Chevrolet Chevelle

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Chevrolet Chevelle
Production period: 1964-1977
Class : Middle class
Body versions : Sedan , station wagon , coupé , convertible
Successor: Chevrolet Malibu Series 1A

The Chevrolet Chevelle was a mid-range passenger car that was built by Chevrolet in the United States from 1964 to 1977 . The sub-model lines were called Chevelle 300 , Chevelle 300 Deluxe , Chevelle Malibu , Chevelle SS , Chevelle Concours and Chevelle Laguna .

The Chevelle was to compete with the similarly sized Ford Fairlane and complement the Chevrolet range with a model that was based on the popular models from 1955 to 1957 in terms of size and concept. In the model range of the 1960s, the Chevelle and its luxury version Malibu occupied the middle range between the compact Corvair and Nova on the one hand and the large Impala and Caprice models on the other.

The range of models from Chevelle ranged from inexpensive sedans and station wagons to powerful coupes and convertibles . The sporty versions were called Chevelle SS (for Super Sport ) and belonged to the muscle cars . In the beginning, the Malibu was the luxury version of the Chevelle series, until 1977 the whole series received this name. The chassis of the Chevelle also provided the basis for the Chevrolet Monte Carlo , introduced in 1969 , which itself became a very successful model.

Early design drafts indicate that the Chevelle was originally intended to carry the Nova nameplates - a designation that was then used for the smaller Chevy II series from 1968 onwards.

Year by year

Chevelle (1964-1967)

Chevelle 1st generation
Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Series 135/136 (1966)

Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Series 135/136 (1966)
Production period: 1964-1967
Body versions : Sedan , station wagon , coupé , convertible
Engines:
Petrol engines : 3.2–6.5 liters
(88–276 kW)
Length: 4925-5116 mm
Width: 1905 mm
Height: 1374 mm
Wheelbase : 2921 mm
Empty weight : 1280-1.583 kg
Construction year designation Serial no. R6 Serial no. V8
1964 Chevelle 300 300 300
Chevelle Malibu 300 300 300
1965 Chevelle 300 131 132
Chevelle 300 Deluxe 133 134
Chevelle Malibu 135 136
Chevelle Super Sport (SS) 137 138
1966 Chevelle 300 131 132
Chevelle 300 Deluxe 133 134
Chevelle Malibu 135 136
Chevelle SS-396 138
1967 Chevelle 300 131 132
Chevelle 300 Deluxe 133 134
Chevelle Malibu 135 136
Chevelle Concours 137 138
Chevelle SS-396 138
Chevrolet Chevelle 300 Deluxe Sedan (1967)

1964

In the 1964 model year, Chevrolet brought out the new mid-range model, the Chevelle, which was stylistically derived from the smaller Chevy II / Nova . The vehicles were initially available in two sub-series, the simpler Chevelle 300 and the more luxurious Chevelle Malibu . Both had the serial number 0300 and were available with six-cylinder in-line engines from the Chevy II / Nova series or V8 engines from the full-size Chevrolets. While there were only six-seat sedans with 2 or 4 doors and six-seat station wagons with 3 or 5 doors of the 300 , the Malibu also had a 2-door sports coupé and a 2-door convertible with 5 seats each. On request, there was a super sports package with sportier equipment, more powerful engines and SS lettering.

1965

... the Chevelle series has been slightly revised and split into four sub-series. As before, the simplest version was the Chevelle 300 , the six-cylinder versions of which were given the new serial number 131 , with the V8 versions being referred to as the 132 series . Besides the two sedans, there was only the 3-door station wagon. The Chevelle 300 Deluxe , which occupied the serial numbers 133/134 and were available as sedans or 5-door station wagons, were a bit more elegant . The top model was the Chevelle Malibu 135/136 series , of which there was a 2-door convertible, a 2-door hardtop coupé, a 4-door sedan and a 5-door station wagon. The Chevelle Super Sport became its own sub-series with the numbers 137/138 and was only available as a convertible and hardtop coupé with two doors. "Malibu SS" was written on the sides of the car.

1966

In the 1966 model year, all Chevelle got a new body in the modern trapezoidal shape (with the front sloping front and the rear end plate slightly sloping back) and a more pronounced hip bend over the rear wheel cutouts. The 3-door station wagon of the Chevelle 300 series was abandoned, but the Chevelle Malibu series received a 4-door hardtop sedan as a new model. The Super Sport became the SS-396 with a 6.5-liter V8 engine; the six-cylinder version was omitted.

The 1967 model year was marked by slight retouching. B. the front turn signals moved to the vehicle corners. To the model range of the previous year there was also a 5-door luxury station wagon with imitation wood on the sides of the vehicle under the name Chevelle Concours Series 137/138 (the serial number 138 was thus awarded twice this year!).

In four years, a total of 1,490,000 1st generation Chevelle were built.

Chevelle (1968-1972)

Chevelle 2nd generation
Chevrolet Chevelle SS Coupe (1970)

Chevrolet Chevelle SS Coupe (1970)
Production period: 1968-1972
Body versions : Sedan , station wagon , coupé , convertible
Engines:
Gasoline engines : 3.8–7.4 liters
(103–276 kW)
Length: 5004-5258 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase : 2845-2946 mm
Empty weight : 1361-1787 kg
Construction year designation Serial no. R6 Serial no. V8
1968 Chevelle 300 131 132
Chevelle 300 Deluxe 133 134
Chevelle Malibu 135 136
Chevelle Concours 137 138
Chevelle SS-396 138
1969 Chevelle 300 Deluxe Nomad 131 132
Chevelle 300 Deluxe 133 134
Chevelle Malibu 135 136
1970 Chevelle Nomad 131 132
Chevelle 133 134
Chevelle Malibu 135 136
Chevelle Concours Estate Wagon 138
1971 Chevelle Nomad 131 132
Chevelle 133 134
Chevelle Malibu 135 136
Chevelle Concours Estate Wagon 138
1972 Chevelle Nomad 1B 1B
Chevelle 1C 1C
Chevelle Malibu 1D 1D
Chevelle Concours Estate Wagon 1H
Chevrolet Chevelle Nomad series 131/132 station wagon (1969)
Chevrolet Chevelle (1972)

1968

The Chevelle was presented completely revised in model year 1968. The wheelbase of the sedans, coupes and convertibles had shrunk by 3 ″, while the station wagons had a 1 ″ longer wheelbase. The 5-door station wagon Chevelle Nomad Wagon introduced in the 300 and 300 Deluxe was also completely new . The name should be reminiscent of the 3-door top model of the big 1955 Chevrolets . In addition to this station wagon, there was only a 2-door coupé on the 300, a coupé with B-pillars on the 300 Deluxe , a 2-door hardtop coupé, known as the sports coupé, without B-pillars and a 4-door sedan. The Chevelle Malibu , the Concours and the SS-396 had the same model range as in the previous year.

1969

In the following year, the base model Chevelle 300 and the luxury station wagon Chevelle Concours were discontinued. The simplest version was now the Chevelle 300 Deluxe , while the Chevelle Malibu continued to function as the top model. The SS-396 was, as in 1964, only a sports package that for all Chevelle Malibu could be ordered with a V8 engine. The Nomad , taken over from the previous Chevelle 300 series , was the only model within the Chevelle 300 Deluxe series to still carry the serial numbers 131/132. The other station wagons in the series were named Greenbrier series 133/134 , which was previously used for a Corvair bus - Row was used. These station wagons were available with either six or nine seats. The Chevelle Malibu now also had five-door station wagons with six or nine seats, which were called the Chevelle Malibu Estate Wagon . There was also the cabriolet, the two hardtop models with 2 doors as a sports coupé and with 4 doors as a sports sedan and the 4-door sedan. There was also the coupe with a B-pillar.

There were minor retouching on the front, so the chrome strut in the grill slides from the upper third into the middle and the indicators slide further into the middle of the vehicle. In the 2-door sports coupé versions and the convertible, the small triangular windows in the doors were omitted in favor of large windows. The rear got slightly larger taillights and a differently shaped bumper. The side position lights got bigger. In the interior, the design of the instrument panel (now round) and the control buttons have changed.

1970

... a particularly luxurious sports coupé was developed from the Chevelle, which formed its own series as the Monte Carlo . It was on the same level as the again offered Concours Estate Wagon series 138 , which, as six or nine-seater, exclusively with V8 engines, represented the top of the range.

Among them was the Chevelle Malibu , whose station wagons were now called Concours Wagon . In the middle segment, the Chevelle was offered (the addition 300 Deluxe was omitted), which was available as a 5-door Greenbrier station wagon with six or nine seats, as a 2-door coupé and as a 4-door sedan. The simplest model was the Nomad station wagon.

A lot has changed visually. The Chevelle appeared bigger. Front and rear have been heavily redesigned. The headlights were now in a painted front panel and no longer in the grille . This was given a different V-shape with a center strut painted in body color. The direction indicators were built into the bumper. The shape of the small rear windows was changed from triangular to more square. The rear bumper got heavier. The rectangular taillights were now also in it. The 1970 model year was clearly different from the previous years.

1971

... the Chevelle had more massive bumpers and single headlights in the strongly contoured front. The front turn signal lights sat together with the parking lights in their own housings on the protruding corners of the vehicle. The rear received a large chrome-plated bumper in which two round taillights were now mounted on each side. The model range remained unchanged.

1972

... the appearance of the Chevelle remained almost unchanged, only the radiator grille received two instead of one horizontal chrome strips. The front indicator / parking light combination now only consisted of a combination with a diffuser. The series designations, which no longer differentiate between six-cylinder and V8 engines, were new: 1B for the Nomad station wagon, 1C for the Chevelle sub-series, 1D for the Malibu sub-series and 1H for the luxurious Concours Estate Wagon.

Approx. 2,085,000 2nd generation Chevelle were built in five years.

Chevelle (1973-1977)

Chevelle third generation
Chevrolet Chevelle SS (1973)

Chevrolet Chevelle SS (1973)
Production period: 1973-1977
Body versions : Sedan , station wagon , coupé
Engines:
Gasoline engines : 4.1–7.4 liters
(74–195 kW)
Length: 5156-5486 mm
Width: 1945 mm
Height: 1350-1410 mm
Wheelbase : 2845-2946 mm
Empty weight : 1551-1960 kg
Construction year designation Serial no. R6 Serial no. V8
1973 Chevelle Deluxe 1C 1C
Chevelle Malibu 1D 1D
Chevelle Malibu Estate 1G
Chevelle Laguna 1E
Chevelle Laguna Estate 1H
1974 Chevelle Malibu 1C 1C
Chevelle Malibu Classic 1D 1D
Chevelle Malibu Classic Estate 1G
Chevelle Laguna S-3 1E
1975 Chevelle Malibu 1C 1C
Chevelle Malibu Classic 1D 1D
Chevelle Malibu Classic Estate 1G
Chevelle Laguna S-3 1E
1976 Chevelle Malibu 1A 1A
Chevelle Malibu Classic 1A 1A
Chevelle Laguna S-3 1A
1977 Chevelle Malibu 1A 1A
Chevelle Malibu Classic 1A 1A
Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Classic Series 1A Landau Coupé (1976–1977)

1973

The Chevelle was revised for the 1973 model year. The so-called "Colonnade Hardtop" design contained frameless side windows in the doors and fixed B-pillars. The rear side windows on the coupés could no longer be opened, but GM air conditioning was available for an extra charge. The engines ranged from the 4.1-liter straight-six to the powerful 7.4-liter V8. Hardened valve seats and hydraulic valve clearance compensation made the engines reliable and made it possible to meet the requirements for the use of unleaded petrol. Cross-flow coolers and closed cooling systems, which prevent air from entering the cooling system, prevented the engines from overheating. Individual seats and center consoles for automatically and manually switched cars were offered in all models, as were additional instruments. Disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear and a brake booster were standard equipment. Service packages, air conditioning systems and stereo radio recorders were ordered more frequently in these years. In the model years 1973–1975, an electrically operated sliding glass roof was available on request .

The station wagon was available with six or nine seats and a large tailgate. The Chevrolet El Camino and the GMC Sprint were based on the Chevelle. As in the past, the shape of the front and rear has changed a little every year. The Chevelle was one of GM's bestsellers, as was the Oldsmobile Cutlass, which was also built on the GM-A platform.

The 1973 model range began with the top model Laguna with its PU nose, followed by the Malibu and Deluxe models. The Super Sport package was available for the Malibu Coupés and - this year only - also for the station wagons. The SS package consisted of a black grille, SS emblems inside and out, stripes on the sides of the vehicle, rally-style wheels and tires with white lettering, the F41 sports suspension with stabilizers at the rear and front and a V8 engine with 5, 7 or 7.4 liters displacement (350 or 454 cu.in.). There was also a 4-stage Muncie gearbox for vehicles with this type of engine.

1974

In the 1974 model year, the Laguna S-3 Coupé replaced the SS as a performance-enhanced sports version of the Chevelle. The nomenclature S3 referred to the third generation of the Chevelle. The cars had a special PU nose, stripes on the sides of the vehicle, Laguna S-3 emblems, rally wheels, four-spoke steering wheel and the F41 sports suspension with stabilizers at the front and rear. Radial tires on 15 ″ rims and a matching chassis provided traction and the three-point automatic seat belts introduced at the time are still used in modern vehicles today. A 6.6 liter V8 engine was new this year. The 7.4-liter V8 was the top engine and was combined with a TurboHydraMatic 400 automatic or a Muncie four-speed gearbox.

Since the Laguna was now the sports model of the Chevelle, the top models were now renamed the Malibu Classic and offered as a sedan, coupé or station wagon. Unlike the 1973 Laguna , the Malibu Classic had the same grille as the simpler Chevelle models, but a sprung hood ornament . Inside, the Malibu Classic was luxuriously equipped with bench seats and foldable backrests (or, on request, Strato single seats) that were covered with fabric or vinyl. There were also door panels with carpet covers, imitation wood on the dashboard, vertical “opera windows” (small windows in the C-pillars) on the coupés and imitation wood on the sides of the station wagons. In that year, the Chevelle Deluxe series was also eliminated, making the normal Chevelle Malibu the entry-level series.

1975

The 1975 Laguna S-3 was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in the middle of the model year on February 22nd and had a new, sloping front in the NASCAR style. The HEI system developed by GM - "High Energy Ignition" - ensured strong ignition sparks with minimal maintenance and increased performance. The larger distributor cap resulted in better performance at high RPM because it prevented a spark from being sent to the wrong spark plug. The 5.7 liter V8 with a two-way carburetor was standard, in California it was different with a four-way carburetor. The 7.4-liter V8 in connection with the Turbo-Hydra-Matic 400 automatic transmission was delivered as an option in the first half of the model year, then the 6.6-liter V8 was available as the top engine.

1976

In 1976 there was the Chevelle with the new 5.0-liter V8, the 5.7-liter V8 or the 6.6-liter V8.

1977

For 1977 the Malibu Classic was the top model and the 5.7 liter V8 was the top engine. There was a Chevelle SE (Special Edition) that offered front and rear spoilers, rally bikes, a special paint job and sports suspension. But only 50 copies were built.

Chevelle Laguna with an aerodynamic front
Chevelle Laguna with an aerodynamic front

NASCAR: The Chevelle from 1973 to 1977 was the most successful car in NASCAR races in the 1970s . The car was so popular and successful on the racing circuit that in 1975 Chevrolet delivered a new nose that led to today's aerodynamic cars. The cars dominated the races so much that the Nascar organization mandated the use of a cover plate for the carburetors on all Chevelle Lagunas. The drivers of these cars were: Darrell Waltrip , Junior Johnson, Benny Parsons , Cale Yarborough , Bobby and Donnie Allison , Bobby Isaac , Lennie Pond , AJ Foyt , Ricky Rudd, Dale Earnhardt and the driver, Janet Guthrie.

1978

When GM downsized the mid-range models in 1978, the name Chevelle was dropped and the model range was only called Chevrolet Malibu .

The third generation of the Chevelle produced around 1,600,000 copies in five years.

Trivia

Web links

Commons : Chevrolet Chevelle  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

literature

  • John Gunnell (Ed.): Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1946-1975. Revised 4th edition. Krause Publications Inc., Iola WI 2002, ISBN 0-87349-461-X .
  • James M. Flammang, Ron Kowalke: Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1976-1999. 3rd edition. Krause Publications, Iola WI 1999, ISBN 0-87341-755-0 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Chevelle Stuff. In: Chevelle Stuff - The Chevelle Authority. ChevelleStuff Enterprises Inc., accessed October 8, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Chevrolet: 1968 Chevelle Dealer Brochures . Ed .: GM Chevrolet.
  3. ↑ Chevrolet: 1969 Chevelle Dealer Brochures . Ed .: GM Chevrolet.
  4. ↑ Chevrolet: 1970 Chevelle Dealer Brochures . Ed .: GM Chevrolet.
  5. ↑ Chevrolet: 1971 Chevelle Dealer Brochures . Ed .: GM Chevrolet.
  6. ↑ Chevrolet: 1972 Chevelle Dealer Brochures . Ed .: GM Chevrolet.