As a follow-up to the Malibu that didn’t look like a typical Malibu, here’s a Chevelle that sure looks like a Malibu, but it’s not. It’s a quite rare low-end 1968 Chevelle 300 Deluxe hardtop coupe. Note the lack of trim between the taillights. And the lack of the Malibu’s lower trim that went across the lower section of the door.
It may not be a Malibu, but it’s very much how so many Malibus used to look back in the day when so many young guys scraped together the bucks to buy a well-worn used one: a bit scruffy, a mild lift in the back along with bigger wheels and tires. But no big exhaust pipes hanging out back. For all we know, it could have a six under the hood, although a mild 307 V8 is probably more likely.
I shot this in traffic some years back, so only one shot.
Here it is in the brochure, along with the 300 Deluxe post coupe. The Malibu used to be the top trim version of the Chevelle, like the Impala. The 300 Deluxe was comparable to a Bel Air, and the plain 300 to a Biscayne. Of course that would change with time. There was also a 300 Deluxe sedan.
What’s a bit unusual about this 300 Deluxe I found is that it’s got an optional vinyl top. That was usually only found on the Malibu.
And the cheapest Chevelle was the true stripper, the plain 300 Coupe. But order it with the L79 325 hp 327 and the four speed, and you’ve got a pretty serious street machine for cheap. A Chevelle Road Runner. That L79 only had its hp rating reduced from 350 hp to meet GM’s no-less-than-10lbs-per-hp rule that started in 1967. And in 1969 one could also order the SS396 package with the 300 Coupes.
The dealer I worked at usually stocked a stripo in each model to advertise a low price unit in-stock. Once in the door, prospects often found the stripo so stark they ended up buying a better optioned units. A helpful salesman would show them something “nicer” for just a few extra dollars a month.
Eventually the stripo needed to move – often near the end of the model year. If a price cut didn’t do it, our sales manager would shift to the opposite tactic of trying to make the unit look less like a stripo by upgrading the appearance with a few dealer installed options. A vinyl top was one common appearance upgrade to the stripo.
My experience was working at a Ford dealer, but I think all the dealers in our area used pretty much the same sales tactics. I suspect the vinyl roof in the Chevelle was a dealer rather than factory option.
I always like lower spec models, they just seem cleaner looking. For you guys in the US there was always the option list for a bigger engine, power brakes etc. Over here in the UK that wasn’t really the case.
I think these cars transported almost as much Boone’s Farm wine and Little Kings cream ale as the distributors’ delivery trucks. 🙂
Funny how these Chevelles keep showing up here periodically. The last one was even the same shade of green mine was. Takes me back to ’85 all over again. I’m gonna go listen to some Van Halen or Scorpions or something now. Peace out.
This is a time machine entry taking me back to high school in the early 80s. This looks exactly like a lot of what high school boys were driving during the Carter and early Reagan presidencies. I can almost hear Aerosmith’s Toys in the Attic blasting from the underdash Kraco 8 track pumping through the backdeck mounted Jensen 6X9’s.
And don’t forget about the FM converter and Sparkomatic Power Booster.
A rather ratty, jacked-up Chevelle was cast into my mind as a movie scene featuring a stern father exclaiming “I will not allow my daughter to date that hoodlum!” What was the “hoodlum” usually driving? The above-pictured Chevelle.
Although, by the time I was a teenager, the car was more likely a jacked-up second-generation Monte Carlo.
Those were the days, end of the 60s and early 70s. My room showed our first senior in college with a sweet Malabui 396. We a 390 in Red 1957 Mustang fastback. One of the best car I ever owned.
I was a senior in high school in 1969 one of my best friends had ordered a new chevelle in the spring, I traveled with him to the dealership in Metamora ,il to trade in his 63 Bscayne 2 dr sedan 300hp 327 3 on the tree for his ordered new 69 chelle ss396 l78 375 hp 410 rear gear chambered exhaust new car. The chevelle was pretty basic but had all the performance goodies, it ran like a scarred cat, very quick and sounded awesome. We did not consider this any kind of of a collectors item or special model at that time…we just wanted a fast chevy to put it on the mopars and the fords. It was a fast street car for the times an quite reliable, we ran the hell out of it, and had many a good time blasting through the 4 spd gears. I think that msrp was less than 3700 at the time with a 900$ trade in for the 63, not too expensive for the wild tire smoking power that the chevelle would put out. Oh well those were the days fast and cheap I had a wonderful time with all my friends blasting those old muscle cars around on friday nights! Never forget thse good times!
I bought a 69 300 Deluxe back in the late 70’s. It had rubber floor mats with a bench seat that had two white stripes on black vinyl. It had a 307 with a 2 barrel carb and a 4 speed manual that was a cast iron Saginaw unit. The shifter was on the floor with no console obviously. It was a sport couple, ( no frames around the windows). One feature that was different from all other Chevelles was the smaller tail light bezels. They did not have the black accented frame going all around the tail lights that are so familiar on 69 Chevelles. I don’t think I’ve ever seen another 69 Chevelle with these.
BTW, the car in the first photo has a padded top (never factory installed on a Chevelle).
I have always been amazed that when GM sold you an L79 with a 4speed, you didn’t get anything else. No bigger cooling system, no bigger electrical system, no bigger brakes, no bigger wheels and tires.
Your L79 300 is overheating? Well, sir, you didn’t order the heavy duty cooling package.
Your L79 300 takes for ever to stop? Well sir, you didn’t order the heavy duty braking package or power brakes.
The headlights on your L79 300 are really dim at a stop light? Well sir, you didn’t order the extra cost larger alternator and heavy duty battery.
What did you expect?
My first car was 300 sport coup chevelle. 307 4 speed . Motor was worked holly carb edelbrock manifold solid lifter cam real sleeper duel exhaust.
Paid 1300.00 for it in Feb 1971 . Miss that car.
Had bench seat. Got 1970 GTO bucket seats for 50.00 and chevy ss wire wheel hub caps. Wow good old days
I’ve got a 1970 Chevelle 300 Deluxe in Green Mist 402 4spd cloth bench.Rubber floor mats and one of 20 on the GM Canada docs.Frame off resto and was ordered with no power brakes and no power steering.Get this though it was ordered with rallys and white letter tires! It’s definately a different duck but im super happy to have it.You certainly won’t see another at a car show!