on to the next project: 79 Malibu LS swap nonsense
08-24-2014, 09:55 PM
#1
on to the next project: 79 Malibu LS swap nonsense I have Been wanting another Malibu since I sold the blue 80 I did, found this for sale in a Facebook group of all places. Body looked clean in pictures and it wasn't too far away so a buddy and I rolled out with an empty trailer and brought it home. Its a 79 landau, originally a 267/th350. Had an old school SBC the previous owner pulled to build something bigger and never finished. Its going to get an L33 and th350 for now. Eventually I plan to have functioning a/c and overdrive but I'd like to finish out the season in 11.50 index if I can (hoping to have this running in month haha). Anyway here's what I'm starting with:
Already has a narrowed A body 8.5 rear with c-clip eliminators, 31 spline axles and 456 gear (yikes!), manual steering box, and some other stuff - it came with a bunch of stuff I don't need and intend to sell like a new sumped fuel tank, radiator, SBC headers, holley fuel pump and stuff like that. I already ordered motor mounts, headers, oil pan and rear suspension stuff. I'll try to update it all as I go
Already has a narrowed A body 8.5 rear with c-clip eliminators, 31 spline axles and 456 gear (yikes!), manual steering box, and some other stuff - it came with a bunch of stuff I don't need and intend to sell like a new sumped fuel tank, radiator, SBC headers, holley fuel pump and stuff like that. I already ordered motor mounts, headers, oil pan and rear suspension stuff. I'll try to update it all as I go
Last edited by lt4malibu; 09-01-2014 at 08:29 PM.
08-25-2014, 11:14 AM
#2
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I love the Bu's. I am trying to work a local guy out of his big block Malibu that he is letting sit in a field. 1 month is definitely ambitious so good luck!
08-27-2014, 04:32 PM
#7
3rd pic in the first post shows whats in there now, I guess its worked for however long this thing has been together (im guessing it was built in the mid 90's)
ill post everything when I get all the parts later this week - UPS and FedEx guys are gonna love me...
ill post everything when I get all the parts later this week - UPS and FedEx guys are gonna love me...
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08-30-2014, 09:19 PM
#9
Friday night I got started on cleaning the engine bay and frame. pulled the inner fenders and power washed everything. what a mess, it appears someone had painted the frame at one point but just painted over the dirt/grease. some of it would blast right off, some of it would peel off, some of it was seriously stuck on. in a perfect world id sandblast it all but I don't have that kind of time so I ended up painting the frame with Wurth underseal (basically undercoating but lays down a lot thinner) and spray bombed the firewall with some black rattle can. looks presentable but definitely not show-quality.
09-01-2014, 08:37 PM
#10
didn't get as much done as id hoped, but it looks like I got a lot done lol. ended up working till almost 9 sunday at a friends shop so I only had today to work on the car.
bolted up the BRP mounts and ran the new brake lines for the front half of the car
dropped the motor in, bolted up the trans, temporarily stuck the stock trans crossmember in till the new one comes this week
bolted up a new brake booster, master, tossed in the radiator that came with the car, put my harness in a started planning out the wiring, bolted the inner fenders back in and its starting to look like something.
bolted up the BRP mounts and ran the new brake lines for the front half of the car
dropped the motor in, bolted up the trans, temporarily stuck the stock trans crossmember in till the new one comes this week
bolted up a new brake booster, master, tossed in the radiator that came with the car, put my harness in a started planning out the wiring, bolted the inner fenders back in and its starting to look like something.
09-02-2014, 12:01 AM
#12
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I see that you are using the BRP motor and frame mounts. What are you using for the headers? I also am using the BRP mounts and went with the 1 7/8" Hedman headers also from BRP. That is where my problem is. The right side header was at least 2inches lower than the passenger side. BRP didn't want to know anything about my problem and told me to call Hedman which I did. After Emailing many pictures to Hedman and talking to them on the phone (another nightmare of a problem) they told me to send the header to them. Header was sent July 11 arrived there July 14th. Was there an entire week and I addressed everything to this Phillip W. Called July 17th. He didn't know anything about the header, and said that I am not the only customer they have. As of today the header is still at Hedman Hustler in Alpharetta,Ga. without any correspondence from them. Car is sitting on my lift without a right side header. This is going on since July 7th. The reason that I am posting this in your thread (please forgive me for doing it ) is that if you are using the Hedman G Body headers I would like you to post pictures of the headers especially looking at the bottom of the headers to see if they are level with each other because when I went to install my Pypes X pipe it was crooked and looked like crap. Customer Service at Hedman sucks. Again please post pics of your headers. My next set of headers will probably be Hooker as I have another G Body to do. Rich
09-03-2014, 08:31 PM
#14
got some more done tonight:
installed new upper and lower ball joints, 2 inch drop spindles, cut the front rotors, new calipers, pads, brake hoses, new shocks, new tie rods and adjuster sleeves. hoping it comes down a little more once its complete otherwise I may have to trim the springs. definitely looks much better though. also cant find any used wheels anywhere! been searching all my usual go-to's... so it may get a pair of skinny rallys for the front and call it done for now.
installed new upper and lower ball joints, 2 inch drop spindles, cut the front rotors, new calipers, pads, brake hoses, new shocks, new tie rods and adjuster sleeves. hoping it comes down a little more once its complete otherwise I may have to trim the springs. definitely looks much better though. also cant find any used wheels anywhere! been searching all my usual go-to's... so it may get a pair of skinny rallys for the front and call it done for now.
09-05-2014, 09:53 PM
#16
had a bunch of parts show up today, most noteably my headers and rear suspension pieces.
uppers are from Iceman racing (only one I know of that still makes uppers for the Abody 8.5 rear that's in this car).
made a little bracket for the linelock, made a small line (that im not happy with so I gotta re-do it tomorrow hah)
headers fit well, had to trim the lower control arm mount on the passengers side but mine don't hang low like some other guys are saying, so I guess the fixed the issue?
uppers are from Iceman racing (only one I know of that still makes uppers for the Abody 8.5 rear that's in this car).
made a little bracket for the linelock, made a small line (that im not happy with so I gotta re-do it tomorrow hah)
headers fit well, had to trim the lower control arm mount on the passengers side but mine don't hang low like some other guys are saying, so I guess the fixed the issue?
09-05-2014, 11:47 PM
#17
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Those are the EXACT pictures that I was looking for. If mine fit that good I wouldn't be complaining. Yesterday (Thursday Sept. 4th) I called BRP 3 different times asking to talk to Phil Brewer. First time I spoke to Nick@11:35 AM. Nick said he should be back in 1 1/2 hours. He was out to lunch. I called 2 hours later. Didn't come back yet." Supposedly" had to stop at the machine shop and pick up parts. At 2:40 Pm I called and spoke to Connie. She said that Phil comes in and out. ( For that matter we all do). I left a message with Connie to have Phil call me when he comes in. He never did call me back which I really didn't think that he would anyways. He is ignoring me. If he called me back and tried to resolve my problem I wouldn't be posting this, but he refuses to even talk to me. All I want is another Right side header because mine was made too low along with my original collector which I have put a Vibrant V Clamp on it, but instead of working with me BRP and Hedman Hustler headers are trying to bust my *****. If they don't want to work with me then the only recourse that I have is to let the forum members that are thinking about buying Hedman Headers to be very cautious about buying the Hedman especially since Hooker is VERY near completion with their G Body headers and American Racing already has theirs out. I have been following "toddoky" (?) thread on here and it looks like theirs is very soon to be released. In the meantime I belong to a LOT of forums (at least a dozen or more) and if Hedman and BRP want some advertising I will oblige. If they don't want me to "advertise" for them then they can straighten the problem out and I will post on here and every other forum that Both Hedman and BRP manned up a took care of my problem. I even sent the CEO of Hedman which is Bob Vandergriff Jr.a REGISTERD letter with PLENTY of PICS on how my Right side header looked installed. They received it and signed for it on Aug 18th. As of this date even HE has yet to call me. In the meantime my R side header has been sitting someplace at Hedman probably collecting dust and nobody is getting back to me or sending me another Header. I guess they would rather bust my ***** and receive some advertising from me than just send me a $400 retail header. Cost Hedman a whole lot less.But in the long run a WHOLE LOT more. This has been going on now for 2 months now. Earlier I said that the only recourse that I have is to let our forum members that are thinking about buying the Hedman/BRP headers to be cautious of them and their Customer Service but. there is another way which I will not post here until it is done.I will send you a PM. In the meantime a BIG Thank You goes out to you for posting those pics. I have been following your threads since you did the Blue Malibu. I will say that you must have a whole lot of stored up energy. Youth must be on your side.LOL After doing a bunch of projects you could probably do them in your sleep. This project is looking great. I will be following this like I did your others. Look for a PM in the next day or so. Rich
09-06-2014, 08:32 PM
#18
In the meantime a BIG Thank You goes out to you for posting those pics. I have been following your threads since you did the Blue Malibu. I will say that you must have a whole lot of stored up energy. Youth must be on your side.LOL After doing a bunch of projects you could probably do them in your sleep. This project is looking great. I will be following this like I did your others. Look for a PM in the next day or so. Rich
as far as a lot of stored energy, Im pretty ambitious in general and I want to make the last 11.50 index race in October so that's my main motivating factor. im also lucky I have the means to work on the car at my shop. im fortunate that the owner is very cool and lets me do so - I couldn't do it as quick as I am without that.
09-06-2014, 08:45 PM
#19
got a few more things done today, it was ridiculously humid here so work was slow.
painted and installed the rear suspension pieces. ended up just pulling the rear out of the car because I had to press out the poly bushings and install the spherical bearings in the housing. also pulled the axles to replace the screw in wheel studs (had some huge allen head type studs that were hitting the wheel cylinders, so I replaced all the studs and both wheel cylinders)
this thing had the wrong uppers in it, which were basically binding and pressing the busings out hah
old parts
new double adjustable lowers and uppers painted up with some rattlecan black
"creative" way to preload the right rear (especially after the rear springs had atleast 2 coils cut)
new stuff installed
and the stack of empty boxes lol
also installed the rear brake lines on the axle, brake hose and brake line from the proportioning valve to the rear.
painted and installed the rear suspension pieces. ended up just pulling the rear out of the car because I had to press out the poly bushings and install the spherical bearings in the housing. also pulled the axles to replace the screw in wheel studs (had some huge allen head type studs that were hitting the wheel cylinders, so I replaced all the studs and both wheel cylinders)
this thing had the wrong uppers in it, which were basically binding and pressing the busings out hah
old parts
new double adjustable lowers and uppers painted up with some rattlecan black
"creative" way to preload the right rear (especially after the rear springs had atleast 2 coils cut)
new stuff installed
and the stack of empty boxes lol
also installed the rear brake lines on the axle, brake hose and brake line from the proportioning valve to the rear.
09-08-2014, 10:00 PM
#20
got a few more things knocked out tonight:
fabbed up some mounts for the trans cooler
modified the lokar dipstick (was ridiculously long so now it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb like it did in the Fairmont)
mounted the cooling fans to the radiator that came with the car, F-body upper hose fits but need to find a lower hose. the radiator isn't specific for the car either and the previous owner cut the bottom of the radiator support out to fit it (why do people do this kinda ****?!!) so eventually ill either make a tube radiator support of find a clean stock one - but this is how it stays for now
fabbed up some mounts for the trans cooler
modified the lokar dipstick (was ridiculously long so now it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb like it did in the Fairmont)
mounted the cooling fans to the radiator that came with the car, F-body upper hose fits but need to find a lower hose. the radiator isn't specific for the car either and the previous owner cut the bottom of the radiator support out to fit it (why do people do this kinda ****?!!) so eventually ill either make a tube radiator support of find a clean stock one - but this is how it stays for now