Hello all,

I've been putting this off a couple years now, but it's time to replace the roll cage in the Malibu. The old cage I installed back around 1995. It was .134" wall ERW mild steel with swingouts. Quite heavy, too much chassis flex and with the car running 8.50's, I was at the limit of the cage certification.

Due to the scope of this project, I expect the fabrication work to take me most of the winter. I'm working on average two evenings a week and Some on Saturday and Sunday. A job like this has taken anywhere from 200 to 250 hours to complete on average.

The new cage is going to be a 25.3 SFI certification. The car only needs a 25.5 spec, but there's not alot different other than some larger tubing sizes, so I went with 25.3 for resale value more than anything.

In addition to the cage upgrade, I'm also swapping out the 12 bolt rear for a TRZ chromoly sheetmetal 9" housing (and matching control arms). The housing will most likely be filled with Strange 40 spline gun drilled Ultra light axles & Ultra center and their Pro Race brakes. The QA1 shocks have been sold and will be replaced with Afco double adjustable coil overs.

The housing has been ordered (tubes run long, housing ends loose) and should be here in the next two weeks. Once it arrives I need to determine the length so the axles & internals can be ordered.

I sold both sets of rear wheels and will be purchasing new due to shortening the rear and going with less back spacing in the wheel.

Anyway, here's some preliminary pics showing the teardown and the progress thus far. I have the main hoop bent up and some other bars, will do the setting of those bars hopefully this weekend sometime.

Just a note, the rear inner frame rails (as I read the 25.3 spec) are not required on a full frame car. I installed them as I intend to do a max frame notch this time and the inner frame rails will help strengthen the frame where the outer section has been removed. The rear bars of the cage will tie into the inner frame rails at the upper shock mount junction.

I did not intend to remove so much floor material, but cutting several holes for access made a mess of the stock floor. I felt the final outcome would look much cleaner removing everything and installing new than to try and patch up the stock metal. Undecided if I'll remove the old mini-tubs and redo them while I'm at it.

More to come...

WOW

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1980 Malibu BBC T-56



"The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it." Thomas Jefferson

Etsi ambulavero in valle umbrae mortis, non timebo malum quoniam tu mecum es

Thats top notch, keep us posted.

Awesome work as always Todd.

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pump gas,3850 pound,9.70@137 1.29 60 foot, not your grandmas gp
2012 hot rod magazine drag week,3rd place small block power adder
You'd give it all up for what's there for the taking
Whatever it takes to keep your hands from shaking
The same things you're thinking might make you feel better
The same things that probably got you here

I've seen your car progress over the years and your attention to detail on your build or upgrades is a pleasure to see. I look forward to seeing the outcome of this work Todd..

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9.90's @ 132 mph weighing 3384 lbs on a little sbc motor.

I agree....top notch as always. I can't imagine doing all that welding with it that close to the ground

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MidsouthRacers.com

I feel bad for people who don't drink because when they wake up in the morning that is the best they will feel all day.
Frank Sinatra

looks really good !!

As always, awesome to read about... always so methodical

grand610... your avatar looks awful familiar... are you on gofastzone?

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MR.com Facebook page
'92 Sierra - EBL/TBI-fed Vortec 383/700R4/3.08
'87 Fiero GT - 2.8/5-speed
'78 Malibu - Vortec 350/4-speed (for now)

As always, Very nice work....
Looks killer....

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1979 malibu
SBC

Holy crap that's awesome work. Right clicking and saving pics for inspiration.

that is pretty nice stuff! we are all jealous!

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"hands cant hit what the eyes cant see, float like a butterfly sting like a bee , rumble young man rumble"
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85 monte carlo ss 496 bbc th400 strange dana 60 !!!!!
79 malibu same drivetrain best pass 10.60 at 129 SOLD!

Awsome! U da man!

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370ci LS single 88mm Turbo in the works.

Just a few quick pics from this mornings work.

Thanks for the nice comments guys. Gotta try and keep plugging away at it to have any chance to be ready by spring.