Survivor 1981

[UNGN]

It's too nice to modify If i was gonna heavily mod, i'd rather a teenage kids beater car than a mint grandma mobile. I'd feel guilty messing up a car this clean. At the very least I'd keep the bodywork and interior mostly stock.

Then you've dumped $10-20K in a POS that you have to part out to sell.

Restomoded cars like this bring big bucks.

LS3, big brakes, suspension and buckets with Factory fabric, and its a $25K car in 5 years (and you make $10K on the deal).

Start with a high school kids POS and You'll have $25K in it and it will be worth less than $15K parted out.

Nobody should feel "guilty" they aren't driving around in a 150 hp squishmobile because it isn't still stock. 1981 was a long time ago and wasn't all that great, anyway.

 

[STLRegal]

Why can’t I ever find these cars?

 

[MrSony]

Then you've dumped $10-20K in a POS that you have to part out to sell.

Restomoded cars like this bring big bucks.

LS3, big brakes, suspension and buckets with Factory fabric, and its a $25K car in 5 years (and you make $10K on the deal).

Start with a high school kids POS and You'll have $25K in it and it will be worth less than $15K parted out.

Nobody should feel "guilty" they aren't driving around in a 150 hp squishmobile because it isn't still stock. 1981 was a long time ago and wasn't all that great, anyway.

You can restomod a beater too. You'd often get the beater dirt cheap, (5-800 bucks in my area is the average price for a g carcass) and if the kid knew anything it'd probably already have a SBC in it and other stuff. This car is nice enough that it'd be worth keeping the body stock. Wheels, tires, bolt on stuff. Clean g bodies are becoming harder and harder to find for cheap. They're still more abundant than say a chevelle, but it's not like they're rotisserie restoring these cars on tv. I can't speak for the owner, but I'd keep this one as is for shows, normal cruising, etc and find an other malibu thats a bit rougher around the edges and do that one up. Not every car in one's collection needs to be modded to hell and back.

 

[TURNA]

Welcome !!

Good looking car you got there!!

 

[UNGN]

You can restomod a beater too. You'd often get the beater dirt cheap, (5-800 bucks in my area is the average price for a g carcass) and if the kid knew anything it'd probably already have a SBC in it and other stuff. This car is nice enough that it'd be worth keeping the body stock. Wheels, tires, bolt on stuff. Clean g bodies are becoming harder and harder to find for cheap. They're still more abundant than say a chevelle, but it's not like they're rotisserie restoring these cars on tv. I can't speak for the owner, but I'd keep this one as is for shows, normal cruising, etc and find an other malibu thats a bit rougher around the edges and do that one up. Not every car in one's collection needs to be modded to hell and back.

If you are paying somebody, restoring a $500 Beater costs $5K-10K more to restore than restoring a $5,000 "survivor" besides taking up a garage stall for an extra 6 months. If your time is only worth $10/hour, maybe the economics work... if you can do EVERYTHING yourself, but unless you are good, good luck pawning it off on somebody else when you want something different.

NOBODY want's to pay good money money for someone's cobbled junk.

You're young, you'll learn.

 

[carnutjw]

Waaay cool Malibu. My way: Wheels/tires, exhaust, safety and driveabilty stuff (Brakes, bushings, shocks, stabilizer bars,etc.), that way you can enjoy it for a while before deciding on a "bigger picture" sort of plan. Your way: Do whatever the hell you want, this is America after all!

 

[454GrandPrix]

At the very least I'd keep the bodywork and interior mostly stock.

You know what doesn't change the bodywork and interior at all? Swapping in a 454 big block.

That's what I'd do.

 

[TURNA]

You know what doesn't change the bodywork and interior at all? Swapping in a 454 big block.

That's what I'd do.

That's what I did!!

 

[Norman]

Hey fellas thanks for the good feedback and the hearty welcomes. Pontiacgp you went to the archives for that clip brings back good memories. Want to keep the appearance stock and after the suspension upgrades certainly replace the anemic v6. Vanrah (MM) it appears you have the parts knowledge to get the suspension going, talk to me about the gearbox upgrade and 11” rotors...got some part# or manufacturer names.

 

[565bbchevy]

Keep it stock looking but leave room upfront for this.
http://www.sonnysracingengines.com/engines/drag-racing-engines/sar-1005-2100-hp