Surprisingly,
for the all new 1973 model year, some 7,000 less
Chevelles were made than in the previous year. As was the case with
Pontiac, Chevrolet’s intermediates didn’t feature the formal roof, which was
reserved for the Monte Carlo. So like
Pontiac, Chevrolet inserted a formal-look window in its semi-fastback roof for
the non-basic models the next year, which eventually would become standard
through the line by 1977. The 1974
Malibu Classic had a hood ornament and it received double vertical rectangular
headlights by 1976. By 1975, Chevrolet left out the ‘Colonnade’ naming.
The
Monte Carlo, on the 4-door wheelbase, and with a real formal roof, outsold the
Chevelle coupes from the start, and more so the full Chevelle line by
1976. In 1977, four out of ten 4-door
models would be a wagon, after the downsizing of the senior line. When including the El Camino and GMC Sprint
utilities with sheet metal similar to the Chevelle, and also Canadian and
Mexican production, nearly two million units were made. Compare this with 2,156,406 Oldsmobile
Cutlass, all built in the USA. However,
Chevelle plus intermediate-based Monte Carlo outsold Cutlass, though the
Cutlass Supreme and Salon coupes with formal roof outsold the more sculptured
Monte Carlo in 1977.
Under
the skin:
The
Chevelle was the only 1973-1977 GM intermediate that kept the 250
6-cylinder-in-line over the whole period, as the Chevy V6 engine would arrive
only after the downsizing. The Chevrolet
V8 350 engine was offered in both 2-barrel and 4-barrel forms (but not always
in every area), and was confined to the 4-barrel in 1977, when it became the
largest engine. Canada kept the dual exhaust
version up to 1974, a year longer than the USA.
Power brakes and power steering became standard equipment for the V8
models by 1976, while over 75% of the 6-cylinder buyers opted for power brakes
and almost 95% for power steering. One
out of five 6-cylinder buyers who had the choice of manual or automatic gearbox
stuck to the manual transmission (which was not available on the Malibu Classic
Sedan and Laguna models).
Mexico
offered a high compression 250 engine up to 1975, and an earlier V8 350, which
both were available with the 4-speed manual transmission. The later downsized Malibu would still be
equipped with the six-in-line engine, other than north of the border. Venezuela was another country where the
Chevelle Malibú (sic) was assembled, initially with the 165 hp 1972 engine, and
where it was voted Car of the Year for 1973.
https://mjs.home.xs4all.nl/Chevrolet%20Chevelle.htm
https://mjs.home.xs4all.nl/Chevrolet%20Chevelle%20engines.htm