UPDATE – The reserve is off! This one is going to sell to the highest bidder.
UPDATE – The seller has sent us additional photos of this Chevelle Wagon! You can find them in the gallery below.
The lack of new alternatives means that older station wagons perform exceptionally well in the classic market. They offer a practical alternative to an SUV but leave scope for personalization and a custom approach to improve performance and handling without breaking the bank. That is the opportunity presented by this 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Wagon. It is a solid restoration candidate with an upgraded V8 under the hood. Its devoted owner recently passed away, and his daughter feels it needs a new home with someone willing to return it to its rightful place on our road. Therefore, she has listed it exclusively with us at Barn Finds.
The original owner ordered this Malibu in Ermine White, and there is evidence of a repaint at some point in this classic’s life. The existing paint shows significant deterioration, and the new owner will undoubtedly elect to strip the exterior to bare metal as part of a high-quality restoration. That will entail a lot of work, but completing the task in a home workshop means the costs will be limited to materials only. That is a serious consideration for an enthusiast on a budget, and stepping back to admire the finished product would make the effort worthwhile. Someone added an aftermarket sunroof, although removing this and welding in fresh steel is a viable option. Alternatively, a new set of seals would eliminate potential leaks and add to the Wagon’s versatility. The exterior sports a few bumps and bruises, but nothing justifies panel replacement. This Malibu has a known history, spending its entire life in dry climates. That makes its lack of significant rust unsurprising. The trim and glass look acceptable for a driver-grade build, and the Rally wheels add a classy finishing touch to the exterior.
The badges on the front fenders indicate this Chevelle rolled off the line equipped with a 327ci V8. The remaining mechanical components include a two-speed Powerglide transmission and power assistance for the steering and brakes. That combination would have placed at least 275hp and 355 ft/lbs of torque at the driver’s disposal. The result would have been a family wagon with surprisingly sprightly performance. That is largely irrelevant because the owner holds a letter from her late father confirming that the 327 has made way for a 350ci powerplant. The small-block’s specifications are unclear, but such swaps typically only occur to unleash additional ponies. The seller’s father suffered deteriorating eyesight during his latter years, meaning he could not drive and enjoy this gem for at least five years. It will require revival, but the bulletproof nature of the drivetrain components means the buyer may be able to achieve this with minimal effort and outlay.
One aspect of this Wagon begging for love is its interior. There are plenty of parts that could be reused during the restoration. The dash, pad, and door trims should respond to a deep clean. The owner admits that the interior has fallen victim to a rodent infestation, meaning the buyer will probably choose to replace the seat covers, foam, carpet, and headliner. That isn’t a long list, and with parts readily available, returning the inside of this Wagon to its former glory should not be challenging. The bucket seats and console add to the luxurious feel inside this classic. If the wind-in-the-hair experience provided by the sunroof isn’t the buyer’s cup of tea, they will probably appreciate the factory air conditioning.
The traditional Station Wagon once seemed to hold an unassailable place in the domestic automotive market, but the rise of the Minivan and SUV sounded its death knell. As the latter vehicles cement their position with rising sales, it isn’t very likely that local production of the Wagon will ever resume. That leaves potential buyers with two choices. They can source a new model from a foreign manufacturer or restore a vehicle like this 1968 Chevelle Malibu Wagon. The newer alternative may appear tempting on the surface, but there are negative points worth considering. The biggest of these is potential depreciation, which is unavoidable. That should not be a factor with this Malibu because recent history confirms that values are rising consistently. Therefore, the versatility, performance, and investment potential make this Wagon worth a closer look.
The seller will be in Walsenburg from the 18th through the 26th and can take additional photos while there. If you have any specific areas you would like to see, please let us know in the comments section below. They are also offering their late father’s 1968 Plymouth Sport Satellite, which you can find and bid on here.
- Location: Walsenburg, Colorado
- Mileage: 70,837 Miles Shown
- Engine: 350ci V8
- Transmission: 2-Speed Powerglide Automatic
- VIN: 136358K122815
- Title Status: Clean
Bid On This Auction
- WYO GN bid $6,500.00 2023-07-24 10:25:10
- RW bid $6,100.00 2023-07-24 10:24:44
- WYO GN bid $6,000.00 2023-07-24 10:24:12
- RW bid $5,600.00 2023-07-24 10:23:26
- WYO GN bid $5,500.00 2023-07-24 10:22:30
- RW bid $5,200.00 2023-07-24 10:21:57
- WYO GN bid $5,100.00 2023-07-24 10:19:31
- RW bid $5,000.00 2023-07-24 10:19:13
- WYO GN bid $4,900.00 2023-07-24 10:17:45
- RW bid $4,800.00 2023-07-24 10:17:17
- WYO GN bid $4,700.00 2023-07-24 10:16:32
- RW bid $4,600.00 2023-07-24 10:15:59
- WYO GN bid $4,500.00 2023-07-24 10:15:44
- RW bid $4,400.00 2023-07-24 10:15:08
- WYO GN bid $4,300.00 2023-07-24 10:13:51
- RW bid $4,200.00 2023-07-24 10:13:27
- WYO GN bid $4,100.00 2023-07-24 10:13:08
- RW bid $4,000.00 2023-07-24 10:12:30
- WYO GN bid $3,800.00 2023-07-24 10:11:13
- RW bid $3,700.00 2023-07-24 10:10:52
- WYO GN bid $3,600.00 2023-07-24 10:09:56
- RW bid $3,500.00 2023-07-24 10:09:32
- WYO GN bid $3,400.00 2023-07-24 10:09:01
- RW bid $3,300.00 2023-07-24 10:08:31
- WYO GN bid $3,200.00 2023-07-24 10:06:03
- RW bid $3,100.00 2023-07-24 10:05:35
- WYO GN bid $3,000.00 2023-07-24 05:48:10
- Nasfan20 bid $2,900.00 2023-07-24 05:39:46
- WYO GN bid $2,800.00 2023-07-24 05:15:55
- RW bid $2,700.00 2023-07-23 23:01:45
- WYO GN bid $2,600.00 2023-07-23 22:39:58
- Nasfan20 bid $2,500.00 2023-07-23 22:25:10
- WYO GN bid $1,400.00 2023-07-23 10:31:06
- Pro Design bid $1,300.00 2023-07-23 10:14:32
- WYO GN bid $1,200.00 2023-07-23 08:25:13
- RW bid $1,100.00 2023-07-21 23:07:16
- BJW1968 bid $900.00 2023-07-20 14:00:06
- RW bid $800.00 2023-07-19 15:47:02
- moparmike65 bid $700.00 2023-07-18 15:10:15
- RW bid $600.00 2023-07-17 23:30:34
stillrunners bid $500.00 2023-07-17 20:04:24
That interior sure looks inviting. Growing up some friends had one but purely entry level. Straight six, 3-speed, 6-passenger and am radio. But it was a Malibu, not a 300.
I learned to drive on the entry-level Nomad Custom (straight-6, 3-speed, 6-passenger, am radio, no power ANYTHING, non-hiding windshield wipers) also in ermine white. Even with the basics, it drove like a dream and was quite peppy for a 6/3-speed!
I don’t agree with the author’s assertion that the popularity of vintage station wagons is due to a lack of modern alternatives. I think it’s a combination of two other factors: 1) many of us who are in our peak vintage car buying years have fond memories of the family station wagons of our youths, and 2) station wagons were more frequently used up than preserved, so showing up at a show in a nicely preserved or restored vintage wagon is an instant attention-grabber. Families longing for an alternative to a van or SUV would do better to seek out a well-preserved Taurus wagon, Cutlass Cruiser, or Caprice from the 1990s, getting the best of station wagon utility along with modern comfort, convenience, economy, and safety.
I absolutely love that they put a center console and bucket seats in this thing. A great road towards making a station wagon Chevelle Super Sport tribute car. This car would be awesome with a big horsepower motor in it dual exhaust and really nice paint job and some fresh interior.
“the buyer will probably choose to replace the seat covers, foam, carpet, and headliner. That isn’t a long list, and with parts readily available, returning the inside of this Wagon to its former glory should not be challenging.”
Auto upholsterer is a skilled trade. Stop slapping every tradesman’s face with these throw away comments. If you’re not “beating body panels straight in a weekend” you’re “throwing a $250 headliner up” and getting factory results. Just nonsense.
Man this one is tempting but other than get it running and driving I don’t know what I would do with it. The winning bidder is going to get a fun project
Has anyone seen in description if car runs & drives to get onto a transport. I tried sending email to BF and email was rejected???
Can I see the front tire area that is hidden by the buckets
This old girl looks like it’s been to hokeytown and back. Factory A/C but then somebody cuts a hole in the roof and puts one of those $50.00 popup sunroofs in it, ugh! Buckets seat and a console hooked to a transmission I hate the most, a slip and slide powerglide. Flipping the air cleaner lid upside down is some I thought only a teenager would do back in the day. At the end of the day this could be more solid than most, so for the right price and a high level of ambition you can bring this baby back and all your friends can go with you.
I owned almost this exact car, bought new, special order, heavy duty everything to pull a two horse trailer, 327 4 barrel, you could order bucket seats, but my then girl friend wanted to sit right next to me so I ordered the bench, the steering wheel is not right – Pontiac or Olds perhaps, mine had 4 speeds, economy rear axel, only used 1st to start on a hill, or start pulling the trailer, got great gas milage for the day when not towing, which was most of the time. Radial tires, just becoming available at Sears (really Michelans), made a big difference. Should have gotten power disc brakes, it would not stop from anything over 60 mph, found out the second day as I flew through a toll, luckily nobody in front of me. Disc brakes came standard shortly later, but no “recall” in those days. But, overall, it was one of the best, of the 30 or so cars, I have owned. The oldest being a ’39 MG.
Hey Charlie! Unfortunately that steering wheel actually is the original ‘68 wheel. Certainly not as attractive as the ‘67 wheel but it is what it is.
Back in the mid 70’s my racing buddy who ran a B Prod Corvette found that the displacement rules for his C2 changed and he was able to begin running a 350. What to do with the hot rod 283??? Put it in a 5-6 year old Chevelle wagon, up grade all the suspension – disc brakes, panhard rod, big sway bars- let the upholstery guy in our circle of friends have his way with the interior, squirt dark silver over it, and last but not least put on some 8 inch MiniLites. He drove it a couple hundred miles to knock the rough edges off the build then gave it to his wife as a grocery getter. Back then, she was the hippest Mom in line to pick up the kids after school.
Kudos to the seller for the close up photos. The repaint looks like it was done with a brush or roller. I couldn’t see evidence of a column shifter or gear indicator on the dash which makes wonder if it was a factory bucket/console car, I know it has the wrong seats.
Looks like it was a home improvement project; They used Spackle and house paint.
The location of the Blow Hole seems odd to me.
I had a ’68 300 series Nomad back when it was only 9 yrs old..Missouri snow n salt had already exposed a portion of the gas tank and lower front fenders.. 307 and same PG trans..Wish I didn’t already have a ’60 Comet project going on..
Examination of the registration pictured shows the car was purchased in 1973. The registration is for 2002 thru 2003. I think it is fair to assume the car hasn’t been on the road and possibly not run since 2003 although it does look like it has been sheltered during this time.
I know it was service in 2012 I found a receipt and I know it was driven here from La Veta to Walsenburg in 2017.
I “assumed” that the seller would have posted the most recent registration for the vehicle & no license plates are visible as they are on the Satellite. It makes little difference. A decent early 350 or freshening up this one plus a Turbohydramatic 350 transmission isn’t going to break the bank. It is ridiculously underbid now. I wish I had a way to get it to Ohio.