liquidh8
Comic Book Super Hero
I hope you can get back to it. I just secured a set of hinges for my glass hood, and I will be doing the gas strut set-up also.
The 1981-to-1979 malibu rebuild
- Thread starter t01blaze
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Some nice 60 degree weather today and I got some things knocked out on the car project. I have to remove the door glass, handles and locks, and then the dashboard and duct work. Then it's off to paint. I got my new body mount bushings today, I'm going to order some body mount bolts this week and also new window sweeps/belt moldings for the quarter glasses.
I took these pictures today just before it got dark.
I'm going to ask the shop to box the frame in also while it is there.
I will be bracing the rear uca and lca mounts myself with a weld on kit from http://www.jtracecraft.com though.
I took these pictures today just before it got dark.
I'm going to ask the shop to box the frame in also while it is there.
I will be bracing the rear uca and lca mounts myself with a weld on kit from http://www.jtracecraft.com though.
The car is stripped down as far as it can go, less the glass and glass trim, and ready for paint. I got it loaded up today and I have an appointment to go over the car with my restoration shop tomorrow morning. There are some Gbody parts refrigerator magnets on the front fender. :wink:
I used the struts I mentioned on the last page for the fiberglass trunk and for the fiberglass hood. They are perfect for the hood, but an inch too short extended for the trunk. The pressure is great for both. I did find some struts 1" longer extended with the same compressed length, for a focus hatchback, but they have too much pressure and also don't extend easily again after being compressed. :?: I think the struts might be designed like that for that car for some reason. So I'm still searching for some struts that are 11" extended, 7" or less compressed with about 85 lbs pressure, but the ones I have now (same as the hood struts) will work. My garage needs a taller ceiling, look at the hood. :shock:
A 4 speed swap is planned for the future. Locating a G body 4 speed steering column is difficult. Luckily, I have 3 steering columns in my garage. One from a 79 G body (column shift, non tilt), 81 G body (column shift, non tilt) and an 85 F body (5 speed, non tilt).
The 81 column is in the car now so I can steer the car easier loading it on the trailer and moving it around. It's going with the car to the restoration shop.
I completely disassembled the 79 G body and 85 F body steering columns. The columns are nearly identical side by side. The only differences I have found between the columns so far is that the F car has the wiper controls on the turn signal stalk, the high beam switch rods are different, and that the firewall flange is different.
With both columns completely stripped I carefully removed both firewall mount flanges. The G body flange is going on the F body car column and the turn signal stalk is going to be swapped too. I *might* have to modify the high beam rod for the turn signal stalk swap. The rods are different lengths on the F and G columns. The shaft inside the column, running from the steering wheel to the steering shaft D is the exact same length (I'd even say the same identical part). I first need to take a measurement from the firewall to the end of the double D on the Malibu with the 81 G body column in it. When I mock up my F body column in the Malibu I am going to slip the flange on the column and bolt the column up to the under dash support, then slide the flange down the column and re-measure between the firewall and the end of the double D. Then tack the flange in place on the F body column.
That's the plan, but I can't finish this until I get the car back from the body shop (car leaves tomorrow). I'm confident it will work just fine. I'll update later when it's finished.
The 81 column is in the car now so I can steer the car easier loading it on the trailer and moving it around. It's going with the car to the restoration shop.
I completely disassembled the 79 G body and 85 F body steering columns. The columns are nearly identical side by side. The only differences I have found between the columns so far is that the F car has the wiper controls on the turn signal stalk, the high beam switch rods are different, and that the firewall flange is different.
With both columns completely stripped I carefully removed both firewall mount flanges. The G body flange is going on the F body car column and the turn signal stalk is going to be swapped too. I *might* have to modify the high beam rod for the turn signal stalk swap. The rods are different lengths on the F and G columns. The shaft inside the column, running from the steering wheel to the steering shaft D is the exact same length (I'd even say the same identical part). I first need to take a measurement from the firewall to the end of the double D on the Malibu with the 81 G body column in it. When I mock up my F body column in the Malibu I am going to slip the flange on the column and bolt the column up to the under dash support, then slide the flange down the column and re-measure between the firewall and the end of the double D. Then tack the flange in place on the F body column.
That's the plan, but I can't finish this until I get the car back from the body shop (car leaves tomorrow). I'm confident it will work just fine. I'll update later when it's finished.
I was able to get as far as I could tonight with the 4 speed steering column hybrid build. All I have left to do to fit the column is to measure the length of the double D to firewall on the stock column and put the hybrid column in the car and tack weld the G body firewall flange in place once set. I will not have the car back for 6 months or so while it is at the body shop.
I used the complete 3rd gen F body column except these G body parts:
Turn signal stalk (non wiper)
Turn signal switch
Ignition switch
High beam switch
Firewall flange
I can't wait to get the car back and finish.
I used the complete 3rd gen F body column except these G body parts:
Turn signal stalk (non wiper)
Turn signal switch
Ignition switch
High beam switch
Firewall flange
I can't wait to get the car back and finish.
I stopped by today and the guys are making some good progress. They started on the car this week and have already removed the body from the frame, straightened the right rear frame rail, welded in the frame box in kit, and epoxy coated the frame black. They were working on the doors and fenders when I stopped by, prepping them for paint. The floor and firewall are going to be painted next on the rotisserie, then I think they are going to put the body back on the frame to paint it.
Frame boxed in.
The rear upper and lower control arm mounts are strengthened too.
The body is on a dolly for now.
They were prepping the fenders and doors for paint.
Frame boxed in.
The rear upper and lower control arm mounts are strengthened too.
The body is on a dolly for now.
They were prepping the fenders and doors for paint.
Looks great!
Even with that boogered up 1/4 panel you're way better off than you were with your other car...
Keep up the good work!
Even with that boogered up 1/4 panel you're way better off than you were with your other car...
Keep up the good work!
It's lookin' really good, man. You're definitely going about it the right way. Keep up the good work!
Some interesting cars and projects going on in the yard.
Some interesting cars and projects going on in the yard.
These guys do everything from rods to muscle cars, including our "metric" cars. They seemed excited when I brought the car down and told me that they did 2 Malibu's before at the same time, one was the owner's car the other was a friend's car. I think they both became race cars though.
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