The genealogy of the Chevrolet Chevelle gets kind of cloudy in the early years, with this 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle wearing Malibu SS badges—totally correct and making it a 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS hardtop. Quite a mouthful, but don’t worry, this car more than lives up to the big name with a fantastic restoration, a potent small block V8, and handsome good looks that will never go out of style.

The clean, chiseled lines of the early Chevelles remain popular year after year simply because it’s a great-looking car no matter how you look at it. This one was recently and extensively restored (with receipts to prove it!) and looks just gorgeous in person. Code N Madeira Maroon is this car’s original color, but it’s unlikely that GM’s acrylic lacquer paint could have looked this good back in 1965. As far as we can tell, this car is wearing all its original sheetmetal and it's in fantastic shape. We have extensive receipts for the restoration, so it wasn't a cut-rate job and as soon as you see the car, you'll understand. Dark colors like this show off the early Chevelle shape to great effect, particularly the character line on the rear quarters, but you need to have good workmanship to make it stand out. The SS wasn't much different in the early days of the Chevelle, just some modest "Malibu SS" emblems on the quarters and another smaller badge on the trunk, but for those who know, it's enough. This one also carries restored brightwork, including the bumpers, grille, and hood trim, as well as all the stainless trim that highlights the trunk. It's a clean, elegant look that makes the Chevelle a grown-up's muscle car.

The black bucket seat interior is quite correct as well, with a center console that was available only in the SS models. It's elegant as much as sporting, again showcasing Chevy's dedication to making a performance car that you can use every day. Obviously everything inside is new, from the highly detailed seat covers to the carpets that reproduce the original weave and nap. The instrument panel is a bright strip of metal with three round pods inside and the gauges are pretty comprehensive—not just warning lights! They all work except the clock, which isn't surprising, and for entertainment, someone has thoughtfully added an AM/FM/cassette stereo in the original AM radio's slot. The unique shifter originally managed a 2-speed PowerGlide automatic, but today there's a TH350 3-speed automatic under there, and the added gear makes the Malibu SS feel downright fast around town and it's always ready with a quick kick-down to passing gear. There's another Malibu SS badge on the glove box and you'll note that the dash has been restored and remains in excellent shape. Seat belts were still optional in 1965, but this car has them, and despite some small marks from cleaning that are only visible with the camera flash, the headliner is in virtually new condition. The Chevelle also includes a giant trunk with a correct mat and spatter finish paint, and as you can see, there's just no evidence of rust repair or previous issues.

The fender badges say '327' and that's what's under the hood today. Actually, it's a later 350 block stuffed with an L79 crank, but the rest of the hardware remains faithful to the original spec. The cam has a bit of a performance sound, but it's not too aggressive, making this a very user-friendly car. Dress up pieces including the chrome air cleaner an finned valve covers look great on the Chevy Orange engine, and with a 4-barrel carburetor on an aluminum intake, there's great throttle response and plenty of torque on tap. Stock exhaust manifolds control noise and heat better than headers and even the factory single master cylinder remains in place. A new alternator, a giant radiator, and an HEI distributor enhance reliability without notably compromising the original look and feel. Power steering and brakes mean that this Chevelle is exceptionally easy to handle for just about anyone, and it feels punchy without being high-strung. It's just a great cruiser that really rears up and goes when you nail the throttle. We are extremely impressed.

The aforementioned TH350 3-speed automatic transmission looks like it was born there and it feeds a bulletproof 12-bolt rear end, which is designed for serious combat. Look carefully at the floors and you'll find no signs of replacement save for a small patch under the driver's feet about the size of your palm. Otherwise, this car is all original sheetmetal and in absolutely fantastic condition. The brakes have been rebuilt, there are recent shocks all around, and the dual exhaust system uses stock-style mufflers for a mellow but unobtrusive sound. Take an extra moment to look at the pinch welds and rocker panels, which are beautifully preserved. It sits right, not lowered or modified, and the 215/60/15 Firestone radials look great wrapped around a fresh set of Rally wheels.

I don't know if I've ever seen a cleaner, straighter early Chevelle than this. The restoration was obviously very expensive and they didn't go too far outside of the original design—just a few upgrades to make it more enjoyable in today's world. Add in the smooth V8, gorgeous interior, and no-questions bodywork, and this is a car that will stand out without making a big fuss. That's hard to do, especially with a car so reasonably priced. Call today!