With the impending acceptance of cars that weren't previously accepted as a "Classic Muscle Car" ie Chevelle. When did the words Chevelle come off of our beloved Chevelles and actually become something else?


Rocky

Literally? 1977. They were strictly Malibus in 78. The beginning of the G body style.

Figuratively? Some catalogs and manuals still called them Chevelles all the way through the 80s.

Somewhere I thought I read that in 74, Malibu was appearing all Chevelles.

So that 74+ Chevelle and Malibu would appear on all cars.

So-----73 would be the last year of a stand alone Chevelle.

disclaimer--------not absolutely sure about this

What Chris said.

It was just something that made me wonder. I've never heard people say thats my Chevelle Laguna.

One would think that once the Chevelle moniker dropped off, The car became something else. After all these years Chevelle's were only considered really up to 72 and then something else after that, cars that once were not, now are,
Just thinking out loud.


Rocky

It was just something that made me wonder. I've never heard people say thats my Chevelle Laguna.

One would think that once the Chevelle moniker dropped off, The car became something else. After all these years Chevelle's were only considered really up to 72 and then something else after that, cars that once were not, now are,
Just thinking out loud.


Rocky

My Sis and BIL had a 4 door 77 "Chevelle" that his mom bought new. Base model car 6cyl. with three on the tree! it had dealer installed air!
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg166/johnnys1977/chevellese.jpg
Then there was the elusive 77 Chevelle SE.

It was just something that made me wonder. I've never heard people say thats my Chevelle Laguna.

One would think that once the Chevelle moniker dropped off, The car became something else. After all these years Chevelle's were only considered really up to 72 and then something else after that, cars that once were not, now are,
Just thinking out loud.


RockyThe "Laguna" cars were only in the 73-77 body style, which were all still "Chevelles". They were the ones with the slanted nose built for NASCAR. It was a "trim package" on the Chevelle, similar to what a "Malibu" was on the early ones.

In 78 they dropped the "Chevelle" name, and they all became "Malibus". They also were no longer an "A" body, and were built on the "G" body platform.

I don't understand if the Chevelle basically ceased to exist in 78, why is the 79-84 being accepted as a Classic Chevelle, when it's no different than a car with a "Malibu" name that was built in 2009. Just a car in name only.

Maybe ACES should change it name from American Chevelle Enthusiast Society, to American Chevrolet Enthusiast Society, and accept any car with the name Malibu as a Classic muscle car.


Rocky

I don't understand if the Chevelle basically ceased to exist in 78, why is the 79-84 being accepted as a Classic Chevelle, when it's no different than a car with a "Malibu" name that was built in 2009. Just a car in name only.

Maybe ACES should change it name from American Chevelle Enthusiast Society, to American Chevrolet Enthusiast Society, and accept any car with the name Malibu as a Classic muscle car.


Rocky

Wait another 15 years and see what the next generation does??

I don't understand if the Chevelle basically ceased to exist in 78, why is the 79-84 being accepted as a Classic Chevelle, when it's no different than a car with a "Malibu" name that was built in 2009. Just a car in name only.

Maybe ACES should change it name from American Chevelle Enthusiast Society, to American Chevrolet Enthusiast Society, and accept any car with the name Malibu as a Classic muscle car.


Rocky

Maybe becase the Malibu was a level of a Chevelle all the way up to 77 (as the base level Malibu) and then they decided to drop the Chevelle designation as the base level and just leave the Malibu name. Otherwise 78 would have started the next Generation of the Chevelle. Then they only made the Malibu RWD until 84, the ElCamino until 87.

There is a big difference though as for the new FWD Malibu.

Kinda like PaPa said. My comments were about lineage, heritage. Not the name "Malibu" I knew this would get lots of debate here, it has before. If this is purely abut the logo, then I am wrong.

Here's my take. The 64-72 Chevelles (some could claim 64-67, but I wouldn't) had many design features that set the stage for not just Chevy, but GM and other US makers for two decades: perimeter frame, multiple body styles (coupe, sedan, luxury coupe, wagon), lots of engine options, lots of trans options, front A-arm suspension, 4 link rear, rear drive.

The lineage of this design started in 64 and lasted through 87 with GM. Branding is a finicky thing. It started with Chevelle, transformed into Chevelle Malibu and ended with only Malibu. (If your definition of a car is solely brand name, I'll concede the point.)

Note: the chassis design is evolutionary in the 73-77 bodies, yielded the downsized 77-later full size Caprice which is similar in size to the earlier Chevelle, and the Ford Crown Vic is close copy. The rear suspension of Fox Mustang (Fairmont, etc. and multi styles) and the 8.8 is similar to the Chevy 12 bolt. The market success of the early "true" Chevelle allowed enough production volume to support a variety of engines and transmission options all the way to the the evolution of the G bodies into the late 80's.

Named Chevelle? No. Called Chevelle by a lot of non-purist enthusiasts? Yes. Proud lineage, worthy of the name? I think so.

(Flaming starts now :))

i can't back it up, but i recall reading somewhere that the last Chevelle badges were installed on the 76 cars, with the 77 being a Malibu. then, of course, the smaller "metric" A bodies started in 78 were called "malibu", and the downsized 77 B Body used the suspension design of the 73-77 A bodies..
it was a confusing time for GM...
in 97, Chevy decided to go with a retro name for the redesigned Corsica, and called it "Malibu", just like the 95 2 door Lumina got called "Monte Carlo".
GM was going retro 15 years ago..

the smaller "metric" A bodies started in 78 were called "malibu", and the downsized 77 B Body used the suspension design of the 73-77 A bodies..
it was a confusing time for GM...
in 97, Chevy decided to go with a retro name for the redesigned Corsica, and called it "Malibu", just like the 95 2 door Lumina got called "Monte Carlo".
GM was going retro 15 years ago..

Well said.

I used to hate the Lagunas, but now they are becoming a part of Chevelle history.