Just an FYI for you Hafrod. GM changed the threads on the wheel studs on these cars from SAE threads to metric threads in 1982. If you have front rotors from a Monte SS, and your rear axle is from a 1981 or earlier Malibu, then you'll need different wheel nuts on the front and the rear of the car.
HAFRODs 78 Aeroback Salon build
- Thread starter HAFROD
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Been hibernating all winter. Had a warm day Saturday and I blasted the front and rear sway bars, rear coil springs, and frame cross bars. I got half of the front frame stub blasted before running out of sand. Got more sand yesterday but its 30 degrees today. I'm doing an experiment. My rear interior plastics were dried and sluffing apart. The sun had really did a number on them. I used my sandblaster on them and it removed the dried and dead plastic. I then wiped them down with prep sol and used a bead blast cabinet gun with the hose in a can of roll on bed coating. I shot the bed coating on pretty heavy. I will let them sit a few days and sand them. The bed liner shot through the gun gives it a grained look but I think after sanding it a little, it will look more like the original grain. I will then spray the panels with tan SEM vinyl and plastic paint
Been having trouble locating a nice drivers side inner fender. I found a salvage about 10 miles from my house today. I heard they had some G-bodies there. They sent me out walking and the first one I find is a 4 door salon aero. I'm getting the headliner board cause mines in a few pieces. I found a 4 door Cutlass that had a perfect drivers inner fender. They quoted me $20 on the inner fender and $10 on the headliner. Was going to get them today but they only take cash. I never carry cash anymore. I'll have to get my buddies truck to bring home the headliner. Hopefully, Monday is not too cold.
What are you missing to make the manual trans work? I have a 305/350 flywheel, new, for a 2-pc block, that I don't think will ever get used. I have an extra set of pedals and Z-bar (needs a small crack in one of the welds cleaned up). Looks like you still have the link rod through the firewall. Need anything else?
liquidh8
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HAFROD said:
Did either 4 door have headlight bezels or grills?
Get the headliner board when you can! The inner fenders too. I still don't have any, I found a few 4 door malibus, a monte ss and an Elky at the u-pull-it by me, and all the inner fenders were broke. 🙂
I'm not missing anything now for the original manual 4 speed. I bought a brand new Hurst shifter and linkage kit. Monday morning I'm picking up a brand new windshield, the inner fender and headliner board. Going to go balls to the wall on this thing when I get some warm weather. Looks like next week. I've got to weld up the mirror holes in both doors and redrill new ones further forward. I also will fab new support plates for the backside. I got some aero mirrors from an 88 Caprice. They look like the 87/88 monte Carlo SS ones but the base has the correct angle for the door. I also grabbed the third brake light with the wiring and bracket from the Caprice. It has a really tall pedestal. I think I might shave the rear decklid upper trim plate. I may also paint the bumpers the lower stripe color. The chrome is not great on the bumpers so painting would save me money and modernize it a little.
Sounds like a solid plan. Not sure about the painted bumpers though. Is the there anything that makes them Salon specific or are they just standard Cutlass bumpers?
I'm not sure if they're specific. I like the look of the 83 and 84 Hurst olds with the lower stripe. Their bumpers are painted.DRIVEN said:
Got my dads new engine completely finished and tuned in his 82 truck. Its ready to go home. I pulled it in the yard out of the way. Already cleaned out the salon. It was packed full of parts. I finished blasting the front frame section. Got it rolled up to the front of the garage. Supposed to be 80 degrees tomorrow. Planning on painting the front frame section and all the front chassis parts. Got a lot of suspension work to do with new brake calipers, rotors, hoses, ball joints, shocks, A-arm bushings, and new poly sway bar links. Got to drop the tank and flush it out, put in new axle seals, pinion seal, and my posi unit. Today I got the headliner, new windshield, and inner fender. I'll be working on this car every day its nice outside. I'm not working anywhere right now and my wife told me to take a few months and finish the cars. Don't have to tell me twice! I'll post pics tomorrow
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