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SS Tribute Potential? 1972 Chevelle Malibu

From the looks of the parts that go with this car, it appears that the seller may have purchased it with the goal of making an SS 396 or 454 tribute out of it. But, that’s just speculation and life and other projects get in the way, so the car is up for sale. It’s a base Malibu coupe with a non-running 307 V-8 and an indeterminate color besides primer grey. The car and all its parts, new and old, are located in Pearland, Texas and available here on eBay where the no reserve auction stands at $6,550.

Chevrolet rolled out the Chevelle in 1964 as a mid-size car to compete with the Ford Fairlane. The car’s second generation ran from 1968-72 and would be the automobile’s most popular and iconic years (remember the SS models). The cars were little changed in 1972, the last year of that body style, still wearing the single headlights adopted over duals the year before. The Malibu 2-door sport coupe would be one of the line’s best sellers, with more than 207,000 units built that year. Many of them left the factory with small-block V-8s, like the seller’s car that is said to have a 307 under the hood.

While the seller doesn’t say, I’m thinking he had bigger plans for the car when he bought it. Why else would you buy a brand-new cowl hood to replace the rusting stock hood unless you envisioned swapping the motor out for something bigger? We’re told he bought the car as a project, but other efforts will prevent him from getting to it. The engine is said to turn over, but the seller has not tried it himself. We assume the transmission is a Powerglide and that it’s still there. The body is rusty and coated in an older spray of primer. Besides the hood, new replacement sheet metal that will come with the car includes trunk (lid or floor?), floor pans, fenders, and rear deck filler panel. We’re told that the frame looks good and the glass is all there.

Oddly, no interior or engine compartment photos are provided. We’re told there are no front seats, but the rear seat frames and door panels will come with the car, but they will need to be reupholstered. The dashboard is said to be complete but showing signs of wear. The wiring is “not cut up” which implies that anything that was removed from the car was done so without damaged the wiring. It is also said to have been an original factory air car, but the seller doesn’t say if its all still there and hooked up.

The mileage in the listing is 30,000, which would suggest the car has had a very rough life, if accurate, but 130,000 sounds more likely. Non-SS Chevelle’s from this era don’t carry the lofty price tags as the SS models do (north of $50,000), so figure a Malibu with a 307 V-8 is worth one-third the money. That gives the buyer some room to complete a restoration, although tribute cars don’t bring the money that originals and restored versions do. Would you build it this way or go stock?

Comments

  1. Avatar Steve R

    The seller is inadvertently telling potential buyers how rusty this car is when they list the sheet metal that comes with it. Potential buyers would be wise to keep looking, by the time they buy this car and repair the rust they would be better off starting with nicer car, even if it cost more money.

    Steve R

    Like 3
  2. Avatar David B

    I bought a 72 Chevelle Sport Coupe, silver with black interior, A/C, automatic with the 307 V8 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida brand new at the dealership for $2950. Just reminiscing.

    Like 3
  3. Avatar William

    A girl I dated for a short while in college had an almost new 1969 Malibu. Can’t remember the engine it had, but I know it was a V8. An awful nice car, but I tried to tell myself ” Its okay, but it isn’t a Dodge”. I felt guilty about liking it so much. Never brought her home to meet my folks, goodness, what if Dad had seen that car! He always said, he didn’t care who I dated, but she better be a Lutheran and drive a Chrysler. We all assumed he was joking, but sometimes I wasn’t so sure. This car brings back good memories of the local drive in. (Her car didn’t have the huge cracked windshield that my ratty 56 Plymouth had. Not that seeing the movie was all that important anyway)

    Like 6
    • Avatar Desert Rat

      And I was just the opposite, raised my daughters knowing there will be no Chrysler products in my driveway.

      Like 4
      • Avatar Martin M

        No Dodge in my garage.

        Like 1
      • Avatar Gene

        I’ve had all kinds of cars in my 72 years 51 to be exact from First one Metropolitan 58 to new 68 SS 396 at 19 yr old to original 66 Dodge Polara Conv now in country of Denmark to now drive 200 Chrysler HT conv. I’d take Chrysler product any day. Talk about car shows for 20 yrs owning the 66 never seen another one in a show from Northern ky to Tennessee

        Like 1
  4. Avatar Guardstang

    1972 SS option was available with any optional V8 including the 350

    Like 0

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