Chevrolet MALIBU CL
Built: 1981 · Series: MALIBU
More machines from model year 1981
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Chevrolet Malibu – collective page of the Malibu versions registered as commercial vehicles: CL, Classic, Classic Stationwagon and Classic Pick-up, six- and eight-cylinders of 4,998 cm³
This page gathers Chevrolet Malibu versions carried in the register as light commercial vehicles – estate and load-bed variants of the Malibu, which debuted in 1964 as a trim line of the Chevelle and became a standalone model range in 1978. The name comes from the Californian coastal town of Malibu, with which Chevrolet, as with many model names of the period, associated a sunny, leisure-oriented lifestyle. The versions recorded here – CL, Classic, Classic Stationwagon, Stationwagon and Classic Pick-up – show the range of body styles of this generation, from the estate to the open load bed.
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The register lists here 5 versions with six- and eight-cylinders and a displacement of 4,998 cm³, unladen weights from 1,568 to 1,754 kg, gross weights from 2,139 to 2,228 kg and widths from 1,750 to 1,920 mm.
The Malibu was for decades one of the best-selling mid-size models in North America; the estate and load-bed variants gathered here played a role mainly in markets outside the United States, where mid-size cars were more often also registered as light commercial vehicles.
On used examples, the condition of the carburettor or early injection matters on the eight-cylinders, the tightness of the tailgate and load floor on the estate and load-bed versions, rust on sills and wheel arches, and the condition of the automatic transmission and power steering; parts run through the wide North American GM aftermarket.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet (General Motors, Hersteller)
Technical data
Engine
| Cylinders | 8correct |
|---|
Dimensions and weights
| Width | 1,830 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 2,750 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 1,640 kgcorrect |
| Gross vehicle weight | 2,202 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Wheels | 4correct |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Chevrolet MALIBU CL weigh?
The unladen weight is 1,640 kg.
What is the gross vehicle weight of the Chevrolet MALIBU CL?
2,202 kg.
What engine does the Chevrolet MALIBU CL have?
8 cylinders.
When was the Chevrolet MALIBU CL built?
Production years: 1981.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 8 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
The technical data on this page comes from official vehicle registration records (RDW/Traficom), not from the manufacturer.
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Sources: RDW — Dutch national vehicle register (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
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