If you’re looking for an affordable classic, you could do worse than this 1975 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu, offered here on RestoMods in Castle Rock, Colorado. GM’s Colonnade cars are gaining traction in the market the higher horsepower pre-smog muscle cars have risen beyond the means of many first-time buyers. While this specimen lacks the more desirable 454 engine or S-3 Laguna package, it does have the nifty swivel-bucket seats. Plus, since this car is a plain model that’s already modified inside and out, you can take this solid-looking driver in any direction without incurring the wrath of the bow-tie faithful.
After a vinyltopectomy the patient awaits a fresh replacement. Unless that’s primer we might assume the car was originally green. The seller includes a number of close-up pictures showing the car’s weak spots… always a good sign. A mixture of current and 2015 snapshots show the vinyl top and what look like Pontiac wheels that have since been replaced with red-painted “steelies” and trim rings.
Though not fully prepared for Pebble Beach, the interior is “New/NOS/near new… taken a long time to get parts to convert to black.” Note the factory A/C vents and A/C blower box in the engine compartment. The aftermarket steering wheel is much nicer than the typical el-cheapo upgrade, and it may look either awesome or out-of-place depending on personal preference.
Don’t expect this mid-70s small-block to tear your head off when you bury the throttle, but these are fun cars, and the seller has it running with many new parts installed. Note the vintage HP trick of inverting the factory air cleaner cover to increase airflow and free up a few ponies. If you try this at home, make sure the hood closes before you drop it the first time. The seller claims to have invested $4,000 after purchasing the car for $3,000. With that in mind, the opening bid of $1,800 and a Buy-It-Now price of $2,800 might be just the ticket to get this car sold. The buyer might be someone who had one of these in high school, or someone looking to get into the hobby and enjoy some Saturday car shows. Who do you see as the ideal buyer for this Colonnade classic?
Floor shift and buckets……….Id rock this phucker
Car looked a lot better before they started messing with it.
This is the way to go on a limited budget.
Plenty of affordable suspension/brake upgrades make the A body cars handle and stop very well. Replacement sheet metal is cheap and easily sourced.
Insert a well tuned junkyard LS engine with an overdrive auto or a 5 or 6 speed manual, a 3.73/4.11 geared rear, this car will out run and out handle most muscle cars of the 60’s and early 70’s for a fraction of the price.
I had a 74 Malibu Classic, 350, 3 on the tree. Fun car. Recurved the distributor and added live vacuum, plugged off the egr and ran a whole lot better. Went from 10 mpg to about 18 and had some real life to it.
Don’t think that the car was ever green. That looks like the adhesive used to hold the vinyl top down.
I actually have a 77 442 350 olds swivel buckets console……although started to strip the car helping a friend start to restore it when his wife hit him with divorce papers……well he calls one day says dude she says if its not gone by Monday morn shes sendin to the crusher…..being a pontiac guy it wouldnt normally of been what id say was on my want list but couldnt see it go to the crusher……so i said bud that sucks heart broke for him…..its his dream car goin to the crusher…..said id buy it but im in the middle of restoring a 62 4 spd catalina……here comes the twist…..he tells me bud u go save it u can have it no money nothin come get the title its yours….so n a mad dash mid sunday to load the car parts ect……so now im about done with my cat…..its still a few down the line after my pontiac power willys wagon gasser and my 50 silverstreak…..being a pontiac guy but still loveing any classic car regardless of make or model i couldnt let it go the crusher…n plus the louvered hood on the 442s look cool worthless but by then it was all decoration
I see value here and a good start for someone.
I have seen these cars with the bumpers tucked in and they actually look much nicer. With some early 70’s Z/28 wheels or some late 70’s C3 Corvette alloys this car would improve the look even more. Leave off the half vinyl roof and paint it sold color,
I wish these would get more popular with parts suppliers. I need a complete floor pan for my 75 El Camino. Nobody makes one and I haven’t been able to find a good used one in the Southeast.
I hear you ACZ, I’ve been trying to find the interior plastic trim sections that go around the door openings, rear window and above the windshield of my 77 El Camino, all I can find are the 2 front windshield verticle trims, does anyone know if the rest are being repo’d, I’d kill for a set, even good used would do, color not an issue, I found the lower inner door panels, they’re not a problem, it’s the rest of the crap plastic that’s turning to dust as well that I can’t get.
My great uncle bought a brand new 75 Malibu Classic sedan he had to wait months to get. It was orange with a white top. Had the 454 4bl and the Corvette wheels and tires. He sold it to my mother during the gas shortage and bought a new VW Dasher.
The colonnade chevelles were fugly, and that is putting it kindly. I don’t think many chevy guys even like them, since I never see one at shows. The last time I saw one was about 10 – 12 years ago at a shopping center, painted rattle can black with overspray on everything, and a number 3 placed in random places.