1970 Chevy Chevelle Malibu Project - Goodmark Industries Sheetmetal

1970 Chevy Chevelle Malibu Project Robert Neumann Rendering

Artist Robert Neumann gave us this rendering of what our Project XS Chevelle will eventually look like, with the usual minor changes expected as the build progresses. Check out more of Neumann's work at www.hubgarage.com, then look up Saltchop's Garage. Hard to imagine we'll end up with this from our rust-bucket!

Artist Robert Neumann gave us this rendering of what our Project XS Chevelle will eventual

Gentleman, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability nowadays to rescue perhaps the world's rustiest Chevelle convertible. Fortunately, this particular rebuild won't cost $6 million, thanks to the folks at Goodmark Industries and the hard working team at Jim Barber's Classic Automotive Restoration Specialists (C.A.R.S. Inc.).

A few years ago, the demand for replacement body panels for '70 Chevelles/Malibus started increasing as the popularity of the cars for restorations and restomod projects shot skyward. With the supply of NOS and donor parts dwindling, the only option was to start stamping brand-new sheetmetal.

Goodmark was founded in 1991, and for almost 20 years its inventory and offerings of new sheetmetal for a variety of American cars and trucks has grown by leaps and bounds to keep pace with demand and necessity. That's a great thing for us, as we're practically throwing the Goodmark catalog at our rusty Chevelle. North Carolina-based C.A.R.S. Inc. has been in business since 1999, when Founder/Owner Jim Barber left Eaton Corporation to get into the lucrative restoration business. C.A.R.S. Inc. can take just about any clapped-out old car and turn it into a gem. And in the case of our Chevelle, we're really going to put those skills to the test. It redefines the term "clapped-out." C.A.R.S. Inc. is also the builder of the '69 Camaro COPO and Yenko recreation series. For more on its services, check out its website: www.classicautomotiverestoration.com.

This particular ragtop was built in the Baltimore assembly plant and sold new in Wisconsin, where it spent a good part of its life and then ended up in Massachusetts. Those are two states where salted winter roads and a few fender benders accounted for most of the reasons this convertible is in such cancerous, sorry shape. Some might ask why we're even bothering to save this heap, and there are two good answers to that question. One, we wanted to show everyone in Bow Tie land how even the most rotten, beat-up automobile can be saved thanks to the aftermarket. Two, Chevelle/Malibu convertibles are tough to come by, and currently the aftermarket doesn't make the convertible top hardware and other related equipment. So, any convertible with all its equipment intact is worth saving, no matter what the condition.

Follow along as Barber and his crew start tearing the A-body apart, surveying the damage, and begin cutting out the cancer-stricken metal and replacing it with fresh steel from Goodmark. We'll go ahead and warn you: Some of these pictures aren't pretty, but they do show how even the worst Chevelle can be saved from the scrap heap.

Here are the major pieces from Goodmark that we'll be replacing on the Chevelle. There are a few small odds and ends that aren't pictured, but from this photo you get the general idea of how much we’ll be replacing. All this sheetmetal is brand new and based off original parts for accuracy.
Here are the major pieces from Goodmark that we'll be replacing on the Chevelle. There are
Hiding in this box is a Chevelle, sort of. All Goodmark sheetmetal comes wrapped, boxed, and protected against damage from shipping and storage. Another advantage of this new sheetmetal is it uses modern steel alloys that have more resistance against corrosion than the original sheetmetal.
Hiding in this box is a Chevelle, sort of. All Goodmark sheetmetal comes wrapped, boxed, a
Going over the car, there was evidence it had been through two major collisions in the right rear quarter (one of which is obvious here). The crash damage went through to the trunk latch area, so one of the hits was pretty hard. We'll be replacing this whole quarter-panel area, along with the inner and outer wheel houses. One of the first things C.A.R.S. Inc. does before starting a new project is to go over the vehicle from top to bottom, make a list of potential problem areas, parts needed, parts missing, and lay out a plan of attack for the rebuild.
Going over the car, there was evidence it had been through two major collisions in the rig

The front end of our Malibu has taken a beating over the years, too. Nothing from the front clip is going to be reused, as we'll be building a whole new front with nothing but Goodmark-supplied sheetmetal and grille-related parts.
The front end of our Malibu has taken a beating over the years, too. Nothing from the fron
The interior pretty much matched the outside of the car. Our Malibu is a factory Cranberry Red/white vinyl, bucket seat/console shift car, but the original seats disappeared at some point in its life, replaced with some slime green buckets from an Olds A-body. Plans call for the slush box to be ditched in favor of a five- or six-speed gear jammer.
The interior pretty much matched the outside of the car. Our Malibu is a factory Cranberry
From here you can see the beating the passenger side has taken over the years, and all the sheetmetal we'll be replacing. Oddly enough, the car still wears much of its original paint on the outside, minus the areas where crash damage was repaired.
From here you can see the beating the passenger side has taken over the years, and all the