The seller describes this plain, original (that’s the original paint in between the surface rust patches) Chevelle as a blank canvas despite being largely untouched. Unfortunately, I wish there had been a little more touching in the way of past maintenance and care! It’s listed for sale here on eBay. Current bidding is up to $1,625 but it hasn’t met the reserve yet. The car is located in Hannibal, Missouri although it has a bill of sale from Georgia (old cars in Georgia don’t use titles according to the seller).
While it may be original paint, it’s anything but pristine. And honestly, I’m surprised to see this much rust on a Georgia car; maybe it didn’t spend it’s whole life there, don’t ya know? I’m guessing this was a midwestern or eastern car at some point given the extent of the rust.
Unfortunately, the rust continues on to the bottom. Thanks to the seller, though, for including pictures of it. They suggest that the floor can be patched and that it will need a trunk pan as well as some other sheet metal patches. One thing that’s great about a car like this is that every part you need is available – at a price.
Based on this bumper sticker (note there’s no rear bumper to put it on) it was in Georgia at some point. WEEG is now WBKZ and serves the Athens, Georgia area. Go Dawgs! There are also photos of a vanity plate that reads Street Freak, but with no explanation as to what that means. Perhaps that’s what a previous owner named this Malibu in it’s heyday?
Based on what I can see behind the driver’s seat, I might go for the full pan here. Of course, that depends on what you are trying to do. If you want a concours restoration, you aren’t looking at this car anyway. Especially since there’s a six-cylinder of undetermined origin under the hood. I think that’s part of the reason the seller is thinking of this car as a canvas. It has the desirable two-door body and there’s enough car here to work with. The obvious choice is to put an LS engine in as so many of our commenters are happy to point out. So just to spice things up a bit, tell us in the comments what engine that isn’t a GM V8 you would install in this car if you were creating a restomod? I look forward to your suggestions!
bmw v-12?
Original paint and Patina? This one is sad. already not worth the buy in and it hasn’t met reserve. Don’t forget, cars like this are getting hard to get. SMH, but good luck to anyone brave enough to take this bucket on.
Cheers
GPC
I’m amazed that people would pay money for stuff like this when you can buy a nice done for almost half of what it would cost to restore this. I guess getting older gives you a different viewpoint.
Cool car when new. But what is left, i think is only a parts car. Better buy a better projekt, and save a winter with a welder.
When you start cutting out, you will never finish. When halfway, you cant stand look at it anymore.
So much is only fun, if 3 good friends really can teamwork.
Once a street freak now a yard ornament! Oh how have we fallen from such astral heights.
If you were to media blast it, there wouldn’t be much left.
The glass
The seller says he just got it, but wont have time to redo it, so someone’s going to get a great deal.. no kidding? This heap looks like its been sitting in one of those old time junkyards in the woods since 1979 ,and he just dragged it out thinking he struck gold . I wouldn’t trust that the doors and fenders aren’t rusty either; you don’t get to see under the hood where the water collects, and the trunks seams are all rusty and is likely full of holes. As for the floor ? well, there’s more holes than floor ,likely since its been sitting up to its rockers in wet dirt for decades. Its only a 6cyl car too ,and he doesn’t even show a pic of that. The clock is probably the only thing worth salvaging, and even that probably doesn’t work !
Northerners go to Georgia to get unrusted cars, when I was restoring a GTX, I was encouraged to buy a body from Georgia and transfer the parts over (I didn’t). This looks like it was under water.
Can you say “Catrina Rescue?”
But it still has it’s original shocks!!!
Mike
I had this exact model and color in High School. Sold it to Wesley Hoffman from Roanoke in 1985 and looking for it ever since. 6 cylinder, 2 speed auto, bench seat, and the trunk floor was rusted away completely. Wish I could find that car.