Be it fabricated or existent , there ’s something stirring about a heavy pursuance . Consider Captain Ahab and his white whale . Then there ’s Mike Kuhn and his lavender Chevrolet .
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Kuhn say he pass about 10 years assay to tag down a 1965 Chevelle painted in that year ’s classifiable refinement of Evening Orchid before set ashore the Malibu SS two - door hardtop see here . His search ended in Texas in July 1990 . Then he brought his prize back home to Trenton , Illinois , to begin nearly two years of refurbishment .
Evening Orchid was one of 15 colors useable for the 1965 Chevelle , which was in its second season as Chevrolet ’s ledger entry in the then - new intermediate course of instruction . It continued the 115 - inch wheelbase from the Chevelle ’s 1964 debut , but total length grow 2.7 inch , thanks to a more pointed nose and front bumper .
Still , overall dimension guess those of the well - regarded 1955 - 1957 Chevys . Underneath the squarish bodywork was a perimeter bod and spiral - spring hanging at all four corner .
Chevelles came in four trim levels for 1965 – the 300 , 300 Deluxe , Malibu , and Malibu SS . Of the six Chevelle body vogue , Super Sports come only in transmutable and hardtop coupe forms .
The SS featured a blacked - out grille and a ring of smuggled paint on the rearward cove ( except on disgraceful railroad car , which wear a silvery band ) , cradle - jury trim , and special cycle covers . pail seats and a full calibre package came standard at heart .
major power selections were the same as for all other Chevelles : a choice of two sixes , a 283 - Criminal Investigation Command V-8 in two states of melody , and a leash of 327 - cube V-8s . The 250 - and 300 - bhp 327s were mid-1964 additions . They were joined for 1965 by a chrome - bedecked 350 - bhp 327 – and a rare and expensive 375 - knight 396 - cid V-8 that turn 201 Super Sports into snorting beasts .
After a good start in 1964 , Malibu SS orders increased to 81,112 for 1965 . Mike Kuhn ’s well - equipped object lesson is one of the 64,532 V-8 hardtop built . His car ’s 250 - bhp 327 is overcharge to the extra - cost four - amphetamine transmittance , which bring with it a flooring console .
Air conditioning , a faux - wood sports steerage wheel , tachometer , dash - top clock , and power steering and brake are among its other options .
Though a solid car , Kuhn gave it a human body - off restoration . Since then , it has taken its share of show awards . You do n’t have to search for a ground why .
