 
Chronology: |
A timeline of the modifications made to the car |
The
Details: |
A detailed list of the car's specifications |
Other
Parts: |
A detailed list of miscellaneous part numbers |
Photographs: |
A gallery of photographs taken during various stages
of the car's life |
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:
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:
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:
July 1998:
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:
September 1999:
October 2000:
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:
February 2002:
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:
November 2003:
-
I replaced the fuel tank.
-
I replaced the front brake pads, calipers,
rotors, flex lines, and hard lines.
April 2004:
May 2004:
August 2004:
December 2004:
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:
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:
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.
The Details 
Engine: |
GM Goodwrench 350 cubic inch Chevrolet V8 (standard
bore)
Cast flat-top pistons (Federal Mogul H345); ~8.24:1 compression
all emissions controls intact |
Cylinder Heads: |
cast iron (993 casting); gasket-matched intake
ports; 3-angle valve job |
Induction: |
Edelbrock
Performer EGR (3701) aluminum intake; stock LG4 Quadrajet (17083204) [stock
metering] |
Ignition: |
stock distributor; ACCEL® HEI Super Coil;
MSD® Heli-Core®
(3179) sparkplug wires (3179); ADS® Super Chip® (8307-A) for manual
transmission F body |
Exhaust: |
Edelbrock
T.E.S.® 6879 (Jet-Hot® coated); stock L69
catalytic converter; Torque Tech 3-inch after-cat y-pipe;
dual Flowmaster®
43053 3-inch 3-chamber mufflers; dual Torque Tech
3-inch tail pipes |
Camshaft: |
Summit K1102; 204°/214° duration (@0.050 lift);
0.420/0.442 lift; 112° LSA |
Transmission: |
Custom
Borg-Warner NonWorld Class T5 5 speed; modified S10 shifter
to accommodate a bolt-on handle; custom-bent Hurst
handle; Hurst
classic white knob (163 0025)
ratios: 2.95, 1.94, 1.34, 1.00, 0.54 |
Rearend: |
1987 Oldsmobile 8.5-inch ring gear; Eaton
limited slip differential (ED-19557-010); Tom's Differentials
28-spline 28 1/2-inch C-clip axles (KAC10-A4); 3.73:1 |
Front Suspension: |
Moog® 5608 springs; Polygraphite® bushings;
36-mm hollow F body sway bar |
Rear Suspension: |
Moog®
5391 springs; Air
Lift® 60733 springs; 27-mm sway bar |
Brakes: |
stock |
Wheels and Tires: |
15 ×7 Chevrolet Rally wheels, Yokohama
AVID S/T 235/60/15 tires |
Best e.t.: |
NA |
Weight: |
3980 lbs with 180-lb driver (~1/2 tank of fuel) |
Other Parts 
Valve Cover Grommets: |
MOTORMITE®
HELP!®
stock stamped: 42052; 42062
1969-1977 Corvette cast: 42321 |
Valve Cover (cast) Bolts: |
¼-20 × 1.25 black oxide socket head cap screws; stainless steel lock washers
|
Valve Cover Gasket: |
Fel-Pro®
VS 12869 T; PermaDryPlus™; ribbed rubber gasket with composite
core and grommeted bolt holes; includes load spreaders |
Valve Seals: |
Intake: Fel-Pro®
SS 72527; includes Viton® positive guide seals and rubber o-ring stem
seals
Exhaust: Fel-Pro®
SS 72526; includes Nylon® umbrella guide seals and rubber o-ring stem
seals |
Intake Manifold Gasket: |
Fel-Pro®
1256; print-o-seal (removed exhaust cross-over restrictors) |
Oil Pan Gasket: |
Fel-Pro®
OS 34510 T; 1975-1985 Chevrolet V8; PermaDryPlus™ 1-piece rubber gasket;
includes bolts and star washers |
Damper Sleeve Repair Kit: |
Fel-Pro®
TCS 45265; includes repair sleeve, Pro Loc II®, RTV, timing cover gasket,
timing cover seal, oil pan front seal, water pump gasket |
Radiator: |
Modine
951 |
Water Pump: |
Milodon
16212 |
Carburetor Rebuild Kit: |
Tomco 5493B |
Carburetor Primary Throttle Shaft Repair Kit : |
40-200; Carburetor Shop, Inc., 8460 Red Oak Street, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
91730, 909-481-5816;
includes instructions, modified drill, bushings, locking compound,
throttle plate screws |
Carburetor Well Plug Epoxy: |
Loctite® 21425 (recommended by Carburetor Shop, Inc.) |
Carburetor Float: |
Hygrade FL47 |
Carburetor Choke Pull Off: |
Hygrade
CPA236 |
Spark Plugs: |
Bosch Platinum
4207 |
Distributor Cap: |
Standard®
DR450X |
Distributor Rotor: |
Standard®
DR318X |
Throttle Position Sensor: |
Standard® TH1 |
AIR Pump Check Valve: |
Standard®
AV7 |
Fuel Pump: |
AirTex®
40725 |
Fan Clutch: |
Flex-a-lite®
5557B; thermostatic |
Engine Bolt Kit: |
ARP®
534-9501; complete accessory bolt kit; 12-point head; stainless steel |
Transmission Mount: |
Anchor
2337; solid block of rubber with single stud |
Motor Mounts: |
Anchor
2292 |
Front Sway Bar Endlinks: |
Super Link® HD-200 |
Front Sway Bar Bushings: |
Perfect
Circle (FA7189) |
Clutch: |
Ram
88761; 26-spline × 1⅛-inch input; 10.5-inch disc |
Pilot Bearing: |
Moroso
41100 |
Clutch Release Bearing: |
Timken
614018 |
Shifter Boot: |
Mr
Gasket 1652 |
Front Flexible Brake Hose: |
Raybestos
PROSTOP BH36847T |
Front Brake Caliper: |
Cardone
18-4071/18-4072 |
Front Brake Pads: |
Raybestos
Brute Stop BD154M |
Front Brake Rotors: |
Raymold
105064 |
Outer Front Wheel Bearings: |
A34 |
Inner Front Wheel Bearings: |
A6 |
Front Wheel Bearing Seal: |
National
8871 |
Rear Brake Backing Plates: |
MOTORMITE®
13867 |
Rear Axle Repair Bearings: |
Timken
TRP1563TAV |
Rear Axle Bearings: |
Timken
5707 |
Rear Axle Seals |
National
8660S |
Brake Hard Lines: |
Inline
Tube CHB7801S |
Fuel Tank: |
GM-704A |

Originally
Released 11 February 2002
updated
18 March 2012
|