I could really use some help on the details of putting the Monte Carlo front end on the 1982 Malibu. I know the front bumber wont work and I am curious if all you need to do is change your quarter panels, hood, and bumber. Would i need to swap the radiator support too? Any information can help, thanks.
Alot of work, but it can be and has been done. main problem is body lines linning up.... your Monte front fenders to your malibu doors. I origoanly wanted to do a similar swap on my 83 Crewzer rite down to buying a doner car for the convertion.......the lite turned back on in my head and I sold the Calais doner. Some convertions have been done real nice and look as if they could have been factory, yet some convertions look like...what a scab job because body lines don't match up. IMO, it's a big comitment to do such a change and if your gona start you better be prepaired to comit and do the job correct I'm not indending to turn you off on your project...I'm just saying.....
To start with, you would need an entire Monte Carlo front end - bumper, grill headlamp assemblies, hood, fenders, radiator support, inner aprons, etc. Then, you would have to somehow modify the apron front doors (if not the back doors as well...), maybe by modifying the Monte Carlo door skins to fit the shorter 4-door doors. I've never seen this done on a Malibu wagon. Probably a good reason - it's waaay to complicated. You would probably have a much easier tire grafting on a Grand Prix front end onto to a LeMans wagon. I think they are at least more similar than the Malibu / Monte Carlo duo.
Ill be for sure taking on the project in the near future and ive found the car to swap the parts off of. When i get the parts I just want to be certain im getting everything I need. I should be swapping the V6 for a stock 350 and a few little bolt ons as i go. Ill probably start a news thread when i start and document the progress and possible issues. Thanks for the help by the way.
Money is not a big issue if you get a complete donor car and do the work yourself, maybe with friends. Time and energy will be though. Think it through and git er done!
If you have a complete doner car....you have all the parts for the body swap.. Measurement and metal skills is whats needed to make it look rite.
-------Additionallly, get all body lines and door-fender-hood gaps straight or it will just be another crappy grafting of ill fitting componants!
It's more than that, the wagon/s are all the same skin from the door back. all the 2 doors, Montel, Gutless, and Begal.... the body lines don't just line up, you have to splice the doner fender to the existing fender....hence be very good with measurments and metal work. It is not a 'bata boom bata bing' swap.
I'm beginning to like the looks of the 82 Malibu now! Actually had an 80 Malibu 2 dr and it looked clean. This is one of those jobs, once started, you can't go back. Doesn't that Malibu look good?
Ive seen one done...the toughest part was where he got creative!! he took the skins off the MC front doors and put them on the Malibu door shells...to the trained eye..you could still tell...as the body line was short....but otherwise...it all swapped quite easy (according to him) either way...
Welcome to the site, now as for your monte front end, go look in a hotrod magazine in the back, there should be an add for all the parts to make your malibu an ss even the nose, they sell it all, its all bolt on, when my friend built his about 8 years ago they were advertising in all the magazines, if i can find the add i will post it, i cant remember the name of the company, i will ask him, oh by the way, i have a console out of a elcamino ss forsale that should bolt into your malibu.
