I posted about a new junk yard I found last week, and thought I may be picking from a '70 SS car ... today has me curious though?

http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/35/2782.html?

Here's the deal ... I took off a 4-spd steering column, and Muncie back-drive linkage. I swear both looked to be from the factory on this car!! The steering column has a bolted-rag joint. The car's been gutted bad, and looks like it's been there a few years ... So I'm thinking this is just a junked out SS.

Deal is ... it has Malibu on the center of steering wheel, and a sweep dash. Both the original gold interior color, and look stock.

I find the front bumper laying around, and it has clear marker lights. I find the rear bumper laying around and no sign of an SS bumper pad.

Then I find the hood laying around also, and no hood bulge or hood pins.

What do you all think? A '70SS that had parts molested off of it, or a real Malibu400. Just interested out of curiousity ... the car itself is toast!!

Thanks, Neal

Does it happen to still have the fenders? Front, above the marker lamps would be 3 holes for the engine badge if it is a Malibu.

Since this is a 1970, there is a few more places to look for clues. Are the doors still there? ALL malibu doors should have holes on the top of the doors/fenders for the britework that went there. You could grind down the area about 2inches squared at the top of the door, by the rear edge, if a hole is filled, that's the easies one to locate.

Vinyl top car? the trim by the quarter window (chrome trim) chould not extend down towards the door on an SS.

Sweep dash= Non-SS cars only.

Front sway bar still there? Unless it has the SS suspension also, the Malibu might have some with a 7/8 bar while SS cars typically have 1 1/8 bars, but this is not solid info either.

That's about the only superficial things that seperate a BB Malibu from an SS.

Door panels stll there? Square with MALIBU should be on them unless removed.

Oh yeah, front fenders should have holes spread out where the Malibu emblems go.

Well, the front fenders were the only part I couldn't find laying around.

I suspect the steering column had the biggest clue ... as it appeared all original to the car, and never messed with. It definitely had a bolted rag-joint, and a Malibu emblem on the steering wheel.

The reason I think the column was original was ... it was original paint, the same gold color as the interior ... plus it had the complete Muncie back-drive linkage. I have seen very few "converted" cars that retrofit this over.

Did the Malibu interior issue on SS carry over to the steering wheel, or just the door panels?

The other clue I spotted was the clear marker lights.

Did the 400 come with clear or amber lenses? Of course, this could have been an attempt to make a Malibu400 look like an SS ... very popular!

Other than that, after I left ... I got to thinking there may still be a build sheet in the car there ... most of the interior was still there in pieces.

Well the SS had basically a Malibu interior, as the whole car is based on the Malibu. But the SS would have SS emblems on the door panels and steering wheel (same wheel, different middle insert) and of course the round guage/idiot light clusters (that were also OPTIONAL on the Malibu, but rare.).

The biggest proof of a Malibu is if there are chrome strips running along the top edge of the door, edge below the quarter window also. ALL 1970 Malibus came with this, and either the chrome or the holes to mount it should be there.

Rainer posted a link with a Malibu 400. I noticed that it does not have the chrome. I do not know if this correct but could it be that they did not do the chrome when the Malibu 400 was an option? Just a thought.

Actually the car did have a set of rocker panel trim inside of it.

I didn't quite understand the one response ... Did the issue with SS's getting Malibu door panels, carry over to the steering wheel shroud? This car had a Malibu emblem in the shroud.

I think the steering column might be the biggest clue to this car's past. It was all painted (including steering wheel/shroud) the same gold color as the interior ... and at the other end of it was a bolted rag-joint that appeared to never have been touched.

What do you all think? At least might know where 1 Malibu 400 / 4-spd car is at. Build sheet might even still be there, as most of the interior was.

Neal

The steering wheel on an SS will have an SS emblem. The Malibu will have a Malibu emblem. Both wheels look like each other, but the center piece would have SS or Malibu acordingly.

The interior door panels are the same, they are identical except that the SS DOES NOT have a MALIBU emblem on it, just the same pattern but with an SS emblem.

Basically, there shouldn't be ANY Malibu emblems on an SS and vis-a-versa.

The rocker panel trim points to a Malibu. SOME SS cars had them put on at the DEALER but not many from what I have read/heard.

New at this,didn't at 70 the lower control arm bushing change?Don't no why.The chevelle have both round and the malibu have the front round and back oval.Probably wrong.

Elco68, that's a really confusing part. But as far as I know, at some point in 1969/70, the 1970 Chevelles AND malibus had oval bushings. Some, like mine, even came with one round and one oval. My car is a Malibu, and other Chevelles I've seen have either/or.

I think it's just whatever the factory had on hand.

Thanks,was an issue when i was needing a pair for mine.Mines a 68,the newer ones would work he just needed to know which ones i had.Trying to learn all this stuff for my purchases,and if I ever get another car if its the real thing.Thanks 68 el camino ss396

Neal, Can you tell where in the yard this car is, is it up on the hill or down in the flats, Iam real close to this yard but have not been there in along time, may take a ride if the snow stops,