The Chevelle was born in 1964 and was Chevrolet’s mid-size automobile through 1977. After that, the cars were downsized for better fuel economy, and the Chevelle name was dropped in favor of Malibu for the entire lineup. The seller has a 1979 edition of the Malibu Classic Landau with a 4-speed manual transmission, a rare factory option. Located in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, this car is a cosmetic project that’s been off the road for a few years. It’s available here on eBay without a reserve, with the current bid standing at just $795.
Chevrolet shrunk its full-size cars in 1977, so it was natural that the intermediates would come next the following year. The new, reinvented Malibu lost no less than 500 pounds and about a foot in length, making it not much larger than the Nova compact that was on its way out. You could buy a basic Malibu or a Malibu Classic (fancier). The Classic Landau, like the seller’s car, came with a two-tone paint job and a vinyl top. While a V6 was standard, 305 and 350 cubic inch V8s were optional. More than 25,000 copies of this body style/trim Chevy were built in ’79.
Estimates are that fewer than 2,000 Malibus were assembled in ’79 with a 4-speed, making the seller’s car rare today among likely survivors. Whatever V8 was under the hood originally has been replaced by a later 350 with Vortec heads and other performance goodies. The 4-speed is original but needs attention to function properly. This Chevy was updated for speed and runs and drives, but we’re told it’s been out of action for several years. But before then, the engine went in, and some suspension pieces were upgraded.
The seller says the body needs “final work” before being repainted, and there is almost no rust. You’d be better off towing it home because it needs to be gone over to ensure its roadworthiness. The Malibu nameplate would live on for many years before finally retiring in 2025 as Chevrolet shifted their focus away from sedans to SUVs and trucks.
Even when these were new, it was rare as hens teeth to see either a Malibu or an ElCamino with a 3 speed or 4 speed manual. It was always like a special treat for me to spot one. I was always looking inside cars as I walked by to see what transmission it had. ( I wasn’t a normal kid, and actually come to think of it, I dont think Im a normal adult either…….) I’m hoping this gets a new lease on life.
I had no idea these were offered with a 4-gear. The only manwell I recall being offered with these, were a bunch of sedans with a V6 & 3-speed, some taxi deal that went bad with a Middle-Eastern country…
A coupe with a small block and 4-speed would be great fun. I’d lose the alloy Camaro wheels, probably run with Rally rims, prop it up high enough to run backroads.
The so-called “Iraqi Taxi” or “Iraqibu”, manufactured by Chevrolet of Canada (since the US had a trade embargo on Iraq at the time) for shipment to the government of Iraq. Supposedly they were intended to be used as taxis but there were stories of them being awarded as a death benefit to widows of Iraqi soldiers killed in the Iran-Iraq war at the time.
The cars were equipped with the 229 (smallest available) V6, A/C, a 3 speed manual, a 200 km/h speedo, and an AM/FM/cassette radio. (That radio was a serious luxury feature at the time, in an otherwise bare-bones car.) Iraq took about half of them and somehow the deal fell apart after Iraq had taken delivery of about half the cars. The complaint was that the transmissions were hard to shift and indeed GM Canada did send some techs over there to do some work on the shift linkages. There were also rumors of nonpayment.
One way or another 12,500 of these things ended up on the Canadian market, at a fire-sale price.
This may have had a 267 in it. Another rare thing that GM put in vehicles. They made the 305 seem like race engine. I’ve only seen one in a Monte Carlo of the same era. This could be fun for burnouts. Getting traction is hard to do with these.
This would be a fun car to mess with and the price is right so far. Too bad it’s on the other side of the solar system.
I agree with Russ, I always thought that these small Malibu’s were a good version of the Chevy2/Novas of which I had several. A couple of times I looked for an El Camino of this era but never found anything in the price vs condition I wanted. Better off towing it away? LOL.Unless they got a local buyer, beautiful as it is, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is 2 weeks from everywhere (scene from the movie “O Brother where art thou?”). :-) Terry J