My new toy. 80 malibu sedan

Looked clean on initial inspection other than some not so major rear frame horn rust.  I hope to put it up on a lift tomorrow when I replace 2 tires because the typical previous owner had/has too big of a tire on the front so that they rubbed a chunk out of the side wall.  Advanta 205/65/15 have been ordered for the time being.

It has a late model small block (center bolt valve covers), Holley Carb, open air cleaner, stock 4 bbl intake, no A/C (for now), No blower motor (for now), No horn (for now), No turn signals (for now), but yes hazards.  The other side has the same rally wheels, but with the center caps.

future plans are to make it handle by adding sway bars front and rear, upgrade the brake to S-10 spec, add bucket seats, possibly go to 17" wheels.  Add an OD trans (200-4r) probably some gears and a posi too.  Maybe some real gauges

Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

swapped tires around so the advantas are on the front and the BFGs are on the rear and at least now they match in size out back (245/60/15) and front (205/65/15).  it was much easier to pull out of the shop since I can actually turn the front wheels all the way now.  I did spot a worn out sway bar link on the front.  The body is actually clean, not aligned well, but no rust was found while I had it up on the little lift.

From the era where a passenger side mirror was still considered "optional equipment".  

I wonder when a passenger side mirrors became law or if they are law. My '90 Miata has no options but it does have a passenger mirror.  I can't think of a car from the past 10 years that didn't come with one. 

In reply to John Welsh :

My 82 320i didn't have one.

I never really liked the sedans. But they are starting to grow in me. I wonder if the wheelbase is longer?

Nick Comstock said:

In reply to John Welsh :

My 82 320i didn't have one.

I never really liked the sedans. But they are starting to grow in me. I wonder if the wheelbase is longer?

from my research, they are the same  frame and floor pan.

Drove it home from the shop today and found out it isn't shifting  :(
Time to upgrade from a 200 to a 200-4r.  I just need to find a kit with all the bits I need and the money to do it with LOL

In reply to Brian :

Out of curiosity does it have fluid in it?

In reply to Nick Comstock :

it was doing 25 with no issue, just no shift so I ASSUME it had fluid.  I didn't have to rev it up to get it moving which happened to me the last time I had a car with low trans fluid.  It is a crappy 200c so I assume it failed based on the fact that they were not used behind V8s because they failed rapidly behind V6s.  I had plans on swapping the trans from the moment I bought it.  

In reply to Brian :

I had a th200c similarly die in my 80 T/A . It was the factory trans behind the 301. 

Nick Comstock said:

In reply to Brian :

I had a th200c similarly die in my 80 T/A . It was the factory trans behind the 301. 

I stand corrected.

I went to start it today to check the trans fluid and it didn't want to start.  Cranked fine, but no start.  It has been pretty wet out so I'll see how it is in afew days when it's drier out.

I also took a drive today to pick up an F41 sway bay, a 200-4r crossmember and a TV cable bracket for it.

I think the carb needs a rebuild as I see fluid on the intake and previously that's been a leaky carb issue on my other cars.  Anyone know if any of the big box stores have carb kits for a holley 4175 carb (list 9895)? 

Hey...my kind of people

Heres my  current twins.  But the grey one is pretty much sold.

Another Malibu owner checking in, will be watching this. Here's my 81 that'll be getting the landau vinyl top put back on. I'm going with a 357 SBC I've been slowly building to replace the V6. Pile of parts I've got for it include, Flowmaster exhaust,  T-400,  8.5 GN rear W/3.73, and full Hotchkis suspension.

[URL=http://s240.photobucket.com/user/NOTATA/media/81%20Malibu/81Malibu127.jpg.html][/URL]

In reply to Brian :

To be fair it only made 155HP and a massive 240 torques. 

I got it to start this morning.  The throttle was stuck.  I have a feeling it got caught on the air cleaner.  

Trans fluid showed a little low, about 1 quart.  I need to go pick up some trans fluid and a funnel.

at least it's running now and I can get it into the garage before the snow that is supposed to hit this weekend, assuming I get the garage clean enough 

oh, and the carb kit is $100

Put 3 quarts in and still no shifting out of first it seems.

at least it moved enough to drive it to it's winter home in my brother's garage for now.

I'm adding an IROC gearbox to the list of mods planned.

opened the door to the garage yesterday to see a large trans fluid puddle under it.  Found a 200-4r trans for a couple hundred local and I'm supposed to pick it up on sunday.  Question remains as to when it'll make it into the car be functional.

Picked up the 200-4r yesterday with what is supposedly a GN converter.  I didn't check the converter because it still has fluid in it and didn't want a mess.

I also picked up a BM Megashifter for $75 already setup for a GM OD trans.  

I'm talking to my buddy about doing the swap for me because his garage is a couple of blocks away from where the car is and he has the tools and experience to complete this swap.  

Curious as to why a 2004r and not a 700r4. Admittedly I've mostly seen them used in g-bodies and I'm a lame f-body owner so maybe I just drank the wrong koolaid. 

Daylan C said:

Curious as to why a 2004r and not a 700r4. Admittedly I've mostly seen them used in g-bodies and I'm a lame f-body owner so maybe I just drank the wrong koolaid. 

200r4 does not require a custom driveshaft

700r4 is also pretty weak and the huge 1-2 ratio gap makes it often slower in acceleration.  I remember a guy did a comparo in a malibu between a 350 and 700r4 and it slowed up nearly a half second in the 1/4

malibuguy said:

Daylan C said:

Curious as to why a 2004r and not a 700r4. Admittedly I've mostly seen them used in g-bodies and I'm a lame f-body owner so maybe I just drank the wrong koolaid. 

200r4 does not require a custom driveshaft

700r4 is also pretty weak and the huge 1-2 ratio gap makes it often slower in acceleration.  I remember a guy did a comparo in a malibu between a 350 and 700r4 and it slowed up nearly a half second in the 1/4

bingo!  the 200-4r is a more compact setup than the 700 and it fits in place of a 350 but uses a 400 mounting point.  no custom driveshaft or yokes needed, plus the aforementioned gear ratio advantages.  The OD is also better on the 200-4r by .03

So no real reliability penalty, easier install and better gearing. Interesting.

In reply to Daylan C :

Pretty much.  They are just as sensitive as a 700r4 to the TV cable setting.  Get that wrong a few clicks in either direction your looking at a new trans.

Other then that they handle a little more TQ then 700r4 before internal upgrades are needed.  Hence why they were in the turbo buicks.  I ran a stock 200r4 behind my turbo 267 in my Malibu and it took it fine.  4200converter was fun too...

700r4 is better suited to truck applications anyway with its super short 1st gear

I knew they were in the turbo Buicks, as well as the '89 turbo Trans Ams, which used a turbo Buick drivetrain. I never knew if they were actually worth having though.

Current updates since the car is still sitting in a garage and life has taken many twists and turns since last post.

I currently have an 89 Iroc to donate it's steering gearbox and Posi unit
I picked up a 2000 2wd blazer to donate it's brakes (dual piston fronts, disc on the back)  Bolt on affair.  I do think I'll need to locate a 4 wheel disc prop valve though, I need to do more research on that.  It will also most likely be donating it's ring and pinion to the cause (3.42 ratio GU6)
 

The 200-4r trans was disassembled by a rebuilder and he told me it needed $600 worth of parts (his selling)  My cost on the aforementioned parts is about half that.  I'm going to attempt to rebuild it myself, got the Haynes GM auto trans book to help.  

I have a set of 98 Cavalier rally sport seats to go in it, in place of the solid non-locking bench seat.  I think they're lighter too.

All 4 wheels now have proper top hat center caps.