If there is one high point of vehicles made at the turn of the 1980s, it was that manufacturers were forced to learn how to package together light and lean versions of vehicles in an effort to make fuel economy part of the program. Look at what happened with the Ford Fox cars and the GM B-bodies. What had been overstuffed disco bordellos with license plates were suddenly trimmed down and tidied up, and the public snapped them up in a hurry. Why? Because at the time, less was more. Less gingerbread and less curb weight to drag around meant that a 150 horsepower engine suddenly felt sprightly compared to the year prior. And look at where cars like that are now: Fox platform cars are the darlings of the racing world and B-body GMs are more popular than you might have guessed.
The difference between the 1977 and 1978 A-body cars was stark. The 1977 Chevelle was a two-ton Tessie, a Colonnade roof holdover that had to share a year with a full-size Caprice that was about the same exact size. Not good. When the 1978 Malibu replaced it, the size difference was stunning…the replacement car was about the size of the rear-drive Nova. It was crisp, weight was down, and the cabin was nice and airy. Chevrolet and GM as a whole did well on the A/G body line of cars from their introduction until their end in 1987, and just about all of the models made are now beloved classics. The Malibu has always appealed to me in two-door form…it’s a basic three-box shape two-door sedan with an engine bay brimming with possibilities and a chassis that can be tuned to handle pretty well. And with restoration companies starting to make replacement parts for the line, now would be the time to snap one up and either hold on for a project or have to drive.
Channing Ivey gets the nod for tipping me off to this clean bodied 1979 example that falls into the Rough Start classification. It’s got Weld Draglites on it, has a new windshield, master cylinder and fuel pump, and has coilovers at all four corners. You also get an aftermarket sound system and a recently upholstered seat. And for $4,975, that sounds like a pretty good start, right? Well, it’s Craigslist, so I can already hear the devil’s advocate question: “So, what’s wrong with it?” One, you’re getting a V6 model. Two, you’ll find minor dents and dings…a show car it isn’t. And three involves the interior. I’m sure that pea green will be a turnoff, as will be the carpeting and the drooping headliner. Hey, it’s a 1980s American car, you expected the headliner to be in the same place? C’mon now, be real.
Does the good outweigh the bad? Of course it does. Buy the car, fix the headliner, and save up for some new interior parts and the engine swap of your dreams. But get the Malibu while they are still in reasonable money.
Craigslist Link: 1979 Chevrolet Malibu
endless power train combinations, full perimeter frame, light weight, good looks, affordable buildability – whats not to like?!
Yikes, 5k for a v6 non-a/c car that needs a complete interior. I’d consider that one a complete “roller” if that makes sense. Looks like a survivor that someone put a set of wheels on to give the look, then flip for big bucks. I’m not hating the player, just the game.
Time to update the insurance on my G-bodies.
My favorite line from Drag Week this year was when the tech inspector saw my 80 Malibu with faded paint and asked me “Where do you people find all these grandma cars?”
“Well sir, this was my grandfather’s car”. He admitted his grandparents had passed down a car from the 80’s….but it was a Citation.
Curious how the plastic interior panels are like. They tend to get very brittle over time. It’s amazing how the price on the cars have jumped. Owned a few of them over 20 yes ago.
In New England, a clean FRAME malibu is hard to find! Most I see are rotted away behind the rear axle (which is ok I guess if you’re going to tub it).