This 1971 Chevelle Malibu 350 convertible was Philo’s first car. In 1985 he was 15yrs old and looking to buy a 2nd gen Firebird Formula or Trans Am for his first car.
He was a gearhead/car guy from birth and had become obsessed with Trans Am’s thanks to Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and his dad buying a gorgeous 1978 Gold Edition Trans Am in 1980. He was just 10 yrs old, and that T/A made a huge impression on him.
However, they weren’t rich, nor poor, but the old man made it clear that insurance was going to be expensive even w/ his job as a stock boy for the local Rose’s Dept store.
One day his dad called him at work on the company phone to tell him he found a car he wanted him to look at.
It was this 1971 Chevelle convertible. Even though he wanted a Trans Am this yellow beauty was love at first sight.
The man was asking $4500, in 1985, but they worked him down to $3400 cash money on the condition that he would keep his Alpine tape deck, amplifier, and (2) 8-inch Alpine subwoofers. The money saved went to drivetrain rebuild.
So, 36yrs later, he still has his best girl and is currently in the middle of her 2nd resto since he got her. His son is in the Engineering & Auto Shop program at his high school and will get the Chevelle upon his passing.
The original drivetrain in the 1971 Chevelle was the 350 V8, 2bbl 245hp option w/ the venerable Turbo 350 automatic transmission.
In 1987, he had the best machinist/drag racer in town Dan build him a strong 1970 350 – 4bolt main block w/ a Crane Fireball II hyd cam – .500 lift, bored .040, forged steel crankshaft, TRW flat-top pistons, Comp. Cams roller rockers, Weiand X-Celerator Hi-Rise intake, Headman Ceramic-Coated headers, Flowmaster 2″ exhaust, and a Holley 750cfm dual-line 4bbl carb.
He rebuilt the Turbo 350 with Dayton 1800 rpm stall Conv and shift kit.
Left the original 10-bolt rear end with 2.73 gearings.
The 1971 Chevelle is a convertible, of which roughly 5,500+ were built for the 1971 model year. Other than that she doesn’t have any super-rare options, maybe the Sunflower Yellow color.
He hopes to complete the 2nd restoration he’s given this 1971 Chevelle since he bought her in 1985 within the next year, give or take a few months. He had the 1971 Chevelle cleaned up under the hood, rebuilt the Turbo 350, brakes, gas tank, new Cragar SS wheels, and brakes this past summer.
New bucket seats, conversion to floor-shifter, and a new top will be done by Spring 2022. New paint and bodywork are yet to be decided. He will be sticking with w/the original Sunflower Yellow color.
