1978 Malibu Specs

The 1978 Chevrolet Malibu was Chevy's mid-sized line for individual, police and fleet buyers. The Malibu was offered as a two-door coupe, four-door sedan and four-door station wagon. Chevy offered 43 different options and option packages with the Malibu to improve convenience, comfort, appearance and performance.
Engine
The standard engine in the 1978 Malibu was a 200 cubic inch cast iron, liquid cooled, naturally-aspirated, overhead valve V-6 rated at 95 horsepower. This was the first year Chevy used a V-6 engine. There also was an optional 231 cubic inch V-6 that produced 105 horsepower and a 305 cubic inch V-8 rated at 145 horsepower. Station wagon buyers could also choose a 350 cubic inch V-8 that produced 170 horsepower.
Chassis
The 1978 Malibu models had a steel body on a steel perimeter frame. The front suspension featured a ball joint with coil springs. The live rear axle was suspended from coil springs on trailing arms. The Malibu models had front disc brakes and rear drum brakes with power assist optional. The front-mounted engine drove the rear wheels through a standard three-speed manual transmission, with a four-speed manual and three-speed automatic transmission available as options. Final drive ratio was 2.73-to-1 or 3.08-to-1, with Positraction optional.
Dimensions
The 1978 Malibu was 192.7 inches long on a 108.1-inch wheelbase. The cars were 70.1 inches wide and 54.5 inches high with a 58-inch tread between the wheels. The sedans had 16.1 cubic feet of trunk space, the wagon 72.4 cubic inch of cargo space. Buyers could choose from 14 body colors, five two-tone color schemes, and an optional vinyl roof in seven colors.