Only Two Owners! 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu
From its introduction in 1964, the mid-size Chevy Chevelle would quickly become one of the GM division’s best-selling cars. Perhaps the most successful was the second generation which ran from 1968 to 1972. The ‘69s got a mild facelift and the SS editions from 1969-72 are quite popular today. This example is not an SS (real or clone), just a good old family-type Sport Coupe that appears to have been babied for 54 years. A two-owner auto, it’s in Williamsburg, Ohio, and is available here on craigslist for $35,000 firm.
In 1969, the Malibu Sport Coupe was Chevelle’s most popular model/body style. Out of more than 500,000 Chevelles built (including the El Camino), 300,000 of them were this car. That’s 3 out of every 5 to roll off the assembly line. And 95% of them came with a V8 engine, beginning with the base 307 up to a 396 in Super Sport garb (the SS 396 was no longer a series of its own). The seller’s car seems to have been ordered with most of the common accessories of the day, except for factory air conditioning.
We’re told the seller is just the second owner this Chevy has had. No mention is made of a restoration, but it looks awfully nice for closing in on 100,000 miles. The body side moldings appear as though they may be aftermarket which could suggest that it’s been repainted. And the vinyl top seems to be nice and tidy, just like the matching interior. The seller seems to like both Chevies and Fords as the garage has both a 1969 Camaro in the background and a Ford Blue Oval sign hanging on the wall. The Hatfields and McCoys must have made peace!
This Malibu has a 350 cubic inch V8, which is probably a 2-barrel. The transmission is automatic, but it could either be a 2-speed Powerglide or a TH-350. There are no signs of rust, and this car looks like quite the keeper, though the photos don’t do the vehicle justice. Better pics would have been taken in the sunlight with the camera tilted to Landscape. It’s a beautiful car, but for the money, you’re getting into the low end of SS territory.
Comments
Yes, this car could come to my place. It might come a lot faster if it was a 300 with a 6 cyl./3spd. It seems that everyone has got a ’69 Malibu and everyone else has got a numbers-matching (don’t forget that) ’69 Malibu SS 396. I settled for a 300 coupe back in ’69 and I’ll eternally regret selling it. Of course a nice Malibu would still be a desirable ride…
I agree with ya geomechs! The closest I ever got into the Chevelle territory was it’s cousin the ’70 Monte Carlo……wish I’d never sold it either!
Nice to see one that’s original!!! Here’s hoping it stays that way. I’d love it, but I would miss factory A/C.
My friend wouldn’t miss a/c – it went down to 41 degrees overnite by him & AUTUMN just STARTED! lol
I used to cut a lady’s grass who had a Malibu like this. She sold it off long before I was able to drive. Another beautiful car destined to become somebody’s unfinished project.
In 1978, for $650 I bought my first car, a 1969 Chevelle that was the same colors as this one is both inside and out, including the same color vinyl top. However mine was not even close to being in the condition this gem is in 2023. Mine came with crunched right front fender, recapped snow tires on the back with basic hubcaps vs the rally wheels this one is wearing, and it had a very tired 307 that burned a lot of oil. I learned a lot laying on gravel wrenching under and inside the engine compartment on that car. I really learned about how many miles per quart of Penzoil I could get out of it before it hit the danger zone.
Still don’t understand the allure of a plain-jane Malibu when 35K will buy a decent pony car – a car designed to be sporty from the get-go.
This is not a desirable SS and making it one after paying 35K is ridiculous!
The typical old man or old ladies special at one time. Not to sure about sticker price. They may live with this one for a bit longer, but it is a clean basic specimen.
Not everyone wanted a high performance engine when they went out to buy a new car. One of my sisters and husband always bought cars based on value. My other sister and her hubby bought small block powered Malibu’s with 4 speeds so they could race lower stock classes. Those engines gave NHRA and non-chevy cars fits because they always got good weight/hp factors.
Besides not being able to hold 4 adults, I think another reason why not many pony cars were sold this century was that you could/can NOT buy a cheaper one with a lower to insure low output v8/v6 – say 200/150 hp – like in the 1960’s & 1970s – remember how many you saw back then on the road, parked even in the street used in all sorts of weather?! – these days i can go weeks w/o seeing even one on the road! & i rarely even see one parked in a driveway, let alone on the street – as if they are all creampuffs – i don’t get it.
Joe, That’s because these cars are now 50 years old. They have served far beyond their planned useful lives and have long been replaced by more reliable transportation.
Jus think of the lives that most of these cars lived, whether pony or four door. This car is one of the lucky survivors in that it had only 2 owners and was treated nicely and stored out of the elements – how many do you think lived that sort of life – 1%?
Hi, I had a 68′ malibu 2dr black V/top, I called the paint corvette blue. got it in 73′ for 1350.00! lot of $ back then. grandmas neighbor w/13,396 miles! drove like new…307 2brl 2-spd. put headers on it, paid a 6-pk of pounders and some cash. the guy raced at a local track. bought a 400 FB…came home from work dad was there…no malibu. he sold it! 24,000 miles. didn’t care it was 1st car. said I couldn’t have 2 cars…you can guess the rest of that conversation!!!! not to worry, got a 58′ Roadmaster..stolen in the early 90’s…my goal was to keep ALL of them, I told my dad they would sell for 50K…I was 18-20 then! dad died before I could tell him, I was Right.
$1,350 was a lot of money in 1973? That’s $9,358 today, adjusted after inflation. Try finding a good looking sporty used 2 door car today for the latter price, or even an ugly 4 door, let alone either with such low mileage as your Malibu had when you bought it!