Chassis Swap what fits ????

[Ribbedroof]

This sedan had a mounts on top of the rear suspension crossmember without bolts....82 Malibu

I can't say from personal experience on the 78-80 Cutlass, but I know the 83ish Cutlass sedans had the longer front rails as well, a buddy had a Malibu and Cutlass sedan frame side by side. I have posted the pic of the difference previously

Looks to me like if a guy really needed to use a long frame in a short car, you could cut the corners back, and bend the ends and redrill the bolt holes to accommodate the bumper shocks,then trim off the excess and the sides. Some whiz wheel and hammer/dolly work should make it doable

 

[Ribbedroof]

According to Mitchell, 78-80 Lemans uses 14013461, and 1981 uses 14013462

Malibu uses 14013461 from 79-81, 78 is listed as 461808

I'll have to dig out the later book for 82+, if more info is needed.

 

[TURNA]

so 81-88 Monte is no good for 79 LeMans then 🙁


Thanks!!!!

 

[Ribbedroof]

Maybe....fab short bumper mounts?

I think either modify rail ends or cut off and reweld after removing difference would be RELATIVELY easy. Surely the use of a long frame on a short car has been done

 

[pagrunt]

This is what I found usimg my Chevy parts books.
Monte Carlo frame p/n: '78 470211, '79 14017671 (must use engine mount 14005699 on '78 models) (used on '78-'81 Buick 09, 69, 87), '80-'81 14013462 (superseded '78 & '79 p/n's) (used on '81 Regal), '82-'88 14103516 (use on '83 Olds W40 Hurst/Olds, '78-87 Pontiac except 35.)
Malibu (19, 27, 69) p/n: '78 461808, '79 14005602 (same note as Monte Carlo), '80 14017667 (must use '80 front park brake cable on earlier models, superseded '79 p/n) (Used on Buick 09, 69, 87), '81 14032514 (superseded '78-'80 p/n's.)
Note body codes:
2 door body: 27, 37, 47, 87
4 door body: 09, 19, 69
station wagon: 35
Looks like the Monte frame would be the one to work on a LeMans. Keep in mind that this is incomplete as I have not cross checked all GM catalogs for our cars.

 

[Ribbedroof]

There are distinctions on groups of frames, not all 2 door are the same. For example, Malibu coupes are 27s or 2 door coupe Notchback , Montes are 37s, and in a VIN breakout are 2 door coupe Notchback Special. As I recall Monte front horns are longer than Malibu...so I am curious if a Lemans is a 27,or 37/47/57/87? I'm thinking the "Special" in model names is similar to the old "A special" nomenclature used in the musclecar era on Montes.

The discontinuations, subtle differences, and supercessions can make a guy crazy 😕

I hate to say it here, but I really prefer Ford's old school way of identifying parts, first four digits tell you decade, year, carline, and what kind of part....middle group is the specific part, last one (or more) are a revision level. For example D7ZZ6038a is an engine mount for a Mustang.
D is 70s
7 is first used in 1977
Z is Mustang carline
Z is a service part
6038 is an engine isolater/mount
A is a right

Best part, all engine mounts were 6038s, the prefix told you most of the rest. The number stayed the same for life, they just got the next letter on the suffix when there was a design change. Sure beats GM and Mopar's changing the number every time there was an improvement.

 

[TURNA]

Maybe....fab short bumper mounts?

I think either modify rail ends or cut off and reweld after removing difference would be RELATIVELY easy. Surely the use of a long frame on a short car has been done

Yes when we would put Monte chassis on a Malibu we would just collapse the bumper shocks in to make up the difference.

I was looking for a direct fit.

I maybe be picking up a LeMans on Friday if I do the Monte chassis will be repaired/notched/boxed/braced.

Then swapped into the Lemans

The Monte body will be gone and my long long long long search for a decent LeMans may be over!!

 

[fleming442]

Are you coming down to central MD? 😉

 

[TURNA]

I wanted that blue one but I never got a response to a question I asked so I took that as bad news and passed on it.

 

[SRD art]

Great info everyone!!!