By Nicole June
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Local muscle car enthusiast Patrick Nichols is at it again, and this time he has discovered quite the beauty: a rare 1969 Yenko Nova.
Amazingly, Patrick found this car parked in the original owner’s garage just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where it had sat idle since 1978.
A contact of Patrick’s knew he was in the area and tipped him off about the car’s location. He wanted Patrick to write an article about the car, and Patrick agreed. However, he didn’t realize the significance of this rare find until he laid eyes on it.
The car is one of approximately 37 ready-made race cars specially designed by race car driver Don Yenko in Pennsylvania. These limited-edition Novas were available in only four colors and came stripped down, but equipped with a bigger engine for maximum power.
Photos courtesy of Patrick Nichols
Patrick said this particular Nova is ‘Rally Green’ and still has its original paint job. To his knowledge, it is the only Nova of its kind with an automatic transmission and original paint to ever have surfaced.
When Patrick looked at the car, he realized this was a gem.
“I always knew about the 69 Novas from Yenko and how special they were,” he said.
The value of the car has not been precisely determined, but Patrick estimates that it is worth anywhere from $250,000 to $1 million. Because the car has been off the streets since 1978 and has only one owner, it may have a higher value.
“I may be undervaluing it,” Patrick said. “There is a big following now for these original cars.”
Watch Patrick explain more about the car below:
Patrick Nichols is a barn find car hunter who travels the country in search of rare muscle cars that can be restored to their former glory. He documents his experiences for HotRod and has been featured on the cover multiple times.
You can follow him on Facebook, on Instagram @patricknicholsbarnfinds, and YouTube.