John C. Reilly: the 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu convertible up for auction
There are many renowned car enthusiasts nowadays -- and if you’re reading this, you have probably heard about Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. At the same time, numerous present-day actors in Hollywood have a special love for automobiles and motorsports. However, John C. Reilly seems to fall outside this category. Apart from his role in the 2006 film Talladega Nights, Reilly has yet to display any publicly-known connections or enthusiasm for the automotive realm. Nevertheless, this week he managed to captivate the interest of car enthusiasts when the press unveiled that his very personal and private luxury car, a 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Convertible -- would be offered at an auction.
Having been assembled in California, this 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu convertible was purchased by Reilly in 1992 from its previous owner. Throughout the years, the car remained in Southern California. It was originally painted in Ash Gold - which is a factory color -- however, the actor decided to have the convertible top repainted in Tripoli Turquoise, yet another factory paint in 2000, after addressing some repairs on the car's panels. The Chevy rides on 14" steel wheels accessorized with Chevrolet-branded hubcaps, equipped with Ironman thin-whitewall tires, and features power-assisted drum brakes on both the front and rear. On the exterior one can see a black soft top, a matching top boot, chrome bumpers, dual side mirrors, and vintage blue California license plates.
Having been shown in various television and film projects, including its most recent role in HBO's The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, this Malibu convertible is equipped with a V8 engine coupled with a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. The interior, upholstered in black vinyl, showcases front bucket seats and a rear bench, complemented by a color-coordinated dashboard, door panels, and carpeting. The collapsible soft-top covers the cabin, which features roll-up windows, lap belts, a steering wheel, and a cassette stereo with a CD changer and a subwoofer in the trunk. Wondering where you can see - and buy this gem? It’s situated in Santa Clarita, California, just north of Los Angeles. The 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu convertible owned by John C. Reilly is currently for sale on Bring a Trailer.
A little bit of history: the car was designed to rival Ford Fairlane in terms of size and target customers who admired the popular 1955-1957 Chevrolet models. As a result, the Chevelle was introduced to expand Chevrolet's lineup. It occupied the mid-range position between the compact Corvair and Nova models on one end and the larger Impala and Caprice models on the other end. However, the Chevelle came in a wide range of models, spanning from affordable sedans and station wagons to high-performance coupes and convertibles. The sportier variants were labeled as Super Sport and were part of the muscle car category. Initially, the Malibu served as the luxurious edition of the Chevelle series, but in 1977, the entire series adopted the Malibu name.
