Dave here, 2012 Caprice about to hit Maryland roads

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Welcome new members, please make your first post in this section. Say hello & tell us a little bit about you and your car. We're happy to see you here!
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Willy Makitwrk
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2017 11:08 pm

Dave here, 2012 Caprice about to hit Maryland roads

Post by Willy Makitwrk »

Hello all, Dave here, in northeastern Maryland w my 2012 Caprice which is about to replace my 08 Impala SS as my daily driver. I am up in years, so naturally I swore I would stick w the pre-LS Chevy engines, but 3 years ago, I got a deal on a G8 L76 & 6L80E from the junkyard and swapped it into an '80 Malibu, quite the project, my weekend driver for a year. ps- I don't recommend the 6L80 for swaps. Now that I've found a Caprice, I am removing the L76/6L80 to save as spares, a Trailblazer SS 6.0 is going in the Malibu. I've put a 454 in an Astro van, a supercharged GM 3800 & 4T60E into a '96 Cavalier and some other swaps.

I've been working on the Caprice for about a year, NewCaprice.com has been a great help. I'm using G8 wheels (I wimped out, I took the easy route after trying many options, Corvette, Camaro, etc. I don't like to use wheel spacers or roll fender lips), G8 carpet and console, I've dismantled the G8 and Caprice front seats and rearranged the frames to get it all to work, the back seat is a story for another day. I am in the midst of a Brembo brake install, when I finish, I will add details. My Impala(s) and the Malibu both have the DOD still working, I know everyone on the internet trash talks it, but I have yet to experience any issues and I see several extra mpg's in the Impala (and unnoticeable when it switches).

Thanks
Navy Lifer
Administration Staff
Posts: 1724
Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2013 6:30 pm
Location: Canton GA

Re: Dave here, 2012 Caprice about to hit Maryland roads

Post by Navy Lifer »

Hey Dave--you made it!

Pictures of that Malibu or it didn't happen(!)--posting pictures here can be a little bit of a PITA.

Folks, Dave has something to share that I think some of you will be interested in....saying no more for now.
Willy Makitwrk
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2017 11:08 pm

Re: Dave here, 2012 Caprice about to hit Maryland roads

Post by Willy Makitwrk »

I kept the patina paint job, Farmtruck style, on the Malibu. I used truck brackets, accessories and mechanical fan on the G8 engine. Other minor details include repositioning the belt tensioner, it needed a smaller p/s pulley, a Ford Escort pulley worked. I made the engine mounts, used shorty stainless ebay headers and pieced together a dual exhaust. Putting an efi fuel pump in the tank was a bit of work.
Attachments
Malibu1.jpg
Malibu1.jpg (41.65 KiB) Viewed 10611 times
Malibu2.jpg
Malibu2.jpg (48.54 KiB) Viewed 10611 times
the Astro w the big block and a Wieand blower, the engine cover fit on, but no room for an air cleaner. It was my daily driver for 3 years w/o the blower 15 years ago. The blower was too much.
the Astro w the big block and a Wieand blower, the engine cover fit on, but no room for an air cleaner. It was my daily driver for 3 years w/o the blower 15 years ago. The blower was too much.
AstroEngine.jpg (100.67 KiB) Viewed 10611 times
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No Moa
Posts: 472
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 9:30 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Dave here, 2012 Caprice about to hit Maryland roads

Post by No Moa »

Love 2 door malibus.
2014 Caprice PPV silver
2017 Ram 3500
2002 CETA trans am
1996 Impala ss (soon to be t56)
1995 9c1
1977 Trans am SE 4spd.
1978 trans am 400 4 spd.
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elc32955
System Manager
Posts: 2718
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 10:32 am
Location: East Central Florida
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Re: Dave here, 2012 Caprice about to hit Maryland roads

Post by elc32955 »

I drove a 1980 and a 1981, both 4dr with 350's as police vehicles. Ever seen what happens when you drive over a set of RR tracks in pursuit at about 55 MPH & climbing on a up-angle? heh heh, many pretty sparks... don't think the impressions from our heads hitting the headliners ever came out. And for some reason after that night, the car we were in never did hold good front-end alignment again... :mrgreen:
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
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No Moa
Posts: 472
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 9:30 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Dave here, 2012 Caprice about to hit Maryland roads

Post by No Moa »

lol. I did that in 94 9c1 I bought at the auction.
2014 Caprice PPV silver
2017 Ram 3500
2002 CETA trans am
1996 Impala ss (soon to be t56)
1995 9c1
1977 Trans am SE 4spd.
1978 trans am 400 4 spd.
CrashTestDummy
Posts: 2300
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2015 2:31 pm
Location: Pearland, Texas

Re: Dave here, 2012 Caprice about to hit Maryland roads

Post by CrashTestDummy »

elc32955 wrote:I drove a 1980 and a 1981, both 4dr with 350's as police vehicles. Ever seen what happens when you drive over a set of RR tracks in pursuit at about 55 MPH & climbing on a up-angle? heh heh, many pretty sparks... don't think the impressions from our heads hitting the headliners ever came out. And for some reason after that night, the car we were in never did hold good front-end alignment again... :mrgreen:
I had a friend with a 1980 ex-cop Malibu. He installed a 454 in it, and it looked factory. Beautiful car.

That S/C Astro looks like it'd be a fun Lemons race car. :mrgreen:
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
2018 Tahoe PPV (her car)
1995 DGGM Impala SS
1985 Firebird - 310 LS1 C Prepared autocross car.
1980 Bluebird Wanderlodge
And some others
Do YOU have my SPID?
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