nova.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Sundance/Shadow. Never owned one, never been in one, I just always liked their styling.
I did own one and I loved the thing despite its longevity not being stellar. A lot of the problem was the “Ultradrive” 4 speed though, the Torqueflite models had a lot less trouble in that regard.
I can smell that Nova from here, and no number of little trees can fix that. I had a 77 Camaro with almost the same vibe; whitewalls, identical wheel covers, and disintegrating interior, dash covering that was curled up detaching – and that was 35 years ago. Big NO to the No-va.
Supposedly, the front suspension/subframe of this generation was very similar to the Camaro. They did handle better than the previous gen.
One of my HS friend’s Mom had one of these with the big old 262 v8. Not a bad car considering what it was put through by a teen driver.
My brain when to the turning, braking, and steering of 70s cars. Never again for me.
I owned a nova of similar vintage for a short while (pulled the engine from it for my firebird) I like the styling of these Nova’s and even in this shape you could easily toss what ever the hell small block Chevy engine (or even big block) into this and make it a cool sleeper. There is so much room in that engine bay even for a “smaller” car.
I am very impressed by the interior of the Sundance. Those seats look amazingly comfortable and are well bolstered, even in the backseat. I respect that a lot. Still went Nova though.
I voted for the Nova. 80s High School, these were everywhere. My 1st car was almost a ‘back lot’ Nova for $500. Luckily I didnt go that route.
The baddest/fastest car in town during high school was roots supercharged nova of this generation, silver with the name ‘fluff stuff’ on the back.
Those Sundances were later available with a V6. Old employer had a pair of V6 ones for sales guys.
Pretty sure I’m the ONLY Gen-X who didn’t own a Nova as a youth. Impala, Electra, Cutlass Supreme, Monaco, Newport… I guess my tastes ran larger.
Anyway, even with a good head gasket the Sundance is as interesting as an insurance seminar. I love the back seat (looks spacious compared to modern cars) but the Nova is just too nostalgic.
Make the Sundance a LeBaron GTS or Lancer and I’d change my mind.
I loved my mom’s Lancer Turbo when I was a kid. So much fun.
This x-er just had a 2 door ford galaxie 500 but I knew squadrons of nova owners.
Rust had claimed most of the ’60s ’70s iron up my way by the early ’90s.
This late Gen-X had a ’78 LTDII brougham coupe with a 351. There were a lot of 4 door GM G and A-bodies, K cars, and an old Dart in the student lot. And a 1965 Studebaker Lark!
2nd Car was a V6 Fox body LTD – it handled like it was on rails compared to the ’70s land barge.
I’ve always liked the Fox-body LTD… especially the one with the 302.
I drove my grandmother’s Nova sedan for awhile while I was in high school. It, too, had the 350, and while it was by no means quick, it did have a decent amount of torque for the day. They were very good basic transportation and were very common platforms for kids to modify since the parts were about as ubiquitous as any parts in automotive history. It would be fun to drive as-is or to work on as a project car. Especially with the hatchback.
Given it doesn’t need a head gasket, it is the easy choice.