Norm
Beechy's
1966
Chevy Nova

General Data

In the sixties there was no better showman than 'Stormin'' Norman Beechey. With his spectacular driving style, he became one of the first true heroes of Australian motor sport.
 

Beechey had won the 1965 Australian Touring car Championship in a '64 Ford Mustang. It now seemed that every-one else was getting in on the act with both Bob Jane and Ian Geoghegan both bringing in Mustangs to challenge him. Beechey went back to the U.S. to get a new car that would be quicker than the Mustangs, as well as give him a new and different look to appease his sponsors. He went to a Chevrolet dealership in Santa Monica, California and purchased a Chevy II Nova with the desirable L-79 performance option for a total of $2600. The next stop was engine performance wizards Traco Engineering. After giving them the pricey sum of $6000, they supplied a full race 327 Chev that put out 475 BHP on the dyno! He was now ready to tackle the Mustangs.
 

In April 1966 Beechey debuted the Chevy Nova in the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) race at Bathurst. Bringing both the Mustang and the Nova to Bathurst, he decided to race the new Nova. The race was a three way affair with Kevin Bartlett's GTA Alfa, Ian Geoghegan's '65 Mustang and Beechey being the main contenders. The race started well for Beechey, having built up a 9 second lead over Geoghegan. By lap 14 Geoghegan had made up the difference and passed Beechey, who had clutch trouble, across the top at McPhillamy Park. Geoghegan won the championship, Beechey came second and Bartlett third.
 

Beechey and Geoghegan were the big names that year and the duels between these two became legendary. In the '67 ATCC race the tables were somewhat turned, Geoghegan was debuting his new Mustang and Beechey had the Nova going stronger than ever. By half distance, the race looked to be Beechey's as he was getting an ever-increasing lead over Geoghegan's Mustang. Then with just 9 laps to go, the Nova blew the left rear tyre and crashed into the Armco. His race was over and Geoghegan won the title, again.
 

Beechey continued racing the Nova with a great deal of success in '68 till he replaced it with a Z/28 Camaro. When it was all over, the Nova had won a total of 36 races in Beechey's hands.
The Nova continued racing throughout its life till it was acquired by Graeme Hooper and restored to its current condition. David Bowden bought it from Graeme in 1998 where it now lives next to its old sparring partner, the '65 Mustang of Ian Geoghegan.

Below:KB getting chased by Norm in his old 409 Chevy Impala.