Project Quandry

[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.

[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.