Engine letter in the VIN
The VIN has an engine letter in fifth place.2one source
Class of '72 · Chevrolet Nova · 1968–1972 body · third generation
1972Chevrolet Nova
Minor trim changes, net ratings, a VIN with an engine letter, the Rally Nova's big year and, from mid-year, the Sky Roof.
The year in brief
The 1972 received only minor trim changes; at mid-year a sunroof called the Sky Roof became available on two-door models.3one source
The SS was built around the 4-barrel 350, 200 hp net by GM's price list and the reprinted chapter (210 on GM's engine data page), at $336.00 over the V8 coupe; the Rally Nova package cost $101.65.24
Wikipedia gives 349,733 Novas for 1972, 139,769 with the six; they match Nova Resource's figures, though Wikipedia's text gives no source and its table cites conceptcarz.13
The story of the year
SS and Rally Nova
The reprinted book chapter counts 12,309 Nova SS coupes and 33,319 Rally Novas.4one source
How to spot a 1972
What tells it apart from a 1971.
Net horsepower
Ratings are net, from 110 hp for the six; GM's own kit gives the 4-barrel 350 as 200 hp on its price page and 210 on its engine data page.2one source
Sky Roof
A sliding Sky Roof, a vinyl roof insert that rolled back, on two-door models from mid-year.234
Production1one source
349,733 cars, by body.
Every trim line
| Body | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
| 2-door coupe | Nova | 260,215 |
| All 2-door coupes | 260,215 | |
| 4-door sedan | Nova | 89,518 |
| All 4-door sedans | 89,518 | |
| Total | 349,733 | |
Nova Resource's rows; one source. Wikipedia's 349,733 is the same figure (its table cites conceptcarz).
Engines24
4 engines. Chevrolet's regular production option number from GM's own lists; «Std.» is a standard engine. In 1972 the code is the VIN's engine letter.
Net ratings. The VIN's engine letter and the 130 and 200 hp come from GM's serial-number and price pages of September 1971; the same kit's engine data page gives the 307 as 140 hp and the 4-barrel L48 as 210 hp, so the kit disagrees with itself; see the ruling. The reprinted book chapter gives the SS 350 as «an even 200 net».
Price when new2one source
Base retail prices in 1972 dollars, before options.
Manufacturer's suggested retail prices from GM's 1972 price schedule.
Colors2one source
15 factory colors. The color names come from one source2one source; the swatches are approximate screen colors, not paint matches.
Antique White11
Pewter Silver14
Ascot Blue24
Mulsanne Blue26
Spring Green36
Gulf Green43
Sequoia Green48
Covert Tan50
Placer Gold53
Cream Yellow56
Golden Brown57
Mohave Gold63
Orange Flame65
Midnight Bronze68
Cranberry Red75
GM's list of solid exterior colors with paint codes for the 1972 Nova; the two-tones are left out. No source we have gives the number of cars per color, so the counts are empty.
Reading the VIN23
A 1972 VIN has 13 characters. Type one in, and the decoder reads it against the code tables on this page.
1X27D2W1000252one source · GM's own example from the 1972 kit: the 25th Chevrolet built at Willow Run, if it were a Nova coupe with the 250 six.
The code table
| Position | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 | Make: Chevrolet |
| X | Car line and series: Chevy Nova |
| 27 · 69 | Body: 27 2-door coupe · 69 4-door sedan |
| D · F · H · K | Engine: D 250 six (110 hp) · F 307 V8 (130 hp) · H 350 V8 (165 hp) · K 350 V8 (200 hp) |
| 2 | Model year (1972) |
| W · L | Assembly plant: W Willow Run–Chevrolet · L Van Nuys–GMAD |
| 100001 → | Sequential number |
Where to find it: Stamped on a plate attached to the top left of the instrument panel.2one source
Questions about the 1972
How many 1972 Chevrolet Novas were made?
Chevrolet built 349,733 for the 1972 model year: 260,215 2-door coupes, 89,518 4-door sedans.1one source
How can you tell a 1972 Nova from a 1971?
Three signs, each explained under «How to spot» on this page: engine letter in the VIN; net horsepower; sky Roof.234
What engines did the 1972 Chevrolet Nova have?
Four engines, from the 250 cu in six to the 350 cu in V8. The engine table on this page gives every code and rating, and the rulings cover the disputed ones.24
How much did a 1972 Chevrolet Nova cost new?
Base retail prices, before options: Coupe, six $2,452; Sedan, six $2,481; Coupe, V8 $2,547; Sedan, V8 $2,577; Nova SS (Z26) +$336.00; Rally Nova (YF1/YF8) +$101.65.2one source
What colors did the 1972 Chevrolet Nova come in?
General Motors (GM Heritage Archive) lists 15 factory colors.2one source
Where is the VIN on a 1972 Chevrolet Nova?
Stamped on a plate attached to the top left of the instrument panel.2one source
Where the sources disagree
Every conflict we found for 1972, and how we settled it. All rulings.
Open
1972 net ratings of the 307 and the 4-barrel 350
Our ruling: Unresolved. GM's 1972 kit disagrees with itself: its serial-number and price pages give 130 and 200 hp, its engine data page 140 and 210. The reprinted book chapter gives the SS 350 as 200. We show both.
What each source says (3)
- F – V8-307 (130 H.P.), K – V8-350 (200 H.P.), on the serial-number page; 200-hp Turbo-Fire 350 in the price schedule2one source
- 307: 140 net hp; 350 L48 four-barrel: 210 net hp, on the engine data page of September 19712one source
- the SS 350 «now rated an even 200 net»4one source
Sources
- Nova Production Numbers Nova Resource (novaresource.org) · read 2026-10-12
- 1972 Chevrolet Nova – Vehicle Information Kit General Motors (GM Heritage Archive) · read 2026-10-12
- Chevrolet Chevy II / Nova Wikipedia · read 2026-10-12
- «New Novas, Old Themes 1968–1976» (Chapter Ten of a book on Chevrolet Super Sports), reprinted in GM's Nova kits Book chapter reprinted by GM Heritage · read 2026-10-12
Keep going
Three more years.
1969Chevrolet NovaThe Chevy II name went, the Nova kept the 1968 body, and the SS got 300 hp and front disc brakes as standard.251,849 built (disputed)
1970Chevrolet NovaA new grille, wider side-marker and taillight lenses, combined tail and backup lights, and the last year of the 396 in the SS.307,280 built (disputed)1971Chevrolet NovaThe 396 was gone, the 250 six became the base engine, the SS was a 270-hp 350, and the Rally Nova arrived late in the year.194,878 built (disputed)See the whole third generation.
Dimensions, production year by year and every ruling, 1968–1972.