My '63 gets some lovin'

[bobs409]

Well, not sure if cutting the driver quarter panel off is loving to a car or not but... She's at least getting some long awaited attention! Photo's to be posted later this evening.

I've owned this car since 1981 and for the most part, it just sat waiting for me to grow up, parts to be reproduced and for me to find a way to pay for them. It's gonna be expensive but I'll just take it one piece at a time.

A few days ago I got the brakes working again, they've been out for at least 10 years! All new lines, hoses and wheel cylinders. The 4 post lift made this job a dream to do!

With the fuel pump regulator and the carb from my 69 Chevelle, she's running better than ever! I actually drove it around the dirt lot here at my house. Felt great!

She's gonna need alot of parts; full quarters, inner/outer wheel houses, body mount boxes & cover, inner/outer rocker panels, assorted floor braces & trunk drop offs but ALL of these are finally available. Nothing is cheap but this is the price you pay when you let a car sit outside for 20 years.

Well, pizza break is over, gotta get back to work.


Bob

 

[droptop62]

Can't wait to see the photos Bob. I have always wanted a 63 chev, it is what I had wanted as my first car when I was 15 years old and was looking for one. My dad found a 1966 chevelle SS that ended up being the one I bought. I have never been without at least one 1966 chevelle in my possession ever since then. (minus a one week period in 1998 when I sold both of my 1966 chevelle SS hardtops to pursue the convertible that I still have).

I eagerly await the photos and progress of your 63.
Is this restoration going to happen as fast as that 1966 impala of yours?

 

[bobs409]

Naw, this resto is going to be slow. I plan on enjoying every cut scrape and bruise I get along the way.

This car will be getting basically everything except a body off. It's so tempting to do that but I must admit, it's a bit scary thinking of going that far with it. lol With the lift, I should be able to get some really good results even with the body left on.

Well, as you can see below, the quarter is off. You know your quarter panel is BAD when the car looks better with it cut off! :eek:

Now that I see how things are put together, I'm no longer afraid of this job. It's really just a matter of taking it apart piece by piece and reinstalling in reverse order. Should be fairly easy.

I did notice that I got a case of the "might as wells" going though. I thought the trunk side and drop off might be savable but in the long run, it will be much better to just replace them too so "I might as well". (and easier!)

I can't believe I'm actually thinking of this but the upper trunk floor might also get replaced. That's the really expensive piece. LGC has it for over $4 bills. Mine has some rot close to the inner wheel houses so I can either repair it or replace the whole thing. Will decide once the inner wheel house is out so I can see the extend of the damage.

Here's a few pics:

 

[bobs409]

And 2 more:

Digging in a little deeper, I have most of the outer wheel house cut away so I can start drilling spot welds. Lots of them. The last pic shows what's left of the body box mount. It was pretty much just sitting in there. :eek:

These were in pretty bad shape even back in 1981 when I bought it though so I don't feel too guilty anyway.

 

[droptop62]

WOW! that is digging into it for sure!

What are the plans? Are you staying with white for the color, changing the interior colors ?

 

[Brian Thompson]

Time to have lots of fun now Bob!
Oh, I know someone who bought a bunch of re-pop sheet metal and will see if he has anything you may need if you want me to. I do know he has some 64 stuff, but not sure about 63 stuff. He is selling it for 1/3 the price it normally sells for.

 

[bobs409]

Bone stock is the plan. Original Ermine white with black interior. I think white wheels with dog dish caps even though to be correct, it would have full wheel covers. (which I still have)

It has a 283 & powerglide and basically NO options. Not even a radio. She's got 86,000 original miles and I paid $750 for it.

The only options I can think that it had is power steering & the powerglide. (and I ditched the PS because they are notoriously leaky & lots of play)

Originally it was a 6 cylinder but that was replaced in 1975 when the car had 59,000 miles. (found a sticker in the door jam on that)

Car had all lady owners before me. I have alot of documentation with their names/address. Not sure how many are alive yet though.

Gonna just have fun with this one. Not going to rush anything. Been saving this one for many years. If I had a dollar for everytime I was asked to sell it!


Bob

 

[bobs409]

Time to have lots of fun now Bob!
Oh, I know someone who bought a bunch of re-pop sheet metal and will see if he has anything you may need if you want me to. I do know he has some 64 stuff, but not sure about 63 stuff. He is selling it for 1/3 the price it normally sells for.

Sure! A few things should fit. I'm making out my list...

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Fun times!

Bob, I have the feeling I know what you are going through! Good thing you are taking your time and "going deep". There's a bit "while I am at it..." in the approach I take as well .

I'm a bit lucky in that my rockers and quarters are OK, but I've got problems in my '61 around the trunk lip, especially that back/lower section that is not reproduced. That means I can rip out the old, but have to be careful in removing parts from the donor .

On my '62 Belair sport coupe (which I am not currently working on), I have the same problem as you do with your '63, the upper trunk section needs more than a patch, and it's not so much fun to remove and costly to replace (and nobody ever sees most of it!). Hard decisions include where to stop!

So, take you time, take lots of pictures, use that new lift, and enjoy the process. I got a little tired of drilling spot welds and using the SawZall, so I switched over to grinding off paint for a bit. Almost finished with the doors and the front fenders, but need to get it them primer.

Have fun and keep us posted!

TomK

 

[WENGINE]

Tom: you can't stop you have got to get it all or you'll be doing it again in a couple of years

 

[bobs409]

Deeper, deeper, deeper!

Well, I got even deeper today. After a few hours of drilling out spot welds I finally got the complete wheel house out. It was a good fight but I won.

I must say, it's a bit scary seeing a car you love all dissected like this but once you get into it, it's quite simple in design. Just a matter of taking it apart in the reverse order it was put together.

In one of the pics below, it shows the rot in my upper trunk floor. I could fix this but I think I'm going to put a whole new piece in. While the top looks good, the bottom never had any undercoat and is rusty

The only thing I'm not thrilled about is that I will have to basically cut the whole back of the car off to do all this! :eek: There won't be much left. I've decided to replace the whole trunk too. My center pan section is pretty good but why keep only that? Just going to go for it!

Until I get the actual panels here, I'm not going to cut any further on the driver side. I may repeat all I just did on the other side yet, not sure.

Next is to start collecting all the parts.

 

[droptop62]

Geez Bob, You are so spoiled by that new garage, I bet you forgot how you used to work in tight quarters and outside. Nice set up. Comfortable place to get those chevrolets back in shape.

 

[bobs409]

It won't be comfy in there soon enough. NO heat! : I'm just getting done what I can before the cold weather comes.

I'm all set up for radiant floor heat (tubing is in floor) but the way the fuel costs have risen, I've decided to hold off until I see which way things are going to go price wise. I would hate to go electric if that ends up being the most costly in a year or two. Same applies to oil, propane or ???

The garage is fantastic! Best thing I ever did and wish I could have done that 20 years ago. I don't miss working outside either.


Bob

 

[bobs409]

I decided not to replace the whole upper trunk floor but just to fix it. I really wanted to replace it but the shipping part killed the deal. Bad enough that the part is $379 but $140 or more to ship it? Naw.

Here is some pics of the patch I made. Used my old 72 Chevelle hood for the metal. Once installed and all spatter painted, no one will ever know. (except everyone that reads this)

The other side is much better so will be easier to fix.

Just waiting on other parts now...

 

[petepedlar]

Looks good to me.......... great job !!!

Dave

 

[Impalaguru]

Bob, I'm right behind you on fixing the upper floor. I was lucky enough to find a solid upper floor in a yard. I just have the passenger side to do. It will be a tight squeeze to get in there to fit it!!

 

[Kdurgin]

It won't be comfy in there soon enough. NO heat! : I'm just getting done what I can before the cold weather comes.

I'm all set up for radiant floor heat (tubing is in floor) but the way the fuel costs have risen, I've decided to hold off until I see which way things are going to go price wise. I would hate to go electric if that ends up being the most costly in a year or two. Same applies to oil, propane or ???

The garage is fantastic! Best thing I ever did and wish I could have done that 20 years ago. I don't miss working outside either.


Bob

Check out a Modine Hot Dawg propane heater. My new garage is 28x40 and I live in Maine where it does get cold. The Modine was about 570.00 and install accessories about another 150.00 Fast heat and fairly quiet. I wrestled with heating options for a long time too. Radiant is supposed to be nice but needs to be maintained at a certain temp. The Modine I leave at 45 degrees and when I go out I turn it up to around 64 for a good working temp. Heats up in no time. Just something to think about. I had never even heard of one until I called a buddy that services and installs furnaces for a price on a furnace, and he said Why don't you just put in a " Hot Dawg" ? Good luck on your project, Kevin.

 

[jim_ss409]

Nice job on that trunk!bang

 

[bobs409]

Ugh, I think I'm at my end with trying to repair that upper floor.

The more I weld, the more holes develope. The old metal just isn't strong enough. I think I have to bite the bullet and face the fact that I must replace the upper trunk. The end result will be so much better by putting in a new one. Going to be a HUGE job however.

On a good note, I got to test fit the wheel house and WOW, I'm impressed. It's perfect in every respect. While it is made in Taiwan, they did a heck of a job. High quality every which way!!!

The taiwan (Dyanacorn) trunk drop off is exact in every way. So exact it' almost scary! Put this baby in GM wrappings and you'd fool everyone.

I wish I could say the same about the left and right trunk floor I got that was made in America. (no name, got at Harmons) These are lousy! So bad, I won't be using them. They look like someone fabbed them in their workshop as I mentioned earlier. Unlike the parts mentioned above that obviously are pressed out, these were just hand made at best.

First off, all the recessed grooves that run thoughout the panels are wrong. They are in the right location but are not the correct shape. Obviously they used a die that was close but not exact. This would be highly visible whenever the trunk is open. In addition, they don't have the turn down part at the front where it would meet the body mount box covers so no way to attach them. What they hell repro guys, that's the first part to rust and go away! So if I kept these, I'd have to weld metal onto them just to install them! And I paid $69 each for these? :evil Why do they make things like this? If your going to make a repro part, make it right or stay out of the business!

Parts like this should have a note in the catalogs saying not an exact fit and some modifications will have to be made. This is the current state of U.S. made items I guess. Truely sad. Reminds me of the American made 1/2 quarters I installed on my 72 Chevelle made by Tabco. Not enough metal to even reach the trunk drop off! And the body line was way off! (see the review section)

Not sure how much of my original car will be left when I'm done but I'm not going to let this get me. I WILL win this battle.

Now, where did I put my order forms...

 

[Brian Thompson]

Bob-

I can feel your pain on the US made panels. My quarters looked like they were fabbed up in someone's garage. Nothing was right. had to re-work them myself, which added 2 months of work.

Keep your chin up though. It is only time and patience!!!