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The new Concours Sport Sedan focused on luxury, with “splendid interior appointments,” special sound insulation, City of Abbotsford selling a portion of Mill Lake park for condos and a deep-padded instrument panel with simulated woodgrain. Top dog in the Chevelle line was the SS 396, a handsome, well-proportioned car that cut loose with a 396-cubic-inch V-8 good for a blistering 375 horsepower. Regular Chevelle engines started with a 140-horsepower Turbo-Thrift six or the new 200-horsepower Turbo-Fire 307 V-8, but stretched to a 325-horsepower rendition of the 327-cubic-inch V-8. As the mid-size monsters called muscle cars gained in popularity as the Sixties wore on, Chevelle made a point not to be left out of the high-horsepower fun. The Concours Sport Sedan had an all-vinyl interior, a simulated woodgrain dash, and color-keyed interiors.
The 1979 Chevrolet Malibu offered Malibu and Malibu Classic models in coupe, sedan, and station wagon form. Production of the 1979 Chevrolet Malibu grew to 412,147, up from 358,636 of the 1978 models. Sedans and wagons had fixed rear-door windows with swing-out vents for draft-free ventilation. Malibu Classics got additional bright window trim and vinyl-clad body moldings. The Classic line also included a Landau coupe. Chevrolet literature boasted of such technical details as double-panel doors, a full-perimeter frame, and coil springs all around. Options included a vinyl roof, special gauges, wire wheel covers, auxiliary lighting, powered rear vent windows, and a Power Skyroof.
The six-cylinder version ran $90 less. Super Sport equipment could now be ordered with any V-8 engine, including the base 307-cubic-inch version. Through the 1970s, California cars often had different powertrains than those marketed in states with less-stringent emissions regulations. Chevelles sold in California could not get the 307 V-8 but carried a 350-cubic-inch engine instead. All Malibus had concealed wipers. Chevelles wore single-unit parking/side marker lights on their front fenders, outside of a revised twin-bar grille.
A new fully synchronized three-speed column-shift transmission became available, but many Chevelles had Powerglide or a four-speed manual gearbox instead. The new grille with SS treatment and black accents helped lead the trend toward black accents in sport-oriented cars. Super Sport coupes and convertibles wore less brightwork than in ’64 and came with any powertrain. Their interiors held front bucket seats in new textured vinyl, a console, and round gauges in a bright metal panel.
Base engine was a 250-cubic-inch six, but Chevelles might have any of four V-8s: 145-horsepower 350-cubic-inch, 160-horsepower 350 (with four-barrel carburetion), 180-horsepower 400, or the big-block 454 rated at 235 horses. Consumer Guide Automotive: Here’s your source for news, reviews, prices, fuel-economy and safety information on today’s cars, minivans, SUVs, and pickups. Muscle Cars: Look back at tire-smoking Chevys and scores of other machines from the golden age of American high performance. All Lagunas had V-8 engines, as well as firmer shocks/springs, a front stabilizer bar, and fat HR70x15 tires on Rally wheels. Sports Cars: Discover the pleasure of sports motoring at its purest in these captivating articles on the best sports cars from around the world.
