LS 2 Resto-Mod, Hot Rod, Custom

Up for saleis my 1980 Malibu Classic M 80. This started as an exceptionally cleanand original M 80 survivor. It was probably one of the best inexistence. It has not been restored. It has been stripped to baremetal and repainted in the original white in a modern single stage paintsystem. It has had all of the rubber in the chassis replaced includingthe body mounts.The suspension and steering have been upgraded with MonteCarlo SS parts. Everything that moves has been replaced or rebuilt.The drive train has been replaced with an LS2 engine, 4l65e transmission, ECU,harness and gas pedal assembly from a 2006 GTO with 6,000 miles wheninstalled. The interior has reproduction seat upholstery, door& quarter panels, headliner, carpet and visors. It has two (4” &5”) cracks in the dash. Dash shells do not look quite right and OPGIstill has their new full dash on back-order.

This is notyour typical hacked up “wannabe race car” or “G” body rust bucket. It isa professional engine conversion and tune, professional chassis work and thecar was stripped and repainted by a well qualified custom-restoration shop. Theinterior is excellent.

This is alighter, faster and much better looking 2006 GTO. It is ready to take youanywhere in air conditioned comfort and with the reliability of a newcar. It is worth the buy it now price just to use for transportation butI would hate to see it end that way.

If you don’tknow about M 80s I have included several links that will give you a quickcourse on them. In the past several years at many car shows and cruises Ihave met one person who has actually seen one. I have never seen anotherone.

https://www.chevyhardcore.com/news/the-1980-chevrolet-malibu-m80/

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2014/08/22/hemmings-find-of-the-day-1980-chevrolet-malibu-m80

https://bringatrailer.com/2017/06/15/uncork-it-1980-chevrolet-malibu-m80/

https://www.motortrend.com/news/junkyard-1980-chevy-malibu-m80/

Details onthis car:

I purchased this car from the third owner in 2013 from aneBay listing. A copy of this listing is at https://app.photobucket.com/u/Buck557.The original NC owners passed the car on to their nephew who then sold it tothe person in RI whom I bought it from. If you read the eBay listing youwill see the work he did on the car.He said he planned a big blockconversion but unfortunately he was injured and could no longer work on it.Itwas in excellent condition at that time and the odometer reading was 36,270.

I brought it home to NH and droveit about 175 miles before snow and salt time. I started on the variousoil leaks (this was an untouched 34 year old small block) which required pullingthe engine. I quickly came to the conclusion that a 305 was notappropriate for such a “squirrelly” looking car. I located a 2006 LS 2from a GTO with only 6,000 miles. I had the engine, transmission etcinstalled by a shop that specializes in “LS” conversions. We used BRP HotRods motor mounts, headers and transmission cross-member, new drive shaft, newposi-traction, 3.73 ring & pinion, pinion spacer, American install kit,Moser axles and a cast rear end cover with carrier bearing support, a new BuickGNX fuel tank, sender, a Walbro pump, Corvette regulator/filter and “F” bodyA/C compressor and alternator. The engine harness has been professionallymodified and the ECU tuned to work in this installation. We replaced theoriginal instrument cluster with a Dakota Digital “VHX” unit that looks justlike the original,is much easier to read in poor light and works with the engine andtransmission. The odometer was set to the same mileage as the old one.The dash will do almost as many tricks as a new cell phone.

The 2.5" exhaust system isstainless steel.The Flow Master mufflers have been replaced withtraditional turbo mufflers and resonators. I tried Magnaflows, Borla’s LScrate mufflers and the Flow Masters, The Flow Masters were the best of the threebut were still just too loud inside the car. It is about right for longdrives now.

The interior is in really goodcondition thanks to the previous owner. The A/C has been convertedto R134 and has a new blower motor. The A/C control panel has been professionallyrebuilt.

I drove the car for about 1 year toshows and cruises.The two places where the paint was lifting had gottenworse and the paint on the doors and quarters was blistering, Thensomeone poked the two original blisters. I disassembled the exterior andsent it to a well thought of custom-restoration shop to be stripped andpainted. The blistering was from incompatible original paint and thematerial used for touch-up.The body had never had any rust or rustrepair. All exterior panels were stripped to bare metal. The frontfenders were only stripped to the edge of the hood opening; the parts thatattach to the inner fender and the radiator support are still original.Therewere two repaired areas (one in the left quarter and one in the right quarter)and several minor dings which have had the original filler removed and wereredone. There was no rust even under the edges of the glass when it wasremoved. A new windshield with a windshield antenna was installed.The car was painted the original color in a modern single stage system, wetsanded and buffed. There are no swirls or other imperfections. Noone reproduces the stripes for this car. We research them from junk yardpictures and came up with something that looks like the original. Originallythe hood and deck stripes are painted and the side stripes aredecals.These are all decals now.

All of the exterior trim, bumpersand grille with the exception of the front spoiler and maybe the headlightdoors (the doors came on the car and I did not think to check them while theywere off) are original. All of the hardware (screws, bolts & clips)has been replaced with NOS. All the aluminum trim around the glass andthe rocker moldings have been stripped, straightened as needed, polished andcoated with Cerakote clear ceramic gun coating.The wheel opening moldingsare "Reynolds Wrap" reproductions. The original moldings justcame back from refinishing and will be in the trunk.The original Malibuand Malibu Classic badges have not beenreplaced. Reproductions are available if you like the look. Thebumper fillers have been replaced. The left front filler has a 1" scratch (touch up paint comes with the car, my hands are just not steady enough at 81 to try it).

The original Rally wheels have beenstripped, silver powder coated and fitted with new trim rings and centercaps. The tires are B F Goodrich TA Radials, 215 x 60 x 14 in front and245 x 60 x 14 in back with about 3500 miles and no burnouts on them.

There has been no paint work in theengine compartment or under the car except for painting a few new parts andthe modified area on the frame next to the A/C compressor. Someone hadblown the dust out from under the car when the body work was finished and thechassis looked like it had been coated with plaster. It has been hand washedwith Ivory liquid dish washing soap and it looks like new (almost).

I have the paperwork for most ofthis work. New Hampshire is a no title state for older cars.RhodeIsland and North Carolina are also a no title states. The car will besold on a bill of sale accompanied by New Hampshire forms TDMV 22A, TDMV 107,and a copy of the current NH registration. According to the NH DMV andthe Texas DMV this is all that is required to get a title in any state. Iwould suggest that bidders check with their DMV to verify this information.

If you need any more informationplease contact me through eBay. In person or third party inspections areinvited. I will cooperate with shipping and I am in an easily accessed location for transport vehicles. The car will not be released until all funds including cashiers checks clear my bank.

See 200+ additional picturesat this link.

https://app.photobucket.com/u/Buck557