The 1964 Chevelle started out as a sensible midsized car with adequate headroom and trunk space. Chevy did not intend to make the Chevelle a performance car. It was basic transportation for the masses and designed to fit between the Chevy II and the full sized Impala. All this changed when Pontiac stuffed a 389 cubic inch big block into its cooperate cousin, the GTO. The 1964 GTO became an instant sensation and the Chevrolet, in a bid to catch up, quickly added performance engines to the Chevelle lineup.
In 1964, there were three different models: the Chevelle 300, the Chevelle Malibu and the Chevelle Malibu Super Sport. The base or “300” model came with a host of standard features including self-adjusting drum brakes, 14-inch wheels with tubeless tires and vinyl seat covers. The Malibu added such luxuries as bright body moldings, back up lights, lighted glove box and carpet.
The Super Sport was the real performance model of the three. Not only could the buyer get larger engines, but they could also opt for bucket seats and center consoles. Although the 1964 Chevelle SS could be ordered with the inline six-cylinder engine, none were ordered. As a result, all Super Sports in 1964 came with the 327 cubic inch small block engine. Performance was decent with zero to sixty times of less than ten seconds but it was no competition for the much faster GTO. This was mainly due to the engine options available. The GTO came with a 389ci big block while the largest engine available for the Chevy was a 327ci small block. Chevy would close the engine gap with the introduction of the Chevelle SS 396 in 1965.
The Chevelle was a hit with the public. In its debut, it became Chevrolet’s second best selling model. The public liked the clean lines along with the economical price of Chevy’s new mid-sized automobile.
