Skin Deep

This pro street 1967 nova hides a secret not apparent at first glance.

- Joe Greeves

Some folks become automotive enthusiasts about the time they’re old enough for a driver’s license. Others get into the hobby after they retire from the rat race. Larry Gottschalk, from Petersburg, Michigan, jokes that he has been an auto enthusiast since birth, and spent most of his adult life wrenching on Funny Cars and drag cars with his brothers Bob and Dutch. When Larry retired from his job as a heavy equipment mover he decided it was the right time to create his own first custom. He already had a good idea about the vehicle of choice and it certainly wouldn’t be something bought from the local car dealer. In addition to being a first-rate bodyman, Larry is also comfortable with fiberglass, involved with it since it became popular with the introduction of the Corvette back in the ’50s. Nostalgia also played a role in the selection since he had Novas when he was a kid. While the end result might be recognizable, his 1967 Nova is not what it seems.

Several years ago, the ProMax Nova fiberglass replica came on the market called the Vennom, offering a complete body and frame package. Vennom, spelled with two Ns, had a very limited production run and Larry guesses that they probably only made about 30 of them. The frame was a rectangular steel tube chassis featuring a 9-inch Ford rear held by a four-link, tubular A-arms up front, and QA1 coilovers all around. The fiberglass body had some subtle changes, even though factory ’67 lights, grille, and bumpers fit perfectly. Clues to the car’s ’glass origins begin with a subtle 7/8-inch top chop and a flush fitting Mustang II windshield; a forward tilting hood that made a separate cowl piece unnecessary; shaved door handles; CNC-machined hood and trunk hinges; and a distinctive, trunk-mounted gas filler cap.