Help me with making my 6th gen Malibu RWD

[2005 Neon Blue Malibu]

Hey everyone, im looking to see what I would be getting into with trying to make my car RWD. Firstly this is just an idea that popped into my head and I thought that it would be fun to talk about it and see what everyone says. I have a 2005 Chevy Malibu currently with a 3500 V6.

I would like to make a full body frame and drop in a small block with a manual transmission, with a posi rear end.

I dont think that it would be too hard, just costly and time consuming. So my questions are-

-Does anyone know of a good person to look up to make a custom Frame, or a kit that I can do myself?

-Would a small block be too much of an engine for the car or should I get something smaller?

-Would I have to widen or lengthen the engine bay to accomidate for the larger engine?

-what can I do for the electronics that are on the car currently, like my aftermarket radio, the air conditioning, the BCM that was made for the car, and any other computer controlled part on my car.

-Would I need to change out my steering to something different?

-The wheels that I have on the car are 205/65R15. Would I need to go bigger or wider?

-I currently have the stock brakes on the car but im looking to upgrade them in the next couple of weeks to drilled and slotted rotors with ceramic pads, would I be able to keep those or would I need to get different brakes?

[onefastV6]

1. Can you weld and are you familiar with unibody vehicle construction?
2. How versed are you with electronics/wiring?
3. Is this going to be a track only car or something you are going to drive on the streets?

Based on some of your questions, I don't think this is going to be something you can pull off.

[2005 Neon Blue Malibu]

1. Can you weld and are you familiar with unibody vehicle construction?
2. How versed are you with electronics/wiring?
3. Is this going to be a track only car or something you are going to drive on the streets?

Based on some of your questions, I don't think this is going to be something you can pull off.

Zero experience, and this would be a daily driver. And yeah, thats why I came here to ask it.

[ga2001532]

That car is the worst of any GM car to do this. You have no tuning support. So you would need to rewire the whole car. I'd find a different car to do this on.

[Superdave]

This is one of those topics that if you have to ask... then it's not something you can do on your own.

the body will need to be stripped to a shell, full frame built out of 2x4 steel and channeled in. All new suspension designed and fabricated, floor pan will need to be cut up to make room for a trans tunnel. Custom gas tank, Custom exhaust, lots of changes to the wiring layout, interior, HVAC, steering, brakes, plumbing etc...

Figure about $100K+ to have a good shop do this for you.

[2005 Neon Blue Malibu]

Got an idea to use only the body and interior of a malibu and place in on a Blazer or S10 frame with all of its components custom fabricated into the malibu. I know there will be alot of work involved but instead of making a custom frame I think it would be best to find something I can place it on and then customize that. Then I can find a V8 with a auto tranny, and not have to do so much custom work.

[jennyG]

As for me It will be much better to address your needs to some professional in order not to regret in future.

[pocket-rocket]

As for me It will be much better to address your needs to some professional in order not to regret in future.

Or waste an otherwise working car.

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