The mid-size Chevy Chevelle was in its ninth year and still going strong in 1972. Next year, the cars would receive their first redesign since 1968, so there was little to differentiate them from 1971, except for the front turn signal lenses. This ’72 Malibu was probably a typical Grandma 4-door sedan, but it seems a few things have been done to it to reverse that image. Located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, some cosmetic work remains on what may be a survivor. It’s available here on craigslist for $7,100. Another tip brought to us by Rocco B.!
Many Chevelles were purchased for family use. In 1972, 48,575 Malibu sedans rolled off the assembly line with four doors. And 92% of those had a V8 under the hood, either a 307 or 350 cubic-inch engine. This Chevy has the latter, but the seller’s wording leaves some uncertainty if this 350 was mated to this Chevelle in ’72. If the odometer is correct at 71,000 miles, this Malibu may have only been driven to church and the grocery store for part of its years.
We’re told the Bow-Tie runs and drives great with some mechanical work done. It may now have a 4-barrel carburetor and intake manifold, dual exhaust, radiator with twin electric fans, alternator, and more. You can cruise around listening to tunes on the retro Bluetooth radio. The interior is basic stuff, and some of the threads are coming loose on the front bench seat.
The exterior needs attention. There is rust that goes beyond the surface variety, and the beige paint has faded and has been touched up in places. But we’re told the undercarriage is clean. The car lacks wheel covers (though the seller has them stashed somewhere), which adds to the bad boy look the seller may have been going for. This could be a fun restoration project – unless four doors are too many to be cool at Cars & Coffee.
If you’re a true car guy you’d love these cars no matter how many doors. Yes, this is less desirable than a two door but you should still feel the love.
Looks to be already gone. And who really cares if it’s a 2-door or a 4-door, it must’ve been priced right to be sold that quickly. Face it folks, almost all the 2-doors and convertibles from this model
year have already been bought up
by collectors who will sell them for prices far beyond the reach of
average guys like us who can barely afford a modern car ($48-
$50K as I write this). And with the new tariffs on new cars, this lowly 4-door sedan was quite a bargain. I probably would’ve fixed the rust and repainted it champagne gold, tinted the windows to protect the interior, and added some dog dish hubcaps to those freshly painted
steel rims and called it a day. To
me at least, sedans like this one
could still be used as daily drivers
That could easily be a justified purchase to your wife or significant other the next time the
two of you go car shopping. And it was just right for a professional
family guy like me.
If you used this Chevelle as a daily driver, anywhere northeast of the Mississippi? It wouldn’t last as long as your $50,000 SUV.
I agree with Ken’s comments!
So true Casey. And with new car
prices going through the roof, cars like this are a real bargain. With these, you can have your cake and drive it too. Just find a decent car like this one, buy it, and build it your way. In these tough economic times today, it just makes sense to invest your time and labor into a car like this instead of paying anywhere from
$750-$1,000 a month for a modern car that’ll wear out BEFORE the payments will. And there is more than enough stuff on the aftermarket to keep one of these things running indefinitely compared to more modern cars. And the best thing is, you can do most of it yourself.
I think if you take a step back you’ll find that today’s vehicle lasts much longer than the those of our youth. Last year Car and Driver listed the average vehicle on the road today at 12.6 years. That takes into account the number of vehicles that are much older. Proof that these units are better is that banks now finance 10 year old and older vehicles. When I entered the business in 1991 many wouldn’t go past five years old. We shouldn’t let our personal judgement get in the way of facts.
I like this old Chevelle but I’m not sure my wife would welcome an unairconditioned car with manual brakes. She’d tell me to drive it myself.
This is a really well cared for car, I’d drive it, I might add air conditioning, something like vintage air, but most likely would love having the windows rolled down. As for how many doors? Not anything I’d even think about. With those highly sought after cars it used to be you could drive them, anywhere. You can’t, well you can, drive them to the store, the movies….it might not be there when you go back to it to go home.
I’m with you on this. I also am a cyclist and many of us “older” riders like to go on about older bikes being the best. The term is retro-grouch. Fact is modern bikes are better except, maybe in looks.
Same applies here. Manual drum brakes can stay in the 1960s. No AC is a no go here in S. Fla. Retro modding can fix those things but that’s different.
Old cars and bikes are “right” when it comes to appearance and nostalgia. They’re fun to spend time in or on but not every day transportation.
i got a 70 chevelle 4dr with a sb 400 in it a bit rougher than the 1 here. what’s that worth? may be time to sell