[arizona1234]

Hi, I am about to buy a 69 SS tribute Chevelle. Owner doesn’t know much. I’m trying to decide if it’s a Chevelle or Malibu. The body tag is below. The paint, trim etc makes sense, just not sure about the 13637 out of Fremont? Any help would be appreciated! I’ve read some decoding websites and it doesn’t seem clear. Thanks

 

[VinceS427bb]

its both
its a chevelle with malibu trim by the trim tag

 

[arizona1234]

Jeeze now I’m really confused. I’ve read about this but always confuses me. I love the body style and I know they are the same but for resale in the future I know Chevelle go for more than malibus. So it’s a true Chevelle with the upgrade Malibu trim?

 

[71350SS]

All Malibu's are Chevelle's but not all Chevelle's are Malibu's, there that should clear it up for you.
.
.
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To make things a little simpler a Malibu is simply an upscale option package on a Chevelle but it can't be the other way around.

 

[Coppertop]

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

Malibu is a model with an upgraded trim level package.

True SS?

Some reading:

1969 Chevelle (chevellestuff.net)

EDIT: 71350SS beat me to it!

 

[71350SS]

Jeeze now I’m really confused. I’ve read about this but always confuses me. I love the body style and I know they are the same but for resale in the future I know Chevelle go for more than malibus. So it’s a true Chevelle with the upgrade Malibu trim?

No the Chevelle Super Sport's sell for more than a Malibu.
Even that is wrong because in order to buy a 69 Chevelle with an SS option package you need to base it on a Chevelle that has the Malibu option in order to add the SS option to it. There are other models in the 69 model year that you could add the SS package to but most were Malibu's .
There that should twist it for you....(and me too )

 

[71350SS]

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

Malibu is a model with an upgraded trim level package.

True SS?

Some reading:

1969 Chevelle (chevellestuff.net)

EDIT: 71350SS beat me to it!

Yeah but it sounds so much better when you say it

 

[arizona1234]

This always boggles my mind haha. I was told it’s not a true SS. I see 1969 Malibu’s for much cheaper than Chevelle. I guess I’m afraid I’m going to buy this car that looks like a Chevelle with the tags etc, then one day go to sell it and find out “it’s a Malibu” and not worth the money.

probably a stupid question, but did they make 1969 “Malibus” off the factor with the Malibu emblems instead of “Chevelle” emblems. For example, would this car have came out of the factory with “Malibu” emblems” because of the trim package

 

[77sonic]

I'm going to stick with all Bourbons are whisky, but not all whiskeys are Bourbon!!

 

[arizona1234]

For example. Is this what this car would have looked like new. “Malibu” on the rear quarter.

 

[MadmanMark]

Yes - It should also have "Malibu" above the glove box and on the door panels. I think the only place it will say "Chevelle" is on the trunk lid.

 

[arizona1234]

Ok thank you. So it doesn’t say “Malibu” anywhere. Assuming someone converted this Malibu to a SS Chevelle (all Chevelle emblems). For collecting purposes this car is a “1969 Malibu” based on this thread. (Understanding it’s a “Chevelle Malibu” but if I took it to auction it would be a “Malibu.” Correct? Sorry, you would think I’m doing calculus here 😅

 

[1968 300]

In 1969 there are 2 Chevelle series (excluding wagons and El Camino's):
Chevelle 300 and Chevelle Malibu.
If you ordered a Malibu you could also get the Super Sport or SS option (it was an option like getting power brakes or A/C). The SS option is how you got the high performance options.

 

[arizona1234]

I see, so a Chevelle 300 couldn’t be a Chevelle SS but if you upgraded to a Chevelle Malibu you could get a Chevelle SS? Chevelle 300 was just a basic option without any upgraded performance options?

 

[1968 300]

I see, so a Chevelle 300 couldn’t be a Chevelle SS but if you upgraded to a Chevelle Malibu you could get a Chevelle SS? Chevelle 300 was just a basic option without any upgraded performance options?

I keep forgetting that 69 is the only year that the SS option could be ordered on the 300 series Chevelle. Seeing a Chevelle 300 series (with post) with the SS option from the factory would be very rare. The majority of 69 SS Chevelle's will be Malibu's (136 on VIN).

 

[BB68]

So figure its 1969 and you went to the dealership to order your a car... the first question they would ask would be MODEL? and in this case it is Chevelle... then they would ask what trim package you would like.. that is when you would pick 300 deluxe, 300 deluxe SS396, malibu, or malibu SS396 ...

chevelle was not the trim package... if you couldnt afford any upgraded packages you just got a plain jane.. although this is technically the worst year example there is because of the multiple trim options....

 

[Alwhite00]

My head hurts. 😐

 

[xander061]

A lot of people get confused on the whole Chevelle Malibu name because eventually Chevy dropped the name Chevelle in the late 70s to just use Malibu. When they brought the Malibu back in the 90s the Chevelle name wasn't used so most associate Malibu as the base name and not as a trim package like it was in the 60s-70s.

 

[rpol78]

Simple explanation - Chevelle is the model. From there you had body styles. And then you had trim levels which varied by body style. In your case it's a Chevelle, 2 door coupe, Malibu

This might help out.

https://www.ss396.com/cars/1969-chevelle/#:~:text=Body%20style%20included%202%20door,were%20available%20in%20many%20colors

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[shovelrick]

My 68 13637XXX is a Malibu, in 68 a VIN of 138XXXX would've been an SS396.....Why GM stopped using that VIN description is just plain Dumb IMHO, Insurance $$$ maybe?