The Boring Malibu

JB Weld on a gas tank leak is about a 50/50 shot of working long term. If it doesn't fail with in a week, its probably going to be OK. That is, until it starts leaking someplace else...

 

I JB Welded my dad's 1972 Chevelle station wagon tank in about 1976. He would buy the cheap gas near Boston, MA harbor when he visited relatives in East Boston. We are guessing that this gas had some salt water contamination.

I bought this car when he traded it in for a new car. Drove it cross country AZ in July of 1979. No air conditioning - I was tougher then. We drove this car until 1982 - We finally became prosperous enough to buy a good used car with air conditioning. The JB Weld patch held all those years.

Russ

 

I've been about 50-50 with JB on gas tanks. This is the repair on the LaSalle he****, where the drain plug hole was ripped out by PO. It held for a long time, I think it was still ok when my brother sold the car about 5 years later.

 

Looks like a two bit fix to me.

 

Original JB Weld and fibergl*** cloth has fixed many a tank for me. Last long time! So does POR 15 with gl*** cloth.

 

I use paper towel soaked in SealAll.

 

I repair holes in fuel tanks with solder - using a propane torch.

Of course the tank needs to be emptied, then I put the exhaust of my old vacuum cleaner into the filler neck and let it run for half an hour or so, and insure there's no smell of gas at all. I leave the vacuum running while doing the repair to take away any fumes developed.

The surface has to be cleaned thoroughly to bare metal then I apply soft solder with acid flux. For bigger holes I put a short piece of thick copper wire to bridge the gap. This repair technique has never failed me.

 

pretty tough on a tank that's covered with rust, though...

 

MaliBOOM!
Cut a couple coils out of the back springs and go for a brisk drive on the highway. One hell of a light show

73-77s get ragged on alot, but the 73/74s are OK, just a bunch or primitive early emissions controls that were really badly executed. Add a few degrees to base timing and a spring/weight kit in the distributor to pep up that smogger.

Suspension wise they arent bad, just too much Herb Adams in them. Swap the front springs for a stiffer rate, install poly sway bar busings, and throw in a -° of static camber and these cars will handle pretty good for their size.

If it has a rear sway bar mounted to rear lower control arms, chuck it.
Thats just a snap oversteer device.

Biggest sin on all the A/G/B bods are all the garbage dampers out there.
Most, if not all, Tenneco shocks blow. Gabriels arent much better either. Twin tube shocks are for the most part hot garbage.
KYBs are OK because they are overdampened and when they get hot they dont completely give up. ~$120 for a set.
Bilstein would be the damper of choice, but thats easily $400 for a correct year malibu set.

I would probably throw S10 600-700lb front springs and S10 Bilstein shocks at it.
5660(600lb/in) moog and B6 Bils ~$200.

 

Can you still get new S10 Bilstein? I thought you could only have them rebuilt it not lucky enough to find nos

 

Someone replaced the shocks in the 70s, they're yellow. The car doesn't wallow too much, so I'm leaving them alone

 

My 53 has shocks from the 60s. They're staying till they need replaced. One they're in great mechanical shape. Two the name is is funny. AC Delco pleasurizers lol

 

Last night I checked they were only $65.
Today they are $82, with that 'price shows up in cart' nonsense.
Thats normal ORLY/Vatozone pricing.

The fraggle rock is going on?

 

Started playing with new weatherstrip today, starting on the p*** side so I'll know how to do it right on the driver side.

 

If actual Bilstein still a good price

 

Yellow shocks are Monroe Matics! They were my favorite shock.