1966 Chevrolet Malibu

Sedan

327 c.i.

Automatic

Clear

1966 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu4-Door Sedan65,242 original miles This Malibu is a one-owner car, having been in the same family since it was purchased new in 1966. It was lightly driven until the early 1980’s when it was parked in the one of the family’s farm outbuildings. The car did not see the light of day again until late 2013 when the family decided to begin the process of prepping the car for sale. Obviously it needed some attention and has since received mechanical work as needed to make it a functional, dependable car again. It is a great example of a high-desert car, showing no adverse signs of rust or corrosion. Though the paint and interior have wear, neither has deteriorated near as much as it would have if the car had been stored outside, and overall, the car presents itself very well. It is a perfect candidate for easy restoration but is also a charming turn-key driver as it sits.Video of the car being driven can be seen at: http://youtu.be/nduG36GNKi8ConditionExterior: As you would expect, the paint shows wear and weathering. We had the car professionally detailed so what you're seeing now is about as good as it gets. There are scratches here and there and the paint does show some age. Most of the paint damage is U.V. caused and occurred before it was stored away. While it was stored it didn't deteriorate much so we think the car's condition looks pretty representative of one that is 20 years old rather than nearly 50. The body is largely straight with only small signs of imperfections. There is no crash damage at all. What you see are door dings, bent trim pieces here and there, but nothing worrisome. As noted there are scratches in the paint which the photos should adequately show. Where the paint has been scratched through to metal there are no signs of rust beyond very light surface rust (no pitting). All trim looks to be intact but some parts are bent up, like around the right front headlight and the left rear taillight (see photos). The "Malibu" insignia on the left rear quarter panel was missing so we put a new one on each side (the car comes with the original right one, as well). The insignias are the extent of new cosmetic parts we added. Everything else on the car is original. The chrome looks really good throughout. The bumper shine nicely and the grille looks clean and straight. The hubcaps could almost pass for new. All door handles and other smaller exterior pieces are intact and look great. The driver's side door needs some work to close tight (adjustment or possibly a new latch?) All other doors, plus the hood and trunk close nicely and fit well. While the car was at the shop we were able to inspect the undercarriage. The car shows only slight rust and nothing problematic (certainly no heavy pitting or rust cancer). The mechanic looked the car over and gave it a thumb's up in this regard. We took photos of the various parts under the car and are happy to share them with any prospective buyer. We would have posted them in the listing but ebay only allows so many photos per listing. Just send us your email and we'll send along the 20+ photos of the underside of the car. Interior: The dash is clean with only one minor crack (shown in photo). The rest of the dash looks great and all the original knobs and levers are intact. Everything works as it should (lights, blinkers, wipers, etc.) The radio works but needs a new antenna to adequately pull in stations. The speedometer and odometer work and look to be accurate. The horn needs to be hooked up again. All door/window levers are intact and work. The passenger side of the front seat has a tear in it and some of the padding is sticking through. The rear seat has a cracked area at the top of the seat with more padding showing. The carpets are pretty darned clean with minor signs of stains. Same with the rest of the upholstery; clean with minor stains here and there. All door panels are intact and there is even a spare driver's side panel that we found in the attic of the house. God knows why there's a spare panel because the existing one is in good shape. Way back when, maybe the mechanics were planning on working on the door latch and bought a spare panel in case the original failed? You're guess is as good as ours since nobody in the family can remember the story behind the spare panel. The headliner looks great. All windows are intact and have no chips or cracks. Mechanical: The car really is a pleasure to drive. It fires right up and shows no signs of smoke of any kind. The exhaust pipe is broken near the rear axle, but honestly, beyond that the car really doesn't have any mechanical issues. The engine runs smooth, doesn't burn oil and doesn't run hot. Steering is nice; the steering wheel does lean a bit to the left while going straight which might indicate that an adjustment is needed. The car also pulls slightly but not drastically; not when braking, just driving. The brakes are a wonder and are about as powerful as you could ever expect them to be. The suspension feels fine; it's kinda hard to tell with an older car since the suspension was a bit squishy anyhow, but we think it's ok. As we pointed out, the car recently had work done to un-mothball it and prepare it for sale. Over $2,000 was spent to replace anything we considered worn or broken. We have the receipts to show the work done over the last three months, which included:Removing gas tank, cleaning and re-installingNew fuel linesCarburetor overhaul and tuningNew motor mountsNew fluids throughoutNew plugs, wires, filters, distributor cap, rotor, points, etc.New heater core and thermostatNew brake master cylinderNew radiatorNew water pumpNew belts and hoses throughoutTransmission serviceSince the work as been done the car has been roughly 100 miles and to this point everything is working great. The history of the car: If you've read this far we thought you might be interested in the background of the car. The Malibu was originally purchased by my wife's parents shortly after they were married. They drove the car into the early 1970's when they replaced the Malibu with an ugly green station wagon that was better suited for hauling around a family of 5. The Malibu was subsequently driven by my wife's grandparents, but they rarely used the car. After they stopped driving the car altogether it again sat for a number of years until my wife's brother turned 16 and began driving it. I was a friend of the family at that time and remember riding around with Mark in the Malibu, which was affectionately known as "The Beast". It really wasn't much of a beast at all and likely got that name based on its size. Also, it did make a beastly sound when floored, much more than cars of the 1980's. Mark drove the car for less than a year before buying his Chevy LUV pickup. At that point the car was stored away in one of the garages at the ranch. It sat in that same garage for the next 32 years, until last fall when I brought up the possibility of selling it. Having fond memories of the car, I didn't want to see it forgotten or scrapped. The car was transported from Minden, NV to Reno where work was started on getting it up and running again. All work was done by a professional mechanic and trusted friend. The Beast is now back and is running well. In fact, it's generally agreed upon amongst the family members who have ridden in it that the Malibu is running better now than it was 40 years ago. We're hoping to find it a good home where it will be driven and enjoyed for many years to come. The family has been the sole owner of the car, and as such, should be able to provide any information a potential buyer might like to know. I am happy to field and questions and will go straight to the source to answer any I don't know the answer to myself. Please feel free to call me if you'd like more information! Best wishes, Scott Callahan775 786-2632