I usually buy the special Nova editions when I see them on the newsstand (My son has a '63 Chevy II 100 two-door post with a 388 small block, Art Carr 350 turbo, Chrysler rear, Chevelle discs, etc.).

I loved Bob McClurg's article about the Bill Thomas fastback Novas.  The Thomas shop did some suspension work on my '64 Sting Ray back in 1968 or '69 (I still have the car with over 300,000 miles).

I remember the 1962 or '63 Nova 400 SS that Thomas built with an FI 327 and Sting Ray IRS rear end.  To make it as much a sleeper as possible, they installed all the metal trim and emblems on the fiberglass doors, fenders and trunk.  The bright red car was named "Bad Bascomb" after an unsavory character Wallace Beery portrayed in a '30's movie, and it served as the precursor to the four fastback specials.  The '63-vintage car was never referred to as the Ghost.

Mr. McClurg referred to this car as "Bad Bascomb's Ghost".  As I recall that name was given to a drag racing funny car with a '68 or '69 Nova body that was built about five years later.

Whatever happened to Bad Bascomb?  I'd rather have THAT car than ANY Nickey/Thomas, Dana,  Yenko or Motion 427 Camaro!  Maybe I'll have to build a clone?