BUILD Profile: Mark “Sinbad” Storjohann’s 1965 Malibu SS in Power Tour Ready

Mark “Sinbad” Storjohann has attended every HOT ROD Power Tour since 2007. He currently works for the industry giant Edelbrock, who he’s made half of those tours with. The rest were done in his beloved 1965 Malibu SS. “I call it my ‘blue pill’ … I love it because it’s a great looking piece. It just feels good being around it—makes me smile. And then at the end of the night, I still get nothing,” comments Storjohann. Though, to say he’s getting nothing isn’t quite fair. This beautiful blue ride is not only a real head turner, but with his recently added touches, it makes over 650 horsepower on pump gas.

Storjohann explains: “It’s a true SS 2-door hardtop coupe and it’s had some modifications. It was born with a 327 4-speed and it’s got a 400 small block and a 700r4 automatic in it now.”Storjohann made the Power Tour a total of 6 times in the 1965 Malibu SS, all back to back.

So, how did Storjohann come across the 1965 Malibu SS? “It belonged to my then brother-in-law, and I always had a thing for it. When I got the opportunity to get it from him, I did,” Storjohann tells us. When he first purchased the car, it had a 350 under the hood.  He explains: “It’s a true SS 2-door hardtop coupe and it’s had some modifications. It was born with a 327 4-speed and it’s got a 400 small block and a 700r4 automatic in it now.” The upgrade to the 400 paired with the 4-speed overdrive transmission makes it the perfect combination for cruising the Power Tour.

Fresh Mods for a New Power Tour

For Storjohann, Power Tour has been a big part of his life for these past 12 years. “My first one was just after a local car show. I saw a sticker in a guy’s window and I asked ‘What was that?’ He explained it to me, and I researched it. That was in ‘06 so I thought, ‘To heck with that— ’07 I’m going!’” He made the tour a total of 6 times in the 1965 Malibu SS, all back to back. The car has been absent for the remaining tours, as he’s opted to do a frame-off restoration. While the job has taken a little longer than expected, he feels that things are looking up and he’ll be back on the tour this year.

This will be the first time running Power Tour with an Edelbrock Superchargers on. His blower of choice is the Edelbrock Enforcer.

In fact, Storjohann is eager to showcase the new upgrades he’s made. “This will be the first time running with one of our Edelbrock Superchargers on it,” he says. His blower of choice is the Edelbrock Enforcer. Not only does it look mean peering out from the hood, it helps that small block make some brutal power. Storjohann also tucked the rear tires under with a proper mini tub and keeps the ride steady with Ridetech coil overs in the rear. The frame is boxed to keep things stiff, and he has a Ridetech Tiger Cage installed to add some strength to the chassis. The hood is something he and a bodyman made custom, and if you were wondering—those are Billet Specialty wheels.

Summertime Romance

We admit, we keep mentioning Power Tour but that’s not all Storjohann is about. “I enjoy driving my car. I’ve had that engine and transmission combination, not with the supercharger, for a very long time. Probably 7-8 years,” he says. “This is the latest combination because I wanted it. Whether or not it was going on Power Tour, this was how I was building it.”

“Sinbad” lives in Wisconsin where he gets to endure long, long winters. So, when things warm up, he loves nothing more than spending time with his cherished ‘blue pill’. And, can you blame him? No matter what he throws at this 1965 Malibu SS, it sticks. And whether it’s over the grueling 1,500 miles of Power Tour or a leisurely cruise down Main Street, this ride owns the road.

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