I have been at this site for about a year now, and i see lots of post of people talking about chevelle clones. im kinda getting the empression that a chevelle malibue is what you guys call a clone. and if it is a clone, what is it a clone to, an SS? why is this, i dont understand, it sounds like alot of you have problems with malibue's. i guess i dont know that much about the styles of chevelles to understand this, im only 19, but own a chevelle malibu, its fine with me, i wouldnt trade it for a SS. so maybe thats just me, but please i would love to hear what you guys think.

I think I'd trade it for a SS.

My guess is that a "clone" is a Chevelle that wasn't a SS when it left the factory, but which has since been made to appear to be a SS, and is misrepresented as being an SS. Such a trick would be dishonest if it were to be used to get a higher selling price, and silly if it were to be used to falsely impress someone. But if a guy likes the look of a SS and wants to turn his Malibu into a SS look-alike; more power to him.

My $0.02

Youre exactly right .. a clone is any make /model which is optioned and badged to appear as a higher output or more desirable model.

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PhilMullaly Member562 72camino TPI proj

That is what a clone is "its a car that has been changed from any style other than what it was when it left the factory".But is "NOT" always misrepresnted by the owners.My car is a Malibu, but was changed over to an SS Malibu,by the previous owners,and was misrepresnted by a dealer to me. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif
There is no trouble with the Malibu's
the style package usually doesn't have bucket seats.That's just an example of the the changes. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

Rick

I believe that most people here love all chevelles no matter what kind they are. some models are worth more $ than others. the problem is that if a person clones a malibu and represents it as an SS the car will bring a premium price. how would you feel if you worked and saved to buy a SS 396 and paid what you thought was a fair price then found out it was a malibu originally with out the SS option? I love all chevelles whether they are plain malibus,SS 396,SS 454. I even like some clones I've seen. who cares, just be honest as to what it is. the problem is with dishonest people trying to pocket more money thru deceipt. good luck

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1969 SS 396

Mine started its life as a 71 307 Malibu, and it will carry on as a CLONE 71 SS small block 350. I like the look of the SS exterior stripes and the interior package with buckets, floor shifter, and console, so that's what it will be. When I get ready to show it, my display sign will even state that it is a cloned SS.
Now, the problems start when people try to pass off cloned SS cars as the real thing if/when they get ready to sell. This is fraudulent, to say the least. But that's why we have sites like this. I've learned how to tell when someone is trying to pass off a fake SS as the real McCoy, just from what I've learned here. This site has been an extremely useful tool to myself and others, and I'm sure more than one person has been able to avoid being taken advantage of thanks to Team Chevelle.

Some people, for one reason or another, cannot afford an SS. SS cars are more expensive and out of reach for those on a limited budget. Cloning an SS works for some because they can do it over time, and at the end of day, they are happy because they get the feel of driving an SS, because with the exception of paperwork, they've now made them selves one.

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Dan Orgill

Why run? You'll only go to jail tired.

Brad,
You probably can see by now that a clone is a car that has been modified to look like another car. In the case of the Chevelle, it is usually a Malibu that has had parts/emblems added to make it look like an SS396 or 454. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG with a person "personalizing" his/her car to suit their own tastes. That's fine. Cars are even personalized to suit the President of the U.S. The only problem with personalizing, or cloning, as mentioned, is when someone clones an SS454 from a Malibu and then sells/represents it as such. I don't know how illegal that is in all states, but it certainly is fraudlent and inappropriate on the part of the person who is selling it.
I HAVE ABSOLUTELY ZERO PROBLEMS with someone doing anything/whatever they want to a car. It's their car, it's their money, let them spend it as they wish. I see no difference between changing wheels/tires to custom with white letters, green paint to red paint, a straight 6 to a killer 502 and between changing Malibu emblems to SS emblems. JUST DON'T LIE WHEN YOU SELL IT! You might get stomped into a greasy spot!

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Tom Parsons

[This message has been edited by DZAUTO (edited 06-19-2000).]

I am glad to hear that some agree with those of us who will build our cars the way we want. My 70 El Camino will some day look and act like an SS because thats what I want. This car will never be sold. By the time I finish it at 72 years I just hope Ilive long enough to enjoy it nd when I go I plan to will it to one of my sons. The will will say; When you sell this car you will say it is a clone.DO NOT LIE. I am less afraid of being stomped into a graesy spot than I am of being emarrased as hell when some walks up and whispers in my ear; Hey. Brown your car is not an SS.

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Bill Brown. 70 El Camino.Member#669. Slowly getting back in the groove.

As you can see from all the posts,no one at this site has any problems with a car that is cloned to look like another just as long as they are not doing it to deceive someone who has saved to buy that specific type of car.All Malibus are nice cars and it is the personal touches, the individual things that the owners do to them that we all appreciate.Different paint,wheels ,tires,that's what makes it all interesting.

I always wanted a 66 SS but since they are so hard to find and so darn expensive I made the next best thing. A malibu "cloned" to appear and perform as an SS (if not perform much better).

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66'SS Nitrous Fed Big-Block Chevelle-Houston, TX ACES#3321 "There is no Replacement for Displacement"

I agree with everyone here. I will not hesitate to convert my next project (70) to an SS if I'm forced to buy a malibu because of cost or availability of real Super Sport models. I'm just glad my current 66 project is the real deal! #'s matching too! I don't plan on selling these cars, so they won't be misrepresented. I build them for fun, not profit!, but not everyone does! So watch out!

I guess I don't understand at all. MY '67 malibu also says "Chevelle on the hood and in the filler area between the rear tail lights and these are put there from the factory therefore I consider my car to be a chevelle not a clone, am I right or am I wrong? Sure it's a malibu but it's also a CHEVELLE! Mabey not an SS but still it runs like one. Dave.

Ok, this is easy:

ALL of them are Chevelles.

SS, Malibu, 300, 300 Deluxe, Concours, etc. are simply trim options on the Chevelle line.

So, you have a 67 Chevelle, Malibu.

I have a 68 Chevelle, 300 Deluxe.

And to further muddy the waters, 68 and before had specific model number for these different options, and 69 and up did not. So it's cake to tell if your car is really a 67 Malibu. Just look at the vin. If it were a 70, it wouldn't be quite as easy.

A modern example is when they take a car, like my Accord, and have trim levels like DX, LX, LX-I, etc. Same car, different versions.

Kurt

All Malibus are Chevelles,
not all Chevelles are Malibus...

My opinion is that while I'd love to own a numbers matching 67 L78 4spd Chevelle, the last one I saw went for $16000 unrestored (Skip Cains car), so why not start from scratch.

So I went for the $1800 Mailbu hardtop that already had an SS hood on it. I am building it up with a heavy duty suspension, SS frame braces, rear sway bar, front disc brakes 454HO Gen6 motor, beefed up TH400, killer Kenwood sound, and it will be the color combination I want. I let my real SS go 14 years ago for $2500!!!%#$^&

I'll be happy and a Malibu was saved from the crusher.

Red Label

More to the point of your post:

Watch the threads about the auctions. A few months back there was a car that had a questionable background that sold for something close to $100,000.00. I think it went to Reggie Jackson's collection. Anyway, some folks here had seen it and the documentation and were convinced it was faked.

Companies now can create build sheets, window stickers, re-stamp blocks with "correct" looking numbers, etc. etc.

We all fear getting ripped off by a fraud, hence the strong feelings about clones. As you will see in the spotters guide, up to '68, the VIN tells you directly. With the more popular 70 model, once you do the right changes feature and appearance wise, it is hard to detect a clone. I saw a nicely restored 70 SS dash assembly, complete, change hands for something like $500. Tells you about the demand for what it takes to create a clone.

I think Dan Carr commented about the lack of documentation for the cars at Chevellabration this year, at least docs on display. As the abuse grows, the value of the "real cars" which can be proven, will shoot above the rest.

John Walker a/k/a Red Label

I hate to bring this up but we are now facing the illegal sale of SS titles, trim tags and vin plates. Soon it will be very difficult to tell what you are buying. GM was smart enough to hide vins in various locations on the body and frame but they can be changed also.

Thanks guys, now I understand what your saying! In closing I'd like to say anyone who misrepresents what their car really is to someone buying it should be shot, then drawn and quartered.