78' Malibu Build

[Wraith]

Pretty much figured on this much damage to the passenger side quarter window.



Wasn't planning on this much damage on the driver's side though.






Oh well, I got off easy with no body rust, just need to get the new rollers and sleeve to run .025 wire in the welder picked up to get started fixing it.

[Wraith]

Sometimes I get depressed about the progress or lack there-of so I shopped around craigslist for some cheap rollers and dropped the body back on while still waiting for a floor pan, at least it ALMOST looks drivable.


I'm not sure what springs were in the back of this but they had a pair of spring extenders that I took out and it still sits this high. I'll get some mock up stuff built to simulate ride height later.

[Wraith]

Sorry I can't offer any advice on the seam seller, but I have a huge favor to ask. Could you see if it's possible to flip those manifolds forward and upside down for a possible turbo application? You said you were going turbo in the future so maybe you were thinking about it anyways...

Here you go!

[carguykeith]

Huge help, thanks! Now someone help this guy out on the seam sealer question.

[godlemmy]

`the factory uses seam sealer because they only spot weld the panels together.the sealer seals the rest of the panel so crap doesn't get in and it cuts down noise.when you replace the floor just put the sealer on the seams. eastwood's got some sealer,3m does too. if your really ocd grab some spray on bedliner and do the whole outer floor.i did it on my wheel wells in the rear. came out great.

[godlemmy]

[CruizinKev]

looks good so far!!

[ReggD79406]

Nice build!! I have a 79 Malibu also. I definitely understand getting frustrated when a project isn't moving forward. Grrrr!
Where in Texas are you located? I'm in Richmond. Keep up the great work!

[Wraith]

Ugh, another two months gone with little to no work done because of work. Did get out to the garage this weekend and cut out old floor pan, trimmed up the new one to fit and got it all tacked in. Just need to get it all welded, sealed, and then i can finish the bottom of the floor pan with sealer and paint then back to the inside floor and trunk.

[Wraith]

Nice build!! I have a 79 Malibu also. I definitely understand getting frustrated when a project isn't moving forward. Grrrr!
Where in Texas are you located? I'm in Richmond. Keep up the great work!

In the DFW, North Richland Hills. I ended up selling the Centerlines to my dad for his daily malibu driver.

[Wraith]

Another couple months slip by without any work done but only because I picked another project that has preoccupied me since Nov. 1, 1973 MGB that my brother had been working on for the last four years on-and-off. Only needed timed, carb rebuilt, and lots of cleaning, still have to rehab the wheels but it is running and driving as of Jan. 1.



So back to the real project. Gathered up the front clip from storage and set it in place to make sure I would clear the stock hood with the truck manifold with my homebrew motor mounts and it clears by about 1/2" where it sits now, have to check driveline angles to make sure I have it as nose down as it needs to be, then I can pull the body to finish the motor mounts and start on the trans crossmember. Also took the rear springs out and substituted some PPVC pipe to start looking at ride height.

[Wraith]

Last update was a year ago, wow.

Finished this, took up a bunch of time but is out of my garage.


To get rolling on the Malibu for the new year I got up this morning and ordered a new air compressor plus metal to build my transmission crossmember/frame brace. Also headed out today to buy some more metal to whip up a rotisserie to get this thing on it's side and sealed up/painted. Once the new compressor comes in to support air tools I can cut out the metal in the quarter window area and get it patched, then my body man can start.

It's current sad condition.

[Wraith]

Air compressor has arrived along with a DIY transmission cross member from G-force and some steel anlge, after I get the cross member measured up the body comes back off and up on it's side to seam seal and paint.

[Wraith]

This project has been languishing while I finish another one, the 2005 Road King I picked up last year. Did a quick run through on the engine, some powder coat, then drove it up to the Poconos and back, now it's tore down for paint an more powder coat but it motivated me to get started on the Malibu again.

I couldn't see spending a ton of money on a rotisserie, I'm not planning on doing another frame odd for a while, so I followed some pictures I found on the web and built a wooden tip-tisserie. Almost finished it yesterday, still need diagonal bracing, but I think it will more than carry the weight of the body and I can finish out the the bottom with seam sealer and paint.

[Wraith]

And another project sucked up most of the year, the 2005 Road King

As purchased in June 2014 and haggard


Quick makeover for a week trip to PA in Sept


And finished in August 2015 for another trip to PA in Sept





Also gets almost all my spare projects out of the way so this weekend I pulled the front and rear glass, cleaned up the channels, found some rust, and ordered more tools and parts to get this moving along.




Have a new 3m gun and seam sealer incoming, along with a spot blaster to clean up the window channels. Need to swing by the welding store to pick up some gas and get to patching the rear window opening and finish the quarter window corners.

[Godbolt]

Glad to see you back on this and nice work with your side projects. Also, seeing how your 242 turned out made me wish I never parted with my first car, a 142s (for sport of course!).

[Wraith]

Glad to see you back on this and nice work with your side projects. Also, seeing how your 242 turned out made me wish I never parted with my first car, a 142s (for sport of course!).

Thanks for the props although after looking at your Mustang, wow. That is an impressive build. I did like the 242 and the 142's were better but I wasn't cut out to hang with that crowd.

[Wraith]

New tools and ride height mockup so I can formulate a suspension plan. Pretty sure I'm going to use chicane coilovers conversion in the front and I'm waffling on using a bolt in setup for rear or by a weld in universal.

[Fahrenschnell]

Those wheels look Sick on there....I love it

[DRhoades73]

In the DFW, North Richland Hills. I ended up selling the Centerlines to my dad for his daily malibu driver.

Wish I still had either of the wagons I had, '79 with a 4 speed, and an 83.