**NEW** Rich's 1965 Chevelle 2-Door Wagon Restification Page!
Please e-mail me with any questions at
This site is dedicated to displaying in pictures the progress
of my Chevelle restoration project. I have owned this 1965 Malibu
SS since 1981 and I am the third owner. This is the car's 2nd
full body-off restoration. I have restored the car once before
and showed it for a number of years before staring the 2nd restoration.
As most of you know, a project such as this is never completely
done, but I considered the project for all intents complete in
October 2000. In the Spring of 2001 I started taking the car to
shows around the country once again.
The car is mostly original and has a few rare options that make it quite unique. The first and most obvious is RPO L79 which is the 350hp 327ci engine. This motor was installed in 6,021 1965 Chevelles. Other options include the Malibu SS package (special trim, bucket seats, gauges, blackout treatment on the grill and rear cove and console), an AM pushbutton radio with a rear fender antenna, rear seat speaker, L79-specific tachometer (5,600 RPM redline), white interior, posi-traction, heavy duty suspension, seat belt, seat belt retractors, C&C group, tinted glass, padded dash, four-speed and the larger optional tires. Funny thing about the tinted glass, the paperwork specifies tinted windshield only, as does the cowl tag, but the car has had tinted glass all around from day one.
The factory color is Maderia Maroon. It currently has aftermarket anti-sway bars and shocks and 1969 Chevelle SS wheels with Goodyear Eagle GT tires. I do have the original hubcaps and suspension components which I will reinstall for certain shows. While it will be and treated as a show car, believe me, it is driven!
The car was purchased new in December of 1964 by two brothers who intended to drive and race the car. When the older brother was drafted, the car was less than 6 months old and was put on consignment at their local Chevrolet dealer. The car sat most of the summer and after three months, the second owner, who had just started a family, broke down and bought the car before a local 16 year-old could convince his dad to buy it for him. The second owner said he could not stand to see the kid get it and chew it up. He enjoyed the car to the tune of 138,000 miles.
In 1972 a drunk driver rear-ended the car and did considerable damage. The second owner held onto the damaged car since he could not afford to fix it at that time (his family was larger by now) nor could he stand to part with it. In 1981 a friend and I convinced him to sell it to me and I began the first restoration. A few years later I began a 2nd more detailed restoration which I have pretty much finished at this time.
In 2002 I had the good fortune to meet the salesman who sold my car new! He was the first owner's cousin and actually ordered the car as if it was to be his own. The first owner has since passed away so it was great to make a connection with someone who knew my car when it was fresh off the truck! He also substantiated a few stories I'd heard about my car and cleared up a few more trivial issues. I look forward to future contacts with him!
Just recently, January 2008, the most incredible good fortune came my way! The previous owner contacted me to let me know he had located some original papers and manuals that belong with the car. Along with original GM shop manuals and the original owner's manual, he sent me the original Protect-O-Plate for the car! Shortly after that I contacted the dealership that sold my car new and was able to obtain the original dealer's copy of the sales invoice! I've had photocopies of this document for many years, but having the original is much more meaningful! Check out the Paperwork and Labels section.
Please e-mail me with any questions at