For Sale: 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania

The Car

This is a 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle SS finished in Marina Blue over black vinyl bucket seats. The cowl tag confirms it as a real Malibu SS Sport Coupe (body code 13837) built at the Fremont, California assembly plant in the first week of December 1964. The VIN matches the cowl tag and verifies the model year. The car shows 79,189 miles on the odometer, listed as TMU because we don't have the documentation to verify the mileage.

It's powered by a 396 cubic inch big block backed by a TH350 three-speed automatic and a 10-bolt rear with 3.07 open differential. The engine is a verified 1967 Chevelle 325HP block - casting 3902406 with an ED suffix is a one-year-only combination, so while it's not the original engine to this '65, it's a real period Chevelle big block, not an unknown swap. Worth noting upfront: this Chevelle was born Regal Red with a black interior per the cowl tag and has been repainted Marina Blue. We don't have restoration photos or receipts, so we're describing the car as it sits today rather than making claims we can't back up.

What It Has

The 396 wears a 600 CFM Edelbrock four-barrel on an Edelbrock Performer 2-0 intake, with an Accel HEI distributor and Super Coil for ignition. Chrome valve covers and tubular headers with heat wrap dress the engine bay. Power steering and power front disc brakes (rear drums) make it easy to drive in modern traffic. The cooling system tag from the build is still present on the radiator support, and the original-style "limited slip" warning decal sits on the underside of the trunk lid - note that the actual axle is an open diff, confirmed by the axle code; the decal is decorative.

Inside, you'll find black vinyl bucket seats with a B70 padded dash, all in genuinely excellent shape. A B&M Pro Stick shifter with reverse lockout sits on the floor. A Bosch tachometer mounts on the dash, a trio of SunPro Sport auxiliary gauges (volts, water temperature, oil pressure) sits under the dash on the passenger side, and a hidden audio system runs a Custom Autosound six-disc CD changer in the trunk through Rockford Fosgate speakers in the rear package shelf. The original Chevelle two-spoke wheel and SS dash badge are present. The car rides on Cragar S/S chrome five-spoke wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich Radial T/A raised white letter tires. Spare tire and jack are present in the trunk, which itself is clean with a light grey textured floor and the original jacking instructions decal intact on the trunk lid.

What You Should Know

A few things to flag honestly. First, the color change - this car was born Regal Red and is now Marina Blue, with no paperwork on when or how that happened. Second, the front running lights don't work, and neither does the horn or the clock. None of these are deal-breakers, but they're real and you should know going in. Third, the mileage is TMU. The odometer reads 79,189 but we can't back that up with records.

The engine is a verified 1967 Chevelle 325HP 396 based on the casting and suffix codes. That's a stronger story than a generic swap - it's the right family of car for the engine - but it's still not numbers-matching to this '65 body. Treat it as a period-correct 396 in a real SS car, not a matching-numbers drivetrain.
The air cleaner decal reads "Turbo-Jet 396 / 350HP," which is a decorative piece - the engine itself is the 325HP version. We have not had the car on a four-post lift yet, so if you want underbody photos, we can pull it up and shoot whatever you want to see.

The Bigger Picture

1965 was the first year you could get a 396 in a Chevelle, and it changed the trajectory of the model. Chevrolet built 201 Z16 cars that year - the legendary 375-horse SS396 package - and those are six-figure cars when they surface. What you're looking at here isn't one of those. This is a regular 1965 Malibu SS that has been built up with a '67 Chevelle 396, which was the most common path these cars took as enthusiasts swapped or upgraded drivetrains over the decades.
The interesting wrinkle on a '65 SS is that the 396 wasn't a regular production option that year - it only appeared in the Z16 cars. So any '65 Chevelle you see today with a big block underhood has either had one swapped in, or it's a Z16. The vast majority are the former. Knowing the engine in this one is a documented '67 Chevelle 396 (rather than an unknown block from a parts truck or marine application) puts it on the better end of that swap-car spectrum.

How to Buy It

The car is at our shop in Orwigsburg, PA. We're happy to do a walk-around video, send additional photos of any area you want to see (including underbody shots once we get it on the lift), or put you in touch with a third-party inspector. We do not charge documentation fees on top of the sale price. Out-of-state buyers, we can help coordinate transport but the choice of carrier is yours. Call or email through the listing to set up a time to come see it.