Minneapolis Street Sighting: Chevy Nova II wagon

In the 1960s, when a station wagon came in multiple trimlines for each model sold, the big three had their act together. Ford's compact wagon was the Falcon, Dodge had their Dart offering, and Chevy had it's simplistic Nova II. Introduced in 1962, the little Chevy lasted until 1967. While common everyday vehicles when new, these little wagons are quickly becoming alternative rods for car guys wanted something a little--you know-- different. And these wagons are certainly different.
At the last Car Craft car show I attended, wagons seemed to be making quite a comeback. Ford had its share of Falcons represented, and their very a scant few Darts. The II, though, surprised me. It seems as if they almost have a cult following. Sitting innocently among the various brightly colored, Torq-Thrust laden, hole-hooded, restomods, this specimen caught my eye. However, it was near the end of the show, and I had to leave. As luck would have it, though, I spotted it right in my neighborhood not less than a week after the show.
Basking in the sun in all its brown glory, this little wagon means business. The paint is so-so, appearing very original, with a tad bit of patina. Unlike alot of "resto rods", and "rat rods", I don't think this patina is staged. However, one thing concerns me. Despite the Hurst badge, I didn't see a shifter in it. Overall, though, the paint and body were in decent condition.
The rolling stock was clean, too. Fitted on modern tires, the brown Corvette rallyes provide a nice, clean look with avoiding being cliche. The polished lugs help set off the wheels and the right amount of flair. As with the paint and body, I agree with the choice of wheels. It presents a modern twist on a classic car without being overly gaudy, a big plus in my book.
While I don't remember every exact detail of the interior up close, (I was more focused on the body/paint/wheels) I did notice a throw over the front bench. Kinda cool, but a tad cliche. However, I respect the fact that in keeping with the car's theme, the interior was left pretty spartan. Again, a big plus, since most "hot rods" are laden with the same tacky electronic doodads their blingster cousins are laden with.
I have to say this is one of the better custom Novas I've seen. Partially because I'm a sucker for wagons, and partially because it avoids all things cliche, while still managing to look pretty nice, both from afar and up close.