Among the many interesting cars that I grew up riding in the back seat of, there’s only one car I genuinely wished stayed put instead of being moved on. I couldn’t tell you what year Chevrolet Malibu it was off-hand, only that it was in that funky banana cream yellow color, but with a black louvered hood and a stout 350 hooked to a four-speed. I loved that car because to me, that signified the perfect family car: enough room for two adults and two teenage boys that were growing exponentially, plus cargo room, but it didn’t look like all of the typical cars, SUVs and minivans that I saw other parents driving. I promise you that Derek’s dad was not going to leave the middle school barking second gear. There was no way in hell that the Oldsmobile that Michelle’s mom drove was going to repave half of the county before the weekend was through. Everybody wants to talk about how the family car is the boring, dependable machine. It doesn’t have to be that way!
With the Monte Carlo SS nosecone and an overall “Choo Choo Customs” vibe about it, this 1979 Malibu station wagon is everything I adored about the Malibu from back then, and then some. The Monte SS nose takes me back to my high school ride. The whole “Choo Choo Customs” look works well, the 350/four-speed powertrain is just about perfect (though, a six-speed would be even sweeter) and we can even dig the monotone paint. If the interior is as clean as the exterior, this car is golden. Would we change anything? Maybe some 17″ N50-style wheels and 1987-style Super Sport stripes and logos that fit the Malibu…maybe. It’s not like the car needs anything now but a new owner…
That’s cool…