The Amazing Story Of The Iraqibu

"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror) 04/20/2015 at 13:21 • Filed to: AUTOMOBILE HISTORY, FC

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While doing research and fact-proofing my latest !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , I came across the story of the Iraqi Malibu taxis.

In 1981, the Iraqi government placed an order for 25,000 Chevy Malibus to be used as taxis from General Motors Canada. The special-order taxis came with the weakest V6 mated to a unique three-speed manual mounted on the floor. All the taxis came with air conditioning, heavy-duty cooling as well and bench seats upholstered in tweed.

GM shipped 13,000 of the things before Iraq suddenly pulled out of the deal, leaving over 12,000 Chevy Malibus custom-built for the desert sitting on the dock in Halifax, Canada.

The Malibus stayed at the port for a while because GM decided to sell them to Canadians for the ridiculous price of $6800 CDN, which at the time was like $4000 USD.

Not a bad deal if you ask me.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Margin Of Error 04/20/2015 at 13:27

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Except:

No heater

All markings in Arabic (or whatever language Iraqis use)

Margin Of Error > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 04/20/2015 at 13:30

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No heater, in Canada ??

They sold them ?

ttyymmnn > Margin Of Error 04/20/2015 at 13:30

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Not a bad deal at all. Do you know how many they sold, and if there are any still around? That would be a neat collector’s item, with a great story behind it. The police in my hometown (Norfolk, VA) used to run those Malibus for their patrol cars.

Margin Of Error > ttyymmnn 04/20/2015 at 13:31

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something like 12,500

RustedSprinter > Margin Of Error 04/20/2015 at 13:32

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I feel the need.....

The need for tweed!

LongbowMkII > Margin Of Error 04/20/2015 at 13:32

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Thats about 11,000 in 2015 dollars.

Margin Of Error > LongbowMkII 04/20/2015 at 13:35

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Not bad

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Margin Of Error 04/20/2015 at 13:39

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Built to spec for Iraq, and sold as-is when the deal fell through. Yeah, no heater.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error 04/20/2015 at 14:08

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fact-proofing

As in ensuring that no facts made it in?

PS9 > Margin Of Error 04/20/2015 at 14:21

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1981 B-Body powered by 1981 era GM V6 technology? With a three speed manual???

Mother of god. Those poor, poor cabbies...

ranwhenparked > Margin Of Error 04/20/2015 at 20:38

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I probably would have taken that deal back then. However, they were probably much better suited for southern California or the Florida Keys than Nova Scotia.