After 14 years as the top series within the mid-size Chevrolet Chevelle, Malibu took over as the nameplate going forward. That coincided with the downsizing of GM’s intermediates in 1978. These cars were lighter and more nimble than the bigger, heavier Colonnade-styled cars of the prior generation. That meant that smaller engines could be employed, which is the opposite direction the seller went (or an earlier owner). With a 502 cubic inch big block sitting under the hood now, this Chevy looks quite solid and ready to rock and roll. Located in Lenoir, North Carolina, this Malibu is available here on craigslist for $25,000 (firm).
The Malibu moniker would carry the Chevelle forward through 1983, then take an extended break, returning in 1997. Buyers had five engine choices in 1980 of which two were V6 motors and the others ranging from 267 to 350 cubic inch V8s. That meant horsepower could fall anywhere in between 110 and 170 SAE net. We don’t know which one occupied the engine bay here when new, nor are we told how and when the 502 transplant occurred. The odometer reading appears to be a placeholder (1,111), so the amount of use this Chevy has seen in 44 years isn’t known.
As far as aesthetics go, this Malibu gets high marks. The body and paint look great as do the stripes that were no doubt added later. The interior looks like it has hardly been used, and the later model steering wheel adds a nice touch. It was a well-equipped Chevy when new, with power windows and air conditioning, whose compressor seems to bolt onto the 502 like it was there, to begin with. Since the engine was changed, was the automatic transmission upgraded, too? Though the wheels aren’t original, the spare tire and factory jack are and remain in the trunk.
The 1980 model year was a down period for the Malibu, though no major changes had been made to scare buyers away. Perhaps the all-new, ill-fated Citation was a factor as sales dropped by one-third to a little more than 278,000 units, still a respectable showing. You don’t see that many of these fourth-generation Chevelles running around these days and certainly not ones that have been given the restomod treatment like this one. So, is the seller’s asking price a fair place to be? And what does the M-80 in the stripes stand for — a type of firecracker?
I had two of these back in the day, they were good basic transportation but were cheaply made. The dash split down the middle on both before they were 7 years old and the were rattle traps. I never thought they would reach the status of collectible. This car however is NICE and must be a blast to drive. Price seems more than fair for what your getting.
Dixon back in the late 80s I smoked 🚬
a little bit of sweet leaf 🍃 called M-39. 😵💫🥴 Love the interior of this car. Nice job by the owner. Agree w Rusty, must be a blast to drive. Power windows, a/c.
If I had the money, this is the one I would jump on. Had an 80 El Camino SS with my Pontiac 355 put in it.
If this is a real M-80, it’s a pretty rare car.
https://gbodynation.com/malibu-m-80-revisiting-the-muscle-car/
Thanks for that M-80 link, Troy. Before I clicked that link, I was wondering where that rear spoiler came from, as GM never made one that I recall. Also wondered if the M-80 stripe was just some random idea one guy came up with for his own personal car…interesting to find out these actually existed! That’s one thing about the old car hobby, you seem to learn something new every week.
M-80..umm..Malibu 1980…lol
If that’s a real M-80, they were a dealer package offered only in North and South Carolina. Apparently aimed at the Nascar crowd. Approximately 1900 built. They included the spoiler, stripes and badging seen on this one. I believe they also had an upgraded suspension, but stock engine offerings. Pretty cool car with some added HP.
If this is a real M-80, it’s pretty rare.
https://gbodynation.com/malibu-m-80-revisiting-the-muscle-car/
If this were a real M80, the seller would have surely said so.
There was a real M80 sold on BAT in 2017 that has a lot different graphics. I can’t post a link here to that auction because the post gets blocked.
Wasn’t the M80 a dealer modified model for performance?
Yup was a Nascar inspired model,they all came with 305’s the striping package and spoiler package.Just a visual special..this guy went WAY beyond with the 502..lol.
This is a cool sleeper. Very nice stock interior. Since the 502 is making over 500 hp and torque. What about the rear end? Can it handle the 502? I can see the drive shaft spitting out past the rear bumper after a few racers. Otherwise it’s a very fair price for what you are getting. Good luck to the next owner. 🐻🇺🇸
There are several companies that offer bolt in rear ends at a reasonable cost ranging from 9” to 12 bolt and Dana 60.
Steve R
I’m not really big on cross breeding in cars but sometimes I’ll make an exception. I own a 79 Malibu and a Ford 8.8 is a strong unit. One from a second generation Ford Explorer is a fairly easy swap. It’s easy to find them with 3.73 gearing and 4.11 is not uncommon and the majority come with limited slip or whatever you want to call it.