The Impala helped push Chevrolet well beyond a threshold that not even the GM brand believed was attainable eight years prior, making 1965 the year of the Impala.
Impala proved that all the modifications and the increased emphasis on big-block units were exactly what Americans wanted when it became the first car in the US to sell more than one million units in a single year following World War II.
The Chevelle tried to follow a similar approach, and despite not being as popular as the Impala, its customer base continued to grow. Chevrolet also added more performance-oriented options in the Chevelle lineup – 1965 witnessed the debut of a 327 V8 with 350 horsepower, in addition to 250 and 350 horsepower options already available.
The Chevelle Malibu convertible that made its way to eBay earlier this week doesn’t come with a V8 unit but uses a lazy 230 six-cylinder mill to get you from where you are to where you want to go. You’d think this is a major shortcoming and a reason to walk away, but once you discover what’s under the hood, you’ll probably want the Chevelle right here and now.
Initially, the 230 is the initial unit that was included in the vehicle. The same family had the Chevelle for its whole existence, and they took good care of it. The eBay seller oldcarsnortheast claims that the Chevelle has always been garage-slept, and the original Protect-O-Plate is even for sale. You can go anywhere with the 230 when combined with a Powerglide transmission that performs flawlessly. Since storing it in a garage is the only way to maintain the amazing kilometers on the clock, the buyer definitely won’t want to drive it too often.
The odometer indicates just 32,000 miles, and the seller says they are original. The car has never been restored, molested, or altered, though it did receive an aftermarket stereo with Bluetooth and AUX input.
Apart from that, the Chevelle is amazingly authentic and in excellent condition, particularly inside the interior where the original seat covers were still in place. The vendor claims that the owner attempted to repair some damage on the driver’s side back in the 1980s, but the quality of the repairs left a lot to be desired, so the paint isn’t flawless. A thorough respray to make it sparkle like a diamond would be desired by a collector, but the best way to know if this is the wisest course of action is to see the Chevelle in person.
The Chevelle is located in Groveland, Massachusetts, and considering its working shape, it should be able to drive to its new home on its wheels.