My 79 Malibu project
Posted by TheSeansk1@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 32 comments
Hey guys I realized I never really posted more than snippets so here is a quick introduction on my 79 Malibu.
Recently I traded my 85 Grand Prix for the Malibu. The GP was great but only 24K original miles and all stock, so I really had trouble deciding to mod her so I decided to swap her out. Enter the ‘Bu.
She was originally a 6 cylinder car that someone swapped a 350 into, custom paint, amazing (/s) body work on the roof, no rust and is a fairly nice stripped down model. No AC, CPP power steering, crank windows, she is barebones. Other than no AC, I love it.
First thing I did was swap out the American Racing Gotti style wheels for my Torq Thrists IIs. I love them but kind of want a staggered set of rally wheels. Mostly because I hate polishing the aluminum ones…
After that I decided to replace the old weeping fuel pump. No big deal. I decided to run a clear filter because I was worried about junk in the tank, but after a couple months it’s still perfectly clean.
Headliner had been replaced and parts not reinstalled, so I put the dome light back in and realized the hole was cut in the wrong area. Not a big deal, once it cools down a bit I’ll drill new holes in the crossmember and move it over a bit.
Recently lost a center cap on the wheels, all of the screws backed out without me realizing. I got new ones, just have to get some loctite (or nail polish) so they don’t come back out. Little damage on the cap, so it’ll likely go passenger rear so I never see it.
Also removed the windshield tint strip. It was just too low and I’m tall (6’3) so I was constantly looking halfway through the strip and clear windshield so it had to go.
Other than a new battery, that’s all I’ve done so far. Plans to come are as follows:
AC - not sure if I want to go OEM or aftermarket but Amazon has a cheap kit I kind of want to try.
Engine/trans swap - I have a warmed over small block (350ish HP/tq) and a 700R4 I want to swap in, get OD for a fun cruiser.
Exhaust - currently the glass packs are blown out and I have a full Flowmaster setup I bought for the GP I’ll drop in.
Black out stainless trim - the trim is all scratched up, so I kind of want to see if it’ll look good Blacked out
Clean - car is filthy, I still need to keep cleaning it up…
Rad/shroud - Champion 3 row with electric fans I need to install. Probably when I swap the motor.
Fix headlight wiring - aftermarket LEDs installed currently and keep shorting out. Currently working but I need to look at them eventually.
Replace battery cables - ground cable is not in good shape, just going to replace both of them.
Pass front studs - 1 stud missing and one damaged on the passenger front wheel. They’re next to one another, so I’ll replace them eventually.
Add seat extenders - I’m tall, I want the extra legroom. I have 1.5” extenders to move the bench back a bit.
Fix speaker wiring - cheap aftermarket radio is wired goofy. Front is only left channel, rears are only right. Previous owner had a big stereo, so I assume it has something to do with that.
Remove boom boom wiring - left over wiring from big stereo, gotta remove it.
Paint rear license plate surround - not shown in pics here but the license plate surround is in really rough shape and needs repair.
Oil pressure gauge light - has an oil pressure gauge installed in the dash, but doesn’t light up. Not a big deal until I’m driving at night.
Add gauges (batt, temp, etc) - be nice to keep track of the health and all…
Blazer front spindles - I hate packing bearings.
Front springs - still has the original 6 cylinder springs and my tires rub
Shocks - blew a front shock sitting at the local cruise-in last week, so may as well replace them all.
Replace interior pieces - plastics are all chewed up, so I’ll be replacing a lot of them.
Headliner - in good shape but has an ABS backer that’s sagging. Will need to glue to roof somehow.
Wheels - as stated above
Rear sway bar - I have a Grand Prix rear bar I need to swap on. Have to find the rear arm brackets first, or replace them.
Trans cooler - threads in the radiator are jacked up so I’m just going to go with a standalone unit.
PRNDL - column shift automatic with gear selector in gauge package. Shift indicator does not work just have to figure out why.
Also have a cheap set of seats I may toss in if I get tired of the bench.
loosegravyy@reddit
in the last picture howd you get that in there. that is sweet. and what kinda vehicle is that engine in? not a pontiac aztec is it?
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
Very very carefully…
22 Equinox. No longer own that tho.
RBuilds916@reddit
I love those style Malibus. I'm kind of a sucker for all the G-bodies of that era. What is the engine in the back of?
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
That was my 02 Equinox I brought the motor home in. Don’t have it anymore.
HomerDodd@reddit
Holy Huey Lewis back in time. That’s about perfect 1988-90 . Needs an Erson cam and an orange diamond sticker in the back window.
Had a buddy that had a methanol 431 in his white on with teal and peach stripes like those. It ran 9’s with the wrong rear suspension set up.
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
I don’t know the diamond sticker reference?
HomerDodd@reddit
The Erson logo sticker was a sideways square making a diamond with a white and black cam and letters on it.
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
Ahhhhh ok, thanks for explaining
tk8398@reddit
Those fuel lines are really sketchy, I would replace most of it with better parts if it was mine, proper clamps, more ethanol resistant hose, and a fuel filter that isn't plastic.
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
Nothing sketchy about it at all. Everything is brand new and fuel rated hose. I have never heard of a single issue with this filter after many people I know have used them, so I will not be changing it out. At least until I change the motor.
tk8398@reddit
But, your car so do what you want. I wouldn't put something like that on my car even for a test drive. Sketchy fuel lines annoy me and I will always call people.out for doing it when I see it but it's not going to affect me one way or the other if you set your car on fire.
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
Oh boy I love when clowns think they know my car better than me…
1 - those are the same style clamps that would have come on the car factory so they’re perfectly adequate.
2 - sure other line may last longer but this is a setup until I swap motors this winter. It doesn’t have to last years…
3 - look at the fuel pump in the picture with that sharp line. It’s clearly the old setup that I replaced…
4 - see my mention of swapping the motor and filter setup in the post as well as point number 2…
5 - like I said, no issues with anyone I’ve ever heard of using them, so clearly I don’t care what you think about how safe it is.
Now as I said before, I do not care so go the fuck away and quit trying to tell me how to build my car you ignorant fuck.
tomtooth87@reddit
Damn. Who hurt you?
IntrstlarOvrdrve@reddit
I love the paint
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
Thanks!
Horror_Ad_4674@reddit
Great body style but the graphic doesn't flow with the factory lines.
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
That’s just like… your opinion, man. 😂
Some people love it, some hate it. I go back and forth depending on the day.
jstav_texas@reddit
my first car was an 81 Malibu, passed down from Dad work car, to sister, to me. had the 305 was super reliable, and I was really tough on it. guess I need to look for one!
West-Librarian-7504@reddit
Question, which version of the bench do you have? I've been researching different seats for my Nova and the formed split benches that came in some of these things seem to be absolute unobtanium...
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
Not a split bench, sadly.
West-Librarian-7504@reddit
Oh well, at least they're still relatively comfy
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
Oh yeah I enjoy sitting in it
Syscrush@reddit
In the 80's and 90's, I hated these things. When I see something like this now, it looks sick as hell to me. Great work keeping this thing going.
RunninOnMT@reddit
Yeah, I was the same until about 10 years ago when someone near me had a beautiful 2-tone light green on dark green one with cream colored wheels. Definitely very, very much not my style, but it was sooooo incredibly good looking! This one reminds me of that and I love it.
Syscrush@reddit
I've reached a point where basically anything with skinny A pillars and RWD looks good to me, and if it's a 2-door, it looks great. :)
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
Thank you!
thetango@reddit
Really great color scheme! Can I ask what made you choose it?
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
I bought the car with that paint on it already
Threewisemonkey@reddit
Very interested in what ac solution you go with. My wife dailies a ‘79 Monte Carlo with the original in place but disconnected. Made it through another hot summer but would love to fix it.
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
The two options I am considering are as follows:
Buy a donor car and take all of the AC parts from it. Should be able to get any g body, and there are plenty of them for sale cheap. Good option because I should be able to part it out and make my money back. Down side is I have nowhere to park it while I work.
This AC unit from Amazon. basically the same as a Vintage Air unit but 1/4 the price. For $500, it’s hardly a risk if it doesn’t work well, but I would need to do some fab work to mount stuff.
If you have the parts there, I’d just refurb the stock stuff personally.
brownforlife@reddit
This is pretty cool it looks like it is straight out of Hot Rod magazine from back in the day.
TheSeansk1@reddit (OP)
There were some great rides in there, thank you! It’s funny, when I showed it to my uncles when I got it, they kept saying how they liked it more than the Grand Prix because it was more of a hot rod.