How original should I go?

by irishish27 Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:25 pm

Hey all, I have been having this discussion with friends and family since I have bought my 73 malibu. How original should I keep it? Now before you jump on me, the interior, paint, and roof (the cosmetics really) will be unchanged. I do want to take the rims off and put on different ones, but more so to preserve the originals for when I want/need them. I mean how original when it comes to the engine. It is an entirely stock engine, with only 43k miles on it, but with the power being low due to the gov't mandates of the time, and our generation not being the 'as popular' body stylings, would it be better to beef up the engine a bit (cam, heads, intake, ect ect; pretty much what I read about on here with what you can do to a 307 lol), or leave it as is?

Alright... go lol

by Tom77 Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:48 pm

Its your car dont worry about what others think. Go for it!

by 77mali Sun Jul 01, 2012 4:27 pm

If your happy with it as is, leave it...if not then there are many mods that can be done to these cars to improve performance, etc... Sky's the limit.

by ant7377 Sun Jul 01, 2012 6:02 pm

If you like it the way it is leave it,me id would dump a bunch of dough into the drive train and leave the rest,make it cook tires.

by Joe73 Sun Jul 01, 2012 6:36 pm

I agree. If you like it, then leave it alone. But if you want to just make a little more fun to drive here's what I'd do. Pretty easy stuff and it will still look all stock.

Larger front sway bar.
Factory rear bar.
Trans shift kit.
3.42 ring and pinion to "wake" it up a little.
Dual exhaust.

It'll still look all stock but it'll be a little more fun to drive.

by JB2wheeler Sun Jul 01, 2012 6:56 pm

My opinion is do whatever pleases you and I believe anything that will make it better is all right as long as it CAN be reversed and put back to stock. No chopped tops or altered frames or such. I have fixed mine to where it is more pleasing to the eye (custom wheels) and more powerful for fun but still looks like a 74 model. Don't goof like I did and let a speed shop talk you into a monster engine, stick with moderate increases in power. I often recommend the Edelbrock engine packages designed to be reliable in 3 packages. A light increase in power, a moderate increase in power and a giant step in power. JB

by dragons_lair59 Sun Jul 01, 2012 8:07 pm

i would have to concur do what ya want to do the "day after mods" wheels cam intake carb ect. and even if ya pull and set a side the 307 and go to a 350 your still not hurting the value cause you would have the original motor sway bars wont hurt the value just help in handling my vote and opinion is do what up grades you want/can afford. I wouldnt do anything that cant be reversed ie. major body mods

by irishish27 Sun Jul 01, 2012 9:15 pm

I appreciate the input guys, thanks. I def am not going to do anything that cant be reversed (ie body mods and all). I will say that the dual exhaust is first on my list (the damn things so quiet when I start her up that have to hit the gas to make sure shes turned on lol Razz

). I guess I should re-word the question; I WANT to do some engine mods (cam, heads, intake, carb), but do you think the value of the car is better with the completely stock engine, or will the worked stock engine bring the value down a bit?

by bigredlaguna Sun Jul 01, 2012 9:16 pm

At the very least put a wider wheel/tire combo on it. The original pizza cutters get lost in there so bad you have to use a flashlight to check the air pressure.

by bigredlaguna Sun Jul 01, 2012 9:16 pm

Mod the engine, you won't hurt the value a bit.

by pila Sun Jul 01, 2012 10:28 pm

You need a plan......how much power you want, how much you want to spend, and how many of the suggestions listed here you would like to do. Any problem with bad gas mileage ? If there is, you have to consider how far to go with the engine and drive line. Power does cost, in mileage.
I had a '73 with a 307, and 3-spd trans. Had a mild performance cam in it, and a 4BBL carb. It was a good driver.

by BicknellWelding Sun Jul 01, 2012 10:33 pm

If it was an SS,SE or S-3, I'd be worried about originality. They seem to be the only ones fetching the money right now. Although you do have those awesome tailights! You got a great car to start with. I'd kill for a '73. Anything you do under the hood will only help the value. Nice set of wheels and some pipes will go a long way. I personally would ditch the rear bumperettes, but don't get rid of them. Can't say I've ever seen them before. Sweet car Man ! best of luck with it.

by Laguna Budman Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:20 am

As I said before 73 is the best year in my opinion and I have a 74. I'm working on a 73 now. As for what you should do to your car, well do what you want. Don't listen to what eveyone says to do. That's why it is (your car) you can take suggestions from people but remember to do what you think looks good. I did alot of stuff that folks did't agree with but in the end I love my car and drive it alot. You can take many things from this site and still build a car that you enjoy and in the end it doesn't matter what anyone thinks is cool or not, it's yours and that's all that matters!

by Psychlonic Mon Jul 02, 2012 2:01 am

I've never found anyone here to be snobby when it comes to original parts so I think you're free to talk about doing whatever* you want to your car.

If you're worried about value, right now G3s are not high dollar cars no matter what you dump into it. Very few people have fond memories of them when they were factory off the lot except those who found them enjoyable to cruise highways in or the ones that were borderline luxury cars for the comfort factor. In fact, more people seem to start liking them once they become loud, fast, and become the muscle cars they could have been had they not been castrated early by the gas crunch and new safety regs. A woken up G3 turns heads, and things that turn heads start commanding money.

* please don't put it on 40" chrome rims

by irishish27 Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:30 am

Lol Don't worry, big rims are def not going onto this car; I think that's undoubtedly the most retarded looking thing in the world lol.

Anyways, like I said, I appreciate the input guys; overall, yeh I know I am going to do what I want, but I was just figuring if what I do would hurt the worth of the car (I figured it would be like Psychlonic said, "uncastrate" them to make it into the muscle car it should be). Razz

Now first on the list; making it at least SOUND like it has some balls lol.

But after that; I am totally open to suggestions on some wheels that look good on our cars. I was thinking the chrome chevy rally wheels. I try to look at pics on this site and other places on the internet, but its tough to really find a lot, so I am open to suggestions (or pictures) if ya have them Smile

by irishish27 Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:39 am

Sorry, missed replying to these:

pila: gas mileage is not too bad (well better then I thought it would be at least); did a nice trip this past weekend in which I did 236 miles, half highway, half stop and go, and I got just under 16 mpg.. surprised the hell out of me lol

Bicknell: Lol I live in Philadelphia, those back bumpers might come in handy around these parts lol Razz

by BicknellWelding Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:58 am

irishish27 wrote:

Bicknell: Lol I live in Philadelphia, those back bumpers might come in handy around these parts lol

This is true. Man I'd be a nervous wreck in the city. Door dings and parallel parking... Maybe fab yourself a set to go all the way around. LoL

Rim ideas : love the rallys. Ansen sprints. Cragar ss or sst. Torq thrusts. Keystone klassics. There's a lot of cool rims from the era.

by 74MonteCarlo Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:36 am

irishish27 wrote:Now first on the list; making it at least SOUND like it has some balls lol.

Like my car? Haha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7afO1OaWwQ

How I like to put it...it has more bark than bite. I can barley break the tires loose, lol. It's a total dog.

by irishish27 Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:06 pm

@bicknell: Yeh lol I don't even bother trying to parallel park my car, it would just end up a massacre lol. However, on that note, I totally wanna see what a head on collision with a SMART car would do lol Razz

... As for wheels; yeh the rallys are my favorite option at the moment, but ive always been a sucker for cragers; I am going to have to research a little on the sizing though. Put some bigger ones on the rear Smile

@74monte: It sounds good though! There's just a couple things I want to figure out with how to run the exhaust though. I am thinking like 2.5 inch pipes, but i dont know what pattern, what kind of mufflers (been trying to listen to the links through this forum for different sounds), and lastly, how the tailpipes should come out of the @ss end! God I am mess with this sh!t right now lol

by dragons_lair59 Mon Jul 02, 2012 2:47 pm

duals with flow master 40's or the equivalent will sound real good

if i could get another 73-74 (had a74) would have duals and 15x7 and 15x8 slotted ets( aka asens or us mags) mild cam ede;brock intake and new quick fuel slayer carbs and ride it till the wheels fall off

by irishish27 Mon Jul 02, 2012 3:00 pm

15x7's and 15x8's are what I was looking at. They were the Rallys however, but they were a pretty good price. ($270 for all 4). But I have time on that since I plan on doing the exhaust first.

by dragons_lair59 Mon Jul 02, 2012 3:07 pm

cant go wrong with ralleys either

by 77ElClassic Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:05 pm

Hopefully this helps to show your options. This picture shows 15X10 Rally's on the rear. They have P295-50R15 mounted. I believe I could still get another 1 to 1.5 inch wider. I kinda wish I would've went with a 305-55 just to have a little sidewall height. the 15X8s are on the front. Both have a 50% dish.[img] How original should I go? Img_0110

[/img][img] How original should I go? Img_0111

[/img]

The exhaust is a 2.5" all the way back that is an off the shelf item from Flowmaster for a 1970 Chevelle. Works great as long as you have a 2-hump cross-member.

by bigredlaguna Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:24 am

Backspacing becomes critical once you get to 10" wide or wider with the rim.

I have 295/50's on 10" also, but the backspace is only 4" and the outside sidewall gets cut by the wheelwell if I don't have the air shocks pumped up.

by pila Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:29 am

I believe that 16 MPG is quite good ! My Malibu seems to get around 9........maybe it needs a bigger spring on the carb........

by Sponsored content

How original should I go?

How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?

Re: How original should I go?