Chevrolet Nova Headlight Bulb Size

Chevrolet Nova high beam and low beam headlight bulb sizes include H4651, H6054, H6024, H4656, and H4652 specifications for the bulb configurations across multiple production generations. The replacement chart covers 1969 through 1988 model years with corresponding bulb size data.

The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.

High Beam Headlight

Years	Bulb Size
1985-1988	H4651
1979	H6054
1969-1978	H6024

Low Beam Headlight

Years	Bulb Size
1987-1988	H4656
1986	H4652
1985	H4656
1979	H6054
1969-1978	H6024

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam unit. Not a replaceable bulb — the entire unit is replaced. 12V.	H4651
ANSI standard (US & Canada). 5x7-inch rectangular sealed beam unit. Not a replaceable bulb — the entire unit is replaced. 12V.	H6054
ANSI standard (US & Canada). 7-inch round sealed beam unit. Not a replaceable bulb — the entire unit is replaced. 12V.	H6024
ANSI standard (US & Canada). 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam unit. Not a replaceable bulb — the entire unit is replaced. 12V.	H4656
ANSI standard (US & Canada). 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam unit, variant of H4651. Not a replaceable bulb — the entire unit is replaced. 12V.	H4652

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The H6024 is the most frequently specified bulb across the Chevrolet Nova's headlight data, covering both high beam and low beam positions for model years 1969-1978, with the exception of 1979. It is a 7-inch round sealed beam unit built to ANSI standards for the US and Canadian markets, operating at 12V. As a sealed beam design, the entire unit is replaced rather than an internal filament or capsule.
The H6054, specified for both the high beam and low beam positions in the 1979 Nova, is a 5x7-inch rectangular sealed beam unit. It operates at 12V and follows the same ANSI sealed beam construction as the H6024, meaning the whole unit is serviced as a single assembly.
For model years 1985-1988, the Nova transitioned to 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam units across both beam positions. This format is physically distinct from the 7-inch round H6024 used in earlier years and is not interchangeable with it.
The H4651 is specified for the high beam position across all four years of the 1985-1988 range. It is a 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam unit conforming to ANSI standards, rated at 12V.
The low beam position for the 1985-1988 Nova uses two distinct bulb types. The H4656 is specified for 1985, 1987, and 1988, while the H4652 is specified exclusively for 1986. Both are 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam units, with the H4652 described as a variant of the H4651.
Because the H4652 and H4651 share the same physical 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam format yet are listed as distinct part numbers, substitution between them warrants attention to beam pattern differences, as low beam and high beam optics differ within the same housing size.
All bulb types in these specifications, H4651, H4652, H4656, H6024, and H6054, are sealed beam units under ANSI standardization applicable to the US and Canadian markets. None of them use a replaceable internal bulb; the sealed beam housing, reflector, and lens are a single unit that is replaced as a whole.
The shift from the 7-inch round H6024 format to the 4x6-inch rectangular format between the 1978 and 1985 model years reflects a change in headlight housing geometry, meaning the mounting buckets and bezels between these two eras of the Nova are not compatible with each other's bulb formats.