What is the difference between a chevelle small v8 or a malibu. Is there a difference?

The malibu is an option package I think. like a z-71 package for trucks

as far as I know,
The Chevelle 300 was the base model, Malibu was the "nicer" option package, then the SS option in 69-72, was a step up from the Malibu.

wes

there was the plain jane I6 chevelle with nothing on it.
300- was a trim option, and also included a v-8 as well, and the I6.
300 delux- was a step up from the 300 and had more chrome on it, but still offered both engines. had diff grill and few interior diff from malibu.
malibu- had even more chrome i belive, and a few differnt things, in and out. can get the same engines as all other models.
ss- from 69-72 was another option. i think it had all the chrome and such a malibu could have, but with the beefed up suspension, cowl hood, and of course the Big blocks, and also can get the SB, but no I6 was offered.

i hope these are right. i have gathered all this from the short time ive been on the site..

aaron

The earlier 300 were Post models.

It all depends on what year the car is...

For the earlier years (1964-1972), the entire Chevrolet mid-sized (A-body) line were "Chevelles"

Malibus were a several steps up from the basic cars...

SuperSports were usually the same level as the Malibu, but had different "standard" items...

So Malibus were just one of many different Chevelles available...

All Malibus were Chevelles, but not all Chevelles wer Malibus (64-72)

Aaron was on the right track, but each year had differences...

Not too sure, but I think the later (1973+) cars were "Malibus" and the Chevelle was one of the available models (kind of reversed from the earlier cars...)

Tony got in before I finished. smile.gif

Different years had different series/models of the 13000 Chevelle lineup. The Malibu was simply an upscale series in Chevelle...not an option as such, like AC or vinyl top, but a series. Each series had a base configuration of trim, engines, transmissions, and other standard equipment with options available on top of that.

There were 2-dr and 4-dr model sedans (post) in the 300 and 300 Deluxe series through 1969. The 2-dr sedan was dropped in 1970.

1971 and 1972 were the only years the small block was offered with the SS option on the Malibu. 1964 and 1965 had a Super Sport series with both the L6 and V8.

Here are the various series' names along with the series numbers (even # is 6-cyl, odd # is V8 up through 1971) and it's fairly complete as far as I know. Generically, they're all Chevelle, just different series and body styles.

1964:
300/El Camino (53/5400) - Malibu/Custom El Camino (55/5600) - Super Sport (57/5800)
1965:
300 (131/13200) - 300 Deluxe/El Camino (133/13400) - Malibu/Custom El Camino (135/13600) - Super Sport (137/13800)
1966:
300 (131/13200) - 300 Deluxe/El Camino (133/13400) - Malibu/Custom El Camino (135/13600) - SS396 (13817/67)
1967:
300 (131/13200) - 300 Deluxe/El Camino (133/13400) - Malibu/Custom El Camino (135/13600) - SS396 (13817/67) - Concours (137/13835)
1968:
300/Nomad (131/13200) - 300 Deluxe/Nomad Custom/El Camino (133/13400) - Malibu/Custom El Camino (135/13600) - Concours (137/13835/45) - Super Sport (13837/67/80)
1969:
Nomad (131/13200) - 300 Deluxe/Greenbrier (133/13400) - Malibu/El Camino/Concours wagon (135/13600) - Concours Estate (13836/46)
1970:
Nomad (131/13200) - Chevelle standard/Greenbrier/El Camino (133/13400) - Malibu/Concours wagon/Custom El Camino (135/13600) - Concours Estate (13836/46)
1971:
Nomad (131/13200) - Chevelle/Greenbrier/El Camino (133/13400) - Malibu/Concours (135/13600) - Concours Estate (13836/46)
1972:
Nomad (1B36/37) - Chevelle/Greenbrier/El Camino (1C37/69/46/80) - Malibu/Custom El Camino/Concours (1D37/39/67/69/36/46) - Concours Estate (1H46)

So, you can see there are numerous series/models in the Chevelle 13000 lineup. Some series had a 6-cyl standard, some had V8 standard. Some models were sedans, some hardtops, some convertibles, some El Caminos, and some wagons.

i was unsure of the changes through the years. all i really know is that the 68 300 grill is diff than the malibu (thanks for moloko for telling me that one).

aaron

Great posts guys. I was a little confused myself. My 72 is actually titled as a Malibu so I was never sure whether to call it a Malibu or a Chevelle. I guess the correct answer is then its both.

I thought in 64 and 65 SS was a trim/interior option that could be applied to any engine trans body combination. Most went to Malibu 2dr hardtops with V8's because that is what the dealers ordered but you could get a 6 cyl SS wagon or 4 door if you wanted one....

Originally posted by OrrieG:
I thought in 64 and 65 SS was a trim/interior option that could be applied to any engine trans body combination. Most went to Malibu 2dr hardtops with V8's because that is what the dealers ordered but you could get a 6 cyl SS wagon or 4 door if you wanted one.... Not an option in the sense of 69 to 72 SS option on a Malibu (or 300 Deluxe in 69). More in line with 66-68, the Super Sport Malibu was a separate model but didn't mean a special or high performance engine like the 66-68. Correct that you could order the Super Sport with either a 6-cyl or V8 and the Super Sport model numbers reflected that. You can still verify a 64 or 65 Super Sport by the VIN, much like the 66-68 SS.
64 Malibu was 55xx/56xx for L6/V8
64 Super Sport was 57xx/58xx for L6/V8
65 was the same except they moved the year from the 1st position to the 6th and I failed to show that above on the 64s, i.e. 453/454xx, 455/456xx, etc. but the year only appears in the VIN and not on the body plate.
65 Malibu is 135/136xx for L6/V8
65 Super Sport is 137/138xx for L6/V8

Not positive but I think the base V8 in 64 and 65 was the 283 with the 327s being optional.
:confused:

Not positive but I think the base V8 in 64 and 65 was the 283 with the 327s being optional.
:confused: [/QB][/QUOTE]
Correct, the 283 2bbl was the base V8 engine. 4 barrel was optional. 327 250Hp (L30) and 300Hp (L34) were options too. L76 is also shown as a cancelled option. Another interesting cancelled option is transistorized ignition (K66). Another thing I found was that air shocks (G66) were an option without any additional reinforcement at the upper body mount. Kind of puts to bed the argument that air shocks shouldn't be ran on Chevelles because of "weak structure".