1973 Chevrolet Malibu Super Sport Colonnade Coupe

From the instant Chevrolet jumped into the growing market for "intermediate" cars in 1964, the SS badges on their racy mid-size Chevelles were known to stand for "Super Sport." With enhanced performance features and adorned with custom styling touches, by 1970, the Chevrolet Chevelle SS coupe had earned a deserved place among the top rank of the era's muscle cars.

The auto industry's taste for such cars began turning sour in response to political and economic trends in the early 1970s, but Detroit still issued sports models unfortunately in weakened form. Perhaps it was by force of habit, then, that an SS package was created for the completely redesigned 1973 Chevelle.

After five years on the same basic body shells, all General Motors intermediates were totally new for 1973. Convertibles were dropped and closed cars were dressed in new "Colonnade" styling.

The two-door hardtops of the past were replaced by true coupes with thick B-pillars and fixed rear side-window glass. All now had a dual-head-light design, which was nothing new to Chevelle; it had dropped four-lamp lighting in 1971. Heavy government-mandated five-mph "crash bumpers" were fitted up front.

The mid-size Chevy came in Deluxe, Malibu, and new upscale Laguna trim. Checking off option Z15 and plunking down $243 would make an SS out of any Malibu coupe ( or , for the first time ever, a station wagon ), equipped with a 350- or 454-cid V-8. ( That’s some grocery getter wagon!)

Package equipment included a blacked-out grille, dual sport mirrors, color-keyed lower body striping, black-accented taillight bezels (on coupes), black-rimmed round instrument dials, front and rear stabilizer bars, rally wheels, and G70 X 14 white-letter tires. SS identification showed up on the grille, front fenders, rear fascia (or wagon lift-gate), steering wheel, and interior door panels.

In ‘71, GM engines had been detuned to run on low-lead fuel. The 350 engine was rated at 145 net horsepower with a two-barrel carburetor; 175 horses with a four-pot carb. The optional big-block 454 now netted 245 horses. Automatic transmissions were standard with the SS engines, but four-speed manuals could be ordered for the 454 and the chestier of the two 350s.

As it turned out, SS ended up meaning "Swan Song" in 1973, even though 28,647 were ordered, an increase of almost 4,000 from the 1972 totals. (A Laguna S-3 coupe served as the sportiest Chevelle from 1974 to 1976.) Twenty-five years later, the label could stand for "Seldom Seen," considering most collectors and parts suppliers focus on pre-1973 Chevelles, and not so much the 1973 itself.  Shame…good looking car. I must admit…I haven’t seen a ’73 Malibu SS in some time now…