5-Speed! 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu

Here’s an example of a 1969 Chevelle that was bulked up on the performance meter without being turned into an SS 396 clone. It’s a Malibu Sport Coupe with a later 350 cubic inch V8 and a Tremec 5-speed manual transmission. The body and paint look stellar, as does the bucket seat interior. So, what’s not to love about this Chevelle that can be found in Bonney Lake, Washington, and here on craigslist for $41,000? Another Left Coast tip brought to us by “Curvette”.

Chevrolet assembled more than 286,000 Chevelle Malibu 2-door hardtops with a V8 engine in 1969. That included the Super Sport, which was now an option rather than a separate series like in 1966-68. The 327 V8 was retired in favor of a 350, which may have been in the seller’s car when new. But since we’re told the engine in the car now is from a 1970 Chevelle, something may have gone awry with the original motor (the odometer has turned over, so maybe it was worn out).

The engine change may not be such a big deal, but going with a 5-speed tranny does change things. The work appears to have been well done, as the muscle car runs well. A host of new goodies are on board, including the hydraulic clutch, SS-style gauges and instrumentation, a new power brake booster, carburetor, and more. We’re told the sound system is period-correct but with Bluetooth added (how does that work?). The only thing that doesn’t work is the heater, but you shouldn’t have to worry about that for a few months yet.

These cars looked sharp with red paint flanked by a black vinyl top and matching interior. We assume it’s all a redo, but we don’t know how long ago. This seems like a turnkey ride (except for the heater), but is a non-Super Sport second-generation Chevelle worth north of $40,000 and not being numbers-matching?