Hello fellow wagoneers! Just happened to see your digs. Nice! I have owned my ’66 Malibu Wagon for almost twenty-five years and have thoroughly enjoyed it the whole time. I can remember when I first purchased it back in ‘84 from the second owner. I knew it would make a great “grocery getter” for my wife and our three kids. It was basically stock with a transplanted 305ci/350 auto and very straight. After about a week, she said she didn’t like it. Her intention was to sell/trade it and get something different something newer. I went on and on and did my best to let her know about how rare these wagons were, not only were they built in limited numbers but when orphaned, were often scrapped and crushed in favor of the more popular 2-drs. I just couldn’t find a way to convince her of how “cool” is would be to own and drive one. :banghead3:After everything I mentioned, she simply looked up and said, “Well if this car is soooo cool, how come YOU’RE not driving it????? She never changed her lack of appreciation or understanding... so I’ve been driving it ever since! :2_thumbs_up_-_anima Along the way, I've made some necessary/fun modifications: a high performance 350 V8/Muncie M22 close ratio 4-speed garnered from a ’69 Chevelle, I recently replaced with a wide-ratio T5 5-speed along with a new clutch, pressure plate & T/O bearing. Earlier mods were the Hooker headers with dual exhaust, Dyno-max mufflers with cross-over, bb radiator, high-flow alum water pump, dual-plane alum manifold, HEI ignition, quick-ratio GTO power steering box, full Hotchkiss suspension with upper tubular A-arms, late-model F-body spindles, front disc brakes with 1LE 12” rotors, dual master cylinder, h/d sway bars front and rear, poly graphite urethane suspension bushings. Most recently rebuilt the 12-bolt diff. with a gear-drive posi, new 3.55:1 ring & pinion, h/d Strange axels & bearings. New body to frame rubber bushings, new h/d springs, gas shocks plus a matched set of 8x15 '69 Corvette Rally wheels picked up along the way. Sun tach & an arsenal of Autometer gages to monitor engine room activities during stop light skirmishes. I guess owning the same ride for almost a quarter of a century has its benefits… heh heh. On the flip side however, the interior and paint are another story… Having lived in Arizona for many years, the interior was totally baked, I just removed it all… The only things remaining are the two front bucket seats donated by a ’67 Malibu SS and the rear fold down bench seat. So, it’s pretty bare… The body is still very straight but in dire need of a new paint job. I just wish it looked as good as it runs. Someday..., eh? Welp, that’s my story of 'ol “Mr. Blue”. Oh yeah, the wife I mentioned… Well, I finally traded her in. Now she’s my “ex”! I am happy to report after a few years of the single life, a loving lovely new wife is in my life and not only appreciates older cars, she digs my wagon, wants me to keep it and has even hinted we continue to fix it up for her!!!!! The “restification” continues... Hope to hear from you guys! Cheers! .
Hi Paul, to the Forum. Nice story and respect for keeping the car that long! All the upgrades you did are surely a result of that. I really love your ride, but I always had a soft spot for Chevelles (I have been president of the "Chevelles of Europe" club) and 66 is my favourite year. I had a 66 coupe as well. Nice to hear you have back up from your SWMBO now, that surely will help getting it to the state you want to!
I wish I had a buck for all the guys I know that their cars outlasted their marriage!! Paul..great story! (k..its drivin me crazy...what are the fenders louvers off of ?)
Give the guy a break. Some louvers are like belly-buttons, some are innies and some are outies! Come on Paul, you gotta tell us! Heck of a car.
Hey guys, thanks for the warm welcome. So, it's the fender louvers, eh? I’m honored that I’ve come up with something that has got your curiosities up. Well, after I installed the headers, the added heat really started building up on the firewall and radiated through the metal dash. I needed to find a way to vent it off. I considered hood louvers, but the smooth lines of the hood would be lost. Since I'm a form follows function kind of guy, I started looking for something that might have been... from Chevy. This was a must. Something cool that would be functional as well. I always liked the shark-gill look of late ‘70’s Camero Z-28 fender vents but would the contours match? They did! So, there you have it! Mystery solved! 1979 Camero Z-28 fender louvers. :dancingparty: I also believe in a small way they serve as a visual theft deterrent. Hey, who wants to steal a nice ’66 front clip for their 2-dr that has a pair of cut up fenders! When I did the install, I carefully made one-piece cutouts and saved them just in case I ever want to return the fenders to a stock look. They are so tight; they actually stay in place when press-fit. Just a small bead of weld and a light grind, some primer, color and presto! All back to stock! Thanks for the nice words on the rally wheels. A few people have suggested I go to the 19-20" Boyd type wheels. I feel the rallies have that classic look that the others don't. I am toying with the idea of deleting the trim rings, painting the wheels body color and replacing the top hats with Chevy "cop" caps. What 'cha think? Thanks again for all your positive vibes! Cheers! PS. I also added a few more items onto my mod list as I edited the first post on this thread.
well...i havent been on for a few days...but i figured it out i have a 70 Camaro clip in my showroom....DUH...might explain why they looked familair and...i like the COP caps idea
Well, it's been a few years since I've posted... Because of my long commute to work, I wasn't using my car and had it conveniently "stored" on my driveway off to the side under a nice tree. I never really noticed the small blisters popping up along the drip rails. They must have been growing there, undetected, for quite awhile. By the time I actually took a good look, I was horrified. I took my faithful wagon to a local body shop that specializes in classic restorations. I was ready to fix the problem. After removing the front windshield and rear glass for a thorough diagnosis, they reported the roof had rusted through from the inside out!!! They’ve recommend shaving the wagon roof rails and rebuilding the roof edges with new metal and lead filler. I'm looking at a repair estimate that I just can't afford. I'm totally bummed... The good news for my car? My only option is to give a fellow wagoneer a chance to do what I cannot ... restore the roof, refurb the interior, add paint and wind up with a really cool 1966 Chevelle Malibu Wagon. If you know of anyone who interested in a great car that needs TLC roof repair, this car is straight, runs great and has no rust issues on lower body. All mechanicals are low-mileage and good-running. As a donor car, it's got a lot going for it. Plenty of bolt-on performance parts that could be easily transferred to another ride.
OH NO PAUL!!! Don't do it! I just read your intro, then relized it is from 2008... Then I scrolled down and seen your next post about the damage to the roof... how awful! But don't give up on Ol Blue now when he really needs you, for all the reasons that you gave 4 years previous you need to hang onto that old guy and make him weather tight again...if not for you but for that new lovely lovey who likes your cool car.
What all of the above said - hold on to it till you have the time/money to get it done. You might also want to check other potential repair guys to see what they suggest.
