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What's the difference between a Chevelle and Malibu

HammerDown

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was it a base trim level, intermediate, or deluxe
and what did it consist off???matching colored seatbelts?chrome thingy's?right side mirror?radio delete?
inquiring minds want to know.....and me too

I owned a '72 Malibu in California. I bought it as an SS clone and it had a 383 Stroker, 50s in the back, sitting up and looking badass but the Malibu was a 350 or smaller engine and it looked like a grocery-getter to me. I think it's the Chevelle that you'd buy for a housewife.
 

outofyourmind

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I owned a '72 Malibu in California. I bought it as an SS clone and it had a 383 Stroker, 50s in the back, sitting up and looking badass but the Malibu was a 350 or smaller engine and it looked like a grocery-getter to me. I think it's the Chevelle that you'd buy for a housewife.

actually I've tried to read up on this and all i get is, yeah it's different, but nobody can really tell you more than that. The engine thing changed in '67 I believe.
If Malibu was a trim level on the Chevelle, then what were some of the other trim level names??
I guess SS is one of them, but there had to be others.
Nobody seems to know.
 

HammerDown

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actually I've tried to read up on this and all i get is, yeah it's different, but nobody can really tell you more than that. The engine thing changed in '67 I believe.
If Malibu was a trim level on the Chevelle, then what were some of the other trim level names??
I guess SS is one of them, but there had to be others.
Nobody seems to know.

The Camaro had a ton of different options, the Chevelle not so much. Off the top of my head I remember there were dealerships back then taking stock GM muscle cars and doing really nice stuff to them like COPO, Baldwin-Motion, etc. It's pretty fascinating stuff and must have been really exciting back then to actually own one.
 

Yankee Traveler

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Chevelle = Base Model
Chevelle Malibu = Luxury Model
Chevelle SS = Sport Model

Luxury back then only meant different vinyl and all other options were still options. Solar tint windows may have been standard as well.
 

Yankee Traveler

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So, the Laguna was a Malibu then??

View attachment 26093


For '73 it was a Chevelle Laguna and was the top of the line, one step above a Chevelle Malibu.
In '74, when the Chevelle name was dropped, it became a theoretical stand alone model called the Laguna S-3, while the Chevelle Malibu dropped the Chevelle and became the Malibu Classic.
Clear as mud?
 

outofyourmind

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For '73 it was a Chevelle Laguna and was the top of the line, one step above a Chevelle Malibu.
In '74, when the Chevelle name was dropped, it became a theoretical stand alone model called the Laguna S-3, while the Chevelle Malibu dropped the Chevelle and became the Malibu Classic.
Clear as mud?
No wonder I couldn't keep it straight.
Liked the Laguna S3 a lot though.
 

Yankee Traveler

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No wonder I couldn't keep it straight.
Liked the Laguna S3 a lot though.

I had the Malibu Classic.
Actually, I had three of them.
A '73, which I went over the river and through the woods with.
Litterally. I had never driven on ice or snow before that. I got much beter at it after that.
A '76 that I failed to keed the shiny side up and the rubber side down. I had never driven on boiler makers before. I got much better at drinking boiler makers after that.
And lastly a '77. I beat the snot out of that thing. Repeatedly. It was not powerful, but I could not kill it.
I raced it, I jumped it, I worked out of it. I put over 300,000 miles on it (bought it with 75,000) with many of them foot to the floor.
When the body finally could not be viably patched to pass an inspection, the motor went in a buddies race car, and the transmission went in another buddies Monte Carlo, which he drove for another 7 years.

Fluid changes and tune ups. All I ever did, but I still do them religiously.
 

outofyourmind

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For '73 it was a Chevelle Laguna and was the top of the line, one step above a Chevelle Malibu.
In '74, when the Chevelle name was dropped, it became a theoretical stand alone model called the Laguna S-3, while the Chevelle Malibu dropped the Chevelle and became the Malibu Classic.
Clear as mud?


So what did the Laguna turn into after that??
 

Hank Kingsley

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I remember this thread, this is where I brought up my father-in-law's 1969 Beaumont 4 door with a 350.

That car would be different today.
 

outofyourmind

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Did anyone ever really figure this out

You pay for the name. Malibu were basically the "family" cars, bench seat, column shifter, straight 6 with a power glide, 3.08 open rear end.

Turning it into the chevelle, with a 396, 4 speed, posi rear end, bucket seats, floors shifter etc.

I have a 66 malibu, so I know what it came with, but thats all the expertise I can give you.

If you are buying a 66 malibu with anything other than a straight 6, glide and open rear end, its not original.

Not sure that is accurate.





Malibu was simply a trim package of the Chevelle. That simple.

You sure it wasn't the other way around????





For '73 it was a Chevelle Laguna and was the top of the line, one step above a Chevelle Malibu.
In '74, when the Chevelle name was dropped, it became a theoretical stand alone model called the Laguna S-3, while the Chevelle Malibu dropped the Chevelle and became the Malibu Classic.
Clear as mud?

Ok, got that part of it.




I'm not sure I ever became unconfused in this thread. :D



Somebody has to have a real answer to this mystery.

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Eugene Baker III

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Did anyone ever really figure this out



Not sure that is accurate.







You sure it wasn't the other way around????







Ok, got that part of it.








Somebody has to have a real answer to this mystery.

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A lot of options...scroll all the way down: 1966 Chevrolet (USA) Chevelle Malibu Hardtop Coupe full range specs

283 327
 

BTHOtu

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No one named their rock band after a Malibu
 

Manster7588

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All I know is I want a 66 Chevelle SS. I take a Malibu but I'd still pine for that BAD ASS SS.
 
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