I'm not sure what to do with my new ride.
Do I restore it back to factory?
Do I make it a ss clone?
What would ya'll do?
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc95/liveindixie/DSCN3428.jpg
Its all original, I even have the AM radio, manifolds, matching #'s. Even the original hub caps.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc95/liveindixie/DSCN3430.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc95/liveindixie/DSCN3431.jpg

I'd start with the mechanicals, and then once she was roadable, take it from there.

IMHO. There are way too many Clones out there. Its nice to see a well done Malibu.
I'd restore it back as a Malibu with Upgrades. Crate up the original engine and bench seat. Then drop in a nice GMPP crate BB. Add buckets, a console and floor shifter.

1. Factory style basic paint job, recover stock bench seats, COPO style dogdish hubcaps and a 502 = sleeper.

2. Mild cowl induction hood, 2 tone paint job and crate engine.

I'm not into clones.

IMHO. There are way too many Clones out there. Its nice to see a well done Malibu. .

Like he says, Malibu's are a treat to see.

Rob

Make it a Heavy Chevy ! they are kinda rare and you dont see them they have a chevelle SS dash and cowl hood F-41 suspension and a small block motor. I would use the Z28 5 spoke rims looks way better.WAY KOOL Stripes too :thumbsup: Check it out! http://www.chevelles.net/mcc/features/may98.htm

malibu...way to many clones... or do a heavy chevy theme, those are rare.

just do it clean:

nice paint, no stripes
SS cowl hood
NO EMBLEMS on fenders or grille
bucket seats
SS w/tach or aftermarket/custom dash (sweep dashes are ugly and don't tell me enough)
some nice polished wheels

not into "sleepers" either, IMO a chevelle that is truely a sleeper will be too ugly to drive (ugly color non-fresh paint, ugly dog dish or rally wheels, flat hood, bench seat, stock dash, ect)

its hard to make a muscle car look lame enough to be a sleeper, and I've never understood why you'd want to, if you want to suprise people start with a pile of crap, if you want a muscle car build it nice

i got a 72 454 and matching turbo 400 with air that would look good in it for
2500 and you can drive home

i think go heavy chevy clone.

is that a fire exstingisher attached to the rad??? i have the same one on mine but not attached

That's the dryer canister for the A/C system.

My opinion...nothing wrong with a nice big block Malibu :thumbsup:

OK, I'm going to give you another option than all the others.......Project Super Sleeper Rat!

Put a front grille & glass bumper up front. Leave the body & interior alone.

Install a twin turbo 496 & appropriate drivetrain to make it run like a M%(*&^F^)(*!!!

You make the magazines, be a street hero and you can always restore the body later.

I will tell you how I'm doing mine,was a 350 column shift bench seat ,10 bolt,code 65 orange flame.Now it will have no emblems on fenders or grill,kept the bench seat,installed a super T-10 4spd,Rec port solid cam 454,12 bolt with 4.30.I changed the color to 98-2000 corvette light blue,black interior,GM SS hood ,american racing torque thrust "d's and wheel opening chrome.TO many clones ,its your car do what you would like to it,and enjoy.

I love the super sleep idea, hot rod had a nova similar to that, green bench seat beat pos with a twin turbo big block and all the supporting hardware, looked completely beat and stock, 2000hp i think it was.

[QUOTE=furball8994;1520071]IMHO. There are way too many Clones out there. Its nice to see a well done Malibu.
I'd restore it back as a Malibu with Upgrades.

I agree with this. If you want yours to stand out in a crowd do what everyone else isn't. A nice malibu with upgrades would get my attention over just another clone at a show. That is what my husband decided to do with his. He did not want to clone it he just wanted to make it the best malibu around. He accomplished that and has no regrets about it. The only things that he changed was he added a 2" cowl hood and some SS wheels for now(only because he couldn't decide what else to put on it). Oh, and he dropped a new 454 in it! But that's about it. No stripes and he left the malibu emblems on the fenders but did put a 454 emblem below it. It was built to please him and him only. He doesn't care what everyone else thinks he should have or should not have done. Most people seem to appreciate it for what it is and for the quality of the work and that makes him happy. The first judged show he took it to he won 2nd best of show and was pretty pleased with that. The only advice I can give you is to do what makes you happy. These cars cost alot of money to restore right so make sure to do it the way you want it. Here is a picture of his, it's also a '72.
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/8-11-07_053.jpg
Good luck with your car!

Heres an original idea LEAVE IT AS A 72!!

"IMO a chevelle that is truely a sleeper will be too ugly to drive (ugly color non-fresh paint, ugly dog dish or rally wheels, flat hood, bench seat, stock dash, ect)"

It's your opinion, but this is basically a COPO look which no one who loves muscle cars would turn their nose up at. Doesn't have to be ugly. It's not a beater, just a very conservative looking car with a ton of horsepower. What's not to like.

I respect COPO cars for what they are and their place in history, but to build something similar as opposed to a nice clean looking car that still has a nicer interior, wheels, ect does not interest me. Its still a "clone" in a way.

The idea I pitched is still very conservative IMO, it just would also be very pleasing to look at and might fit some people's idea of a sleeper. I just meant that as soon as you paint a car with an aggressive look like a chevelle a nice color and add any wheels that aren't hideous, you lose sleeper status. They just look too mean. People expect them to be even faster than most are, even if it is "just a malibu".

When my car was dark copper metallic with all malibu trim, people still thought it had to be the fastest thing in town. And I would never build a car that ugly...

Hope that makes what I was trying to say a little more clear. :)

Mine is almost the same except not quite so much rust and the interior is fine except for the sun crack on the dash.
I'm probably going to take it back to original.
I only have a concern with the metallic grey color. I think it is a low visibility color and not safe. My family wants to keep it grey. Am I being a dork?

I had my 72 stock Malibu in a show last weekend and won best of class. Most all of the Chevelles there were modified. People really enjoyed seeing a "stock" car, 2bbl and all. Oh, the best of show was a stock 68 base 300 4 speed with a 327, no radio, 2 door post car. Even had the bias belts on it. It was a treat to see.

Now, I have a 69 4 door that I am modifying for the fun of it. I am making it a family sleeper.