By Scotty Lachenauer – Images by the Author
Monica Tholey Lucas wasn’t like all the other girls growing up in Abington Township, Pennsylvania. While her schoolmates at St. Basil’s all-girls school were into boy bands and doing girly things, Monica spent her days reading car magazines and gathering a cranium full of Chevy muscle car knowledge on yenko.net, a website dedicated to high-powered Chevys and the ilk. It was there she chatted with her fellow muscle car enthusiasts and set the stage for her first big muscle car build.
The proverbial apple didn’t fall far from the tree, as Monica was the daughter of local racer and hot rodder supreme Paul Tholey. Having a pair of X chromosomes didn’t stop her in the least, or her older sister Eileen for that matter, as both girls hung with the local motorheads and soon became knowledgeable hot rodders under the guidance of the Tholey elders. As early as 6 years old, Monica was working on her family’s muscle cars, first by wire-wheeling parts and general maintenance, then moved to executing complete engine rebuilds. All this when she was just 12 years old.
This particular 1969 Nova on the pages in front of you was purchased by Monica when she turned 14 for $500 and a set of fuelie heads she had in storage. The Chevy wasn’t finished overnight, as it was a long-term build, which moved through her constant commitment and passion for the hobby. The project extended from its purchase in 1998 through her college years, marriage, and the purchase of a house. Once time allowed, getting the car finished in a timely manner become priority.
Due to space issues, most of the build was completed in the backyard. The teardown was intimidating to say the least for a high schooler, but her dad and family kept her moving in the right direction. During her high school days, she was the only girl who entered the Maple Grove High School Challenge; a drag racing event open to local secondary students. Fortunately for Monica, her older sister Eileen had recently finished her 1969 Camaro project and let her take it to the drag racing event. Monica even made it in the Maple Grove 1320 newspaper.
During the build process, Monica took a decisive path for her Nova. While her sister had the sleek, polished car, Monica embraced an old-school Day Two approach. Inspired by her dad’s era, she built it like a true ’70s street machine—aggressive, loud, and undeniably fast.
A big-block and a four-speed were must-haves for the build. Family friend Andy Starr helped Monica with the powertrain, starting with a 427 originally built with a solid flat-tappet cam. Before it was ever fired up, she swapped it for a hydraulic roller cam—now within her budget and better suited for the tight valve cover clearance. To handle gear shifts, an M21 transmission was chosen and installed behind the 450hp big-block, which exhales through a set of Hooker Super Comp headers and Thrush Turbo mufflers.
During the project’s progression, Monica got the opportunity to meet Joel Rosen of Motion Performance at a get-together organized by the Yenko.net community. Monica shared her build progress with Rosen and they continued to discuss parts selection and even camshaft choices. Without a doubt, the muscle car legend made an indelible dent on the young gun who certainly pushed her to finish the build in true Day Two fashion.
Moving forward, a stout 12-bolt with 4.33 gears was installed to get the power to the M&H meats. The suspension is mostly stock, though with taller springs up front to give the nose some height. A pair of Tholey-engineered traction bars provide that attractive old-school look and additional grip during hard launches. Stock discs up front and drums out back get this Nova to a halt while keeping the vintage vibe in check. A classic Hurst Line/Loc helps Monica do some tire frying at will. Keystone Kustomags, 15×4 front and re-barreled 15×8 out back, coincide with the Nova’s vintage style.
Steven Schuck handled bodywork and paint, spraying the Nova in its original Frost Green pigment. Monica’s brother, Paul, handled the Pontiac-inspired graphics on the aftermarket Stinger hood. Originally sold at Reedman Toll Chevrolet in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, the car still wears its dealership badge and Motion emblem on the trunk lid. The interior retains its original upholstery with correct-for-the-time add-ons that include a Super Sun tach and a set of Sun Blueline oil, water, and voltage gauges. Monica chose a Hurst Competition Plus shifter due to the original bench seat. All interior work was done by Scott Gogel and Monica herself.
Monica admits that the teenage version of herself was more of a badass than she is today, but with age comes knowledge and a much clearer mind. Today, she’s a successful project manager, a profession who lends herself to meeting deadlines, which played a big part in finishing the car in a timelier manner than what could have been a more drawn-out process. Since finished, Monica received an invitation for the Nova to be featured at the Solid Lifter Showroom, hosted by the Super Car Workshop during the GM Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, back in 2020.
Monica, her mom, Eileen, Dad Paul II, and brother Paul III, came together to celebrate the journey they all shared with the Nova. The Celebrity Choice award she received at the GM Nationals that year was recognition for her vision and commitment to a stunning Day Two Nova build.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
Tech Check
Owner: Monica Tholey Lucas
Vehicle: 1969 Chevy Nova
Engine
Type: Big-block Chevy
Displacement: 427 ci
Compression Ratio: 10.11:1
Bore: 4.310 inches
Stroke: 3.766 inches
Cylinder Heads: GM aluminum rectangular port 109cc combustion chamber
Rotating Assembly: Forged GM crank, Wiseco pistons, Crower rods
Valvetrain: Crower stainless roller rockers with Crane-Cams stud girdle
Camshaft: Custom Bullet hydraulic roller
Induction: Edelbrock C427X intake with accommodations for Holley three-barrel carburetor
Fuel Delivery: Hidden Holly electric fuel pump
Ignition: Motion Phase III Capacitive Discharge
Exhaust: Hooker Super Comp headers, Thrush Turbo mufflers
Drivetrain
Transmission: Muncie M21
Clutch: Centerforce dual friction
Rear Axle: GM 12 bolt, 4.33 gears, GM Posi, Moser axles
Chassis
Front Suspension: Stock GM with taller front springs
Rear Suspension: Factory multi-leaf with Tholey-built square tube traction bars and custom, adjustable subframe connectors
Brakes: Stock discs front with Line/Loc, stock drums rear
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Keystone Kustomags 15×4 front, 15×8 rear
Tires: Coker Firestone Wide Oval GR70 fronts, M&H Muscle Car 275/60B15
Interior
Material: Stock green vinyl
Seats: Stock bench with original upholstery
Gauges: Sun Super tach and Sun Blueline oil, water, and volt
Shifter: Hurst Competition Plus for bench seat
Exterior
Bodywork by: Steven Schuck
Paint: Chevy Frost Green
Striping: Paul Tholey III
Hood: Fiberglass Stinger Hood
