1965 marked the sophomore year of the first generation of the Chevrolet Chevelle, and with it came a few changes. The length of the intermediate-size Chevy was stretched a few inches, though the wheelbase remained at 115 inches. The front grille was updated, with a bar connecting each set of headlights.

The 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle was offered as a sedan, coupe, convertible and station wagon. A two-door station wagon was also available, which was only offered in the base 300 trim. Above the 300 was the new 300 Deluxe trim, which split the difference between the 300 and the range-topping Malibu. The Malibu was offered as a sedan, coupe, convertible, and station wagon.

The engine offerings continued to include two straight-sixes at the low end of things, while V-8s included small-block in either 283 or 327 cid and a big-block 396. The Malibu SS model featured SS badging, extra brightwork and 14-inch wheel covers from the larger Impala SS.

The “Z16” Malibu SS 396 was the range-topping variant of the Chevelle, and by far the rarest. It featured the big-block 396 good for 375 hp. It also featured nearly every comfort option, and came with a Muncie four-speed manual transmission as well as suspension and brake upgrades.