1978 Caprice, the new on-going project! (Yes, I'm still alive!)

[purplebomb302]

Those rails look like they're for the rear. Have any rot back there?

[murphmobile2]

Yea, after the rear wheels it's rotted out bad. Otherwise, the frame is in pretty good shape.

[purplebomb302]

That sucks. I went and checked out a sweet '78 malibu about 4 years ago. Had like 50k original miles. I would've had it for $500 too but the right rear frame rail was rotted from the wheel arch to the bumper. I didn't know how much it would've been to fix so I passed on it. I also got rid of my Merc cause the frame was soft on the pass side where the fuel lines were. If I had the room to swap the frame I would've kept it. And my Mark VII rotted and seperated in front of the front drivers air spring. I can't stand rust.

[slack]

That sucks. I went and checked out a sweet '78 malibu about 4 years ago. Had like 50k original miles. I would've had it for $500 too but the right rear frame rail was rotted from the wheel arch to the bumper. I didn't know how much it would've been to fix so I passed on it. I also got rid of my Merc cause the frame was soft on the pass side where the fuel lines were. If I had the room to swap the frame I would've kept it. And my Mark VII rotted and seperated in front of the front drivers air spring. I can't stand rust.

The joys of living in NY. I also checked out a Malibu for cheap a few years ago. This one was a '72. It was awesome but the rot was bad. The trunk was gone and the rear frame was even worse. I almost still wanted to take it because it was such a nice looking car. (four door too.. I know everyone hates them but I really like them) I had to walk away because it was just too much for me at the time.

[purplebomb302]

I like 4 door cars and wagons. Not everyone has one. Everyone has a 2 door. Except 2 door B bodies and panthers. Not everyone has one.

[murphmobile2]

I love the four door Caprices the most, but if I was to ever get another CV... Wagon or two door, lol.

[88Vic]

I like 4 doors because I have a family and it's easier getting in the back seats with 4 doors. Wagons are great but not easy getting little kids in back until they can crawl there themselves and buckle themselves up.

Not that it's an issue, people would rather have a stupid crossover than a traditional wagon. I'm gonna have to buy a minivan soon to haul the kids around, since the only 3 row SUV's left are the Suburban, Expedition and Sequoia and they're really expensive.

Btw what kind of glasspacks are those? I've found perforated core glasspacks sound better to me than the louvered kind. I liked Thrush glasspacks on my C10 better than the Flowtech Red Hots it had.

[murphmobile2]

1978 Caprice, the new on-going project! (Yes, I'm still alive!)

If I at some point go back to another SUV, Jeep all the way. I had a '94 Grand Cherokee Limited as a replacement for my '85 LTD. Still miss that Jeep, used all the money from the '85 to beef and pretty it up!

I'm running Thrush glasspacks on it the Chevy too, they're cheap and do the job! I had Red Hots on the '85, and they sounded better on the 302 than the Cherrybomb brand glasspacks I had on it, which were perforated like the Thrush.

[purplebomb302]

If I at some point go back to another SUV, Jeep all the way. I had a '94 Grand Cherokee Limited as a replacement for my '85 LTD. Still miss that Jeep, used all the money from the '85 to beef and pretty it up!

I'm running Thrush glasspacks on it the Chevy too, they're cheap and do the job! I had Red Hots on the '85, and they sounded better on the 302 than the Cherrybomb brand glasspacks I had on it, which were perforated like the Thrush.

My mom once had a '95 with the 5.2. Absolute blast to drive.

I enjoyed the cherrybomb glasspacks on my CV when I had it. I loved how it sounded at idle. I also had thrush turbos on the Grand Marq. I don't think it sounded as good as the glasspacks.

[murphmobile2]

Thrush Turbo mufflers are pretty quiet for an aftermarket high flow muffler. They sound really good on 4 and 6 cylinders though, as they're not obnoxious but give a good overall tone.

[88Vic]

I like my 4Runner, it's like a Jeep only it's reliable.

Seriously, my dad had an 03 Grand Cherokee 4.7 he bought from my uncle, it had less than 100,000 miles on it and the transmission already couldn't hold a gear at certain speeds like around 45mph. That plus a lot of electronics that would randomly crap themselves (typical Chrysler, my T&C has tons of electrical gremlins) made me not like it as much as my 4Runner. At the time I loved it, but it had a more harsh ride, more cramped interior and less power. The VVT-i 4.7 in my 4Runner hauls ass, has more hp and tq than the 4.7 HO in the Grand Cherokee and gets a lot better mileage. I don't mind the GC but I like the 4Runner more, and also my mother-in-law's Xterra 4.0, that's a nice ride too.

Getting back to the Caprice, is that Holley carb one of their Q-Jet remakes? I've never had anything with one, but carbed SBC guys swear they run best with a Q-Jet. I thought my Edelbrock ran fine, 600cfm vacuum seconary, but I have nothing to compare it to. I can tell you a friend of mine with his 85 GT engined Fairmont uses that same Edelbrock Performer carb, says it runs just as well as the old stock Holley 4180.

[murphmobile2]

1978 Caprice, the new on-going project! (Yes, I'm still alive!)

I don't think it's a Quadrajet remake... It's a late 60's factory Chrysler 1850 list 600cfm, so it's more than likely a 4160.

[packman]

Broken record response: the 305 sbc in my Malibu was one of the baddest sounding engines that I owned. For a nearly stock small block, it sounded like I mod'd the crap out of that engine. Open headers on Friday nights coming home from work was a trip! With that said, a 305, is just a 305. Get that big block!

Packman

[88Vic]

I've gotten a few compliments on my truck's exhaust sound, people think it's a 350. A lot of guys who run Flowmaster like the sound, since I went Magnaflow and most guys only know of Flowmaster and Cherry Bomb. It's dirt slow, but runs great. I need to do some work on my transmission like throwout bearing, shift forks and maybe clutch plate, otherwise the transmission will die long before the engine. I hope I can get the trans to last just as long, but I'm afraid the 305 is too strong.

[murphmobile2]

Chevy small blocks just sound better in general than Ford small blocks, never really could figure out why they sound so much different! Eventually I may upgrade away from glasspacks, but they'll do for now.

And Packman you're right, the 305 is just a 305... And a turd of a small block too, haha. It's not much quicker than my CFI '85 was!