ConsumerGuide : '69 CHEVROLET Chevelle Malibu hardtop coupe

[odie]

Photo Feature: 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Hardtop Coupe

Note: The following story was excerpted from the October 2019 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine Do you still want my old car? I’m at the beauty shop and it won’t crank. If you can get it home, it’s yours.” With that, Kevin and Kelly Sheehan of Harleton, Texas, became the owners of this...

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[Cujet]

I used to drive my Grandmother around in a 307 powered Malibu exactly like that, way back when. Driving up the narrow, rough and twisty Bronx River Parkway or Hutchinson River Parkway, that Malibu was about impossible to keep in it's lane. Besides the fact that the car was large enough to take up the entire narrow lane, its steering precision was pathetic, especially on the Bias Ply tires of the day. The chassis was incredibly flexible and the rough roads really upset the car, everything rattled, and it would lean over hard, when cornering. Driving that thing was an exercise in frustration, stress and discomfort. Even the doors and windows leaked water at highway speeds, as the airflow would pull the door frames out and water would leak in. Not to mention the fact that it would be down to 7, 6, 5 or 4 cylinders as each subsequent puddle flooded the distributor and plug wires. I swear to God, water sprayed right from the tires on to the spark plugs and distributor.

Some additional strong points: It was less than fantastic in the snow, with exactly zero traction, got 11-14 MPG, had (I think) a 2 speed powerglide automatic and ran a 20 second 1/4 mile.

Today, there are some solutions to the handling quirks, and I know that well restored cars can be quite nice. But I still hate them.

 

[odie]

Looks aren't everything .

 

[PontiacHO]

That was either a lemon and/or neglected-old. The 307 wasn’t a powerhouse but if in alignment, with decent shocks, balanced tires, and tight steering linkages the A-body GM cars of the day were better than anything else built in their day.

 

[CorvairGeek]

That was either a lemon and/or neglected-old. The 307 wasn’t a powerhouse but if in alignment, with decent shocks, balanced tires, and tight steering linkages the A-body GM cars of the day were better than anything else built in their day.

They should try driving a competitors flimsy unibody with leaf springs on the back (or a comparable GM).

 

[Duffyjr]

One of my junior high teachers had that exact car, just never cared for the vinyl top.

 

[LouC]

many of those complaints would be cured with a set of radial tires, Bilstein high pressure gas shocks and a rear anti-roll bar.
They weren't that bad, I drove a much larger '72 Chev Impala and '75 Olds Delta 88 on those roads and worse (the old part of the narrow Taconic Parkway and Saw Mill Parkway) in rain, shine and snow. I'd take one in a heartbeat over the casper milquetoast crap we have today.