The 1974 model year was a difficult one for U.S. automakers. All of a sudden, gasoline was no longer cheap, and motorists were sitting in long lines waiting for a few gallons (thanks to the 1973 OPEC oil embargo). The buyers’ interest had begun to shift to more efficient vehicles, which began to hurt sales of mid-size and full-size automobiles. That being said, Chevrolet was still able to sell 362,500 Chevelles in 1974, including this nice Malibu Classic Sport Coupe. Though it has 122,000 miles, it looks to be a sold-running and good-looking car residing in Stafford, Virginia. It’s available here on craigslist for $15,000.

Third-generation Chevelles arrived in 1973 featuring GM’s all-new “Colonnade” design and styling which eliminated convertibles and true hardtops. While the doors featured frameless glass, enlarged B pillars were in place (on 4-doors) for greater protection in case of roll-overs (2-doors had wider C-pillars directly behind the entryways). In 1974, the Malibu was now the base model with the Malibu Classic filling the mid-range slot (top-of-the-line was the Laguna). While I-6 engines were still standard, many Malibu Classics were built with a 350 V8 and 2-barrel carburetor like the seller’s car (per VIN decoding).

No mention is made of a rebuild of this Chevy’s engine or TH-350 automatic transmission, but we’re told the car runs well, However, the carburetor and intake manifold have been upgraded, so we suspect this Malibu produces north of the stock 145 hp. The car has several new parts and/or work done, including the brakes, fuel pump, tune-up, rear suspension, and tires.

There is no rust on the body and the black paint looks nice enough (original or otherwise). The upholstery has been redone (sorry, bench seat up front) with the rest of the passenger compartment looking comfortable enough. The car was inspected just a couple of months ago and should be a turn-key acquisition for its next owner. If you like this era of Chevelle production, the seller’s Malibu seems like a nice survivor-quality automobile for Cars & Coffee outings. Thanks for the tip, Tony Primo!