1963 full size Chevys have been my favorite car for at least the last 30 years. In 201o I had just sold a '68 Datsun Roadster that I restored and I was ready to start my next project, a 1963 Bel Air. I already had the 409 for it and I had been collecting body panels for a few years. Well my wife and I were walking the neighbors property and I saw what looked like a '63 Chevy parked in an overgrown field at another neighbors property. I contacted that neighbor and found out the car was a 1963 Impala SS. There was no engine or transmission(or much else) with the car, but the owner stated it was an original 409 car. The car was her soon to be ex-husband's and he was looking to sell the car. After some typical phone tag we agreed on a price and the car was mine. After trailer the car home, about a half mile, I started cleaning and examining what was left of the car. The only evidence I could find that lead me to believe the car was infact an original 409 car was the remains of a fuel return line. From what I have read, the 409 engines were the only ones with a fuel return line and the line and frame look original to the car. So with that, I started the restoration. I replaced the floors, braces and rocker panels. Then I replaced the trunk. I am now in the process of fitting the new quarter panels. The project has been idle since summer of 2013 as I have been doing a little patch work on my '63 4 door Impala that I currently have the Impala's(or Bel Air's) 409 engine installed. I will atempt to post some pictures. As you will see, project cars here in the northeast are usually in poor condition as far as rust goes.
Nothing like cutting the car you love all to hell!