What the 11-year-old Joe didn’t realize at the time is that the car he had fallen in love with was the impetus behind a brand-new car-building trend that would burn hot and bright to the current day.

This restomodded 1965 Chevy II Nova is powered by a V8, which pumps out over 400 horsepower, and rocks a white finish over a black interior. It is a car of contrasts, a head-turner in all glory, but ...