IROC Wagon Project

[Longroof79]

Scott, back in March 1992, Popular Hot Rodding magazine did a build article of a 1983 Malibu wagon they named the "IROC Wagon". The article was called "How To Build Your First Street Machine.
Just thought if you didn't know about it, you might be able to look it up.????

Doug

Doug,
I had that issue of PHR. I guess I was on a tear one day and got rid of my old magazines.. :? If I recall, it had a mild small block with TPI, 700-R4 trans and IROC wheels. You would have thought that I would've held on to that issue...

 

[oldtinsmith]

Yeah Jack, I ran copies of that build (33pages!) 334 C.I. (400 crank in a 305 block/0.030 over), and you were correct about the 700R4. 245/50/16 front and 255/50/16 rear and four front 16X8 IROC's w/1/8th spacer on the rear.
Sorry Scott, I'll give you your thread back!

Doug

They tried to get 3 Q-jets (electronics)to work but had no luck, so they used an electronic Holley replacement.

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

Well it's about time to start figuring out the exhaust on this deal so I've scoured the internet for what I think is the best price on the best stuff for my application. I don't need three inch exhaust for this little mouse motor but I wanted stainless steel. Don't really even need stainless here in Arizona but what the heck, it isn't that much more.

I only use Flowmaster mufflers, always have, probably always will. Yes, I've read the tests and at Wide Open Throttle Magnaflow has a two horsepower advantage. Don't care, they don't have the ragged scavenged sound I'm looking for. So I ordered up a kit with no mufflers from Pypes. This is a 2.50" Stainless Steel header back set with an "X" pipe and tailpipes that exit behind the rear wheels like they were from Chevrolet.

Maybe I'm overly anal about this stuff but here's the really dumb thing I've discovered about this particular companies tailpipes. The Left rear tailpipe is custom bent and as one would expect. When it comes to the right side however, the pipe is butt welded together right after the axle bend. I call Pypes up thinking I got a blem or second or something but the guy says, Nope, that's the way we do it. Yer freakin kiddin me right?

So now the exhaust is trying to kick my arse. Anyway, maybe it wouldn't be an issue for some, but it damn sure is an issue for me. So I got rerunning my internet tracks and came across a company that makes mandrel bent tailpipes for G-Bodys, presumably without the butt welds. Really, is it too much to ask to have the right and left tailpipes look the same? Why does the one on the right have to look like it was made from scraps? Geeeeez. ....

I might add, this is not over. I don't mean any disrespect to anyone that wants their tailpipes exiting at the rear bumper. That's just not me. ...

 

[clean8485]

Scott, I understand your frustration with the tailpipe issue. After all the work that you've put into the car so far, you want things to look a cetain way. What is required for emissions where you are? Are you going to have to install cats in the exhaust system? Will there be headers or exhaust manifolds on the car?

 

[Longroof79]

Nice looking system, Scott.
I could understand where you're coming from regarding one side with nice mandrel bends, and the other side pieced and welded together.. There should be no reason for that. Especially a nice stainless system. I'm sure it cost enough, too.

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

Actually, I'm still on the fence regarding the emissions. It was, has always been, my intent to run the smog pump, diverter valves, A.I.R. tubes and duel cats. Arizona has a twenty-five year law that would allow me to pleasure drive the car without testing. Honestly, in my opinion, an injected small block shouldn't have any problem at the tailpipe when compared to an eighties carburated vehicle so long as my tuner guy doesn't tweak it too much. You know how those guys can be. Being I will be running E85 fuel, maybe even without the cats.

My biggest concern now is the ability for the belt to stay on the 302 pullys. I'm running a full serpentine setup but they weren't designed for much over six grand. I'm not really concerned about a power loss with the stuff on the motor, I just don't want finiky and unpredictable when I flog the thing. Truth is, we all gotta do our part.

I'm using Corvette exhaust manifolds (basically headers) with all the smog provisions and an inch and five eighths primary tube size. I also have a set of Hooker California Carb certified headers a friend gave to me I've been toying around with using. They're an inch and three quarter primary tube size. Both of these manifolds were designed to have the tin wrapped around them so, again, in my opinion, the welds are unsightly. Not saying I can weld better, just saying I'm not sure I want to look at the welds.

Keep in mind I'm showing photos of parts I haven't reconditioned yet. Obviously these manifolds will get blasted and Jet Hot coated inside and out. If I choose to show the manifolds, I'll pay someone local to refinish the welds smooth and presentable. If that costs too much, they'll be hidden behind factory tin.

Ultimately, I'll probably modify the tin and cover the stuff up. It kinda gives the manifolds the "factory" look without any loss in performance. Beyond that, I like the ball and socket seat connection on the OE manifolds instead of the typical header flange. I see new headers now have this as an option. Man, about time, wish I had a dollar for every header flange leak I've had over the years.


Either way, the down pipes will have the bung for the sensors and I have room to put cats in after-the-fact if I want or need to. :|

 

[clean8485]

Scott,
Thanks for your response, and the photos. I'm looking at doing a carbed 4.3 V6 for a Malibu project that I have here, and I have a pair of the tubular exhaust manifolds, and am thinking about a similiar treatment.

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

OK, So today was July fourth, unfortunately on July third, the mail lady's didn't tell me they were closing early so I couldn't get any parts. Be that as it may, I tried to make the best of what I already have going on this mild but humid day in New River, Arizona. It actually even rained for a little while, basically just enough to screw up the car wash. Once the sun came out I pushed both chassis outside so I could blow the shop out. The four foot blow gun I bought is the best damn broom I've ever owned. Once it's outside, that's Mother Natures problem.

The chassis with the motor in it is to replace the one in my wagon parts car. It's a chassis I built and then realized I hated it because it was so badly pitted.


I'm test fitting the rear tailpipes for now until the new set arrives. There's a couple of places that just make G-Body tailpipes if you can believe that. I mean they make other stuff but they don't make a G-Body exhaust system, just 2.5 inch mandrel bent tailpipes. One has the brackets welded on, the other companies do not. Weird. ...

Anyway, the tailpipes will need to be recut once they get here. For whatever reason, the stupid things don’t come cut on a forty-five like I like them to be. No surprise there, gotta make sure and touch every piece on the car.


I've been wanting to get the engineering done on the console mount bracket so today was the day. First order of business was to locate all the spot welds that hold the bracket to the previous IROC floor pan. Once that's done, a little cleanup with the die grinder and we're ready to test fit, sixteen times.

And ultimately, this is what I end up with. Now that I’ve hacked up my junk console, I can do the same thing to the console I’m using without potential mistakes. Ended up cutting the mounting bracket up to get the contours I needed. Still will need to weld the pieces to the floor, really just a spot weld in the hole where I drilled out the Generals spot weld. The only exception to the spot welds is the mount for the hand brake. This needs to be solidly mounted and especially when the car has a manual transmission.

This is also my old dash so I'm using it as a test fit piece. I realize there's some build variation but the tolerences should be close enough for this deal. I'll need to make a box for the IROC opening that I created or at the very least, a decorative cover, maybe a switch panel or spot for my iPod jack.

 

[jrm81bu]

Just some food for thought and i'd have to look again to be sure, but the pypes set up isn't made for offset/offset mufflers. I'm pretty sure I used offset/center on mine. Again it won't really do anything more than move the pipes out a bit but it may cause issues when the body goes back on.

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

JRM,

You're absolutely correct. The first photos of the exhaust in the thread are offset / offset exit flowmasters. The latest photos are with new mufflers offset / center exit. Had to find that out the hard way too. The flowmaster system uses offset / offset but they don't have the side exit tailpipes.