Project Quandry

[twfurst]

Has been a very long time since I have posted on here.

I have an '87 Monte SS that I have disassembled completely. I'm talking the frame is completely bare, on jackstands. The interior is in tact, and aside from doors, all panels are removed. I'm starting to think I'm never going to get this thing back together, as time is scarce working 40 a week, three nights a week at school, and a young family to take care of. It's been in it's current state for almost 4 years.

On top of this, the frame is in my garage, the body in my mother's, and other parts in a storage unit. To further compound the situation, my father recently passed, and mom wants the garage cleaned, NOW.

Here is my dilemma:



Around the corner from my job I have found an '80 Malibu for sale. The tag in the window says $1000. Which would seem reasonable at first, until you look under the car and see that the rear frame horns are rotted from where the wheel well starts to the bumper mount. My thought was that if I can get the guy to sell for $500 or $600 I could cut the frame rails off the frame of the Monte and replace them on the 'Bu. I could then sell the Monte body and front clip to a local stock car racer for almost as much as I would pay for the 'Bu.

The rest of the car is very solid. I crawled all around and under it. Have not seen under the hood yet, but believe it to be a V6 car. I'm just concerned that if I do this, I'll end up in the same place I am now, with a disassembled car. I think I can do the rear clip without completely removing the body, anybody ever tackle this before?

I guess I'm looking for some advice, encouragement or flat out don't do it.

Thanks guys.

[bmjwright]

I'd sell the Monte and all the related parts. $1k for a '80 V6 Malibu w/ frame rust is WAY high...I'd pass.

It sounds like you don't have a lot of extra time, so I'd look for a running car in decent shape. Good Malibu's can still be bought pretty cheap.

[twfurst]

I definitely agree that $1K is too high. I originally looked at it in Feb. when he wanted $1400. My thought was that if I can get it for $500 I can sell the body from the Monte and anything else I don't need and break even on the money side. I have lots of parts for the Monte that'd be useful for the 'Bu. I see your point, about the time though. I'm hesitant to sell the Monte just to sell it though.

[twfurst]

Alright, I talked to the guy. It is a V6 car. Was an old lady's who drove it rarely, the rot is a result of typical New England road salt never being removed. Told him I would think about an offer, he then said he really doesnt want to go below $800. Have to think this over. A lot will depend on if my fiance's father can find someone to buy the Monte body and parts, to offset the cost some. $800 aint much, but the woman will think otherwise.

[deeddude]

The monte carlo and the malibu should be the same frame, no need for the cutting and welding. You could use the monte frame with the malibu body. My experience is if the frame is rotted more than likely so are the rear fenderwells. Good Luck

[twfurst]

I knew the frames were the same. I am trying to avoid disassembling the entire car if i purchase it. Plus the entire SS frame is entirely apart.
Which is why the monte is still not on wheels.

[twfurst]

Well after thinking about it pretty much all night, I am considering go the route that deeddude has suggested. I have all the parts required to get my existing frame on its wheels and ready to accept motor/trans and body. In fact if I can get my brother to give me a hand I may just get started tonight. Will mull it over some more today and make my decision over this weekend I think.

[CRCRFT78]

I say put the Monte back together. You already know what your dealing with since you took it apart. Once you get the frame together and rolling, drop the Monte body back on it and keep moving forward. Swapping frames just might open that can of worms that got you where your at now. Its happened to all of us, you see something else that needs to be fixed and the ball just keeps rolling & rolling & rolling.............! Good luck either way and take lots of pics.

[twfurst]

I thought the same thing. To be honest, I've talked myself into the Malibu cause I want a new start. Everytime I look at the Carlo I get discouraged. I've had no desire to do anything with it. I have to replace the floor in the Carlo, plus, like i said Mom wants her garage back. I don't know if its the right choice, but I think I've made up my mind. Plus I even got the ol' lady on board with the idea this morning. I've checked over this 'Bu three different times now, and all of the body is solid, top to bottom. The only issue is the frame. Not a small issue, but I have another ready to go so to speak. Should have the rolling chassis together tonight. By no means a show car, but it'll give me something for fun.

[CRCRFT78]

Well you sacrifice one g-body to save another. Just remember to take pics for us.

[twfurst]

There will be pics for sure. Last night we got the front suspension cobbled together. Just enough to get the wheels on it. Still trying to remember where I have all the parts.

[twfurst]

Well, the Monte's frame is back on wheels. First time in almost four years. All of the suspension will be removed once more after the body swap, but for now it rolls. Have to go to my storage unit during the daylight and dig out the steering box and a few other frame/suspension parts. Haven't taken any pics today, but will.

[twfurst]

Malibu came to its new home today. Here are some pics as attachments. Could not figure out why the link to my flickr page wouldn't work.

If I didn't already have a frame I would have never picked it up. But everything else is in beautiful shape for 29 years old.

Already bought the set of Energy Suspension body mounts. Hope to swap the frames in about two weeks or so.

[twfurst]

Last night we got the front clip off the Malibu (will post pics when my brother sends them from his camera). Came across something interesting that I didn't think of.

The Monte frame is 2-1/4 inches longer in front of the radiator support. Will be sectioning it down to the correct length once the body has been moved over. Am I the only one that thought that this was a one for one swap?

Other than that, everything came apart very smoothly, nothing broke or stripped. Hope that continues throughout the rest of this project.

[twfurst]

Here are two pics showing the difference in the frames:






Was very obvious once we got the nose off the Malibu. Here are some others post nose removal.

[twfurst]

Have made some more progress. With the rear of the frame being rotted out, I kind of expected to run into some body bolt issues back there. Had to cut open two spot in the trunk to grind the bolt plate off.







Also finally got the V6 outta the way so that we can jack the body up and get it on jackstands. Hope this weekend to get that portion taken care of. Its all unbolted, just need to disconnect the brake lines and e-brake cables.

[deeddude]

Last night we got the front clip off the Malibu (will post pics when my brother sends them from his camera). Came across something interesting that I didn't think of.

The Monte frame is 2-1/4 inches longer in front of the radiator support. Will be sectioning it down to the correct length once the body has been moved over. Am I the only one that thought that this was a one for one swap?

Other than that, everything came apart very smoothly, nothing broke or stripped. Hope that continues throughout the rest of this project.

No, Tom your not the only one who thought that it would work. I've built a number of racecars with these frames and never ran into that problem; I never use the stock core suport and sometimes cut the frame in front of the steering box. Sometimes I got frames that were supposed to be from malibu's. Some guys believed they were lighter and sold them for a few bucks more.

Do you think you could just extend the bumper mounts out or is the core support located further toward the firewall? If you can, I've used rollcage tubing to extend these in the rear, it would work the same in the front. Or instead of sectioning the frames together just build a mount off the frame where you need it and extend the bumper mounts. I've sectioned a few frames behind the cross member and a few fit up perfect and others took a lot of heat and hammers.

[twfurst]

I have come to the conclusion that it will be easiest to remove the 2-1/4 inches from the good frame and weld the bumper mount back on. Instead of cutting the piece off of both frames, I'm going to make some kind of jig off the rotted Malibu frame, and use that to position the mount on the Monte frame. All of the same holes exist, just that the location for the bumper shock is further forward on the Monte frame.


This pic above is the Monte frame, where the body is headed.

The Pic below is the Malibu frame. You can see how much closer the radiator support mount hole is to the absorber mount.

[deeddude]

So the core supports are in the same postion. Hmm.That's even easier. Could you do this without welding? Maybe you could leave about an inch of material on the frame that you could heat, bend up to make a flange, and then cut some holes for the mounts? Even if you cut to much off you could use the shims from the donor car to move the bumper out. I think their 1/8" thick.

I love both of those body styles, but I allways liked the malibu just a little bit more. Keep the updates coming. Good Luck.

[twfurst]

I hadn't even considered that option. I will have to take a look tonight when I get home. I don't have a torch to generate the heat, but what I was thinking too was that rather that weld a cutoff portion back on, simply create a flange out of angle stock and weld that on in the correct position to locate the absorber. We'll see.