While demand for classic Camaros is huge, the A-body doesn't lag fabehind. "The Chevelle is really an iconic musclecar," says Maney. "They've been special since they were built." Right off the bat, the 'Velle is different from our other two subjects in that it's a full-frame car."A Chevelle can handle more power," declares Tony Genty of Original Parts Group. "The four-link-type suspension is designed to accept that power." Another selling point is that the Chevelle is just plain larger than the other two, with an interior that's comfortable for four people. Genty also notes that big-block Chevelles outnumbered similarly equipped Camaros or Novas. These factors keep all A-bodies popular, though '67 and '70 models stand out among the group.
Genty agreed that interior pieces are very popular, followed by moldings, emblems, and grilles. These parts are important, he observes, because many Chevelle owners are creating cars with a stock-looking body that conceals brake and suspension upgrades underneath. "Chevelles were never built to handle," he concludes. Of course, that doesn't keep today's gearhead from making them more adept in the turns. Year One's Maney agrees, saying, "A-bodies always impressed me with what solid cars they are, and you can see an improvement with suspension and brakes."
Genty also gives his take on how the aftermarket has made it possible for enthu-siasts to start with a rougher car. "The great thing about this hobby is that you can get a car at a reasonable price and acquire parts as you go," he tells us. "It makes for less of a project." In that vein, Genty has seen older Chevelles, namely '64s and '65s, increase in popularity. We found rough examples of these cars going for a mere two grand...oh, to have more garage space. Nice big-block cars, on the other hand, get up around 20 large. But despite encompassing fewer model years, we've see almost as many '64-72 Chevelles on the block as '67-81 Camaros.
If the Chevelle was built as a larger, more upscale car, the Nova sits at the other end of the spectrum, representing Chevy's economy offering. While it may not have the panache of its siblings, Maney makes a bold statement: "The Nova was probably the best-performing car, it just wasn't as popular." Humble beginnings notwithstanding, the Nova has an irresistable combination of qualities. First off, even though less of them tend to circulate, the prices tend to be lower. Granted, '62-67 models command a premium, as can rare later models, such as a '68 L89 car. On the other hand, we found nice '68-74s for as little two or three grand. And project cars? You won't find a lower buy-in.
Early Camaro convertibles are an especially rare commodity-only 63,154 examples were built during the first three model years. Drop-top F-bodies left the lineup for '70, and didn't return until '87. |  | 
Skinny-bumpered second-gen Camaros-'70-73 models, to be exact-are also very popular with the musclecar set. |