My 66 Chevelle Malibu build up.

[Stained Soul]

After messing around with other vehicles I knew it was time to get back to my roots.
I have owned 6 Chevelles and this one is my 4th 66 Malibu 2 door hardtop.
Tail end of Sept. 2014 my father in law and I drove 2300 mile round trip from Spokane Wa. to Fargo N. Dakota to look at this 66 Malibu, 48 hours almost exactly from the time we left, we were pulling back into my driveway.
The owner sent me a pile of pictures so I had a good idea of the condition before we left.
This is a picture of us almost back home....


Next morning she needed a bath in a big kind of way.


Interior pictures:




Engine bay.... control yourselves guys....




Trunk:

[Stained Soul]

Moving along.
This is what was done to the car suspension wise before I got it.
Detroit Speed, Speed Kit 2 installed, front & rear:





The Previous Owner (P.O.) found a 12 posi out of a 66 Super Sport Chevelle, rebuilt it and put in some 3:73 gears:



P.O. also put CPP front power disc swap

I had a set of Rocket Racing Velocity rims/tires here on another car so I swapped them out the day I cleaner her up from the road trip.
Front 17 x 7 with 225/45/17 & BFG G-Force tires
Rear 17 x 8 with 255/40/17 & BFG G-Force tires





First order of business was to swap out the cpp disc & rotors for some Wilwood 6 piston 12.2" discs:

[Stained Soul]

Next up, this cpp angle is just not good with my OCD:



This is what will replace the cpp stuff and I will also put some spacers in to level it out a little more:



Before you say, "why didn't/don't you just change out the bracket".... look closely at the first pic... the booster is hard riveted to the bracket.

All aluminum L-33, 5.3
Stock short block, new rings & bearings.
Texas Speed 2.5 heads and lots of other good stuff:



I will be moving the Alternator over to the other side once I have proto-type bracket in hand:



The F-body pan will be replaced with the Holley 302-2 pan.

I have a built 200R4 trans with converter here already.

[Radlark]

Very nice beginning! Welcome back!

[Stained Soul]

I have been purchasing most of the needed parts for the engine swap that will start later this month.

These are the BRP Hot Rods frame/engine mounts:


12 bolt aluminum rear diff. cover, Mallory Comp 140 fuel system, & canton over flow for the radiator:


Tom F. turned me onto these guys for my Radiator and I was able place the order for it earlier this week:
http://rndfabrication.com/ABodyearly.html
Here is the cool thing about the above radiator guy: "We can make these for LS Conversion with both ports on the passenger side and with or without the steam port, at no additional charge! "

Goals:
get the engine/trans swap done and enjoy the car as she sits for this coming summer.
I will also be upgrading to power steering.

Upcoming:
HPI frame kit.




While the HPI frame kit is being done we will replace the trunk pan also.

I would really like to do the ABC Performance Mini-tub kit & new inner wheel wells.
http://www.abcperformance.net/mini%20tub%20kit.html

I will have to see how things go with the Autocross I plan on hitting this year as to whether or not I do the ABC full kit.

Thats it for now, thanks for checking in.

L8R,
Stu

[Paraman1]

Good to see you on here Stu !!

[Stained Soul]

Thanks Mike, I registered a few years ago... finally decided to be social....... NOT.
I see lots of familiar names/cars on here so thats a good thing.

Have a good weekend everyone.

[Stained Soul]

Couple of pictures I found in my album.




Radiator should be here by the end of the month... thanks Tom F.

6 banger and glide coming out in the next couple of weeks.

Then strip engine bay, weld up holes, prime, & paint.

And then the fun part, test fit everything........

L8R

[Stained Soul]

Managed to get a little done today:
Remove:
trans lines to radiator
battery
battery tray
upper/lower radiator hoses
heater core hose
radiator
all wiring connected to engine
fuel line & plugged
master cylinder & short coupling lines
voltage regulator
wiring to alternator

Here is what under the battery tray looked like after removal & hit real quick with a hand wire brush:


Over head pic of engine bay missing a few things… :-)


Not sure I will have the time to pull the driveling & drop the trans tomorrow, something has come up as usual.

L8R

[rixtrix1]

Nice start on a great project. Subscribed.

[1989GTA]

Looks like a nice project. Subscribing to the build.

[Stained Soul]

Yesterday my LS specific radiator from RnD Fabrication showed up.
This thing is BEAST….
Thanks Sparky @: http://rndfabrication.com/ABodyearly.html
Thank you to Tom F. for the info also.









Got the hood off of the car today, now comes the fun.

[SparkyRnD]

Yesterday my LS specific radiator from RnD Fabrication showed up.
This thing is BEAST….
Thanks Sparky @: http://rndfabrication.com/ABodyearly.html
Thank you to Tom F. for the info also.









Got the hood off of the car today, now comes the fun.

Glad you like it, and cool build thread! Looks like it'll be a fun project to play with

[Stained Soul]

Hood removed & dropped the drive line today.
Next up: Remove trans. & engine.

[Stained Soul]

Gutless engine & transmission out today.
Now the fun stuff starts.

[Motown 454]

Great looking car! That motor and trans is going to be so sweet in there. My wife had a 66 that looked just like yours but it was a 283 and nowhere near as nice. You have a great plan not to lay it up too and enjoy it.

[Stained Soul]

Thanks Wayne,
I wasn't even sure anyone was really reading my updates.
Seriously thought that the last update just might be the last.

Hopefully she will only be down for a couple of months, no big rush with the crappy weather we are having.

L8R,
Stu

[rixtrix1]

Thanks Wayne,
I wasn't even sure anyone was really reading my updates.
Seriously thought that the last update just might be the last.

Hopefully she will only be down for a couple of months, no big rush with the crappy weather we are having.

L8R,
Stu

Hey, Stu. Keep those updates coming! I'm subscribed. If I don't have time to work on my '66 Malibu, I can live through yours, and a couple others, lol.

[Yelcamino]

Progress looks good!

[timmy2times]

Nice