Network
I’ve always had a soft spot for the 80’s Malibu’s and other GM cars built on that platform and now racers are seeing the worth of these “smog era” cars, as there are still many decent and cheap bodies available to build without going down the me-too Mustang road. This fine example belongs to Jim Williams out of House Springs, Missouri and is fresh out of Dan Saitz’ Hyperformance Motorsports in nearby Fenton.
Evans based the build on a Dart Big M block and then filled it with a Callies 4.25-inch stroke crank and Oliver +.250 rods swinging Ross custom slugs for about 11:1 compression. The short block is topped with a set of Dart 325 CNC ported heads and a cast intake manifold sporting Moran Motorsports 550 lb/hr injectors and a Wilson elbow. Steve Morris, who has specialized in Procharged engines since 2003, spec’d the camshaft and provided the springs and other valve train parts.
Jim’s 1980 Bu features a 540 cubic inch big block Chevy built by Jim Evans and Rolla Competition Engines with the intent on reliable eight second power, for now. All photos courtesy Hyperformance Motorsports.
These days even if you don’t want to go “fast” you still want to be safe and many racers are opting to overbuild for future plans as well as resale value. For this, Jim took the Malibu to Sutton McGee’s Linear Custom Fabrication for the full 25.5 treatment. Note the fire system nozzle in the lower right of the above photo; you can’t be too careful and on board fire suppressant systems are required depending on elapsed time.
Left, the blower is an F-2 Procharger with an RCD crank support, the hub and additional machining by Williams’ brother in law Jerry Lohman. Right, Strange brakes all around get the car stopped quickly while a TH 400 and ATI converter select the gears and transfer the power. All this would not be possible except for the love and support of Jim’s wife Tiffany and children Brandon and Madison. Plans for the car include keeping it together for a year or so and swapping off these big Goodyear’s for some true ten five action in the Midwest.
The fuel system is an Aeromotive black belt-driven pump and accompanying regulator fed by a front mounted cell filled with M1 alcohol. The supercharger tubing was fabbed up at Hyperformance Motorsports and Dan will also tune the F.A.S.T. XFI engine management. The pair of 60 mm BOV’s are from JGS Precision based in Coos Bay, Oregon.
