Only 57k Miles! 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu
The most popular model and body style of the Chevy Chevelle in 1970 was the Malibu Sport Coupe. More than 300,000 of them were built that year, including the still-popular Super Sport. This edition is a nicely maintained family vehicle with a small block V8 engine and just 57,000 miles. It has been treated recently to an extensive maintenance regime that includes a few mechanical upgrades. Located in Acworth, New Hampshire, this Chevy can be had for $18,750 OBO here on craigslist. Once again, Rocco B. is on the hunt for great tips like this one!
When the seller’s car was built, the options checklist was kept fairly low. The original owner opted for the 307 cubic inch V8 over the inline-6 and a TH-350 automatic instead of the 3-speed manual transmission. Power steering, but no power brakes. No factory air conditioning, but two-tone paint, Classic White over Autumn Gold (I had a ’70 Nova that wore those colors). In 53 years, a little more than 1,000 miles were added to the odometer with each turn of the calendar.
The paint is not original but holds up well (though not as mirror-like as I recall for the hue). There are a few scratches and chips as you might expect. The interior is original, and the only apparent flaw is a minor tear in the driver’s lower seat. The rest, such as the carpeting and dash pad, are up to snuff. An AM/FM radio with an 8-track tape player is there to serve up some tunes while you’re cruising around.
Mechanically speaking, the front brakes have been upgraded to discs and the ignition is now without points. The Chevy sports new tires and other replacement stuff which adds up to all new brakes including the master cylinder, some suspension components, a rebuilt carburetor, and various other items. We assume this work was done due to age, not there being more miles than is indicated. This automobile presents as a nice Malibu that hopefully will be left original and not made into an SS clone.
Comments
Price seems reasonable for all the upgrades completed for sure. Once had a 68? Malibu wagon w/307, white w/woodgrain.
This is my dream car. An unmolested 1970 Chevelle.
Darn, and we were just down that way. Could have checked it out, perhaps driven it home!
The ultimate expression of this body-style with the quad headlights; the frontal view works best with the proportions of this layout.
Across the street from where I picked up my newspaper bundle(s) there lived a young lady who had a steel grey ’70 Chevelle SS. Once she had me throw my newspaper bundles in the trunk of that car and she drove me a few blocks to the town’s bandstand pavilion to get me out of the rain. I remember the Chevelle as having otherworldly power on-tap.
The young lady (probably 22 then and recent college grad) wasn’t the area’s street-terror with that hot Chevelle. I don’t recall an instance of her beating it or even chirping the tires.
In memory, the mental image of that attractive young lady demurely getting into or out of that Chevelle SS remains safely tucked-away. The last time I recall seeing her and that car was in ’77 at the local firehouse for the town’s annual 4th of July celebration.
A woman driving a hot car is irresistible
Nicely understated, Andy.
GONE.
I’m still not seeing a plain jane Chevelle with a low power, common day V8 being worth so much. Make it a same year pony car Camaro and then I’m interested.
1970 Chevelle has a strong a following as a 1969 Camaro. If you are going big block it is definitely a better choice. Somebody scored a nice deal on this one.Nice find Rocco B..
Then you just aren’t paying attention to prices for clean muscle cars. This was a STEAL at that price. They could have asked mid-high $20ks if they had a couple weeks worth of patience to find the right buyer.
Muscle car with a 307? Am I missing something? My comment is about this car in particular, not what it could become with another 20K put into it.
If I was buying a 1970 Chevy, I would rather put that money into a Camaro or Corvette and lose some of the plain-janeness.
lose the mud flaps.
Amazingly beautiful Chevelle. Great period color and features like the two -tone paint. Someone loved this car and treated it like it would be the only one they’d ever have. Heck, a Hydra-matic instead of a powerglide? This is a time capsule.
Probably a future SS with big wheels & tires.
I doubt any of these were sold with manual disc brakes especially to females, when cheaper 4 wheel POWER drum brakes required much less pedal pressure than even today’s power disc brake appliances – & could put you through the windshield if you weren’t careful when braking..
Unusual, but not unheard of to get manual disk brakes in those days, although I’d have left the drums to keep it original. I love it, mostly original in beautiful condition. And a 3 speed instead of the powerglide. Here’s hoping it remains mostly original, preserved and enjoyed for what it is, and not butchered into yet another ridiculous hotrod or SS clone. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these in two-tone paint, they either had a vinyl top or were just one color. And, that 307 was a tough little dynamo, and will move that car just fine.
Looks like a very nice car but personally I would rather have a 68 because I like the shark nose Style front end first of all and I also like the wing Windows/vent windows second of all. I’m a bigger fan of the 69s bigger tail lights but I could do without those tail lights to have the wing Windows of the 68. 68/69 is always been my favorite years. My uncle had a 69 that they put a 69 Corvette 427 in it that had been balanced and blueprinted, had a bigger cam and was built considerably. At 70 miles an hour I told my Aunt to drop second gear and step on it to see what it would do and the car went sideways and almost scared her to death. More fun than anything I’d ever been in at the time. I would give them all up for a 66 427 4-speed though. 👍
Man, I miss the bench seats. I have a 70 LS6 with bucket seats and wish it was a bench seat. Had a 63 Impala way back when and, that was the only bench seat car I’ve ever owned.Loved that car. Was my first car.
Too nice to molest. I’d add a brake booster, and because I can’t help myself, some Rally wheels ( the 15″ give better tyre options) And dual exhausts.
OK, I’ve ‘molested’ it a little. Nothing that doesn’t bolt on and that wasn’t available ex factory