79 Malibu- Stocker-Stick Shift

[Nick Heath]

Love this build! Those boxy Malibus are one of my favorite body styles - they make great-looking race cars - and the clutch pedal always adds several points to the cool-meter.

Can't wait to see this one on the track!

[doglover44]

Hows it coming along ?

[J518]

Little by Little

Fuel line, pump, regulator mounted. Whats everyone use for a quick "tap" for fuel checks?

[J518]

Something we've been scratching our head on is the clutch linkage and finding the right headers. We end up just buying a set and rerouting the #5 hole to give us clearance. Here is the before pics.

[J518]

And the after...

[J518]

Update on the rest.
We did get our crank balanced. We also bought a set of Total Seal rings $$$$
Intake acid dipped and painted.
Waiting for bearings to start assembling.
We cleaned up and painted the instrument cluster and bezel around it.
Settled on the switch panel location so we started wiring. So far I am really happy with how the wiring is going and the routing to the glove box.
Tach mounted.
Fuel pressure gauge mounted.
Clutch and flywheel arrived.
Should really see some movement now if we can start assembling the short block!

[Rory McNeil]

Maybe I am just used to the old Holley fuel pressure regulators, but that appears to be plumbed wrong. On my Holley reg, the higher pressure feed goes to the bottom, where you gauge is plumbed, and the side ports are reduced by the adjusting screw. Seems odd that you couldn`t find headers to work with the factory clutch linkage, as I have seen several stick G body GMs with a 4 speed and headers, but at least you could make those work.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by J518

Little by Little

Fuel line, pump, regulator mounted. Whats everyone use for a quick "tap" for fuel checks?

Just an observation here.
My experience tells me this fuel pump won't be up for the job on an 11 sec. stick shift Q-Jet car.
Unless your test track is across the street, it costs a bunch to go out there for the first time and find a problem such as this.
Good luck

[J518]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

Just an observation here.
My experience tells me this fuel pump won't be up for the job on an 11 sec. stick shift Q-Jet car.
Unless your test track is across the street, it costs a bunch to go out there for the first time and find a problem such as this.
Good luck

Appreciate it Mark. Is this because of the quadrajets bowl size?
Do you have an at minimum size/suggestion you would go with?

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by J518

Appreciate it Mark. Is this because of the quadrajets bowl size?
Do you have an at minimum size/suggestion you would go with?

Yes, that's a big part of the problem,..plus the limitation of what will work for a needle and seat and for fuel pressure.
The vane type pumps are rather old school but sometimes will work with faster Holley equipped cars.

I don't keep up with the latest pumps but I would probably look at Aeromotive stuff that's used in Stock without a return system.
Maybe SS Div 6 will see this ...He'll know what racers are using today.