The popular Chevy mid-size car, the Chevelle, was “downsized” in 1978 to help make it more fuel-efficient without losing any passenger capacity. At the same time, the Chevelle name was dropped and replaced by its former top series, the Malibu. This 1980 edition is a one-owner auto that’s said to have just 10,000 miles on the odometer. From Lawrence, Kansas, it looks to be in good condition and may need some consumables changed (like tires) due to age. This Chevy is available here on eBay where the bidding stands at $8,750. But the seller has set a reserve north of that figure. Thanks for another cool tip, Larry D!
Named after the coastal community of Malibu, California, this series was one of the last automobile nameplates built by Chevrolet after the decision in 2020 to focus on truck and SUV production. Fourth-generation Malibu’s (1978-83) were workhorse cars and a good many of the 1.5 million copies sold during that period saw fleet use, especially in law enforcement. The Malibu Classic was the top trim level and that’s how this car was decked out when new in 1980 as more than 66,000 coupes were produced.
The seller says this car is powered by a 262 cubic inch V8, but sources say the displacement should be more like 267. Either way, it’s a small block whose horsepower wouldn’t have topped 115, not exactly a barn-burner performer in a vehicle that weighed 3,400 lbs. How this Malibu came to be driven only 10,000 miles in 42 years isn’t explained, but it looks like grandma’s car that the family hasn’t wanted to sell before now. We’re told it’s started regularly and brought up to operating temperature. Some brakes and exhaust work have been done recently.
Appearance-wise, the car looks quite good, although we’re not sure of the interior as the front seats were photographed with cloths laying over them. Was it an effort to keep the seats from catching the Sun or hiding some cracks in the material? Everything is said to work properly except for the power antenna whose bad switch has it stuck in the up position. But the factory A/C will need a recharge. All maintenance records of the car have been kept, so it should be easy to follow its time in Kansas since the days of $1.19/gallon gasoline.
I always did like this later edition Malibu. The only way it could be better would be to have the buckets and console….or maybe the rare factory 4 spd! This looks to be a really good car. GLWTA!! :-)
I had a ’79 Elky with the 4 speed, a very weak 4 speed at that. Put in a T-10, that solved the problems.
I purchased a new 1979 Malibu Classic back in the day. White two-door with black vinyl bucket seat interior. 305 4-barrel and the factory 4-speed. F41 suspension and a 3.08 rear axle. It didn’t have the factory tach/gauges and it didn’t have a positraction. White lettered tires, factory wire wheel covers, gold dual-stripe pinstripe and the small vertical bumper guards. AM/FM radio, IIRC, and the blower-style rear defogger. The dealer I purchased it from had several identical cars in various colors and another set of 267 V8’s with manuals, too. I still have the window sticker for that car!
It’s interesting that GM offered as the standard motor, a V6 three-speed manual floor shift in this car with an optional 267 V8 (excluding CA) like this car and a 305 V8. I love the body style on these cars and would love to find a factory 305 V8 4-speed model with the factory tach and accompanying instrumentation. My parents owned an ’84 two door Caprice with the 267 V8 motor and it was a slug, way underpowered.
Nice Malibu.. but the hot rod in me see a sleeper. Take out the engine and trans. Drop in a 383 with a 4 speed auto. 3.73 gears posi of course. Nice dual exhaust with down tips below bumper. And nobody would know. And enjoy the ride.. 🐻🇺🇸
My family had a ‘78 Malibu wagon with the 200CID V6…acceleration was measured with a calendar. Thankfully that engine went away after 1979.
My first job out of college came with a company car. Unfortunately it was a 78 with that miserable V6. It may have been the slowest thing I have ever driven.
Pro Street drag racer!
This Malibu has the 267, which is not the same engine as the earlier 262.
The 262 V8 was offered in 75 and 76, it was only used in the Monza and Nova. The 262 was replaced in 77 by the 305. The 267 came out in 79 and was available in the Camaro, Monte Carlo, El Camino, Malibu and Impala/Caprice. The 267 was dropped for 83.
Other than being a Chevrolet small block, not much was shared between the 262 and 267, and their bore and stroke are completely different.
The 267 was a turd. The bore was too small for heads with any valve size to them. I would put a crate 350 in this one but leave the rest alone.
I’m usually not a two-door holdout, but I’d make an exception for this generation Malibu coupe. Especially as this car is, without a vinyl top or other Brougham-era fripperies spoiling its’ clean design.
You can see the Fiat 130 influence – it was the culmination of a conversation Bill Mitchell had with the Italian carrozzeria for going on 30 years at that point, playing off each others’ influences. A very pretty car, imo much more attractive than the Monte Carlo or Oldsmobuick formal coupes of those years.
The sedan’s no slouch either, classier than both the Aerobacks and the later formal sedans, but if going to four doors doesn’t get you four roll-down windows why bother?
Keep it cleaned and maintained and you can drive this car to the moon and back.
I suspect most of these went to the scrap yard running. Mechanical parts are plentiful, cheap and understressed. $19.95 for a brand new water pump that can be changed in way under an hour? DEAL!
Since many had the Buick 231 in them , they usually weren’t running when they hit the junkyard . Parts were cheap, but people thought head gasket replacement was a death sentence ; it just wasn’t something done on your everyday cars back then . The ones that DID come in to the junkyard running had the rotted rear frame rails . The Gm G bodies were notorious for that .
Since many had the Buick 231 in them , they usually weren’t running when they hit the junkyard . Parts were cheap, but people thought head gasket replacement was a death sentence ; it just wasn’t something done on your everyday cars back then . The ones that DID come in to the junkyard running had the rotted rear frame rails . The Gm G bodies were notorious for that .
These were nice looking cars , but the little coupes never sold well compared to the sedans and wagons. The Monte Carlos of this time far outsold the Malibu coupe, and the Regal and Cutlass coupes were huge sellers as well which cut into Malibu sales. All of them are hard to find today ; weak frames, mostly cruddy underpowered engines and a quickly degrading plastic interior sent many to the boneyard , and the ones that didn’t end up crushed became stock cars . The G bodies proved so popular , that they still run the body style , although with aftermarket tin
Whoever ordered this car knew what they were doing. Pulse wipers, full instrumentation, AM/FM cassette – they certainly paid attention to the small details. The only things they left out were the power drivers seat (I can’t tell from the pictures, but it looks like a manual seat), and, most importantly, the 305 V8. But if I had the money and the storage space, I wouldn’t care. I’d love to have a car like this with such a unique array of options…
Its a nice starting point for a very good looking pro touring modern car
No body work needed
Replace engine, transmission, differential, suspension , gas tank , steering , brakes etc and tuck in those lunch counters ( bumpers)
And you have a good driver
Or skip all that and buy a camaro …
Wow my first car….mine was even the same color but i had the 305. Back in 1991 this was just a used car so nothing really to brag about but it got me to school and work. Used to see in around town from time to time after i sold it…..nice to see there are still a few around.