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Goodbye Chevelle, Hello Malibu!
For its 4th generation GM decided to replace the outgoing Chevelle in favor of Malibu. The Chevrolet Malibu came in plenty of body style like, sedans, coupe and wagon.
Chevrolet also offered trims like Malibu Classic, Malibu Landaulet aside from the vanilla Malibu trims. The predominant choice was from a couple of V6s worth V8s optional in most states.
Compared to Chevelle, Malibu donned a much more sober or “professional” appearance with aerodynamic styling, clean lines and compact chassis.
1980 Malibu Classic Models
The Malibu Classic series was targeted at buyers looking to stand apart for the crowd and came with plenty of standard and cosmetic changes over plain Jane Malibu models like-
- Simulated wood panels (Wagon only)
- rocker panel moldings
- full wheel covers
- wheel moldings
- extra sound insulation and thicker headliner
A unique Malibu Classic Landaulet coupe was available with a foldable vinyl top for rear passengers. It came with pinstripes and gloss black pillar trim as standard. You could also choose from exclusive dual tone paints available for the Landaulet trim only.
All Malibu Classic trims also came with optional 50-50 split or bucket seats aside from standard bench seats.
1980 Chevrolet Malibu Power Combos
All The 1980 Malibu regardless of the body style came with a 229 2bbl V6 as standard with 110 hp. Options included a 267 2bbl V8 or a top-of-the-line 4bbl 305 V8 making 115 and 140 hp. A 3-speed manual was standard, with automatic available as an option.
The V8 required power steering, and a 4-Speed manual was available only for coupes and sedans.
California bound Malibu had no option for manual gearbox and came standard with upsized 231 2bbl V6 and 305 V8 available as an option.
GM in all its wisdom decided to bolt the rear windows shut permanently in station wagons and sedan to boost their AC sales. Without AC, you only had small vents to make do with, which needless to say were grossly inadequate. Some options were-
- Gauge Pack
- Comfortilt Steering
- Wheel covers
- AC
- Speed Control
- Aux lightning
Some of the 1980 Chevy Malibu were equipped with 350 V8s, but these were mostly police and non-civilian vehicles.
What was The M80 Package for 1980 Chevy Malibu
The M80 version was only available in North and South Carolina for the 1980 Chevrolet Malibu. It was designed to fulfill the needs of many racing and NASCAR fans who frequented Darlington Raceway. Based on the sports coupe model, the M80 Malibu came equipped with a strong 305 cubic inch V8 engine that produced a whopping 155 horsepower.
It gave the car a sporty, race-ready appearance by including the heavy-duty F41 suspension, rear spoilers, and two noticeable rally stripes. The Malibu M80 model was created to dazzle and satisfy customers looking for a sportier and adrenalized driving experience.
Any Major Problems with 1980 Chevy Malibu?
Rust and Corrosion can creep in, and people have complained about the reliability of 305 V8 in the past. Car Complaints has reported that the 1980 Malibu was recalled 6 times due to various issues like engine oil leaking, broken gas pedal linkages etc.
How Much is 1980 Malibu Nowadays?
Most 4 gen Malibu are priced between $15,000 to $25,000 depending on whether it had V6 or V8. The Classic trims are on an average up to $5000 more expensive.
