As Good As It Looks: 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu
We’ve all looked at car ads and wondered, “does it look this good in person?”. For once here’s a car that is exactly as represented. Mr. Parker was given this Chevelle by his parents when he graduated from college on April 12, 1965. Perhaps you wish you still had your first car? This Chevelle is nothing special or particularly rare, but it is a V8, 4-speed car with a bench seat. It also came equipped with positraction and the heavy-duty suspension. It was listed on eBay and was bid up to only $14,200, but didn’t sell. It’s now listed at the California Automobile Museum (I happen to volunteer here and have seen it in person) for $18,995. Mr. Parker took really good care of his Chevelle until the day he died and he saved every receipt. This Chevelle was one of 5 cars in his small collection. A Model T Street Rod he built in the 1980s is also listed on the website. Most of the paint on his Chevelle is original, but a few panels were resprayed in 2012 when he repaired a few dings. The engine was rebuilt in 1996 and has only about 3,000 miles on it. He also added upgrades like front disk brakes with a proportioning valve, new radiator, and electronic ignition. It also has 2-inch drop spindles that give it a nice stance.
The interior is box stock and original except for the shifter and the tach. I don’t believe Hurst shifters were a factory option back then. The interior looks really nice for 154,000 miles. Sitting in this Chevelle is a bit ghostly but it really takes me back in time.
Mr. Parker really did save every receipt. Even the Hurst lifetime guarantee card is there. What a treasure trove of history!
Here’s the 327. It’s only the 250 horsepower version. Sure, a 396 would be more fun, but the 327 still gives this Chevelle lively performance while still being relatively efficient.
You can see on the purchase order that the positraction upgrade was $37.37 and the 250 horsepower V8 was a $94.70 upgrade. The V8 upgrade would be over $700 in today’s money. The bottom line, though, is only about $23,500 in today’s money.
There’s no good picture provided of the underside, but it all looks solid with no signs of rust.
This Chevelle is far from perfect, but it’s an honest, straight and very original car. It was the owner’s pride and was well maintained. If this was just another car on eBay I would be skeptical as usual and wonder what was under that paint and how much rust was underneath. To those who don’t appreciate originality, this Chevelle is worth no more than a $10,000 clapped out rust bucket, someplace to stuff an LS motor. For those of you who can appreciate this car, what do you think it is worth? What would you do with it? I would keep it exactly as it is, drive and enjoy it.
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Comments
What would I do with it: wash and wax it, check the tires and fluids and take it out for a spin. My first new car was a 67 Malibu, and I did look at a 64 & 65 Chevelle.
As was stated, this is a good, honest car and it deserves to be out on the highway. That’s where it belongs.
Nice car. Very fair price for a car in this condition and documented history.
Steve R
It’s an amazing car I love these cars but they way before my time I was born. But when you said first car I’m like my first car I still have it. Its an 1987 Ford Bronco that I got from the second owner of the car and have under 160,000 miles on it. With only one decents on it in the tailgate. And some rust on the passenger side but it all from 1987 wish there was more people to take care of cars like this guy did.
I”m somewhat surprised it didn’t sell at the initial price. Good-looking Chevelle and I like this one more than the ’70 Nova
My first car in 1968 was a 1965 forest green/black SS. Four speed, 327 four barrel with positraction. The factory, reverse lockout, shifter could be problematic. Very few ‘65’s were produced with 396’s…
200 SS396 in 65. Dan Blocker (Hoss) had one of them, given to him by Chevrolet. I was in Socal in mid 70’s and smogged one for a CHP Officer. Have always liked this body style, and this 327 is begging for headers and a cam. Love the bench seat, but the white wall tires gotta go. I think 19k is a bargain.
Dan’s family sold that car before the price craze of today. It brought big money though even then.
Just about 200 is all that were produced
Great car, reasonable price. The 327 was probably the best engine Chevy produced, ample power, good gas mileage, and reliable when not abused.
Interesting that it’s not a Super Sport, which, imho, adds to its appeal, some 53 years on.
Hope it goes to a loving home…
If my dad was giving me a new car, I would be grateful for the 327 with a 4 speed and a posi instead of a 6 automatic. “What do you mean you want an SS? Why would you want bucket seats? Don’t you have a girlfriend you’d like to sit next to you?”
(Lucky me. I gave my kid 5 cars before he went off to college and he never complained! Not even the second one, a Hyundai! He owes me a Tesla and a Model 3 will be just fine.)
David, my folks buying me any car would have been an anathema, full stop. Had it been the opposite, I’d have been grateful for whatever they gave me, although, I suspect that I would have had some say in it.
Your comments reminded me of the time a buddy of mine went with his dad to order a new Dodge Challenger, which would be the kid’s high school graduation present – this was 1970 and the guy fell in love with my dad’s 383-powered version.
The salesman at the dealer asked what engine the kid wanted and he said, “a 340.” (My suggestion.)
“Excellent, choice, Son,” the sales rep replied, “That’s a racing engine…”
…His dad ordered the car with a 318… LOL
I like the styling of the 67 Chevelle more, but that is because I owned a 67, Chevelle SS 396 350 hp, 4 spd. It was even the same colour but with the vinyl top.
I would buy this car in a minute, and enjoy it as a summer driver just the way it is. That 327 4 spd would make it a fun car to drive.
A good buy for someone.
Bob
Neat Car!! I agree, take good care of it and enjoy it for what it is. It just might be the only one like it that’s left.
I think this is a great little car, with some nice options.
Heavy duty suspension was only $4.85. That sounds like a deal to me. That’s only $38.95 in today’s money so it still sounds like a deal. I wonder what you got suspension-wise for a little less than 5 bucks back then?
FLASHBACK!! Just like the one my grandmother drove, excepting hers had a maroon top and an auto. When it was replaced with a 1975 Dodge Colt, she stated that the Colt “didn’t have the get up” of the Malibu! :-)
My first car was a 67 Cutlass Supreme. I got it in 78. Would rather have had this Chevelle. What a nice car. My street racing Uncle married my Aunt in Yonkers, NY on Halloween in 1970. I was not happy about that. Anyway, our car broke down on the way and my Uncle’s friend Vinny came and rescued us in his 65 Chevelle. I was 9 years old and remember sliding off the back seat because it was jacked up so high.
Good memory.
There’s an alien in the trunk.
ET reference?
Back in the mid 80’s my oldest brother bought a clean 65 Malibu SS with a 327 and powerglide. It still had original paint. (medium blue). He didn’t have any plans for it, but it was so cheap he couldn’t pass it up ($500). He planned to flip it to make some money. He did some odds and ends to it and put a sign in the windshield for $2000. I tried everything I could to work something out with him, but he sold it in a few days to one of his friends. I can still remember it. It still had the original T3 headlights, hubcaps and the washer fluid bottle under the hood. The interior was nearly perfect, with one split seam in the headliner. (How is it I can’t remember what I had for lunch, but I remember that, 30 yrs ago???)
Repo man
@ Jim…I thought more people would have got the Repo Man reference!
I love this car. BUT to go with the disc brakes I would put on aluminum heads, intake, Holley carb and 350 hp cam. True dual exhaust no headers
And lastly a Hurst shifter….Day 2 mods. I’m dreaming now. LOL
Put together an ass-ripping 406,4.11’s out back,keep it looking stock under the hood,and go out,well,ya know,rip some asses.I’ve always loved these 1st gen Chevelles.This is a great start to a “Super Sleeper”
I had a 64 with the 327/300hp also 4sp with bench seat back when these were just cheap used cars. It was one of the better cars I have owned, I would be proud to drive this car just the way it is. It’s not an SS so I think the asking price is a bit too high. I think the original bid of $14,200 should have bought it.
Always the comments about the high horse power big blocks. I had an Impala 3 speed stick 327 300 HP back in the day and it was fast…I suspect a lot of readers are arm chair gear heads who thin 300HP is for lawn mowers.
Noticed it has a similar licence plate to the Bullitt Movie Charger
RDR838
Love this car. AND a 250 hp 327 cu 4 gear won’t get you run over.I was freshly married back then and my racing days were on hold since I wore out my street warrior and was driving my father’s old Buick…(I did resurrect myself a few years later.)