1983 Malibu Wagon

Chronology   

October 1995:

• I bought my 1983 Malibu Wagon when it had 86,331 miles on it. Originally it was optioned with a 305 LG4, TH200C, 2.56:1 differential, cruise control, and remote rear window release.

November 1995:

• I installed dual sport mirrors (driver side is remote controlled). Required bracket inside passenger door (GM 20113800).

September 1996:

• I tinted all of the windows with the exception of the front doors and windshield (state law).

• I added a wind deflector above the rear window.

• I replaced the motor mounts.

December 1996:

• I converted the car to a 4-speed manual transmission. Converting the car to a 4 speed was quite easy because I had previously converted my 1986 Monte Carlo SS to a Borg-Warner World Class T5.

• I installed a 3-inch after-cat exhaust, Monte Carlo SS y-pipe, and Monte Carlo SS catalytic converter.

May 1997:

• I rebuilt the entire front end using Polygraphite® bushings; replaced the drag link, inner/outer tie rods, idler arm, front/rear shock absorbers, front/rear springs; installed a 32-mm front sway bar, 22-mm rear sway bar, 2.73:1 differential gears, and limited slip.

November 1997:

• I replaced the dashboard tell tale warning lamps with gauges.

July 1998:

• I sandblasted and painted 1978 Z-28 wheels the same color as the car. I installed the wheels with BFGoodrich Radial TA 235/60/15 tires.

September 1998:

• I replaced the rear coil-over shock absorbers with gas shock absorbers and installed airbags inside the rear springs.

• I drilled/bushed the carburetor throttle plate with a repair kit from Carburetor Shop, Inc.

July 1999:

• I grenaded my Saginaw 4 speed on the way to a job interview.

September 1999:

• I recovered the headliner.

• I added a rear cargo area dome light.

October 2000:

• I installed an aftermarket 27-mm rear sway bar.

August 2001:

• I removed the tired and smoking 305 (120,500 miles) and installed a GM Goodwrench 350 with an Edelbrock intake, MSD® sparkplug wires, and Edelbrock headers.

October 2001:

• I took the car for its first New Jersey ASM 5015 inspection, and it passed [phew!]. The certification is good for another 2 years.

February 2002:

• I installed an F body 36-mm hollow front sway bar. The GM A/G body bushing clamps had to be reused to mount the F body sway bar to the G body frame.

May 2003:

• I chipped 4th gear on the cluster in my Saginaw 4 speed. The rear main bearing also became hard to turn and was quite noisy. I installed my trusty stand-by 3-speed Saginaw so that I can continue to drive the car. Since this is the fourth Saginaw 4 speed that I have broken in this car, perhaps it is finally time to step up to a Borg-Warner T10. This will require some fabrication to move the shifter forward because the T10 shifter is much further back than the Saginaw shifter and will conflict with the front of the bench seat.

• I assembled and installed another Saginaw 4 speed. It is good to have 4 forward gears, again.

October 2003:

• I took the car for its New Jersey ASM 5015 inspection, and it passed [phew!]. The certification is good for another 2 years.

November 2003:

• I replaced the fuel tank.

• I replaced the front brake pads, calipers, rotors, flex lines, and hard lines.

April 2004:

• I cleaned and painted a set of 15 ×7 Chevrolet Rally wheels. I installed the wheels with Yokohama AVID S/T 235/60/15 tires.

May 2004:

• I installed a Modine 951 radiator. The fit was better than my 3-row copper/brass radiator. The only difference was the lower radiator hose outlet is a little higher on the tank, but caused no problems.

August 2004:

• I took the car for its Pennsylvania safety and emissions inspection [40CFR177.201(1)]. The NOx emission was too high. I replaced the EGR valve and passed.

December 2004:

• I rebuilt and installed an 8.5-inch 3.73:1 rear from a 1987 Oldsmobile 442. The differential was of the open style, so I added a Powertrax No-Slip differential (92-0785-2805).

April 2005:

• I built and installed a custom NonWorld Class T5 using a V8 gear set, S10 case, Chevette lid, Chevette mainshaft, Chevette extension housing, F body front bearing retainer, and shortened S10 shifter.

• I installed a new Ram clutch, pressure plate, and release bearing.

• I relocated the return spring holes in the clutch release fork to prevent the spring from twisting the fork, which causes the release bearing to rub excessively on the front bearing retainer.

May 2005:

• I replaced the a Powertrax No-Slip differential with an Eaton limited slip differential. The Powertrax unit added too much lash to the drive train, so it is really more suitable for an automatic transmission vehicle. The extra lash caused cycling of the drivetrain when the clutch pedal was depressed, which interfered with the synchronizers making it hard to shift and/or causing grinding shifts. After installing the Eaton unit, the car drives and shifts beautifully.

June 2005:

• I made a hybrid F body/Mustang T5 shifter. I swapped the pivot from a Mustang T5 shifter into the F body T5 shifter base. This hybrid shifter gave me the ability to bolt on my own choice of handle.

July 2005:

• I had to replace a broken front sway bar clamp. At the same time I replaced both bushings.

• I decided that the throws on my hybrid F body/Mustang T5 shifter were too long compared to the Hurst shifter in my Monte Carlo. I modified my S10 shifter to accommodate a bolt-on handle. After disassembling the shifter, I straightened the lower bend, drilled 2 holes, cut off the remainder of the handle, and ground opposing flat sides.

• I replaced the axle shafts with Tom's Differentials Kick Ass replacement C-clip axles because the bearing surfaces were worn and axle saver bearings would not seal properly.

• I took the car for its Pennsylvania safety and emissions inspection [40CFR177.201(1)].  Because I drove the car less than 5000 miles during the last year, it is exempt from the emissions test.

July 2006:

• I took the car for its Pennsylvania safety and emissions inspection [40CFR177.201(1)].  Because I drove the car less than 5000 miles during the last year, it is exempt from the emissions test.

July 2007:

• I took the car for its Pennsylvania safety and emissions inspection [40CFR177.201(1)].  Because I drove the car less than 5000 miles during the last year, it is exempt from the emissions test.

• Replaced rear window struts.

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Originally Released 11 February 2002

updated 18 March 2012

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Copyright © 2001-2012 Marc Hichens