The fact that this 1972 Chevelle Malibu Convertible has spent the past 20-years hidden away in a garage doesn’t seem to have had any major negative impact on the car’s condition. It has emerged into the light and been coaxed back to life. It would appear to need very little to return it to a roadworthy state, although the next owner might choose to undertake a restoration to return it to its former glory. Located in Creston, Ohio, you will find the Malibu listed for sale here on Craigslist. The owner has set the sale price for the Convertible at $15,400.

The Malibu appears to be a very original car, and this extends to the Sequoia Green paint that it wears. The owner indicates that the car has never had a repaint, and generally speaking, the panels appear to be quite straight. There is some minor damage to the front fender on the passenger side, but this should be easily repaired. Likewise, the amount of visible rust seems to be quite limited. The passenger side of the Malibu is very clean, but it looks like there might be some rust appearing in the bottom of the driver’s door. The owner supplies a good selection of photos of the trunk and the floors, and while there is a reasonable amount of surface corrosion present, actual penetrating rust appears to be non-existent. He says that the top works fine, but it is starting to look a bit tired. If the next owner is considering treating the vehicle to a restoration, then replacing the top might be a good option. It is possible to source a good quality top with a glass rear window for around the $450 mark, and given the difference that this would make to the car’s appearance, it should be money well spent. The majority of the external trim and chrome looks quite good, although the accident damage on the front fender has also resulted in the front bumper being damaged. I think that this is beyond repair, but new replacements can easily be found for about $220. Having said that, there is no reason why the Malibu couldn’t be used as it currently stands.

Powering this Chevy is the venerable 350ci V8, while the next owner will also find themselves with a Hydramatic transmission and power steering. After the extended slumber, the owner has done what is necessary to coax the 350 back to life. It has received a new battery, new plugs, and points, fresh oil, the carburetor has been checked and adjusted, and the timing has been done. The result of this work is a car that now runs well and sounds good, and the owner has been able to drive it around the yard. It goes without saying that the Malibu is going to require a thorough inspection before it could be considered to be roadworthy, but at least the next owner would seem to be starting from a pretty solid base.

The interior of the Malibu is a bit of a surprise, because by-and-large, it looks like it might respond really well to a deep clean. The driver’s seat is going to require a new cover, but the rest of the white upholstery appears to be free of any rips or tears. Being white and having sat for so long, it has developed a dirty look. However, I don’t believe that this is any form of significant or permanent discoloring. The dash looks good, while the pad appears to be free of any cracks. The console is a nice touch, and this looks to be in good order. We can’t see the state of the carpet, but I tend to think that the whole interior is going to require more time than money to whip it into shape.

Taken on face value, this 1972 Chevelle Malibu Convertible would appear to be a very promising project vehicle. One of its greatest attractions is that it would seem that it won’t take a lot of time or money to return the car to a mechanically roadworthy state. As far as rust issues are concerned, these would appear to be quite minimal, and none of them require urgent attention. That means that there is no reason why the car couldn’t be driven and enjoyed fairly quickly, while restoration work could be completed when time, money, and/or circumstances allow. With nice examples now easily fetching figures in excess of $30,000, that makes this a project car that is well worth investigating further.