my 78 malibu doesnt have one, i know i can get one from a junkyard (if i can find one). but, does anyone know what the stock one looks like? i tried google searching for images but only could find aftermarket ones.

 

Here's some pictures I found:
http://www.garage-scene.com/t5-into-ag-body/
Any A/G body car (Malibu, Cutlass, Monte Carlo, Regal, Grand Prix) from '78 - '81 (A) and '82 - '84 + (G) with the TH350 will have the crossmember you need. From '85 on the Gbody cars with a 200-4R have a similar crossmember but with an extension for the longer length of the newer trans. You might try a search on ebay for 78-84 crossmembers for the above cars to get more pictures. Also knowing what the pan on the TH350 and 200-4R look like will probably help you when you're looking under the cars.
Try the Malibu racing site http://www.maliburacing.com/forum/ for pictures too.
Hope that helps,
Larry.

 

yah i know hwat the pans look like. and im useign a 4l60 so im thinking if i get one form a 2004r car their will be extra room to make my own mounting pad....maybe.

i was just curious what they look like stock because summits website shows the same part number for 76 and 78 malibus, so i was thinking that maybe the crossmember didnt change when the body style changed, wich would give me a better shot at finding one in the boneyard. seems like i keep finding cars that would have the right crossmember and i look under only to find no trans OR crossmember. like today i found an early 80's monte, i look at the dash, its a overdrive car (i assume 2004r) and of course no trans OR crossmember.

 

Go to Ebay or www.maliburacing.com, buy the Iceman crossmember for ~$160 and save the time looking in junk yards, cleaning up the cossmember and all that stuff.

 

I have one of Iceman crossmember that I can sell you for $120 plus shipping .It was never used i sold the car.

Dennis

 

One thing about that Iceman crossmember. I have it in my 87 442 holding up a 4L60E. That crossmember hangs pretty low and gets in the way of exhaust. Its the way it installs thats the issue. It bolts to the bottom side of the frame rails and then the tube goes almost straight over towards the trans without very much rise.

If you go with this xmember, I would recommend modd'ing it a bit so it bolts to the inner side of the frame rails.

In the end if you are gonna use this xmember and want it to be best it can be, then dont really bother as you will mod it so much that you could just build one yourself.

Just my $0.02.

 

I installed an Iceman x-member above the frame rails in my 84MCSS to support a 4L60e. The factory x-member was above the rails. The bottom side of the rails had penetration clearance to access the nuts.

I had to cut down the end tabs on both sides and massage the driver side bend to avoid contact with the floorpan. Overall clearance is nice and tucked out of the way. I will have to shim my trans mount to get the proper driveline angle.

 

here's a crappy picture of my stock crossmember

 

Thanks for the info.
I think this would only move the crossmember up the thickness of the frame rail wouldnt it?? I suppose I could put some washers in there to move it up further, but thats crappy and shouldnt have to be done for something that costed as much as it did. And that would move the trans up too. Its just NOT a well designed piece in my opinion.

 

Was thinking about getting the iceman but heard of similiar issues regarding fitment.

Has anyone tried the TNT xmember?


Seems better regarding standard 2 bolt per side mount vs. iceman 1 per side.. Claims of better fitment as well but no clue if true..


Shot at 2010-06-10



To the Op.. sorry for the

And...If you need another picture I would be willing to snap one of my old xmember if you still need..

Matt

 

2Aspire,

Do you have a website for that member?? Id like to see how that goes in, be sure to post up some pics once its installed.

Also, ya, sorry for hijacking this thread OP.

 

Thread hi-jack in full effect.

http://www.tntraceshop.com/g-body_crossmembers.html

 

Havent purchased yet.. was wanting to hear some feedback on it before pulling the trigger..

I found it at the top of the malibu racing link provided in this thread, it was with all the other vendors at the top of the home page so I should probably do some searching there..

 

Update on Iceman (Bowflex) crossmember..

I purchased this piece of junk and it had a 1/2 inch of deflection.. What pissed me off was the guy was more candid on the phone than in his description on ebay as he indicated over the phone to me, after I already purchased it, that it doesnt provide any structural support..

After telling this jerk what I had discovered he took it back and then hit me with a 20% restocking fee... Less the shipping both ways so Im out almost 100 bucks including the 20% "restocking fee" because this clown had to carry his Bowflex crossmember from his porch to his garage ( he works out of his house).

In the end I bought a GForce and had no issues with deflection..

My guess is that most dont notice the amount of deflection because of stock clearances..

I have very little room between my engine and firewall and noticed my trans dipstick was pinned against the firewall.

This was when I reached out to Rick (Bowflex Crossmember productions) He indicated that maybe I needed to space it upwards to compensate for the difference. ( this is before I realized what was happening ). Long story short, rather than space it upward, I marked a piece of wood and placed it perpendicular to the crossmember. After letting the weight of the trans sit on it I observed it moved downward 1/2 inch from the stock crossmember location.. ( I mocked my trans up with the stock crossmember before purchasing )

Additionally...I could sit under the car and flex it upward almost as much as well..

What a piece of garbage..

Of course Rick gave the old " your only the second person in five years that has complained" B.S.

So what? if I discover a major flaw in your product, you can justify not refunding at least my initial purchase price because no one else knew about it?

What pissed me off the most was not the 20% restocking fee or the shipping loss but rather his Obfuscation of what the product is and what it is not in the listing..

Oh well.. ...Live and learn

But hey! I still have a voice!! Flame on Bowflex man !!

 

Wow, I'm sorry for the bad advice, man. I have only ever heard good things about Iceman Fab and bought a crossmember myself around the same time...I *should* be putting my engine and trans in tomorrow and hopefully I won't have the same problem. It crossmember is supposed to be light weight but I thought it would still be strong enough to properly hold up the trans...I scared for tomorrow now lol

 

i used the m&m for 4l80e and it fit like a glove in my 85 regal. i got ahold of them through ebay and he told me he's the guy making them for jegs and summit etc. super bullet proof and dual exhaust friendly. kinda pricey at about 200 bucks though and pretty heavy.

 

No worries! I dont blame anyone but Mr. Bowflex for this mistake..


Again.. When you have this in your car.. Go ahead and grab hold of it and see how much you can flex it..

Then put in a Gforce, similiar or even stock and see how much flex you have..

All I really wanted was a crossmember that would at least equal the rigiity of stock and give me dual exhaust clearance.. Thats it..

The weight difference was only a bonus in the end..

And by Ricks own admission on the phone to me it doesnt improve anything structurally and actually is less than adequate by stock standards..

 

What is an M&M? Besides a candy covered chocolate which is all i came up with when searching on M&M and nothing on M&M crossmember..

 

lol...same here wasnt able to find anything...

 

this is the piece(but for 2004r) . i don't remember if this is the same dude i got it from.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

its the same as the one summit sells but 50 less