1978 · Chevrolet · United States
1978 Chevrolet Nova: no Super Sport, the Rally continues
No SS in the source production table; Rally package offered. Enthusiast-compiled production: 288,109 cars.
United States · researched through 2026-09-22
This record's own dek describes 1978 as another year with no Super Sport in the source production table, with the Rally package again offered; the enthusiast-compiled total stands at 288,109 cars, with no separate SS figure carried in this record's key facts or production rows for the year. This record's own overview states that every count comes from the same single enthusiast compilation, NovaResource.org, with ratings carried as SAE net figures for the year.1
Three body-style rows are documented, 12,665 hatchbacks, 125,811 cars in the source's own "2 Door Sedan" column, and 149,633 four-door sedans. Three engines are documented: the 250 six coded L22 at 110 net hp, and two V8s, the 305 coded LG3 at 145 net hp and the 350 coded LM1 at 160 net hp. The installation figures in this record's production table sum exactly against its own V8 cylinder-count row: 92,184 305 V8 cars plus 7,646 350 V8 cars equal the 99,830-car V8 row also documented here.1
Three transmissions carry their own installation counts, the four-speed coded MM4 in this record's own 1978 transmissions table: 12,032 three-speed manuals, 3,070 MM4 four-speeds, and 273,007 M38 Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 automatics. This record's own key facts cite the kit's price schedule for Novas produced on or after May 1, 1978, listing the six-cylinder Nova from $3,738.30 for the coupe to $4,075.30 for the Custom sedan, with the Nova Rally equipment at $202.00 and the 350 V8 option priced separately at $315.00.
This record's own options section prices the Nova Rally package, coded Z26, at $202.00 with its own separately sourced installation count of 6,903 units, and its own note states that the 1978 kit lists the Rally equipment as RPO Z26 in both the price schedule and the Nova Rally stripe-package color chart. Also documented is the AB8 Cabriolet roof, a Landau-styled vinyl top priced at $179.00, alongside an extensive further options list running past thirty codes, including three interior-trim price lines, deluxe and wide wheel-opening moldings, and Four-Season air conditioning priced separately without a V8 ($549.00) and with one ($518.00).
Nineteen solid exterior colors and thirteen interior trim codes are documented for the year, both drawn from the enthusiast reference's own cowl-tag code pages. This record's own specifications section carries only curb weights for five body and series combinations, from 3,255 lb for the base Nova two-door coupe up to 3,340 lb for the Nova Custom four-door sedan, with no wheelbase or standard tire size documented in this record for 1978, a gap left visible rather than filled from another year's figures; its performance section remains empty for the year.
This record's own identification section documents cowl-tag series XX for Nova and XY for Nova Custom, alongside body codes for the hatchback, coupe and sedan, and two assembly-plant abbreviations, T for Tarrytown, New York, and W for Willow Run, Michigan. Its own prices section lists only five six-cylinder body prices from the May 1978 schedule, with no V8 price row carried in this record despite the 350 V8 option itself being priced separately in the options section; conflicts and unpublished leads are both empty for the year.1
Fact sheet · 1978 · United States
The numbers
1978 Chevrolet Nova — No SS in the source production table; Rally package offered. Enthusiast-compiled production: 288,109 cars.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
- Total 1978 production per source: 288,109.1
- The kit's price schedule for Novas produced on or after May 1, 1978 lists the six-cylinder Nova from $3,738.30 (coupe) to $4,075.30 (Custom sedan); the Nova Rally equipment (RPO Z26) was $202.00 and the 350 V8 $315.00.
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevy II / Nova, all series1 US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 288,109 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-door hatchback1 2-door hatchback · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 12,665 | built, model-year | Reported |
| 2-door (source column "2 Door Sedan")1 2-door (source column "2 Door Sedan") · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 125,811 | built, model-year | Reported |
| 4-door sedan1 4-door sedan · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 149,633 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six-cylinder cars1 L6 · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 188,279 | built, model-year | Reported |
| V8 cars1 V8 · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 99,830 | built, model-year | Reported |
| 250 I6 engines installed1 250 I6 · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 188,279 | built, model-year | Reported |
| 305 V8 engines installed1 305 V8 · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 92,184 | built, model-year | Reported |
| 350 V8 engines installed1 350 V8 · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 7,646 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-speed manual installed1 3-speed manual · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 12,032 | built, model-year | Reported |
| MM4 4-speed installed1 MM4 4-speed · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 3,070 | built, model-year | Reported |
| M38 Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 installed1 M38 Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 · US tabulation (source does not state geography) | 273,007 | built, model-year | Reported |
All counts are from one enthusiast compilation (NovaResource.org), which says its numbers were compiled from many sources and carry no guarantee; the underlying Chevrolet documents were not seen. Status is reported, or estimated where the source itself marks a value approximate or rounded.
Rows are separately scoped. Body, cylinder, engine-displacement and transmission rows each describe the whole line from a different angle and must not be added across groups.
A value missing from this table was marked unavailable ("?") or zero in the source and is not shown; missing does not mean zero.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Nova hatchback coupe 1XX17, 6-cylinder | $3,901.60 | manufacturer's suggested retail price; excludes destination charges, state and local taxes, options (Chevrolet Motor Vehicle Price Schedule, prices effective with vehicles produced on or after May 1, 1978; published April 28, 1978 - a late-year schedule), 1978-05-01 |
| Nova 2-door coupe 1XX27, 6-cylinder | $3,738.30 | manufacturer's suggested retail price; excludes destination charges, state and local taxes, options (Chevrolet Motor Vehicle Price Schedule, prices effective with vehicles produced on or after May 1, 1978; published April 28, 1978 - a late-year schedule), 1978-05-01 |
| Nova 4-door sedan 1XX69, 6-cylinder | $3,823.30 | manufacturer's suggested retail price; excludes destination charges, state and local taxes, options (Chevrolet Motor Vehicle Price Schedule, prices effective with vehicles produced on or after May 1, 1978; published April 28, 1978 - a late-year schedule), 1978-05-01 |
| Nova Custom 2-door coupe 1XY27, 6-cylinder | $3,990.30 | manufacturer's suggested retail price; excludes destination charges, state and local taxes, options (Chevrolet Motor Vehicle Price Schedule, prices effective with vehicles produced on or after May 1, 1978; published April 28, 1978 - a late-year schedule), 1978-05-01 |
| Nova Custom 4-door sedan 1XY69, 6-cylinder | $4,075.30 | manufacturer's suggested retail price; excludes destination charges, state and local taxes, options (Chevrolet Motor Vehicle Price Schedule, prices effective with vehicles produced on or after May 1, 1978; published April 28, 1978 - a late-year schedule), 1978-05-01 |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| L22 · 250 I6 (L22)1 250 cu in · 1-barrel carburetor | 110 hp @ 3,800, 190 lb-ft @ 1,600 (SAE net) | offered (standard/optional status by series not stated in source table) | Not yet sourced |
| LG3 · 305 V8 (LG3)1 305 cu in · 2-barrel carburetor | 145 hp @ 3,800, 245 lb-ft @ 2,400 (SAE net) | offered (standard/optional status by series not stated in source table) | Not yet sourced |
| LM1 · 350 V8 (LM1)1 350 cu in · 4-barrel carburetor | 160 hp @ 3,800, 260 lb-ft @ 2,400 (SAE net) | offered (standard/optional status by series not stated in source table) | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| 3-speed manual1 | offered | 12,0321 Reported |
| MM4 · MM4 4-speed1 | offered | 3,0701 Reported |
| M38 · M38 Turbo Hydra-Matic 3501 | offered | 273,0071 Reported |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
Z26package |
Nova Rally package1 | $202 | 6,9031 Reported |
|
Sport cloth bench seat (J**1) | $21 | Not yet sourced |
|
Custom sport cloth bench seat (S**1) | $21 | Not yet sourced |
|
Custom vinyl bucket seats (X**2) | $110 | Not yet sourced |
|
Two-tone paint (includes bright outline moldings) | $46 | Not yet sourced |
|
Vinyl roof cover (includes bright roof drip moldings) | $97 | Not yet sourced |
AB8RPO |
Cabriolet roof | $179 | Not yet sourced |
L22RPO |
250 six | $0 | Not yet sourced |
LG3RPO |
305 V8 | $200 | Not yet sourced |
LM1RPO |
350 V8 | $315 | Not yet sourced |
C60RPO |
Four-Season air conditioning, without V8 (includes V01) | $549 | Not yet sourced |
C60RPO |
Four-Season air conditioning, with V8 | $518 | Not yet sourced |
G92RPO |
Performance axle ratio | $15 | Not yet sourced |
G80RPO |
Positraction rear axle | $59 | Not yet sourced |
UA1RPO |
Heavy-duty battery | $18 | Not yet sourced |
AK1RPO |
Deluxe color-keyed belts, bench-seat coupes and sedans | $22 | Not yet sourced |
AK1RPO |
Deluxe color-keyed belts, bucket-seat coupes | $20 | Not yet sourced |
J50RPO |
Power brakes | $71 | Not yet sourced |
V30RPO |
Bumper rub strips and guards | $75 | Not yet sourced |
U35RPO |
Electric clock (included with U14) | $21 | Not yet sourced |
D55RPO |
Console | $80 | Not yet sourced |
C50RPO |
Rear window defogger, forced-air | $53 | Not yet sourced |
AU3RPO |
Power door locks, coupe | $77 | Not yet sourced |
AU3RPO |
Power door locks, sedan | $107 | Not yet sourced |
UF7RPO |
Econominder gage package | $50 | Not yet sourced |
YF5RPO |
California emission requirements | $75 | Not yet sourced |
NA6RPO |
High-altitude emission equipment | $33 | Not yet sourced |
B37RPO |
Color-keyed floor mats | $22 | Not yet sourced |
A01RPO |
Soft-Ray tinted glass, all windows | $59 | Not yet sourced |
U05RPO |
Dual horns | $7 | Not yet sourced |
U14RPO |
Special instrumentation (clock, tachometer, voltmeter, temperature) | $107 | Not yet sourced |
ZJ3RPO |
Interior Decor Package (standard on Nova Custom) | $29 | Not yet sourced |
ZJ9RPO |
Auxiliary lighting, hatchback without ZJ3 | $39 | Not yet sourced |
D31RPO |
Day-night inside mirror | $9 | Not yet sourced |
D33RPO |
LH remote outside mirror | $16 | Not yet sourced |
D35RPO |
Sport mirrors, LH remote and RH manual | $35 | Not yet sourced |
B84RPO |
Body side moldings with black vinyl insert | $42 | Not yet sourced |
BW2RPO |
Deluxe body side moldings | $53 | Not yet sourced |
B51RPO |
Bright rocker and extension moldings | $37 | Not yet sourced |
B93RPO |
Door edge guards, coupes | $13 | Not yet sourced |
B93RPO |
Door edge guards, sedans | $20 | Not yet sourced |
B80RPO |
Roof drip moldings | $18 | Not yet sourced |
B90RPO |
Side window reveal moldings | $41 | Not yet sourced |
B96RPO |
Wheel opening moldings | $21 | Not yet sourced |
B74RPO |
Wide wheel opening moldings | $39 | Not yet sourced |
V01RPO |
Heavy-duty radiator | $31 | Not yet sourced |
U63RPO |
AM radio | $77 | Not yet sourced |
U69RPO |
AM/FM radio | $149 | Not yet sourced |
U58RPO |
AM/FM stereo radio | $229 | Not yet sourced |
UM1RPO |
Stereo tape system with AM radio | $229 | Not yet sourced |
UM2RPO |
Stereo tape system with AM/FM stereo radio | $328 | Not yet sourced |
U80RPO |
Rear seat speaker | $24 | Not yet sourced |
U76RPO |
Windshield antenna | $25 | Not yet sourced |
K30RPO |
Cruise-Master speed control | $95 | Not yet sourced |
N41RPO |
Power steering | $155 | Not yet sourced |
N33RPO |
Comfortilt steering wheel | $72 | Not yet sourced |
N65RPO |
Stowaway spare (standard on hatchback) | $17.30 | Not yet sourced |
D85RPO |
Body side pin striping | $30 | Not yet sourced |
F40RPO |
Heavy-duty suspension, V8 | $9 | Not yet sourced |
F41RPO |
Sport suspension (includes 14 x 7 wheels) | $41 | Not yet sourced |
QEGRPO |
E78-14/B bias-belted blackwall tires (standard) | $0 | Not yet sourced |
QEHRPO |
E78-14/B white stripe tires, coupe and sedan without N65 | $44 | Not yet sourced |
QDVRPO |
FR78-14/B steel-belted radial blackwall tires, coupe or sedan without N65 | $112.95 | Not yet sourced |
QDWRPO |
FR78-14/B steel-belted radial white stripe tires, coupe and sedan without N65 | $158.95 | Not yet sourced |
QBTRPO |
FR78-14/B steel-belted radial white-lettered tires, coupe and sedan without N65 | $173.95 | Not yet sourced |
MM3RPO |
3-speed manual | $0 | Not yet sourced |
MM4RPO |
4-speed manual | $125 | Not yet sourced |
MX1RPO |
Automatic | $318 | Not yet sourced |
P01RPO |
Full wheel covers | $39 | Not yet sourced |
N95RPO |
Wire wheel covers | $124 | Not yet sourced |
ZJ7RPO |
Rally wheels | $72 | Not yet sourced |
ZN5RPO |
Color-keyed Rally wheels | $85 | Not yet sourced |
A31RPO |
Power windows, coupes | $122 | Not yet sourced |
A31RPO |
Power windows, sedan | $169 | Not yet sourced |
A20RPO |
Swing-out rear side windows | $56 | Not yet sourced |
CD4RPO |
Intermittent windshield wipers | $35 | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
11 |
White1 | Not yet sourced |
15 |
Silver Metallic1 | Not yet sourced |
19 |
Black1 | Not yet sourced |
22 |
Light Blue Metallic1 | Not yet sourced |
24 |
Ultramarine Blue Metallic1 | Not yet sourced |
44 |
Medium Green Metallic1 | Not yet sourced |
48 |
Dark Blue-Green Metallic1 | Not yet sourced |
51 |
Bright Yellow1 | Not yet sourced |
61 |
Camel Beige1 | Not yet sourced |
63 |
Camel Tan Metallic1 | Not yet sourced |
67 |
Saffron Metallic1 | Not yet sourced |
69 |
Dark Camel Metallic1 | Not yet sourced |
75 |
Medium Red1 | Not yet sourced |
77 |
Carmine Metallic1 | Not yet sourced |
11A |
Nova Rally stripe and lettering: White (WMH 3967) | Not yet sourced |
19A |
Nova Rally stripe and lettering: Black (WMH 848) | Not yet sourced |
54A |
Nova Rally stripe and lettering: Gold (WMH 8014; with gold wheel paint WE 7062) | Not yet sourced |
75A |
Nova Rally stripe and lettering: Red (WMH 7032) | Not yet sourced |
80A |
Nova Rally stripe and lettering: Orange (WMH 8093) | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
11N |
White vinyl bench1 | Not yet sourced |
19R |
Black vinyl bench1 | Not yet sourced |
24B |
Standard coupe and sedan (A52 bench): Light Blue Bordeau woven sport cloth | Not yet sourced |
24R |
Standard (A52 bench): Light Blue Plisse vinyl | Not yet sourced |
62B |
Standard coupe and sedan (A52 bench): Camel Tan Bordeau woven sport cloth | Not yet sourced |
62R |
Standard (A52 bench): Camel Tan Plisse vinyl | Not yet sourced |
74R |
Standard (A52 bench): Carmine Plisse vinyl | Not yet sourced |
24D |
Custom coupe and sedan (A52 bench): Light Blue Edinburgh woven sport cloth | Not yet sourced |
44N |
Custom (A52 bench or A51 bucket): Dark Green Wallaby vinyl | Not yet sourced |
62D |
Custom (A52 bench): Camel Tan Edinburgh woven sport cloth | Not yet sourced |
62N |
Custom (A52 bench or A51 bucket): Camel Tan Wallaby vinyl | Not yet sourced |
74D |
Custom (A52 bench): Carmine Edinburgh woven sport cloth | Not yet sourced |
74N |
Custom (A52 bench or A51 bucket): Carmine Wallaby vinyl | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Curb weight, Nova hatchback 1XX17 (250 L6) | 3,378 lb | base vehicle |
| Curb weight, Nova 2-door coupe 1XX27 (250 L6) | 3,255 lb | base vehicle |
| Curb weight, Nova 4-door sedan 1XX69 (250 L6) | 3,292 lb | base vehicle |
| Curb weight, Nova Custom 2-door coupe 1XY27 (250 L6) | 3,306 lb | base vehicle |
| Curb weight, Nova Custom 4-door sedan 1XY69 (250 L6) | 3,340 lb | base vehicle |
Identification
- Cowl tag series and body codes
- Cowl-tag series XX Nova, XY Nova Custom; body 17 hatchback, 27 2-door, 69 4-door sedan.1
- Assembly plants (cowl-tag codes)
- T Tarrytown NY; W Willow Run MI1
Identification
Read a 1978 Chevrolet VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1978
- AMC AMX For one year the AMX was a Concord-based hatchback with the 258 six or 304 V8. Only an approximate production figure has been found.
- Buick Regal Turbo, Grand National and GNX The downsized Regal introduced Buick's production turbo V-6 in the Sport Coupe, and 1978 was the best turbo Regal sales year until 1987.
- Buick Riviera Buick's 75th-anniversary LXXV edition was about one in seven of 20,535 Rivieras.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS RPO Z15 El Camino Super Sport trim on the fifth-generation El Camino; no production count from a verifiable source was found.
- Ford Ranchero GT No sourced 1978 Ranchero GT production figure was found; only the Squire sibling (908) is reported outside forum posts.
- Ford Thunderbird Record Thunderbird production; the Diamond Jubilee Edition marked Ford's 75th year.
- Mercury Cougar Outside the muscle focus: 213,270 Cougars for 1978 per Wikipedia's table.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds An appearance and handling option in this period; no Hurst/Olds was offered and no production figure was found.
- Plymouth Road Runner The Volare Road Runner package required a V-8, and output collapsed.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am Gold joins black: 93,341 Trans Ams, 8,666 Solar Gold Special Editions, and a 220 hp W72 whose count nobody agrees on.
- Pontiac Grand Prix A downsized A-body Grand Prix with V6 and 301/305 V8 power.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The LeMans is downsized to a 108.1-inch wheelbase, with a 231 V6 standard, a 305 V8 the only LeMans V8 listed, and a Rally RTS handling package as its sporting option.