Putting the 79 Malibu back in shape

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Max Headroom

Master Mechanic
Sep 8, 2011
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I bought a 79 Malibu about 7 years ago from a guy in South Carolina. I live in Louisiana about 70 miles from New Orleans, so it's not like I could just cruise over to his place to see the car. I called him every couple of days for weeks to ask questions about he car and have him send me more pics. Knowing that pics don't always tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, I was hesitant to pull the trigger and buy the car. Also, the guy was super honest and some of what he told me left me wondering if I was going to find myself with buyers remorse.

The man told me that the car was a put together from three cars that his buddy had accumulated. But he also told me that the main donor car was solid and that only bolt on and interior parts had been used to come up with a really straight body/ chassis combo. The car was painted black and all the reveals looked dead on. The windows went up all the way and fit in the door/ roof line perfectly. The frame looked straight and I could find no signs of the frame having been tweaked. The body panels all looked super straight and he swore up and down there was no bondo in the car. (He sent me a LOT of pics). The floor of the trunk was original and solid. But still, I'm nervous about the car.

What convinced me to go look at the car was the list of what had been done to the car. I won't go into listing it all but it was extensive, from a completely new interior (except the dash pad) to about $4000 worth of rear end, to a moderately hot roller 350 with new 1 5/8" long tube headers, new tires, new rims and a new paint job.

So anyway, my wife finally slaps me on the back of the head and tells me to stop drooling on my monitor and go look at the car. The deciding factor was that I couldn't find anything even close to that nice for the money I had available to spend. So I call the guy and tell him I'm gonna smash my piggy bank, buy a ticket to the nearest airport and come to see the car. He agrees to meet me at the airport. I tell him that if I don't like the car, no money changes hands. He's good with it and the deal is on.

So I go there and everything he had told was according to Luke. I drive the car and it tracks straight as an arrow, has solid suspension and a good ride. I smack it a little and it gets up and runs. It has 4" drag wheels on the front so a couple of corners are a little scary but it's a traction thing. There are some minor things that aren't what I was hoping for but then I remember how much he wants for the car and I figure I am really, finally get what I pay for.

I offer him two hundred less than he's asking and he gives me a funny smile and says, "I'm the same way. I can't buy anything without it's a deal. Sure I'll take two hundred off." We go to his bank and they do the paperwork to put the car in my name. I call my insurance thief, I mean agent and have her cover the car and send me paper so stating. We leave the bank and the guy says, "How long before someone comes to pick it up?" Now I give him a funny smile and I tell him, "I'm gonna drive it home." He makes a rude comment about the size of some of my personal parts and laughs. We shake hands and say "Nice to meet you." He goes inside and I drive to the gas station, fill it with premo and drive from South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in one very, very long shot.

So I'm real happy with my purchase and I put about 120 miles, local, on the car. then summer gets hot and I stop driving the car. (No air conditioning.) I wash it on weekends and a couple of times my son gets a ticket in it. Then I won't let him drive it and I get transferred to South America for three years for work. I build a 28" by 30' shop just before I leave and put the car in the shop, I put a trickle charge on the battery and start the car every six months when I get home for a visit.

Fast forward to now. I am retired and have some time on my hands. I start reading G-Body posts and I want my baby back in top shape. The last three years haven't been kind to how she looks but she is still solid. I did an assessment on the car and made a list of what needs to be done and in what order. While it's not at the top of the list, finding new trim parts is going to take a while, so I figured I would start looking now. Mostly what I need are headlight bezels. I'm not sure why but 79 Malibu trim parts are very hard to find and at least the last time I looked (couple of years ago) the repop shops didn't stock them. Anyone with any ideas, or parts?

Below are a couple of pics.
 

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pagrunt

Geezer
Sep 14, 2014
9,122
15,255
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Elderton, Pa
Welcome & nice Malibu. Years back (back when there were payphones everywhere) I remember seeing '79 bezels & both standard & SS grills in the resto catalogs. Now you'll have to some digging to find the really nice stuff. There are plenty of members who might either have what you need or a info on where/who might have them.
 

Max Headroom

Master Mechanic
Sep 8, 2011
420
389
63
Thanks. I'll keep looking till I find what I need.
While both bumpers are in decent shape, I wouldn't mind replacing them or having them re-chromed. The front one really needs it.
First things first though, about 10 years ago I started building two 383 strokers. One for a car I was going to buy, which turned out to be this one and one for my 84 Camino.

Anyway, I want to finish those two and get them in the cars. I've got a track ready 2004R to go in one and will buy another for the other car. I am way old school, like from the 60s and was taught, "Always make em go before you make em show." So that's the plan.

Anyway, thanks for the reply pagrunt.
 
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Max Headroom

Master Mechanic
Sep 8, 2011
420
389
63
pagrunt's post made me curious and I Googled the bezels and came up with several places that have them used and one that had new ones, although they didn't look as good as some of the used ones. I also found both bumpers for a sorta reasonable price. I'm starting to get excited about putting my Bu back in shape.
 
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gnvair

Royal Smart Person
Sep 1, 2018
1,098
1,296
113
Southern New Jersey near Philly
78-79 bezels are not reproduced yet. NOS ones pop up from time to time on EBay. Typically for about $150 a side.
The grille is reproduced. But I should warn you that the emblem at the top is not and most times is more expensive than the grille!
 

Max Headroom

Master Mechanic
Sep 8, 2011
420
389
63
So, as I mentioned above, the car sat for three years while I was overseas and has also been sitting for the last 18 months while I work up the energy to start putting her back in shape. During the wait, some things went downhill farther than others. I made a list of what I want to fix and what I need to fix. I put the need to fix list at the top of the pile and started working them, one at a time.

Let me back up and supply a little background on my ownership. First, the body had no rust on it that I could find, except a little surface rust at the bottom of the inside edge of the doors, the battery pan and on parts of the door hinge assemblies. The fenders, quarters, hood, roof and trunk were are still solid. One of the two things I don't like about the car is that the guy I bought it from had someone who knew what he was doing, shoot some really nice black enamel over the old paint, which, after I had it for a year or so, started looking like farmland in a drought. Under the black paint, when you get close to the car, you can see where the old paint is cracked like super dry ground gets. I don't know why the black top coat hasn't cracked too but it hasn't. Just as a point of information, the second thing I don't like about the car, is that someone took all of the circulating system, heat and A/C out of the car. I mean control panel, vent tubes, everything.

Still, as I said above, what I paid for the car is less than the list of good parts that are on the car. For instance, the car was professionally mini-tubbed by the width of the frame rails in the back half. (About 3 1/2" per side) The rear is a 4.10, 12 bolt posi unit & axles from Eaton. It has a 2 1/2" mandrel bent dual exhaust, with crossover pipe and center in/center out Flow-master Mufflers (which I hate). Although they don't look it anymore, it has (had) new 1 5/8" x 3" Hooker long tube headers. The trans is a TH 350, that shifts well but isn't anything special. The engine is a 96 (I think) 355 SBC with a Lunati cam, decent pistons, some World Product steel heads and a mega POS Carter AFB Quadrajet.

Anyway, when I got the car, it was quick like a little bunny. I, of course, wanted it quick like a big, mondo, steroid taking, super weight training, marshal arts expert, Marine Recon kind of bunny.

Crap!! One of the things on my list of Must Do, is change the ignition module on the steering column. I just got an email that the part has arrived at the parts place. If I hurry, I have enough time to get the part and put it in before dark. I will continue this breathe taking saga tonight after, hopefully, successfully changing the module. Arnold!! (For all you youngsters, that means "I'll be back!!")

P.S. I'll start posting pics tomorrow.lk
 
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Max Headroom

Master Mechanic
Sep 8, 2011
420
389
63
Later that evening... So, I went and picked up my ignition module, brought it home and pulled the old one out from under the dash. I'm very heavy now (270) and have a hard time wedging my big *ss under the dash. This makes putting the new one back in a problem. I fought it for about a half hour and then my wife said, "Let's go eat. I said, "I can't, I'm working on my car.", climbed in her car and went to eat. It was dark when we got back so I get to live to fight the dreaded ignition module another day.
 

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Max Headroom

Master Mechanic
Sep 8, 2011
420
389
63
Yeah. A lot of people think the key cylinder is the switch. On my 76 camino, it was called a neutral safety switch.
 
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