By Nick Licata – Images by NotStock Photography
“When I was 17 years old, I would always hear older men talking about how they wish they would have kept their first car,” Joe Taylor remembers. “At a young age I said if my first car still looked good, I would restore it one day.”
Well, those words stuck with Joe and decades later he followed through by fully restoring and significantly upgrading the very first car he ever bought: a brand-new 1977 Chevy Malibu.
The car served him well for decades as he drove it on his wedding day, rushed his sister-in-law to the hospital who actually went into labor in the car, brought his newborn son home from the hospital, and, it was his daily driver for many years on the streets of Jennings, Louisiana. Later on, it was even handed down to Joe’s son as his first car, who used it throughout his college years, adding more miles on the car and creating more great memories, cementing the Malibu’s legacy within the Taylor family.
After his son moved onto another vehicle, the Malibu sat stagnant and was neglected for more than two decades, splitting time outdoors, enduring the harsh Louisiana elements along with a few years indoors in more favorable conditions, but time had taken its toll on the classic Chevy’s skin. The sheetmetal had seen better days and the interior was well-worn. The original 305ci small-block and TH350 transmission were long gone, given to a friend in need, still Joe never wavered on the idea of giving it a new lease on life.
In 2021, the day finally came for Joe to give the car a second chance—on tap was a restoration tied in with some serious upgrades to modernize its performance, comfort, and looks. Knowing the job would require significant metalwork, drivetrain upgrades, and all-new suspension, he reached out to a couple shops, but most lacked the ability to understand Joe’s vision on where he wanted to take the car, or they required a large chunk of cash before turning a single wrench. Further searching by a buddy of Joe’s led to Nobody Customs & Restorations in Keithville, Louisiana—a reputable shop known for quality builds and great customer service.
Positive reviews led Joe and his wife, Brenda, to make the 250-mile drive to check out the shop and meet with Nobody’s owner, Joel Williams. Impressed with what they saw and the instant connection with Williams while explaining the budget they had to work with and direction they wanted to go with the build made it an easy choice. “[Williams] understood exactly what I wanted to do and how much money I was willing to spend, so we devised a plan that worked for both of us,” Joe explains. “And, after seeing the quality of work on other cars in the shop, I knew this was the right place to handle the Malibu’s restoration.
Williams and the Nobody Customs crew not only brought the car back to life, they gave it a comprehensive, modern muscle car aesthetic by building a clean, understated, restomod that preserves the Malibu’s classic lines while transforming it into a high-performance machine not often performed on a car of this vintage.
Underhood is a Chevrolet Performance LS3 crate engine displacing 376 ci and putting out a healthy 525 hp. Internally, it sports a nodular iron crankshaft, powdered metal rods, and hypereutectic pistons with a 10.7:1 compression ratio. The cam is a hydraulic roller unit with 0.551/0.522-inch lift and mild street-friendly duration, while the aluminum heads use L92-style ports and 68cc chambers for solid flow without going overboard.
Feeding the powerplant is a Holley intake manifold and fuel injection system, dressed up with Billet Specialties valve covers for some flair. Exhaust exits through Sanderson 1 7/8-inch headers and flows into a custom 2.5-inch stainless exhaust system capped off with MagnaFlow mufflers. It’s a clean, purposeful setup that sounds aggressive and delivers smooth, reliable power.
A Phoenix-built 4L80E automatic transmission with a 2,500-stall converter sends that power to a Quick Performance 9-inch rearend fitted with an Eaton Truetrac posi unit, 31-spline axles, and 3.70 gears—perfect for both highway cruising and spirited backroad runs.
To support the newfound horsepower and improve ride quality, the Malibu relies on Ridetech coilovers at all four corners. Up front, Wilwood spindles, Ridetech tubular control arms, and a 1 1/8-inch sway bar deliver sharp handling, while a quick-ratio CPP steering box enables excellent driver feedback during hard cornering. The rear is similarly updated with Ridetech’s sway bar and shocks, ensuring balanced performance from front to rear.
Stopping power is handled by Wilwood’s big brake setup: 14-inch rotors with six-piston calipers in the front along with 14-inch rotors and four-piston calipers out back; all managed by a CPP HydraStop system and Wilwood proportioning valve. The whole package rides on a set of American Racing Rally wheels—17×8 up front and 18×11 in the rear—wrapped in Nitto NT555 rubber for plenty of grip.
Inside, the car maintains a clean, classic vibe combined with all the creature comforts expected from a modern restomod. The original seats have been reupholstered in a sharp tan and brown leather combo. A Vintage Air HVAC system keeps things cool, while a RetroSound head unit maintains an original appearance paired with Kicker amps and speakers, ensuing Joe’s favorite tunes come through crisp and clear with plenty of volume when he feels like cranking it up. Nobody Customs also handled the wiring using a Painless Performance Products harness, while incorporating Membrane insulation stifling outside noise.
The dash remains stock, but it’s now fitted with Dakota Digital instrumentation, giving Joe accurate vitals while preserving the Malibu’s factory feel. A Billet Specialties steering wheel sits on a Flaming River column, completing the tasteful, functional interior updates.
The exterior speaks softly but carries a big stick. Nobody Customs handled the bodywork and sprayed the car in a stunning coat of PPG Forest Green—an elegant and classic choice original to the car that complements the Malibu’s clean lines. The grille, bumpers, and taillights remain stock, but the polished chrome and Holley RetroBright headlights add a modern touch to the car’s original intentions.
“I’m totally blown away at the job the gang at Nobody Customs did on the Malibu,” Joe says. “A 1977 Malibu is not a common car to restore, but in just two years these guys did an absolutely brilliant job. I love the car now more than ever. If I were to do the build over again, the only thing I would do different is add a blower because you can never have too much power.”
We’re with Joe on that one. Blending rich family history, modern performance, and clean execution, this Malibu was reborn with enough muscle and reliability to carve out new memories for years to come.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
ACP
TECH CHECK
Owner: Joe & Brenda Taylor
Vehicle: 1977 Chevy Malibu
Engine
Type: LS3
Displacement: 376 ci
Compression Ratio: 10.7:1
Bore: 4.065 inches
Stroke: 3.622 inches
Builder: Chevrolet Performance
Rotating Assembly: Nodular iron crankshaft, powdered connecting rods, hypereutectic aluminum pistons
Camshaft: Hydraulic roller 0.551/0.522 lift, 204/200 degrees duration at 0.50
Cylinder Heads: Aluminum L92-style port, as-cast with 68cc chambers
Induction: Holley intake manifold
Fuel Injection: Holley
Valve Covers: Billet Specialties
Exhaust: Sanderson 1 7/8-inch headers, custom 2.5-inch stainless exhaust, MagnaFlow mufflers
Accessory Drive: CVF
Output: 525 hp
Drivetrain
Transmission: 4L80E by Phoenix Transmissions
Torque Converter: 2,500 stall
Rear Axle: Quick Performance 9-inch, Eaton Truetrac posi, 3.70 gears, 31-spline axles
Chassis
Chassis: Boxed and reinforced by Nobody Customs (Keithville, LA)
Front Suspension: Wilwood spindles, Ridetech tubular control arms, coilover shocks, springs 1 1/8-inch sway bar, CPP quick-ratio steering box
Rear Suspension: Ridetech coilover shocks, Ridetech 1 1/8-inch sway bar
Brakes: Wilwood 14-inch rotors, six-piston calipers front, Wilwood 14-inch rotors four-piston calipers rear, Wilwood proportioning valve, CPP HydraStop
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: American Racing Rally 17×8 front, 18×11 rear
Tires: Nitro NT 555 245/50R17 front, 295/40R18 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Tan and brown leather
Installation: Nobody Customs
Insulation: Membrane
Seats: Original with leather cover
Steering: Flaming River column, Billet Specialties steering wheel
Dash: Stock
Instrumentation: Dakota Digital
Wiring: Painless Performance Products by Nobody Customs
HVAC: Vintage Air
Control Panel: Vintage Air
Entertainment System: RetroSound head unit, Kicker Amp and speakers
Exterior
Bodywork and Paint: Nobody Customs
Paint: PPG Forest Green
Grille: Stock
Bumpers: Stock
Headlights: Holley RetroBright
Taillights: Stock
Brightwork: Custom Polish Chrome Plating
