Rare 4-Cylinder 1970 Chevrolet Postal Nova

I believed I knew everything there was to know about most things Chevy II because I had driven a daily ’70s Nova and was an avid lover of these vehicles before then. The owner is referring to this one as a 1970 Postal Nova, a phrase I’ve never heard of, so I’ll have to ask our readers for some assistance. In any case, it’s a great example with plenty of options, so perhaps some of you have—at least that’s what I hope. The Chevrolet may be seen here on eBay, where the seller has set a buy-it-now price of $15,900. The Chevrolet is situated in Holbrook, New York.

Based on his understanding, the owner feels that the postal Nova is an extremely unusual item, maybe one of the few that survive. He does not, however, provide a source for this information. Not much more information can be found with a simple Google search, so readers, please weigh in if you have any other information.

One of my first thoughts is if this creation was made for use by the USPS, which I doubt it was, I’d anticipate finding the steering column on the right, since last time I checked that would be the correct side for placing items in mailboxes in the United States, but this one doesn’t have that feature nor do things appear that it ever did.  This is the best interior photo provided, and it’s fairly plain-jane inside with a basic bench seat up front plus I’m not finding much optional equipment either, although it does have a CB radio that somebody added at some point.  Maybe the postal name is just used to refer to a very base-style model, and snail-mail delivery isn’t part of the equation.

Under the hood, we discover a 153 CI 4-cylinder that the vendor claims is the original powerplant, keeping with the no-frills motif. If I had to guess, I’d say the reason the four-banger Novas are frequently referred to as postal is likely because this engine was also utilized in some postal Jeeps around this time, but I’m not really sure. This is another option explaining the moniker. Since the little engine is said to operate really well, I would probably keep it there and expect a lot of looks and questions each time I took it to a car show. I honestly think the small engine is pretty cool. The 3-speed manual transmission with a column shifter is another entertaining element. Additionally, the vendor is assured of his car’s roadworthiness—you can take this one home, he says.

Outside, the body is stated as all original, with one repaint quite a number of years ago.  Some damage is mentioned on the passenger side quarter panel, even though it appears repairable, and there’s also rust developing in the lower extremities, but I’d be tempted to leave the exterior just like it is for a while and just continue driving it.

Thankfully, the south side is reported to be clean, and the images appear to reveal a rather sturdy base behind the surface rust. Additionally, notice the single-leaf springs on either side. Seeing as how many Novas have been changed and are now on the road, it’s good to see one that isn’t trying to pass for anything else or add a beefier drivetrain. Here, how would you respond? Should I restomod, restore, clone SS, preserve, or do anything else?