[jloshotz]

Does anyone know or have an idea to point me in the right direction to where i can find production #s on exactly how many 1970 Malibu (Non-SS) came with a V8 and manual Transmission? I am trying to authenticate my Chevelle (determine if it as a real SS car) without build sheets, protect-o-plate or otherwise. I have checked all other angles......Car originally a 4 speed car, has 12 bolt and was converted to TH400 and a 383 Small block. So far all the little "tricks" are kind of making sense; just figured i'd try to find out how many Non-SS cars were made with a 4 speed and a V8. (Hoping none...lol) Thanks in advance for any help!
Jloshotz

 

[BlueSS454]

You could pretty much have any combination you wanted. You could even get a 4 speed with a 6 cylinder. You could also have a 12 bolt, round type dash, and HD suspension in a Malibu if you ordered it that way. The short answer to your question is no, there are no production figures of engine/trans combos.

 

[chevelless502]

Does anyone know or have an idea to point me in the right direction to where i can find production #s on exactly how many 1970 Malibu (Non-SS) came with a V8 and manual Transmission? I am trying to authenticate my Chevelle (determine if it as a real SS car) without build sheets, protect-o-plate or otherwise. I have checked all other angles......Car originally a 4 speed car, has 12 bolt and was converted to TH400 and a 383 Small block. So far all the little "tricks" are kind of making sense; just figured i'd try to find out how many Non-SS cars were made with a 4 speed and a V8. (Hoping none...lol) Thanks in advance for any help!
Jloshotz

Hate to burst your bubble but i have a 1970 Malibu 350/4peed car sitting in my garage, its all numbers matching so i know its legit. SOrry but there is atleast 2 now that we know of.

Andy

 

[jloshotz]

Guys, thanks for your replies. 502, I thought i saw a 454 CI 4 speed Malibu once with a 4 speed, but couldn't quite be sure i was remembering correctly. Full malibu trim, total sleeper. Appeared Absolutely all original to boot. It just kills me of how there is no way to tell SS or not after they ditched the 138 vin in 68. Seems Everybody has a "real" SS for sale if you know what i mean. I so far went as far to check the under rocker area for evidece of the malibu lower trim holes; non-existant. The rag joint is removable from the interrmediant (sp?) shaft, not permanent as common on the malibus. I read something about a Tee fitting on the rear frame rail, haven't looked for that yet. It has an SS style cluster housing, definitely not Monte carlo. (no holes for the wood grain trim. Unfortunately the cluster was removed and someone recess fitted (Tastefully) autometer guages in the pod holes. This car was stripped for drag racing, has no door panels, a smaller, sumped fuel tank, and no rear seat. A Build sheet is an impossiblity. I also know that GM has no database where i can research the VIN, and the trim tag wouldn't help either, unless i cared it was originally Fathom blue (28). I'll probably Never know. I guess i should just make it my own SS, period. So frustrating......lol
Jloshotz

 

[srubydo]

i was lucky i am the 4th owner of a 1970 chevelle malbu i payed 4200 for it and it was a numbers maching car it had a 307 with a 400 power glide which i thought was wierd turned out it was original i even lucky found the build sheet it nice to have but i care but dont i toke the car compe;etly about and making my own car out of it with a 350 bored 30 over with 69 corvette heads and put in anothe trans in it to save the 400 fro the new motor cause the 307 and the 400 need to be redone afte 30 40 years on the road and still going

 

[Junkyard Dawg]

What's a "400 powerglide"??

So you could essentually have an SS dash in a non SS car for '70 eh?

 

[70Z15]

So you could essentually have an SS dash in a non SS car for '70 eh?

Yes. If you ordered the gauge package (tachometer etc.) you would have received the round pod (SS) dash.

 

[srubydo]

it a 400 trans with only drive and low not 1 2 then drive

 

[AZCamino]

4 speeds came in two types, Saginaw and Muncie; and both wide ratio versions are considered to be RPO M20. The Muncie usually was installed with the big blocks and some higher horsepower small blocks (talking generalities here as I am not a 70 expert) and the low horsepower small block usually used the Saginaw. I'm not aware of any sixes being available with a 4-spd. In 1970 the Malibu was available with the LS3 big block and that engine would have been available with the Muncie four speed. The base engine for the Super Sport was the 350HP 402 L34. Most other Malibus with smallblocks would have used the Saginaw.

Muncies used in Chevelles have had the speedometer output on the passenger side since 1965 while all other automatics and manual transmissions had the speedometer output on the driver side. It can usually be determined if a Chevelle was Muncie equipped if the speedometer cable entered through the passenger side toeboard (I am assuming the 68-72 models are like the 65-67 models. Correct me if I am mistaken.). All other transmissions had the speedometer enter through a hole under the steering column.

Malibus with 4-spds should not be rare but most of them would have been originally equipped with a Saginaw 4-spd rather than a Muncie. The published total of RPO M20 options for the 1970 Chevelles would include both Saginaw and Muncie, it is not possible to tell how many of each were produced.

Bruce

 

[BlueSS454]

it a 400 trans with only drive and low not 1 2 then drive

All TH400 transmissions are 3 speeds and all powerglides are 2 speeds. If you are going by the indicator on the dash, that's not correct. If the dash has PRNDL it was an original 2 speed powerglide which has a square oil pan. The TH400 trans has an irregular shaped oil pan.

 

[keithb]

my neigbor has a orginal small block Malibu 4 speed car. so there is one more to add to the list

 

[Alwhite00]

I wish mine was a 4 speed.

LK

 

[srubydo]

i thought the 400 had a square pan as well and the 350 had an irregular pan which is a square with a corner cut off . never mind i stand corrected i looked and i was wrong all my life iv been told that guess ill have to remember that one

 

[Junkyard Dawg]

Turbo 400 pan is said to sort of look like the state of Texas.

Turbo 350 pan is square with a corner cut off.

Powerglide pan is squarish but has a small indent on one side.

Go to nastyz28.com, they have pics of tranny pans in the "Tranny I.D." section.

 

[jloshotz]

Bruce,
Thanks for all that excellent info. It won't exactly tell me if the car is a true SS, but it should pretty much let me know if it was originally a big block car, depending on the speedo cable info....From what i gathered, if it entered on the passenger side, it would typically be a big block car because that would indicate Muncie. Driver side (common location) Saginaw with smallblock, which would definitely Not be an SS. Just trying to peice a very tough puzzle together, sounds like a nice piece to find an open spot for. I'll check that tomorrow; thanks a million!
Jack

 

[Rainer]

Jack - don't forget to look for the 3/8" fuel line with 1/4" vapor return line. I believe that's another big-block indication. If your rockers have never been drilled for Malibu trim, that's a strong non-fakeable indication that your car is a legit SS (assuming its a 13637 car and not a 13437). Take photos of the rockers if you end up stripping the paint off of them, as well as the other details that you've noticed. Also photograph the brake line block (its not actually a tee) before you disturb it so you have evidence that it was an original disc brake car. Good luck!

PS - I hope those bumper brackets worked out for you

 

[jloshotz]

Jack - don't forget to look for the 3/8" fuel line with 1/4" vapor return line. I believe that's another big-block indication. If your rockers have never been drilled for Malibu trim, that's a strong non-fakeable indication that your car is a legit SS (assuming its a 13637 car and not a 13437). Take photos of the rockers if you end up stripping the paint off of them, as well as the other details that you've noticed. Also photograph the brake line block (its not actually a tee) before you disturb it so you have evidence that it was an original disc brake car. Good luck!

PS - I hope those bumper brackets worked out for you

Rainer, the bumper is on thanks to you; they worked out perfectly =) It is indeed a 13637 car, And i did look for the pre-drills for the lower rocker molding. None on the outer surface and none underneath, on either side =) I still have to get underneath to check for the brake fitting, hopefully it was left untouched. It should be on the driver framerail near the rear axle, correct?
Thanks again!
Jack

 

[Rainer]

Yes, driver's side, facing toward the front of the car.

 

[DZAUTO]

My 70 Malibu conv (NOT an SS) came from the factory (I have the build sheet) with:
307
3 on the tree
Buckets (no console)
AM radio
Air
PS
Pwr drums
Pwr top
Hide away wipers

When I brought it home, I couldn't get rid of the 307 and AM fast enough. I don't care if it was a customer ordered car and may have been somewhat unique, I wanted more than a 307-3sp and this car, for the price, provided an ideal starting point.

 

[chev-hell]

that's why a Build Sheet makes a 70 worth so much more, that little piece of paper............. glad i have mine