1965 Chevrolet Chevelle

Description

With a bunch of show wins to its credit, this handsome 1965 Chevrolet Malibu SS hardtop shows you what is great about these cars. Great proportions, a handsome bucket seat interior, and a nice balance of performance and function, this is the machine that made your dad fall in love with cars.

Following an extensive restoration a few years ago, this handsome Malibu has travelled a scant 445 miles and it shows. Never intended to be a resto-mod, it instead embraces that car that delighted new car buyers in the mid-60s with its combination of V8 power and family car conservative looks. Of course, the Madeira Maroon paint certainly helps, and on the clean, no-nonsense Malibu sheetmetal, it's an excellent choice. Perhaps as an antidote to the styling excess of the 1950s, the Malibu is simple and almost plain, but the timeless shape makes it a winner with fans, and there are no disappointments here. Good gaps, smooth sheetmetal, and impressive attention to detail explain why it has all those show credits, and the fact that it was restored by a factory tech tells you all you need to know about authenticity. The chrome and stainless trim is restrained but finished to a very high standard, sparkling against the burgundy paint and adding just enough flash to remind you that this isn't just a stripper base model, but a genuine code 138 SS.

A beautiful bucket seat interior, complete with center console, is another highly valuable attribute that works well in the classic Malibu. A few deviations from stock add to the driving pleasure without notably impacting the factory look and for many of them, it'll take an expert to find them all. Perhaps the most obvious is the thick aftermarket steering wheel, but you'll also note a very discreetly installed A/C system under the dash. The factory gauges are in good order, nestled into the shiny instrument panel, along with the original AM radio in the dash. Fortunately, there's also an AM/FM stereo with a 10-disc CD changer hidden out of sight under the passenger's seat with the controls stashed in the glove box for a very cool installation. A trio of auxiliary gauges under the dash have been cleverly installed along with the A/C vents, so no additional holes had to be drilled in the original dash. Even the trunk looks factory fresh, complete with a full-sized bias-ply spare and jack assembly.

The engine was originally a 283, but was beefed up to a visually identical 327 during the restoration and it runs superbly. An open-element air cleaner and the modern A/C compressor are the only real clues that there were any modifications at all, but the Chevy Orange paint and reproduction decals add authenticity. A stock intake and cast iron exhaust manifolds ensure that it runs as designed, and the dual exhaust system reproduces the original, so it has a correct soundtrack to match. The original PowerG;ide 2-speed automatic transmission was retained and highlights a nicely detailed undercarriage that shows off solid originality and some freshened components like the rear end. And it's always cool to see stock hubcaps and 7.35-14 bias-ply whitewalls on a sporting SS, more evidence that the restorer was also a purist.

You just can't restore any car to this level for the asking price, and with the way this Malibu looks and runs, you'll have a hard time resisting its many charms. Call today!