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.

[NOT A TA]

Sounds like you're steadily moving along Tom which is a good thing! Did ya get moms garage cleaned out and part out the Monte for some project $ ? Post up some pics of your gauge panel when you can. I'm looking for ideas for one to build for my 81 bu.

[twfurst]

Yeah, got the Monte out of Mom's garage last August or so, very shortly after getting the Malibu. Probably didn't get as much for it as it was worth, but was more of a "get it the hell outta here" sale. Progress has been sorta slow lately. The garage has no insulation, so theres nothing to keep the heat out. With the heat wave that's been goin on here, by the time I get home its miserable to work in there. Hoping to get some work done this weekend.

[twfurst]

Well, this past weekend I got the pedal assembly installed. What a fiasco that was. The set of pedals I ordered had to big of a stud for the booster pushrod to fit onto. I went and got a new dual diaphragm booster, hoping it had a different size stud. No luck there. So I took the original brake pedal and cut the pedal pad down to the same size as the clutch pedal.

After that, the new booster wanted no part of being installed. It looked like the bracket the pedal and booster bolted to was flexing without the booster installed. So I persuaded it with a piece of 2x4 and hammer, went right in, imagine that. But, i was then greeted with the brake pedal laying on the driver's floor, apparently the bolt had not passed thru the pedal, so for the fourth time, I got to remove and install it. Working under the dash is definitely not the easiest of tasks for a 6'5" guy with bad knees.

Got the hole cut in the firewall for the clutch pushrod, as well as bought a new master cylinder, as the old one looked pretty crappy after I got the new booster. Hoping tonight to get the engine and four speed paired together and put back in. Have to get some pics here soon. Workin on the camera issues.

[jackfrost]

what pedals did you use?

[twfurst]

I got them on eBay, place called Muscle Cars Only out of PA. Emailed him to ask if he had sent wrong pedal, or I needed to get a different booster, and he told me he has sold something like 600+ with no issues. Guess I was the first one.

[twfurst]

Got the engine and trans back in last night. Ordered a trans hump for the floor this morning, hope to have it by end of next week. Looking like tonight I'm gonna get to finishing up my gauges, have to do the wiring part now. Hope it turns out to be a good weekend.

[twfurst]

So, this past weekend not much got done. Got the correct tranny mount in and the hole in the floor opened up so i could get the tranny in the right spot. Mounted up all of the clutch linkage and got to the point where I see that the G-body clutch linkage does not work with standard bellhousing and clutch fork. (I had read about this, but guess I had to prove it to myself, I'm stupid like that )

So after doing some surfing, and seeing Mr. Anderson's use of a corvette hydraulic setup on his 66 El Camino, I got to thinking.

This morning I ordered a master and slave cylinder for a 1990 S10 with the 4.3 V6. The mounting should be fairly similar on the Malibu to what was done on the S10 for the MC, and I have some ideas kicking around in my head for a mounting solution for the slave cylinder. Ordered them with 3rd day shipping, so hope to have them by Friday, and get to laying them out on Friday night.