By Scotty Lachenauer | Images by the Author
Ron Edwards’ earliest motorhead-infused memories go back to his youth when his father piloted a modified 1956 Chevy around their neighborhood. “My dad and both of my uncles had Chevys, so I was surrounded by them.” Ron fondly remembers. “So, when I started driving, all I ever owned was Bowties. They were always more cost-friendly to make horsepower.”
Following his love for speed, power, and its related mechanicals, Ron later became a top-tier transmission specialist, working for himself and a few high-end specialty shops on the East Coast. He’s always gotten a kick out of helping his fellow enthusiasts get the most out of their performance engines one gear at a time.
Through the years Ron has owned a bevy of Chevys, but there’s one ride that is near and dear to his heart and serves him both on the streets and on the track: his wild 1981 Malibu.
The backstory on the Malibu is more commonplace these days. “My son-in-law and I were browsing an Internet marketplace site and he came across the ad for the Malibu. Interested right away, I called the number to make an appointment to see the car. Upon arriving, the Malibu was on a lift in the seller’s garage, so I was able to inspect the undercarriage, which was very clean,” Ron confirms. From there the car was lowered and checked top to bottom. Once a deal was struck, the owner handed Ron a box of receipts and an appraisal on the car from 2012.
Though the Malibu was a show-quality build, Ron had ideas on how to add his own personality. He decided to keep the paint and most of the interior. Everything else was subject to removal or upgrade.
So, Ron dug in and stripped the car down to its bare necessities. The suspension was first on the list to get modded. Two-inch drop spindles give the ride an aggressive rake, and a TRZ bumpsteer kit helps keep the Chevy on track. Out back, an S&W back-half kit along with a Competition Engineering ladder bar suspension help the Malibu dig in when needed. A Fab9 rearend was built with a Strange aluminum centersection and stuffed with 4.30 gears. A pair of Strange 40-spline axles get the power to the pavement. Santuff springs and double-adjustable coilover shocks were added to get the ride quality Ron was after. Lastly, the brakes were upgraded with a Wilwood disc brake system on all four corners.
Once the chassis was finished, Ron went onto source the engine. “I had a good friend, Jeremy Gerz, from Innovative Performance in Lancaster Pennsylvania, build the engine.” Ron says. “He’s my go-to guy.”
This big-block powerhouse starts with a Dart Big M-block, which is pushed out to 565 ci of pure muscle using a stroker Eagle crank. Mahle pistons and Eagle rods finish off the rotating assembly, and the cylinders are topped with Dart Pro-1 cylinder heads, making 13.5:1 compression. A Jessel valvetrain and belt drive tie it all together, and a solid roller cam gets the valves jumping. Jeremy chose a Holley EFI to give it the go-juice it craves. An Innovative Solution NO2 system is on hand when the need arises for a little boost.
What does a transmission specialist use for his own ride? “It’s a 400 THM transmission that I built when I worked for ATI in Maryland,” Ron says. “I chose their billet internals because it’s a great company that sells top-notch parts. I’m also using their 8-inch torque converter. The transmission has a trans brake and is built with a Reid Racing case. It’s basically bulletproof.”
Custom built and coated headers feed a stainless exhaust system for quick exit of used fuel. Summit Racing supplied the aluminum radiator, cooled by twin Flex-a-lite electric fans.
The body and paint were saved, however, Ron wanted to lighten up the Malibu, so a fiberglass decklid was added along with fiberglass front and rear bumpers. A ’glass 4-inch cowl hood was installed to bring some weight down and “wow factor” up front. The new exterior parts were finished off with the same Nissan Blue paint the previous owner used on the flanks. For some racing bling, a set of a set of Bogart wheels were hooked up at the corners—skinny 15×3.5s up front and massive 15x14s in the rear. They are shod in Hoosier Drag tires, 27.0/4.5-15 and 32.0/14.5W-15, respectively.
As far as the interior goes, Ron reused many of the pieces the Malibu came with. Knowing the car would see track time whenever possible, he installed an 8.50 certified cage to give him extra safety and to comply with drag racing sanctioning body rules. He then built the interior around the leather-bound Harwood seats included in the purchase. A Cheetah shifter is surrounded by a leather-wrapped custom console. To keep track of the vitals, set of Auto Meter gauges were mounted in the dash and a Grant removable steering wheel was added to help make entering and exiting the Malibu a snap.
Ron says the Malibu is frequently used for hitting local cruise-ins and car shows, but it really shines at the track. He sums up the car’s achievements this way. “The Malibu weighs in at 3,480 pounds, including the driver. The best quarter-mile time is 9.10 at 149 mph and will run an 8.50 index on a 150 shot with a 1.26 60-foot time. The driveability of the Malibu on the street or strip is absolutely incredible.”
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
TECH CHECK
Owner: Ron Edwards, Washington Borough, Pennsylvania
Vehicle: 1981 Chevrolet Malibu
Engine
Type: Big-block
Block: Dart Big M
Displacement: 565 ci
Compression Ratio: 13.5:1
Bore: 4.600
Stroke: 4.250
Cylinder Heads: Dart Pro-1
Rotating Assembly: Stroker Eagle crank, Eagle rods, Mahle pistons
Camshaft: Comp solid roller
Valvetrain: Jessel
Induction: Edelbrock intake, Holley EFI with 4500 throttle body, MagnaFlow fuel pump and filter
Exhaust: Custom headers, custom stainless steel exhaust
Assembly: Jeremy Gerz at Innovative Performance
Valve Covers: Custom
Accessory Drive: Jessel
Ancillaries: Innovative Solutions Nitrous, CO2 activated shifter
Output (at crank): 940 hp N/A, 150-300 additional hp on Nitrous
Drivetrain
Transmission: 400 THM, ATI 8-inch torque converter
Driveshaft: 4-inch chromoly driveshaft
Rear Axle: Fab9 rear with 4.30 gears, Strange 40-spline axles
Chassis
Front Suspension: 2-inch drop spindles, TRZ bumpsteer kit, Santuff springs, double-adjustable coilover shocks
Rear Suspension: S&W back-half kit, Competition Engineering ladder bar suspension, Santuff springs, double-adjustable coilover shocks
Brakes: Wilwood four-wheel disc
Wheels
Wheels: Bogart 15×3.5 front, 15×14 rear
Tires: Hoosier Drag tires, 27.0/4.5-15 front, 32.0/14.5W-15 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Leather
Installation: Previous owner
Seats: Harwood
Steering: Grant steering wheel, Flaming River column
Shifter: Cheetah
Console: Custom wrapped in leather
Dash: Custom
Instrumentation: Auto Meter
Entertainment: Loud exhaust
Extras: 8.5 certified cage
Exterior
Bodywork and Paint: Previous owner
Paint: Nissan Blue
Grille: Stock
Hood: Fiberglass 4-inch cowl
Bumpers: Fiberglass
Headlights: Stock
Taillights: Stock
Extras: Fiberglass decklid
