Introduced in 1962 model year, the Chevy Nova was initially known as the Chevy II. The Nova moniker was among the top finalists for the car’s name, but lost out as it did not start with the letter “C.

When the third-generation Nova was introduced for the 1968 model year, Chevy was still using the ‘Chevy II’ moniker, which was subsequently retired the following year. Before they pulled the plug ...