Ok, readers, I have to tap into your extensive knowledge bank again. In the middle of the night a few days ago, I was hunting down 1973-77 Chevelles just to see what’s out there in the world. Originally, I started out hunting down Craigslist and eBay ads, but when it’s the middle of the night and everything becomes a blur, the internet takes you down the proverbial rabbit hole and the next thing you know, I have what is either one of the coolest mysteries I’ve ever found or a proverbial snipe hunt on my hands. And this is where I ask you to help me out. If you readers can tell me all about a Trans-Am Lincoln, surely somebody out there knows a thing or two about this car and can share with the class.
Looking exclusively at the Chevelle range, there were a few smoldering beacons of performance early on: the Super Sport option remained for 1973 before being discontinued, the Laguna model took the place as the flagship Chevelle through 1976, and there is that one Baldwin-Motion Phase III 1973 Chevelle that we’ve covered before. After that, though…it’s all padded roofs, fluffy interiors, weak-sauce small-blocks and flyer gears, right? Apparently not. The mystery Heavy Chevy is referred to as a 1977 Chevrolet Chevelle SE, and mystery it certainly is. I’ve struggled to find pictures or in-depth information, but here’s what I’ve got so far: there are about fifty of these Chevelles, which were created as part of a dealer’s design…think about what Mecham Pontiac did with Firebirds and Camaros about the same time period and you’ve got the right idea. The base car was a 1977 Malibu Classic with the Laguna-like louvered quarter window, a 350 four-barrel, and a floor-shifted automatic. A special ducktail spoiler, Western turbine mags and the Chevelle SE stripe kit were added…after that, we simply don’t know what else was put on these cars.
Now, the interesting part. Normally, if this was a factory offering, this would be all flash, no dash…another Decal GT musclecar from the late 1970s, an interesting footnote but little else to be bothered with. But if we use cars like the Mecham Macho series of cars as an example, where the dealership added some extra horsepower into the equation, then we might actually be looking at something special. If nothing else, that rear spoiler alone looks pretty decent on the big Malibu and could stand to be reproduced, and there might be a disco fan or two that would like to build a phantom SE for themselves. Have any of you seen one of these, or remember them from when they were new? If so, tell us about them!
A Chevelle SE (special edition) was available and provided front and rear spoilers, turbine II wheels, F60x15 tires, special graphics and decals, quarter window trim, front and rear sway bars, F41 sport suspension and a deluxe interior. Three colors were available. 50 of these rare cars were built. In 1978, GM downsized its intermediate line and decided to apply the Malibu name to the whole range as it had higher recognition among buyers than Chevelle. From Wikipedia
Wikipedia fail. Misleading, wrong, and out right made up info on that site.
The Chevy A body was split 3 ways:
Chevelle
Monte Carlo
El-Camino.
In 1973 Malibu became a Separate Model from Chevelle, before it was a Trim level on a Chevelle.
In 1974 The Chevelle Model name was Gone.
The Malibu as a RWD was last made in 1983 model year. El Camino until 1987, Monte Carlo until 1988 (owned one). The M/C Came back as the 2 door on the Lumina chassis in 1995. The Malibu returned in 1997 on the Short N platform shared with the Cutlass 4 door from 1997-1999, Many parts are shared with the Grand Am, especially 2002-up.
These ‘Chevelle SE’ cars have ‘Malibu Classic’ Trim level marked on the bezel for the right tail lamps. That means if you look up the body trim codes they left the factory for the vehicle converter as Malibu Classics. They may have some Odd ball RPO’s. Get me the build sheet and I can tell you what was Factory GM and what was a conversion part.
According to “Chevy Super Sports” by Terry Boyce, published in 1981. The above is true, plus: In 1977 “Demand for a sports type Chevelle was still there though, and a Wichita, Kansas based custom outfit, Special Editions Inc.,decided to fill it.”
This may be one reason for the Kansas plate on the car in the picture above. And yes, I’ve had the book since 1981.
I vaguely remember a press release copied in some magazine. Google \”1977 Chevelle SE\” does get hits.
Stand by, I shall summon the Facebook group for 73-77 Abody guys…
I am the owner of 2 of these ” mythical” creatures lol I have owned 3 but I sold the black one Pictured to get the twins in silver. I have had them for a little over a year now will post more when I get off work thanks Chris aka Cappy for showing me this
I just the forum I will Make a Post in Projects for I am knee deep into restoring one of these Chevelle SE and have done Extensive research on them
looks like a basic 1977 with f41 a 2nd gen Camaro duck deck spoiler and wheels and decals slapped on it..
or left over can am spoilers after they canned that waiting on new molds
lots of cool cars in the 70’s that just need good old smog-delete mods and old fashioned engine hot rodding… and major trimming of those horrendous boat anchor bumpers, they look like someone grafted warehouse shipping docks to the cars