78-82 Malibu wagon for stock

FED 387 · 10-19-2007, 12:00 AM

Thinking about doing a 78-82 chevy malibu wagon for NHRA stock--Which is the best engine/trans combo that will be the most competitive and why???? What class(es) will this car fall into???? How about Super Stock or GT too???----Thanx Comp 387

greg fulk · 10-19-2007, 12:11 AM

if it were me i'd run it as an 83 (4 headlight) with a dish piston 305 fits M-N-O but it all has to do with how fast ya want to go?? could run a 350 in 78 I-J car......but the wagon is the way to go.

FED 387 · 10-19-2007, 12:43 AM

With the 350 what about heads and carb???? Can the heads work or is the carb too small???? same for the cam??? thanks for the reply--comp 387

FED 387 · 10-19-2007, 09:07 AM

Where do you find the shipping/curb weight that NHRA goes by???? Is there a site that you can access to find the weights for different body styles/makes of cars???? Does NHRA have a list or what??? Thanx ,Dick

tpoh815 · 10-19-2007, 09:22 AM

dick, do you already have a car?

Ron Middleton · 10-19-2007, 09:38 AM

1980 Malibu 305cid 180HP/230hp NHRA with 416 heads and dish pistons. .350/.370 lift camshaft. M/SA @ 3390 with driver, L/SA @ 3275 with driver. O/SA @ 3505, K/SA @ 3160. Car is natural L car as regular Malibu and natural M car in wagon form. 3.800" bore has best ring package available. Lunati or Bullet makes good cam. Heads flow almost same as 450 casting head. Carb is good size and motor will make good power. JMT.

greg fulk · 10-19-2007, 09:56 AM

http://www.nhra.com/tech_specs/class...s/1978CHEV.xls here's a link for the 78 if your thinking of running a 350....just scroll to the right for shipping weight

Jeff Lee · 10-19-2007, 12:49 PM

I think there is one for sale here in Arizona. It was a mint, low-mile little old lady Sun City Arizona wagon with a 305 4bbl. A Super Class racer bought it thinking he could perform a Stocker transformation just by adding headers, cam, valve job and convertor / gears. Boy was he wrong. Imagine that...So then he got serious about it and last I heard it was good for 3-4 under, maybe worse. I think he wants $7500 for it. I might be wrong though. E-mail me if your interested and I'll track him down.
JeffLeeAzRealty@Qwest.net

FED 387 · 10-19-2007, 05:09 PM

have a 78 malibu wagon with 350 V-8 and automatic ---It was in an estate--- car has auto trans--Psteering -P brakes -NO radio-No air cond --No roof rack -Tinted windshield no power window or seats either--- basically a stripo----Button hub cabs cheap interior 2 seater no 3rd row seat either--- Car has under 35ooo miles one owner owned by a single little old man bought it new need a car so that he and his mutt dog could get his fishing rods into and go to the lake---NO rust back seat never been up always had a piece of scrap carpet covering the back end area!!! Bought it for $ under 1500--- This thing is pretty quick just as is with the 350 engine- White /tan interior--So I think I'll go with this to start with---Comp 387

Jeff Goss · 10-19-2007, 07:43 PM

We really need Jody Lang to chime in here. He probably knows all there is to know about this combo.

I have a 78 wagon also, and momentarily thought about building it into a Stocker.

Good luck with it.

Jeff Goss
6990 SS/MA
64 Chevelle Wagon

10-19-2007, 12:00 AM	#1
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,400 Likes: 482 Liked 320 Times in 172 Posts	78-82 Malibu wagon for stock Thinking about doing a 78-82 chevy malibu wagon for NHRA stock--Which is the best engine/trans combo that will be the most competitive and why???? What class(es) will this car fall into???? How about Super Stock or GT too???----Thanx Comp 387

10-19-2007, 12:11 AM	#2
greg fulk VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: jackson Posts: 1,165 Likes: 0 Liked 5 Times in 3 Posts	Re: 78-82 Malibu wagon for stock if it were me i'd run it as an 83 (4 headlight) with a dish piston 305 fits M-N-O but it all has to do with how fast ya want to go?? could run a 350 in 78 I-J car......but the wagon is the way to go. __________________ Greg Fulk 308 308X P/SA "ALL AMERICAN"

10-19-2007, 12:43 AM	#3
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,400 Likes: 482 Liked 320 Times in 172 Posts	Re: 78-82 Malibu wagon for stock With the 350 what about heads and carb???? Can the heads work or is the carb too small???? same for the cam??? thanks for the reply--comp 387

10-19-2007, 09:07 AM	#4
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,400 Likes: 482 Liked 320 Times in 172 Posts	Re: 78-82 Malibu wagon for stock Where do you find the shipping/curb weight that NHRA goes by???? Is there a site that you can access to find the weights for different body styles/makes of cars???? Does NHRA have a list or what??? Thanx ,Dick

10-19-2007, 09:22 AM	#5
tpoh815 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: West Seneca Posts: 537 Likes: 57 Liked 28 Times in 11 Posts	Re: 78-82 Malibu wagon for stock dick, do you already have a car?

10-19-2007, 09:38 AM	#6
Ron Middleton Member Join Date: Jan 1970 Location: Jackson, Ms. Posts: 350 Likes: 183 Liked 12 Times in 4 Posts	Re: 78-82 Malibu wagon for stock 1980 Malibu 305cid 180HP/230hp NHRA with 416 heads and dish pistons. .350/.370 lift camshaft. M/SA @ 3390 with driver, L/SA @ 3275 with driver. O/SA @ 3505, K/SA @ 3160. Car is natural L car as regular Malibu and natural M car in wagon form. 3.800" bore has best ring package available. Lunati or Bullet makes good cam. Heads flow almost same as 450 casting head. Carb is good size and motor will make good power. JMT.

10-19-2007, 09:56 AM	#7
greg fulk VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: jackson Posts: 1,165 Likes: 0 Liked 5 Times in 3 Posts	Re: 78-82 Malibu wagon for stock http://www.nhra.com/tech_specs/class...s/1978CHEV.xls here's a link for the 78 if your thinking of running a 350....just scroll to the right for shipping weight __________________ Greg Fulk 308 308X P/SA "ALL AMERICAN"

10-19-2007, 12:49 PM	#8
Jeff Lee VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Anthem, Arizona Posts: 2,766 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: 78-82 Malibu wagon for stock I think there is one for sale here in Arizona. It was a mint, low-mile little old lady Sun City Arizona wagon with a 305 4bbl. A Super Class racer bought it thinking he could perform a Stocker transformation just by adding headers, cam, valve job and convertor / gears. Boy was he wrong. Imagine that...So then he got serious about it and last I heard it was good for 3-4 under, maybe worse. I think he wants $7500 for it. I might be wrong though. E-mail me if your interested and I'll track him down. JeffLeeAzRealty@Qwest.net __________________ Jeff Lee 7494 D/S '70 AMX

10-19-2007, 05:09 PM	#9
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,400 Likes: 482 Liked 320 Times in 172 Posts	Re: 78-82 Malibu wagon for stock have a 78 malibu wagon with 350 V-8 and automatic ---It was in an estate--- car has auto trans--Psteering -P brakes -NO radio-No air cond --No roof rack -Tinted windshield no power window or seats either--- basically a stripo----Button hub cabs cheap interior 2 seater no 3rd row seat either--- Car has under 35ooo miles one owner owned by a single little old man bought it new need a car so that he and his mutt dog could get his fishing rods into and go to the lake---NO rust back seat never been up always had a piece of scrap carpet covering the back end area!!! Bought it for $ under 1500--- This thing is pretty quick just as is with the 350 engine- White /tan interior--So I think I'll go with this to start with---Comp 387

10-19-2007, 07:43 PM	#10
Jeff Goss Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Burlington, WA Posts: 361 Likes: 1 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: 78-82 Malibu wagon for stock We really need Jody Lang to chime in here. He probably knows all there is to know about this combo. I have a 78 wagon also, and momentarily thought about building it into a Stocker. Good luck with it. Jeff Goss 6990 SS/MA 64 Chevelle Wagon Last edited by Jeff Goss; 10-19-2007 at 09:31 PM. Reason: add pics