Chevrolet Chevelle buyers got behind the wheel of an entirely different car than before in 1973, featuring what became known as Colonnade styling outside, plus a revised chassis underneath, and another year of SS availability before the Laguna S-3 took over as the more performance-oriented A-Body in 1974. Although the exterior became more modern as the third generation progressed, there’s something about the round taillights and the larger grille on the ’73 cars that’s just hard to beat, and this 1973 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS scores high marks overall in the appearance department. This one’s up in Stillwater, Minnesota, and can be viewed here on eBay, where the opening bid of $20,500 is standing high.
By 1973, the SS was now just a trim option on the Malibu, but the car had to have at least a 350 CI engine to make the Super Sport a possibility. Mechanically, this one’s a bit confusing, as the front fenders sport metal emblems that read 454. While that was indeed the top engine for this period, the seller reports that his Malibu originally came with a 350. However, that’s no longer in the bay either, as a 1972 date-code 402 is now providing power here. It’s described as very healthy, and some additional good news is that the big block is hooked to a 4-speed manual transmission, plus there’s a positraction rear end with 3.73 gears.
One repaint is said to have been performed at some point in the Chevy’s original dark blue color, and the seller is transparent about the finish not being quite perfect. However, the car is said to remain solid, and I’m not spotting any areas of sheet metal showing obvious rust or corrosion. The silver along the bottom complements the blue hue nicely, and those Rally wheels look good on just about any Chevrolet body style. A couple of shots of the undercarriage are also provided, and thankfully, the platform appears strong as well.
Everything inside also looks good, with the seller confirming that the 74,000 miles showing on the odometer are actual. It’s nice to find that those front bucket seats have a swivel feature, but I believe my favorite component inside is the Hurst shifter, which is a constant reminder that this one operates via three pedals! This 1973 Chevrolet Malibu seems like a fun driver, and I’m curious to see if it will attract more than just the one bid already placed. Any thoughts to add about this Colonnade-era Super Sport?
Leave A Comment