One of the most popular cars to clone as a Super Sport 396 is the 1970 Chevelle. But this Malibu is not and will never be an SS tribute simply because it has too many doors.
It’s a basic family sedan with an inline-6, which only saw production of about 7,500 units (compared to the V8 Sport Coupe at 290,000 copies).
The Chevelle arrived in 1964 as a mid-size car sandwiched between the Impala/Bel Air/Biscayne and the Chevy II/Nova. Ir onically, its vital stats were in the same neighborhood as those of the Tri-Five Chevies of 1955-57.
The automobile sold well right out of the gate and continued on for years, dropping the Chevelle moniker in 1978 as the Malibu took over those duties. A mild restyle occurred in 1970, the same year as the Monte Carlo was introduced which was based on the Pontiac Grand Prix but shared some of the looks of the Chevelle.
This sedate sedan is mislabeled as an SS by the seller, perhaps to attract more views on the car (can’t blame he/she for that). It looks like an original vehicle, including the two-tone white over turquoise paint. Except for the seat covers, the interior looks like 1970 as well and may need nothing more than a headliner at some point. A new set of carpeting is provided, but it’s in a box waiting for installation. The seller has owned this Chevy for three years and only uses it occasionally.
The car is slightly stubborn to get started, which may mean the carburetor is ready for a rebuild. At nearly 70,000 miles, this is a solid Chevy, but what would you do with it? Too many doors for Cars & Coffee?