Project or parts? That’s the big question that this 1967 Malibu poses. The fact that it has rust issues doesn’t seem to have deterred potential buyers, because the bidding has been very strong since the vehicle was listed for sale. With their ongoing popularity, any Malibu from this era that comes onto the market is bound to generate plenty of interest. If you can see a use for this rusty classic in your life, then you will find it located in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and listed for sale here on eBay. There have been 37 bids submitted at this point, and this has pushed the auction along to $2,025. That has seen the reserve now met and means that this is a car that is set to find itself a new home.

The Chevy rolled off the production line in Atlanta finished in Ermine White, but it has been treated to a color change at some point. The owner had originally envisaged the car being built into a street or strip car with the engine bay housing a Big Block crate motor. As so often happens, the project ended before it could really get going, so the Chevy found itself pushed outside to face the worst that good old Mother Nature could throw at it. The result is a car that now has some pretty substantial rust issues, and the owner is very candid about this fact. That has given the tin worm ample opportunity to get a foothold, and virtually every piece of external steel below the body moldings will require replacement. The car also has no hood, so the front frame rails have been exposed to the weather as well. It isn’t clear whether they have suffered any damage, but there are other factors to consider which might determine whether or not the car remains a viable restoration project. The glass in the driver’s door is either down, or it’s missing entirely. This has allowed plenty of moisture to find its way inside the vehicle, and with the carpets still in place, that provides a nearly perfect moisture trap to promote rust growth. We don’t get a look at the floors, but there is a fairly high probability that the carpet is all that will be between the driver’s feet and Planet Earth. That will also raise questions about the state of the frame, especially if the floors are badly rotted. When I look at the car overall, one thing that really raises some concerns is just how badly the passenger door aligns. Combine that with the prominent “do not open” sign scrawled on the glass, and that suggests that there could be some problems with the A-Pillar on that side. If we look at this purely as a donor car, it does offer a few pretty respectable parts for its next owner. All of the external trim and chrome items are present, and anything that isn’t in good condition is certainly suitable to be restored. Likewise, the glass that remains appears to be factory-tinted and is also free of any major flaws.

The interior of the Malibu is complete, but beyond the seat frames, it is hard to spot much that could be salvaged and restored. With the driver’s window missing, plenty of moisture will have found its way inside the car. There is a fair chance that a reasonable quantity will have found its way into the dash, doing the electrical components and gauges no favors at all. Sadly, someone has also decided that with the external change of color, the interior required similar treatment. It was originally finished in trim code 775, which was the very attractive combination of Medium Turquoise Roncina cloth, with imitation leather in the same shade. In fact, you can actually see some of the original color showing through on the door trim. This is now a pretty sad sight, and it further raises questions about this car’s restoration potential.

Big Block? Small Block? No block! It isn’t clear exactly what occupied the engine bay of the Malibu when new, but there is some indication that before it finished up parked where it now sits, there was some form of V8 lurking there. If the next owner does intend to take this on as a project car, then it really will be a blank canvas. Maybe a 396 could find its way there, or the next owner could choose a 454. Of course, they also might choose to slot in something altogether newer, which could provide a nice combination of great performance and good manners. It’s an open question, and it will be interesting to see what our readers would do if they chose to tackle this one.

So, back to my original question. Project, or parts? The viability of the Malibu as a project will depend on the state of the frame, but on the surface, it doesn’t look promising. Even if someone does take it on, it promises to be a monster project. Is it one that you would take on, or is its fate going to be as a parts car?