|
Team Member #1059
I bought my 1972 Malibu in the fall of 1980 as my first car. It was my senior year of high school and my father found the car for sale on a bulletin board at his work. The Chevelle was owned by a proverbial “ Lil ol’ lady” who drove it to church on Sundays. The car had 52,000 miles on it and was purchased for $1200.It was a Malibu sport coupe with a 165 horse 350, air-conditioning, power steering, rear window defogger and an AM/FM 8 track tape player. I drove the car in stock condition for about 7 months and then added headers, a 600 Holley four barrel, a comp cams Hi-energy 268 hydraulic cam, and an Aluminum intake. After breaking the 10-bolt rear end and the transmission on subsequent outings I upgraded to a 12-bolt rear end and rebuilt the turbo 350 with B+M components and an 11” Fairbanks converter.
After a few years the stock block was getting tired so I built a 355 from a PAW kit. The rear gears were changed from 3.31 to 3.73. The 600 Holley was replace with a 750. The car was capable of 16 MPG and ran consistent 13.90’s
As with most young people the time came for me to move out on my own. The car was stored winters and provided an outlet for me during the Minnesota summers.
Then one day in 1990 it happened… I cracked up the car. I had what bodywork I could afford done and the car entered into what is now known as the DARK AGES. I moved, got married, had kids, and the car stayed with me all of this time. I would go into the garage occasionally to look at it, sigh, shut the lights off and forget about it.
I did some work as time and funds permitted. I upgraded the front brakes and suspension with the popular “B-body spindle with 12” disc brakes to replace the four-wheel manual drum brakes that the car was originally equipped with. I honestly don’t know how I could have lived with that horrible braking system all of those years. It definitely was a contributor to the accident.
The car then sat for a few more years. Then in 1999 tragedy struck. I lost two friends, both in their mid-thirties, to freak heart attacks, and had a third diagnosed with liver cancer. It took these events to make me realize that life is indeed short and I really wanted my car back together.
In Jan 2000 I started on the road to restoring my Chevelle. I broke the news to my wife, and proceed to map a plan for a new small block to replace the ailing 355. A block was found in a local junkyard and the motor was assembled with help from Ron Flood at Cedar Machine Service in St.Paul,MN. The engine dyno’ed at 533 horsepower on 92 octane pump gas from the corner Texaco. I also located a non-functional cowl hood.
In 2001 I had the transmission rebuilt, and added a 10” ATI converter. I had a six point roll bar installed around the original bench seat, and contacted an old high school friend, (Fellow Chevelle nut Bruce Tchida from Lake Marion collision center in Lakeville, MN) to do the bodywork and paint on my Ol’Heap. I had decided to keep the car the original color (MOHAVE GOLD), and to retain the original Malibu interior and features.
2002 Started as a fun year for me. I finished installing all new carpet, headliner, and seat covers in time for me to attend Car Craft summer cruise at the Minnesota state fairgrounds. I was fortunate enough to have my car pictured in the November 2002 issue of Car Craft ( Thanks Tony N ). I then had some fun with the car at the track and managed a 12.45 @ 108.9 in street trim. Then I had yet another setback. The street roller cam I had installed had roller tracked on all of the lobes. It was later determined by Rockwell test that the cam had never received heat treatment and was only the hardness of raw cast iron. So with much anger, and sadness, I removed the motor and completely disassembled and replaced the damaged parts. While it was apart I upgraded from two bolt main caps to Oliver Billet splayed four bolt caps.and replaced the cam with the same grind on a billet core this time.
Over the winter I also took the opportunity to build a new 12 bolt with 4.10 gears, and a Moroso brute strength differential.
I also swapped out the ATI 10” for an ATI 8” converter in a quest for an 11 second time slip.
2003 is shaping up nicely. My car is finally back together. A new club has formed out of people who had met online at TC…. The NORTHSTAR CHEVELLE CLUB.
Lots of good cruises to attend, and the Racetrack is beckoning. Thanks to all of my online friends at Team Chevelle for your input and friendship during the restification of my Malibu.
Thanks, Tony
hoffbug AT usfamily.net
Team Chevelle would love to feature your Car on one of our future monthly articles.
If selected as a feature, we will send you a high quality Team Chevelle license plate!To take part, send a few quality pictures to us and as much information as you can (we LOVE reading about Chevelles!)
Al McKenzie, Box 68, Porthill Idaho, 83853
Note: preference is given to submitted photos, unless you have access to high quality scanning equipment, we would prefer to do the image work and touch-ups.
or: Al McKenzie, Box 231, Creston, B.C. Canada, V0B-1G0
All features copyright, Team Chevelle
