The marketing brochure said that it is a Chevelle.
The owner's manual says that it is a Chevelle.
But do all of the folks at the Southern Nationals show think of it as a Chevelle?
A pair of 1969 Chevelles at the Southern Nationals show.
The El Camino was part of the Chevelle line that also included the Malibu, Monte Carlo, Laguna, and Concours.
My wife and I recently saw a portion of the U.S.A. in our Chevrolet on our way to a car show in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The event was the Southern National Association Camaro, Chevelle, Nova, and GMC Open Show. A wide age range of participants was evident, with several children in attendance who were much too young to remember these cars from the 1960’s and 1970’s.
How that I came to enter my 1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic in this show is a bit improbable. In fact, I had not planned even to own this car a few years ago. Between 1978 and 2004, the “Classic,” as we call it for simplicity, belonged to my mother, who had put relatively few miles on it from trips to church, the grocery store, the shopping center, and the doctor. In 2004, I finally convinced her to buy a newer, more maneuverable vehicle. She purchased the last Malibu on the lot at a local Chevrolet dealer.
We elected not to trade in the old Malibu, and thought that surely its antique status would attract a buyer. There was only one serious caller, and even he backed out after a few days. So, I bought the car from my mother, still with the idea that I would sell it.
I started taking the Classic to some antique car shows and cruise-ins at Cleveland (TN), Trenton (GA), Hixson (TN), and Ooltewah (TN) to show it off. The comments from spectators were favorable, but not glowing. Though my mother had kept the car garaged, the passing of time had caused the paint and vinyl roof to deteriorate. There was also a bit of upholstery that had become worn.
We decided that the only way to give the Chevelle Malibu Classic some “curb appeal” was to do some restoration. So, I had the vinyl roof replaced, and had the car painted. Through the Internet, I located a few pieces of trim that had been damaged, and found some original GM upholstery cloth for the split-bench front seat.
By the time that the restoration was complete, I needed a second car, since my son had taken over my car to drive to college. I decided to keep the Malibu Classic, and started becoming attached to it.
The car now looked shiny and new, but still needed mechanical attention. A new carburetor was needed, as the choke plates on the old had become rusted. Even more serious, the carburetor was loose on the intake manifold, as one of the original posts had rusted and cracked. It’s not easy to find carburetors, much less mechanics who are skilled in adjusting them, but I did.
Then, there was the fact that the Classic smoked. Once, its smoking habit was very embarrassing. I was at a local auto parts shop to buy a bulb. When I started it up, smoke billowed into the adjacent auto’s rear compartment, as its owner had the door open. I apologized, then sped away. The smoking problem was cured with new valve guide seals.
With the automobile now in much better shape, I decided to enter it in the Southern Nationals show. I wasn’t sure if the car would fit in or not. I had learned that while the 1964-72 Chevelles are highly prized and sought after, the 1973-77 models are considered ugly ducklings by some.
This was mentioned in the August, 1999 issue of “Collectible Automobile” in an article titled, “1973-77 Chevelle: Not According to Plan.” The writer described how that General Motors had decided to make even larger cars to respond to consumers having more money to spend. John Z. DeLorean, who went on to create his own line of cars featured in “Back to the Future,” oversaw the redesign of the Chevelle prior to leaving General Motors.
However, the combination of the 1973 oil embargo and higher gasoline prices, as well as a need to respond to new clean air and safety standards, left the new Chevelles less desired than their predecessors. The 1977 model year was the last time that the epithet “Chevelle” was given to the Malibu. Beginning with the 1978 model year, the Malibu was down-sized.
Though I knew that the 1973-77 Chevelles were viewed less favorably than older models, I entered the event anyway. It was time to join other owners of cars of this time period in making a statement that these Chevelles had a place at the table.
We entered the hotel parking lot where the Chevelle show was held. Several owners hauled their cars in trailers, but our Malibu Classic was driven under its own 305 V-8 horsepower. We saw a combination of stock and modified cars. Though there were many Chevelles from the 1964-72 muscle car era, we did not see any from 1973-77. Still, we think of ours as a muscle car, since it takes a lot of muscle in order to close those wide doors with their power windows.
At the show, my wife and I observed a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. The love of old cars seemed to be something that folks were passing along to their grandchildren. The sponsors had their sound system tuned to a local oldies station which played music of the 1960’s and 1970’s. The play list included some disco tunes such as “Boogie Shoes” that were popular when our car was new.
At 4:00pm, owners trekked up the hill to the awards stand. Many trophies stood on a table, and the number reminded us of participant trophies handed out at the end of little league baseball season. Sigh – our 1977 Chevelle didn’t win any awards. We think that if we spiffy up the trunk and engine compartment of our car, it would be more competitive. Wait ‘til next year!
If you have Chevelle memories, please send me an e-mail at jolleyh@bellsouth.net.