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71 Chevelle SS clone - 8.1L Swap
- Thread starter Russell
- Start date
Also - This is being dropped off in a couple minutes...
I approve of that
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2000
- Posts
- 9,124
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- 7,079
Nice Chevelle!
How can you tell me that this ass looks bad?
It doesn't! I'll likely leave it alone. Its in such good shape!
Just took delivery of the 8.1L. Got it for a song and a dance because the seller figures it is seized up. It's out of a low mileage truck, but the t-case blew up due to pump rub. He got around to replacing the transfer case a year or so later and the engine wouldn't crank when he finished the job up. Said all he got was a click and no sound otherwise. I tried turning it over by hand on the shop floor with a pry bar and couldn't move it, but I had some poor leverage and was worried about tipping the engine over while it is dangerously close to the Chevelle haha!. I will try jumpering the starter directly and see if it engages and turns over when I have some time later.
I'll boroscope the spark plugs and see what the cylinders look like if it won't turn over at all and the starter seems okay. If they look good, I'll tear the bottom end apart and see if there is anything obviously wrong. If the engine rotating assembly or block are toast, I'll keep all the accessories and start looking for a long block to replace it. By the time a guy does a full rebuild, it's usually cheaper to just buy a replacement.
Just took delivery of the 8.1L. Got it for a song and a dance because the seller figures it is seized up. It's out of a low mileage truck, but the t-case blew up due to pump rub. He got around to replacing the transfer case a year or so later and the engine wouldn't crank when he finished the job up. Said all he got was a click and no sound otherwise. I tried turning it over by hand on the shop floor with a pry bar and couldn't move it, but I had some poor leverage and was worried about tipping the engine over while it is dangerously close to the Chevelle haha!. I will try jumpering the starter directly and see if it engages and turns over when I have some time later.
I'll boroscope the spark plugs and see what the cylinders look like if it won't turn over at all and the starter seems okay. If they look good, I'll tear the bottom end apart and see if there is anything obviously wrong. If the engine rotating assembly or block are toast, I'll keep all the accessories and start looking for a long block to replace it. By the time a guy does a full rebuild, it's usually cheaper to just buy a replacement.
Planning to put an OD trans in Russ?
Probably a Tremec Magnum 6 speed eventually. I'll run the 4 speed for now though.
I'm a detail geek when it comes to cars Russ. Would you spill the details of the car as it currently sits? Is it a clone or a true SS? 12 bolt rear? Gears? Posi I'm assuming? What all has been done to the 454 that you were told? HEI at the least?
I love the colour, and it seems to have a nice stance. Do you like the larger diameter rims or will you eventually go with a 15" or 16" variant in the future? How about the braking system? disc/drum, disc/disc? Any suspension upgrades?
Lastly, what do you see as you're usage being? Cruiser, occasional friday night drags at Castrol?
I love the colour, and it seems to have a nice stance. Do you like the larger diameter rims or will you eventually go with a 15" or 16" variant in the future? How about the braking system? disc/drum, disc/disc? Any suspension upgrades?
Lastly, what do you see as you're usage being? Cruiser, occasional friday night drags at Castrol?
Isn't the block in the car now a short block that would work ?
oh and yeah, more details, like before you start tearing it apart, so we can know if we approve or not. Like if it came with a 6cy then you are OK. But if it is a BB original we may have some issues...
I was told the engine is a 454. I haven't verified the displacement beyond it being a big block. No idea what has been done with it aside from an HEI distributor, intake, headers and an edelbrock carb. It sounds like it has a camshaft in it, but the engine does not run very well. Either the carb is a turd, or the engine components are very poorly matched. It does not have a lot of power, especially down low. I am somewhat spoiled by diesel engines, but it should have a lot more torque than it does. I have no idea what engine it originally came with aside from being a V8, there is no option list anywhere I can find inside the car. I would presume it had either a 307 or a 350. I am pretty sure the big block was swapped in. The transmission is a 4 speed of some variety. I am not sure exactly what it is, but I do know that the car was originally a column shifted automatic based on how the shifter hole was cut and with an auto steering column with the shifter removed. The rear end is a 12 bolt of a yet to be determined ratio. I'm guessing it has fairly tall gearing though based on how poorly it launches. My plan right now is to install a modern 8.1L to replace the 454 with the existing 4 speed. It will be stock except I intend to use an 99-02 drive by cable PCM and a 7.4L throttle body. In the long run, I may replace the 4 speed with a Tremec Magnum 6 speed, but that'll be a while as they are big $$$ and I'll have to cut out and replace the transmission tunnel.
The car was definitely a Malibu and was cloned into an SS. It still has the sweep style instrument cluster in it. I plan to replace the dash with the SS style cluster and install some Dakota Digital gauges that will play nice with the 8.1L. I also plan to install a stock center console. Of course, it'll get a modern radio head unit that looks like a stock one but has hands free bluetooth phone support, aux outputs for an amp and some decent speakers. The cowl induction hood flapper is zip tied open and has none of the control parts. I'll likely add them in as well despite swapping in the EFI engine haha
It has a 12 bolt rear end, I'm not sure if it is posi or open. The car has aftermarket disc brakes up front and stock drums out back. I do plan to remove those butt fugly Foose wheels and rubber bands to put some nicer Cragar or stock SS style wheels on with stock sized rubber. I have no suspension mods planned at all. I plan to use it as a summer cruiser. Take it out for dinners, over to a friends house or just a nice cruise on a warm summer evening. No racing plans at all. Just a nice suble upgrade with some modern parts but more or less keeping it stock on the outside.
The car was definitely a Malibu and was cloned into an SS. It still has the sweep style instrument cluster in it. I plan to replace the dash with the SS style cluster and install some Dakota Digital gauges that will play nice with the 8.1L. I also plan to install a stock center console. Of course, it'll get a modern radio head unit that looks like a stock one but has hands free bluetooth phone support, aux outputs for an amp and some decent speakers. The cowl induction hood flapper is zip tied open and has none of the control parts. I'll likely add them in as well despite swapping in the EFI engine haha
It has a 12 bolt rear end, I'm not sure if it is posi or open. The car has aftermarket disc brakes up front and stock drums out back. I do plan to remove those butt fugly Foose wheels and rubber bands to put some nicer Cragar or stock SS style wheels on with stock sized rubber. I have no suspension mods planned at all. I plan to use it as a summer cruiser. Take it out for dinners, over to a friends house or just a nice cruise on a warm summer evening. No racing plans at all. Just a nice suble upgrade with some modern parts but more or less keeping it stock on the outside.
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The front should have been disc from the factory. I think by then, as in that year, it it was rather hard to find a drum braked Malibu or Chevelle. The prop valve and booster look stock also.
The vin would tell you a lot about what it was originally.
The numbers on the back of the engine where the trans bolts to above the bolts will tell you what it was originally. On the front under the alternator will tell you what it came in.
The vin would tell you a lot about what it was originally.
The numbers on the back of the engine where the trans bolts to above the bolts will tell you what it was originally. On the front under the alternator will tell you what it came in.
I approve of your plans, not that you need my approval...
Running properly with well matched parts and proper gearing it should eat any of your D-max rigs for lunch Russ. I'm dying to know what in the hell was done to make it perform so poorly. At any rate, it's a very good looking car. Mechanical stuff is pretty easy to swap/fix/etc...and in doing so you will 'make it yours'.
Running properly with well matched parts and proper gearing it should eat any of your D-max rigs for lunch Russ. I'm dying to know what in the hell was done to make it perform so poorly. At any rate, it's a very good looking car. Mechanical stuff is pretty easy to swap/fix/etc...and in doing so you will 'make it yours'.
Pulled the plugs out of the 8.1L tonight and found minor surface rust in all 8 cylinders. I sprayed penetrating oil into each to try and free the rings up from the cylinder walls. I plan to put it on the stand and flip it over so I can inspect the bottom end. If it looks okay down there I will pull the crank and all the pistons out through the bottom without pulling the heads off and get a better look at the cylinder walls / clean them up. I would rather not pull the heads if I can help it, that adds a ton of expense to get everything re-surfaced. If it looks like the cylinder walls need to be re-surfaced, I'll start looking for a replacement long block. I don't mind putting new rings and bearings into the engine, but if it is going to be over $2000 then I'll just replace the camshaft in the 454 and add a Holley Sniper EFI setup on it.
T
tenderfoot
Guest
Ummm, you mean proflo4?
Pull the pistons from the bottom?
Not sure it’s possible, and if it is, isn’t putting them back in without a ring compressor going to be iffy?
I’d just pull the heads at that point,
Good luck Russ!
I had a 71 Malibu (in 77) and loved it!
Not sure it’s possible, and if it is, isn’t putting them back in without a ring compressor going to be iffy?
I’d just pull the heads at that point,
Good luck Russ!
I had a 71 Malibu (in 77) and loved it!
I've done it before with other engines. Usually isn't a big deal getting the pistons back in. One advantage to taking them out the bottom is that you don't wind up scraping the side of the cylinder walls with all the crap the rings catch. The bottom side is usually pretty clean. Gives a good fighting chance at just cleaning the cylinder walls up with some aluminum foil and Emery cloth.
Through the top is certainly easier, but machine work here is super expensive. It doesn't take long to get to the point where a reman long block makes more sense financially. Comes with a warranty then as well.
Through the top is certainly easier, but machine work here is super expensive. It doesn't take long to get to the point where a reman long block makes more sense financially. Comes with a warranty then as well.
RubberFloorMat
1/2 ton status
That’s not a great price at all. I know you can’t just pop down to the states to pick one up but for a car with issues, that’s basically just a Malibu 350 that’s kinda high. I’d be in it at about 12, and that’s if it’s all right and good.
