72 Carolina Blue Rally 350

JONESYFXR · 10-26-2012, 03:30:22 PM

Here is My friend's ALL original 1972 Malibu Rally 350. This car has the origianl L-48 350 in it, air conditioning and ALL original interior. The car is near perfect. ALL original clean sheetmetal, 2.73 open 12 bolt, turbo 350, black interior with a bench and column shift.

This car is truly a survivor!!! It was brought to me with TONS of driveability problems. It was idleing like a drag engine, would stall when you put it in gear and was leaking oil. The car would hesitate like crazy under acceleration and would fall on its face.

I found a few vacuum leaks, a bad fuel pump diaghram, a bad accelerator pump in the carb, a bad distributor, fouled plugs and a sticking PCV valve. I rebiult the Rochester, set the dwell and timed the engine. The car still has a minor vacuum leak, probably the vacuum door for the vent controls, but it runs right down the road and is NUMBERS matching!!!!

It was a real pleasure working on this car. I miss the old stuff, even if it is older than me!!!

harbone66 · 10-26-2012, 03:36:46 PM

Now thats a nice car, hard to find em that original anymore!

JT71SS · 10-26-2012, 04:01:09 PM

Very nice. Carolina blue is a awesome color there was a dealer in North Carolina that would get Chevelles and Camaros in this color the cars wouldnt have any paint codes since it was special oredered by the dealer. My buddy had a original Carolina blue 69 Chevelle SS 396. He got big money out of it.

JONESYFXR · 10-26-2012, 05:47:09 PM

This car has two dashes on the trim tag where the paint code would be. He has the build sheet and under color it states...SPECIAL ORDER CAROLINA BLUE. The only thing that cannot be verified is if the stripes are factory. By the looks of the tape lines I would say somebody somewhere along the lines sprayed them on.

The owner sent me a copy of the engine build sheet. The heads were all re-done, new bearings throughout, crank turned, rotating assembly balanced, a Melling RV cam was installed along with new lifters and a Cloyes double roller timing set.

I was just happy to get this thing running good. The car is now reliable enough to run down the road without any issues. I just wish he would let me do more to it. I think the car needs the tank flushed and a new sending unit filter. Either way, it's a truly cool car with proof that it's a rare Malibu.

74_Camaro · 10-26-2012, 06:13:56 PM

Love it! My dad has a '72 Chevelle convertible 350 4-speed that just rolled over the 75,000 mile mark a couple years ago and I was glad I could be there with him to see the smile on his face. He's had the car since he was 19 and he is 53 now. It's been restored but has the complete original interior just the front buckets have been recovered and new carpet.

As for the stripes, I THINK you may have been able to order stripes on a Malibu, because I know there was a year or two you could do that between '70-'72 but the other years it was only available on SS models. I just shot my dad an e-mail and will let you know what he says; he knows all there is about those cars! And a lot of people added stripes later on but the stripes weren't perfect when they were put on from the factory all the time either, so I wouldn't judge it solely on that.

JT71SS · 10-26-2012, 06:42:58 PM

Yep my buddies 69 had two dashes to on the trim tag

JONESYFXR · 10-26-2012, 08:51:18 PM

Well, the owner is so happy about how driveable the car is now that he was all smiles!!! He said if he decides to sell the car, I get first dibs!!!

**77RS** · 10-27-2012, 07:29:08 AM

What a beautiful car. Glad to see that no one has made an SS clone out of it. I'd take an original Malibu in that condition over an SS clone any day.

JONESYFXR · 10-27-2012, 09:29:01 AM

I know!!! I truly love the car!!! Everwhere I drove the car people were pointing and talking. I really hope that he decides to sell it to me, that way the wife can cruise in that car and I can cruise in my Maro!!

GOLF72 · 10-28-2012, 01:05:48 PM

I was not sure I liked the color but after looking at it several times its very nice. The car is beautiful.

JONESYFXR · 10-28-2012, 05:11:14 PM

I really appreciate the color, because it is different. I have honestly NEVER seen a car this color in my area. I am wishing I made the guy an offer on the car.....I kinda miss it!!!

Doug G · 10-28-2012, 07:08:47 PM

Nice looking car, but there is no such thing as a Rally Chevelle. The stripes could be added, as a dealer option, and I have seen several, or even later by the owner. I like this body style, and my first car was a L65 72 Malibu, Pewter Silver with a black vinyl top.

nonstopgo68 · 10-28-2012, 08:23:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JONESYFXR

I really appreciate the color, because it is different. I have honestly NEVER seen a car this color in my area. I am wishing I made the guy an offer on the car.....I kinda miss it!!!

+1
Im not sure I would order that color , but the fact that you could order any color or any option back then is what makes older cars great . To me.

LtRsZ · 10-29-2012, 08:00:36 AM

Nice. I have a 71. Your vent doors (for heater controls ) are cable operation. Do you have ac? 12 bolt must have been ordered as trailering package? What does the build sheet say for you options?

JONESYFXR · 10-31-2012, 12:56:03 PM

Well, I have to look more into the details. The car is an original AC car. The heater controls are vaccuum operated. I think there's a leak in that system somewhere because you can't control the doors at all. I'm sure the owner will have me look into it in the spring. As for the rear end, my brother in law has a Rally 350 Malibu and his has an original 12 Bolt in it, so maybe that was part of the package for that car??

As for the color, it may not be the prettiest....but I like the fact that it is a promotional/ special order color.Who knows, maybe he will offer me the car and I will be cruising around in it next summer?!?!?