1965 Chevelle Malibu SS

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Any comments/corrections/additions please send them to me and be sure to specify which year.

The 1965 Chevelle Malibu SS was a separate series from the 300, 300 Deluxe & Malibu series and can be readily identified by both the Fisher Body Number plate (a.k.a. trim tag, cowl tag, etc.) and the Vehicle Identification Number plate (VIN).

The 1965 Malibu SS was available in both sport coupe (37) and convertible (67) models and with both L6 and V8 engines. The Fisher Body style numbers 13737, 13837, 13767, & 13867 and VINs beginning with 13737, 13767, 13837, & 13867 will note a Malibu SS. While the Fisher Body plate style numbers (such as 13837) will usually coincide with the series/model number of the VIN (such as 13837), that is not always the case since Fisher Body at some plants did not care what engine (L6 or V8) went into a particular body. There are instances of a Fisher Body style number with an even-numbered 3rd digit (8) and the VIN having an odd-numbered 3rd digit (7). The VIN is the REAL proof the car was a L6 or V8 originally. As with all years of Super Sports, the VIN only depicts the base engine and does not indicate any optional engine.

In March of 1965, a run of 200/201 special Malibu SS 396 Chevelles were built at Kansas City, under regular production option (RPO) Z16, in preparation of the SS396 to be introduced in 1966 as a separate series from the Malibu. The 200/201 numbers are debated among enthusiasts. Some will claim there were 200 sport coupes and 1 convertible built. There seems to be 'secretive' knowledge of this single Malibu SS 396 convertible but, to date, no documented proof of its existence has surfaced and made public other than it was a one-off unit done in triple tan (a color not available on the production sport coupes) and was used as fleet car until purchased by a GM engineer. The car was reportedly sold a short time later but it has not been seen or heard of since.

It is also not known for sure if the 200 sport coupes built include the two prototypes built in Baltimore but it's assumed the 200 figure does not and all production Z16 Chevelles were built at the Kansas City assembly plant. For more on the Malibu SS 396, please visit the Chevelle Z16 website.

The 1965 Malibu SS added a few more external identification over the 1964 model. The Malibu SS also included bucket seats, center console (4-speed & Powerglide automatic transmissions), and gauges - although the tachometer (RPO U14) was optional. Three-speed manual transmissions did not have a console and the Powerglide could be ordered with a column shift and have the console deleted. If a column-shift was requested the bucket seats were still standard but the bucket seats could be swapped for a bench seat.

Since the Malibu SS came with both L6 and V8 engines, whether the car came with a 10-bolt or 12-bolt rear end cannot be used to identify a 1965 Malibu SS. Likewise, Positraction was an option and can not be used to identify a 1965 Malibu SS.

The Malibu SS emblems were retained on the quarter panels, the rear cove Malibu SS emblem was redesigned and moved, and the rear cove received the distinctive blacked-out area shown on all but Tuxedo Black where the cove was done in silver.  Although dealer books of the era show only Tuxedo Black, Danube Blue and Cypress Green may fall into the silver category as well.  Anyone with a photo, like one of those here of the rear cove area, of Danube Blue or Cypress Green is encouraged to send it along for confirmation.

The grille and headlamp bezels of the Malibu SS were blacked-out where the Malibu was not.

Compare the trim of a Malibu sport coupe above and a Malibu SS sport coupe below. The Malibu has a bright side molding running from just behind the front wheel well to the rear quarter panel where the Malibu SS replaces this molding with shorter trim along the lower rocker panel sill.