My turbo 5.3 and 4l80e wagon build

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79longroof

Greasemonkey
Jan 6, 2018
137
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Hey folks, decided to start a thread on my build. As the title says, I'm doing a turbo 5.3 and 4l80e swap into my 79 Malibu Wagon.

I've owned the car since I was 16. Was my first car, my Grandparents bought it brand new in 79 and gifted it to me on my 16th b-day. Had the 200 V6 and 3 speed Saginaw in it, which ran great for 39 years. Had around 240k on it when I pulled it. The car means more to me than any possession I own. She's not the prettiest but that's never mattered to me.

I started my build back in October. Finally had the funds to get it going. Bought a 5.3 truck engine, a 4l80, a Quick Performace 9inch and a 78mm turbo and got to work. Hoping to have it running and driving by the end of the year.

This is not going to be an expensive, fancy build. So if that's what you like, turn away now. Besides the QP rear, I'm not going to be dropping large amounts of money to make it show quality or be a full drag car. It'll have a stock truck intake, stock de-capped truck injectors, stock ecm I'll tune with HPtuners. Shooting for 450-500 hp to start. Just want a comfortable daily driver that might see the track here in there. I just want to be able to occaisionally hurt some feelings when the time comes, if you know what I mean lol

Feel free to ask about anything you want. If I have an answer, I'll give it to you.
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TURNA

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
Jul 24, 2009
10,941
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Socialist NY
Nice work!!
 
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Injectedcutty

G body LS mafia
Nov 24, 2014
6,057
22,807
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Louisville, KY
Welcome aboard from KY, that wagon looks like a solid ride!
We're in the same boat, I've had my '87 Cutlass since I was 17, bought it as my first car back in 2001 and have done many things to it over the years! I just got mine from the paintshop yesterday, and now need to begin putting the puzzle together.

I'm currently building a 5.3 with some upgrades, boost, and in the market for a 4L80E since my TH350 is sold! I will be following along to see how your wagon comes out.

I love the idea of hurting some feelings when needed, I've done plenty of that over the years, but you should have a pretty badass sleeper! Are you planning on keeping the hubcaps? That would really piss people off if they got spanked by a wagon with stock style hubcaps lol!

I would have left mine alone, but it needed quarters, a roof skin(vinyl top rot issues), rockers and more! I won't post pics of mine on your thread unless requested.
 
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Longroof79

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
G-Body of the Month
Oct 14, 2008
12,156
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Gainesville, Fl
Welcome aboard! Good to see another '79 Malibu longroof join our ranks.
Thank you for sharing the pics and history of your car. Nothing like acquiring a good solid car thru the family. Looks like a great build. I'll be following your progress. You've certainly accomplished a lot so far.
 
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DRIVEN

Geezer
Apr 25, 2009
8,062
14,479
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*CENSORED*
This is going to be a fun one to watch.
 
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79longroof

Greasemonkey
Jan 6, 2018
137
237
43
Welcome aboard! Good to see another '79 Malibu longroof join our ranks.
Thank you for sharing the pics and history of your car. Nothing like acquiring a good solid car thru the family. Looks like a great build. I'll be following your progress. You've certainly accomplished a lot so far.

Thanks Longroof79! I do want to apologize for my user name. I had seen your name around on the forum before I signed up but had forgotten that yours was a 79. I thought it was a different year, so when I went to create my username, I figured it would be ok since it would be a different year. Then after the deed was done, I saw your name again and kicked myself a little. I hope you don't think I was trying to copy it!
 
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79longroof

Greasemonkey
Jan 6, 2018
137
237
43
Welcome aboard from KY, that wagon looks like a solid ride!
We're in the same boat, I've had my '87 Cutlass since I was 17, bought it as my first car back in 2001 and have done many things to it over the years! I just got mine from the paintshop yesterday, and now need to begin putting the puzzle together.

I'm currently building a 5.3 with some upgrades, boost, and in the market for a 4L80E since my TH350 is sold! I will be following along to see how your wagon comes out.

I love the idea of hurting some feelings when needed, I've done plenty of that over the years, but you should have a pretty badass sleeper! Are you planning on keeping the hubcaps? That would really piss people off if they got spanked by a wagon with stock style hubcaps lol!

I would have left mine alone, but it needed quarters, a roof skin(vinyl top rot issues), rockers and more! I won't post pics of mine on your thread unless requested.

Thanks Injectedcutty! It's crazy how hooked on G bodies you get when you grow with the car!
If mine was some rare, potentially worth alot of money in the future, factory optioned car I would have left it alone. But it's not, so I'm not ashamed of doing what I'm doing. Plus, I'm not cutting it all up to put a cage in it or anything, so there's that too.

I have honestly thought about keeping the hubcaps but there is also a part of me that wants to just run the wheels bare without them. Gives it more of a junky look and it's something different, for me anyway. I've always had the hubcaps on it, so they kind of symbolize it being stock in my head. I also want to possibly put some Cragar Soft 8s on it. They're cheap and look cool for what they are.

Don't be afraid to post your pics on here, and that goes for anyone. As long as no one starts their build thread on mine, I don't mind at at all!
 
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Injectedcutty

G body LS mafia
Nov 24, 2014
6,057
22,807
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Louisville, KY
No worries, my build thread is 72 pages deep so far lol! I have family that know I eat, sleep and breathe Cutlass. I come from a gearhead family, hell my mom used to drag race a big block Chevelle when she lived in Chicago.

Here is a couple pics of mine. '87 Cutlass that has been through a ton of metalwork and subtle body mods. As mentioned, I just brought it home from paint yesterday....
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The 5.3 I'm working on. Freshly rebuilt stock bottom end, 862 heads with BTR springs, trunnion upgrade to handle the Tick stage 1 boost cam, Holley Mid Rise intake, etc.
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Also, if your interested I do have an elusive stock truck intake cover if you wanna cover up the intake. Just PM me.

Scott
 
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Longroof79

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
G-Body of the Month
Oct 14, 2008
12,156
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Gainesville, Fl
Thanks Longroof79! I do want to apologize for my user name. I had seen your name around on the forum before I signed up but had forgotten that yours was a 79. I thought it was a different year, so when I went to create my username, I figured it would be ok since it would be a different year. Then after the deed was done, I saw your name again and kicked myself a little. I hope you don't think I was trying to copy it!
Hey, no need to apologize. Our sign in names do deviate a little...no big deal. Instead of me calling you longroof and you calling me longroof, we can call each other by first name...how about that?
At any rate, it's good having you aboard. I'm really impressed on how you're progressing on this project.
 
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64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,660
1
12,062
113
Upstate NY
Love the wagon. I'm looking for Cutlass Cruiser to do the same, just with a TH400.

Are you mounting the turbo on the frame? If not, then I'd strongly recommend it - bracing to the engine and weight on the manifolds will lead to avoidable issues and ber much easier to work on. Is that GT45?
 
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