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1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Customized With Two-Tone Paint Job, ZZ383 Engine

The Malibu is a shadow of its former self, a mid-size sedan with front-wheel drive that can be described as a nice rental car at best. Half a century ago, though, the Malibu was a top-line package for the Chevelle.
1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu custom coupe 35 photos
Photo: Old Forge Motorcars
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This 1969 model is testament to the nameplate’s glorious past, and as the headline implies, the two-door hardtop also happens to be a tasteful restomod with a two-tone makeover that combines gloss black with red.

VIN 136379B356705 shows only 2,492 on the odometer since finished, and it’s no slouch either thanks to a ZZ383 crate engine with two four-barrel carburetors. The short-block engine is a Chevrolet Performance design that promises 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet or so right out of the box.

Offered by Old Forge Motorcars for $36,900, the Malibu has also been treated to a crate transmission in the form of a 700R4 automatic with overdrive. 3.73 gearing for the 12-bolt posi rear end makes this fellow perfect for cruising as well. Power steering and disc brakes up front, Velozza ZXV4 tires in as-new condition, a tilt steering wheel, and Cragar S/S wheels are featured too, along with air conditioning and a classy AM/FM radio.

Subject to “an earlier frame-off, nut-and-bolt restoration utilizing top-shelf components” according to the selling vendor, this one-off restomod boasts an exhaust rumble that “makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.” That may be wishful thinking, though, especially if you pit this fellow against a flat-plane crankshaft engine like the Voodoo in the Shelby GT350.

The interior has been treated to black-and-red mats that combine rubber with some sort of synthetic material, and all four of them read Chevelle in the classic script from the 1960s. A T-handle shift knob, a rev counter that goes all the way to 10,000 rpm, and front-seat lap belts need to be mentioned too.

Both the engine compartment and the underbody look as clean as you can imagine them to do, and this is also the case with the trunk. Pop it, and you’ll find a space-saver spare wheel instead of an air compressor or tire repair kit.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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