The 1971 model year was the eighth for the popular Chevrolet Chevelle, a mid-size car. The Malibu was the best-selling model and the only way that you could get a convertible that season. Just 5.089 drop-tops were built with a V8 engine, and the seller’s rough project was one of them. Some restoration work started then stopped 20 years ago and it may have been sitting out in the elements ever since. The seller believes this vehicle has promise, but the pessimists out there may disagree. The roller is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $5,900.
Chevelles received updated styling in 1971, so they were easily identifiable from those of the prior year. The Chevelle went to single headlights in ’71, like the Monte Carlo personal luxury car. More than 368,000 Chevelles were produced that year, making the Malibu convertible somewhat rare when new. There’s not much of anything original left of this car, starting with the engine and transmission which took flight long ago. The interior is mostly gone, too, with much of It succumbing to the elements.
We’re told this Chevelle will need everything, and the seller is not exaggerating. Rust has found its way into everywhere from the frame up, which you might want to replace if you could find a better one. A lot of the exterior sheet metal was replaced ages ago, and Mother Nature may be working her magic on those panels now. There are no floorboards, trunk pan, or anything usable in the engine compartment. There is a VIN tag, but it’s mostly illegible.
Whatever you choose to do with this rough Chevy will be done without a title. It will come with a bill of sale and a New York State transfer of ownership paperwork. While this is something of a rare car after 54 years, rarity doesn’t always add up to being valuable. If you wanted to restore a 1971 Malibu, would you opt for a better baseline? Our thanks go to Barn Finder Chuck Foster for bringing this tip our way.
Are you trying to reach someone at Barn Finds to place a classified ad? If so, I can forward your message to the site managers.
Push it back into the river.
Send to the dumpster
Cars are expensive. I’ve never understood why people leave them outside for decades to rot away. This one is a basket case, and may need to be hauled away in baskets. I didn’t see one useful part.
The vin number has half rusted off.. This one is rough… If you are willing to weld almost all of the panels into a car and drop mega dollars enjoy. If not run as fast as you can from this project.
Good luck with the sale… The alternative is just to spend 19 grand with moonlightclassics dot com and get a new body not including the dog house or the frame.Replacement Body Details
Convertible Part Number: CH70CV
Price: $18,500*
This 1970 Chevelle Convertible body shell comes complete with doors and deck lid pre-hung and properly fitted to the body.
Moonlight Drive Classics is the only company that includes the complete body package which consists of both front fenders and a hood – ready for installation. Various firewall options are available.
All Replacement Body Shells are encased in a strong welded steel cage with forklift shoes for easy loading and unloading. The body shell is bolted to the shipping cage.
This quality 1970 Chevelle Convertible body shell is officially licensed by General Motors.
*Please note: A Crating and Handling Fee of $595 is applied to all purchases. All body shells are shipped FOB Camarillo, California freight prepaid, or you can make your own freight arrangements.
Sounds like the best option, but how would you register it? If I were a young man, this is exactly how I would do an old car. I could care less about collectability, just the raw pleasure of the build and driving. That is the way the hobby once was, back before modern economic slavery ruined so much of the world.
Hello Curt:
New York is still a BOS (bill of sale) state for registration of old vehicles. This means getting NY BOS and taking it to your local DMV (call to validate pre purchase of car) should take care of it. I would prior to getting inspecting search for a vin plate for the dash to put in place. EBay has some made for Chevrolet etc. The frame and other spots will have the vin to validate as well as the title or BOS.
“New York rolls that all the way back to 1972, making a valid title required paperwork if you’re looking to buy a vehicle out of state. Even for vehicles built before 1972, you need to fill out a Certification (Affidavit) of Sale or Transfer and a Title Application.”
DuckDuckGo or Google NY Title or type in w w w dot hagerty dot media (fwd slash) archived(fwd slash) how-classic-car-friendly-is-your-state(fwd slash)
$5900? Is the seller trying to show up
the amatuers at the local comedy club?
Junkyard please!
If I had to spend $5900 on an A body from these years I’d put that as my top bid on that nice driver 4 door Olds from yesterday.
Al Capone’s former get away car?
$5900 for a windshield and a rear view mirror is a bit steep. Those are about the only things of value you’re going to get from this “roller”. At least it’s still not as bad as the Samba wagon on BF a couple of years ago which was literally just a pile of boards and some sheet metal.
Every now and then you can find a nice starter car for under 5k, like the 62 GMC just posted. I learned the hard way not to buy a “classic” for under 5k. As a lot of you know, in the blink of an eye you are 10k into the car. But this hot mess for 5k… Forget about, What’s there, what’s not there… Like, everything…
If you’ve got an itch to burn $6 grand? Here’s your Chevelle.
What’s left, sympathy?
Absolutely no benefit to dropping thousands into a project like this. It is not a super sport, has no recognizable vin, and no drivetrain. Move on
All I see is a pile of rust. Where’s the car?
this POS made be good for parts if you can buy for less 1500. no title vin plates issues. bad scene here
$1500? Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. This junkyard dog is in rusted out Mopar territory, and they are a laugher as well. It is OK to dream, but at some point, one’s dreams become delusions and once that happens, professional help is highly recommended.
Jeff,
NY is not a bill of sale state. Prior to the issuance of title certificates around 1973 or 1974, we had transferable registrations. Your registration card, which now stays in the glove box to show cops when pulled over, used to say “transferable” on the front. This is/was your title. When you sell the car, you sign the back of it just like a modern title. Registration cards for cars newer than that say “nontransferable” on the front. Those cars have an actual title certificate.
Where is this scrap metal? Auto grave yard? Can’t even recognize what the car was at one time. All that’s left of it is bare metal that got burned and tried to make it worthy by putting on some used tires. They might be able to melt it down at a smelting plant.
No floors and you get a free ratchet strap to keep the trunk shut!!