It seems everyone claims to have a rare car. When you get granular, down to the interior piping and the number of wheel weights and the casual Friday build date at the factory in Detroit, you can pretty much find a reason your car is one of one. But this 1979 Chevy Malibu Classic available for $6,900 on Facebook Marketplace, through sheer undesirability and weird options, may truly be one of one.
Wearing a flawless mint green hue, this Malibu looks like a malaise survivor from the outside already. Starting in 1978, Chevy was desperate to downsize in any way possible, and this car lost nearly 1,000 pounds from its predecessor. They were so bad the Iraqi government didn’t even want them. Most often paired with an anemic V6, most fourth-gen Chevy Malibus have been sent to the crusher.
V8 and a 4-Speed
Whoever ordered this car, however, knew exactly what they wanted: A mighty 267 ci V8 paired with a 4-speed manual transmission. The seller claims that just 1,900 Malibus were outfitted that way in 1979, and there are few reasons to doubt that claim. The 267 ci V8 is no big block, in name or output (a whopping 120 hp), but for a car this subdued, the powertrain combo is the ultimate sleeper pick. Tuning not included.
The engine looks comically small even inside such a diminutive engine bay. But it looks exactly like it probably did when a crazy person had it delivered to the dealership. The tiny air cleaner shroud comes standard. A mirror for the passenger does not.
The tan interior appears flawless, even the scratchy headliner. An AM/FM radio and factory A/C (though not working) completes the deal. This toy version of a muscle sedan comes at a steep price for a four-door late ;70s anything, but nowadays it’s hard to choose a car that is truly unique. This Chevy Malibu for sale is your chance. The only Malibu of this generation that is worth more is probably the Peekskill Meteorite car.
