Thread: 1963 Bel Air WAGON build (New guy)

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Hello everyone I just found this site and figured I would post what I have been working on over the last year.
It is a 1963 Belair Wagon that I pulled out of a feild (after 7 months of looking for one) The car was last licened in 1976 and has only 78,000 origional miles. Here is a pic the day I 'drug' it home and I will update the rest later.

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Longroofs are getting so popular lately. Nice find, looks pretty solid, plus, 63's are great looking cars anyway.

Don

Nice lookin car alright,with that patina,it would sell very quickly down here,but would probably be destroyed by someone fitting hissy fart suspension,and thirteen inch wheels...

There were days when I wouldn't look at anything with four doors, but times have changed. There's a great ride lurking under that patina.

Yeah, I was like Jack, anything with more than 2 doors was a parts car.....but it's nice to see them being resurected now.

. . . but can you imagine how much sandpaper that one will take?

I need to ask jmaster...why the wagon? Whats the story behind wanting to do this type of ride?

Cdnwilly; You see I have this wife, that REFUSES to drive a minivan. We have two young boys (1 and 2) and they will have freinds, so we will need more seats... The compermise a 9 passanger 'Mommy Misile' I couldn't beleive how hard it was to find one of these. But Finially did. It didn't have a motor, trannie, rearend, driveline, radiator, exhaust... when I drug it home.

To date I have spend ZERO dollars on this car (yes 0) EVERYTHING has been traded. traded a set of racing buckets for the car,
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Jeep 4.0l with trannie and t-case and vintage Rainier Beer Stainless Keg for the engine, 4speed, and basket of random parts.
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An old 4x8 utility trailer for a 64 Impala 4 door (made a deal with the guy that I would not scrap it out but would pass the car on after I was done and I did. Made the same deal with the guy I traded it to) Took the rearend, rims and tires, doors.
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Traded this car off for a brand new set of motor mounts and a Radiator

Traded off another set of older racing buckets for a Ford 9 inch with Disk brakes and stripped it to a bare housing.
before
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After
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Currently I am running the stock rearend , until I buy the Kit from Curry to make this a bolt up axle. Havn't done this yet because the car needs other things right now.

Beins as how this car will be more of a Grocery getter and to baseball practice bus (Mommy missile) for the wife I kept the motor tame, just a 350 4 bolt (I went threw the hole thing because anyone that paints a block green and purple makes me wonder) Mild RV cam, 164 heads, Performer RPM intake, Eldebrock 600 carb, Headman Headers ect...
My oldest assembled the HOLE valve terain by him self, I showed him the first time, lifter, pushrod, pivot washer, rocker arm, nut. And he did it the other 15 times;
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And he painted the Oil pan for me;
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built a lift eyelet;
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And got the engine bay ready;
Before
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After;
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Than Dropped it in;
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Found complete exhaust from headers to tail pipes (2.5 inch), and who knew that complete Belair exhaust would not fit in a 99 suburban? Also picked up a drive line in pretty good shape.
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About a week and a half ago I got it to fire up for the first time (Why is it that everytime a new motor is put in it is ALWAYS 180 out? murphys law I guess)
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