This 1969 Chevelle started out life as a Malibu Sport Coupe and became an SS later. And it has a 454 cubic inch V8, something that wouldn’t come about until the 1970 model year. The 396 would have been the engine of choice in 1969, the last year that the 396 would actually be a 396 (really 402, but that’s another story). This looks like the perfect car for Saturday night cruising, in excellent but not perfect condition. A drive and enjoy it type of car. Originally built in Kansas, it’s still there in Bonner Springs and available here on eBay. There is no reserve waiting to be meet and the bidding is up to $21,800.
After being its own series for a few years, the Super Sport was back to option status in 1969 (RPO Z25). Some 86,630 Chevelle’s were ordered in 1969 with RPO Z25, so there were plenty of these cars to begin with — and even more once you factor in the clone and tribute cars that have been added to the population in recent years. The seller’s car is one of the latter, although we don’t know how long ago it switched from ordinary Malibu to an SS.
This ’69 Chevelle Malibu looks really nice with its Fathom Green paint being flanked by a dark green vinyl interior. The seller says its an older repaint with a deep clear coat that makes it shine day or night. There are a few blemishes in the paint, so it’s not show quality per se, but the body panels are all super straight. The hood includes a three-inch fiberglass cowl that was molded into the steel. There is no mention if there has every been any rust but being kept inside a garage when not used the past 20 years has certainly help it stay in shape.
The interior was redone a couple of years ago, including a Dynamat underlay. The bucket seats were new then and the all the rest new or refreshed. The overall car is said to have 70,000 miles on it and there’s no reason to believe that’s not spot on. The car rides on a set 15” Rally wheels with tires that have plenty of tread left. In order to give the car what the seller says is a “perfect stance,” the front has been lowered 2.5 inches and the rear 2.0 inches.
A professionally built 454 sits in the engine bay and has some performance upgrades so it can run on pump gas and it’s flanked by a Turbo-Hydramatic 400, also professionally built. Exhaust is provided by a set of Flowmasters that give it a nice rumble without being obnoxious. The car has power steering and front disc brakes, and the dash has vents for factory air conditioning, but there is no longer any hardware under the hood to support it, so its four windows down at 60 mph!
A true 1969 Chevelle SS in this kind of condition could be a mid-five-digit car in terms of resale value, according to Hagerty. But it’s not of show quality and not a real SS or numbers-matching, so how much it might it fetch today? Unless the bidding doesn’t go crazy toward the end of the auction, it might go for under $30,000. Would that be a bargain or a travesty for all the SS purists out there?
Nice looking car. Good for him to say it started life as a Malibu rather than an SS, the next owner likely won’t. The cowl tag does not differentiate between an SS and Malibu in 1969. As long as the car came with a V8 and didn’t have one of the two special order SS only paint colors buyers need to rely on factory paperwork or matching numbers to for verification.
Steve R
Clone, tribute?…call it what it is, A FAKE…
As long as that fact is fully disclosed what’s the crime? Would the language “custom build” be easier for you? There’s really no difference.
Raymond L. Saunders….so are our wives when we take them out on the town, right? They aren’t in their “original” shape and hue, and they even smell and talk better…..but, then I assume you’d consider them “fake”….come on….
wow..do you smell better too ?
IMHO that’s a shockingly nice hue and it’s lowered stance proves just how good 60s cars look once they’re closer to the ground and wearing the right colors.
I like honest sellers (who doesn’t?) and personally I really don’t care whether it has been cloned into an SS396. Wouldn’t even mind if it were still badged as a Malibu either. Considering how valuable a legit SS is I’d actually find it to be somewhat relieving it’s not the real deal, as I wouldn’t feel so tied up to keeping it 100% OE
Nothing wrong with a clone unless the seller is trying to pass it off at the “real deal” price.
To me the cloning deal is about the only way the everyday guy can have the car of his dreams with today prices but I just would not put on the call out emblems that say it an SS or Z28 or what ever, because I would get so tired of being asked “is that a real ________?” Then what do you say “no it’s a clone or you lie and yea it’s a real”, this would get so old to me. My 69 Camaro looks every bit a RS/z28 but no emblems so I enjoy the looks and style of my favorite car with none of the drama.
John Hugh says, “wow, do you smell better, too”?
No, John, I prefer not too, she prefers me not to, also…..scientific studies prove its a fact…..women prefer sweaty smelling men.
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/03/study-finds-sniffing-sweethearts-sweaty-t-shirt-may-lower-stress/