63' Custom Cab SWB Build

[502tripower]

Well I thought I would share my build with you guys. I started this project in 1997. I know its been a while but there were a few obsticals that pushed this rig in the corner. I purchased my 63' as a disassembled project for 400.00 but fairly complete. The only thing the previous owner did do was take it apart. I found it in the local Buy-N-Sell. The truck was from Arizona so there was very little or no rust in most of the vehicle with the exception of the cab floors. I planed on repairing the floor boards but, once again I was scowering the local Buy-N-Sell and I found a very nice rust free 62' small window cab for 25.00 that included a nice hood and a headboard for the bed. My original cab was a big window so I removed the liner from the big window cab and installed it in the new 62' cab. Before I installed the big window liner in the 62' cab I installed the shoulder harness bosses so I could run the late model shoulder harness belts. I purchased a new, at the time, 1998 Silverado leather bench seat to match the seat belts. The front cab mounts on the 62' cab had to be relocated to fit the 63' frame. I removed the front cab mounts from the 63' cab and installed them in the new 62' cab. You cans see in the attached photos. The previous owner of the 62' cab had removed the rockers so I purchased a set of GM rockers as well as new set of fenders. You could still buy them from GM then. I completely disassembled the chassis cleaned all of the parts then started to build the chassis. My neighbor just happened to have a 1973 C-10 sitting in his yard so, I asked if he would like to get rid of that yard art... He said I could have it but he wanted the engine out of it... This provided me with the front crossmember, disc brakes, power steering box, swaybar, motor mounts, and a few other items. I swapped out the crossmember and made my own mounts for the steering box. I then located a 28 spline 9" from a Lincon Versi with factory disc brakes. I rebuilt the 3rd member and installed a 31 spline 4:30 Posi and ordered new axles to match. I used a TH400 Auto crossmember form a 75' C-20 454 truck to mount the tailshaft of the 4L60. I used 2" dropped spindles and 3" drop springs from CPP. I am going to have to look that up. I can't remember. CPP also provided me with a set of 4" drop springs for the back with an adjustable panhard bar to pull things into place and Doetsch Tech shocks on all four corners. They also rebuilt my power steering box. I then made a set of 2" lowering blocks out of some billet aluminum and had a local spring maker make me a set of U bolts to put things together. I then purchased a new Mark VI 502 marine 442 HP and a 4L60 trany. I wanted a reliable street truck that I could take on trips and could also baste the rear tires any time I wanted so, I disassembled the 502 and had it line bored square decked anti-roped had the block honed with torque plates and the rotating assembly balanced balanced. I then had the rectangular heads ported and polished and did a 3-angle valve job. By the way there was no internet when I started this project as many of you can remember so, scrounging for parts was looking in you local classifieds, wrecking yards or Hemmings Motor News. Now I really wanted to run a 3X2 on this rig so, that meant finding a 67-69 435 HP Corvette intake. I really wanted the 67' as it is the only year that the 435 3X2 is a high rise. Well I happened to find one in Hemmings Motor News on the east coast for 500.00. When I received it it was not the 67' high rise intake but a 69' low intake. It did have all matching 67' carburetors.... The 67' carb linkage is different for the high rise application. I made a few phone calls and was able to trade the 69' manifold for a 67' straight across.... I found a set of 2" Stans try-Y headers for a 73'-87' BBC truck at the Corvette Swap meet that were almost new for 150.00. At the time those headers sold for about 600.00.... Stans headers is a local custom exhaust header shop here in NW Washington, All of Stans headers are chrome. I then had them ceramic coated. I used the march serpentine setup for BBC. At that time, 1998, it had just come out. I Am running Vintage air for those hot cross country cruises. Once all of the fabricating was finished I had the frame and all of the chassis components powder coated. As well as the underside of the cab, floorboards, under dash and back of cab. Once this was done I then installed the new GM rockers as seen in the photos. I also installed a low hump after I had the floors powdercoated as I found it afterward. I widened my rear wheel wells 1.5" using 4-tubs and cutting them accordingly. I then adjusted my bed wood to carry the same reveals to the wheel wells. The bed wood is purple heart. I purchased a wrecked late model S-10 tailgate for 5.00 and used all of the hardware in my tailgate. I am sure there is plenty more but I can't think of it right now. Here are some pics of where it is now. I did sand blast the bed sides this past Friday and am in the process of installing a role pan then fabricating some custom brackets for a bumper. Yes I am running a rolepan with a bumper. Once I get this done the body work will begin. I will keep you posted on the progress there. One thing I did forget is I removed the fuel tank from the cab and used a fuel tank from a late 70's early 80's Chevy Van between the frame rails in the back. I welded a piece of 3X4 angle to the end of the frame rails and gusseted it on the sides. This gave me a place to install the hooks for the tank straps and why I have to make custom bumper brackets. I think I am going to run a 60'-62' bumper as the frame is wider in the back and will work better for the mounting holes in the bumper. I used a gas door from a 88'-98' chev truck and the gas fill from the van. It looks like it was sapose to be there. The tilt steering column is from a 67' Impala and I am using a factor tach dash.

[64Magoo]

Holy Christmas I don't think I've ever seen so many words in one box on any forum in my life. Looks like a great project!

[502tripower]

More pics

[502tripower]

and a couple more.

[kizer]

Wow, that under hood is Sexy as heck.

Nice work

Of course the bed work isn't bad either.

[jonzcustomshop]

nice, and I like the 61 belaire 2dr hdtp too!

[Micmac]

Gawd-a-mighty, what a hoss! Sometimes it takes awhile. I got one Indian Chief I've been working on fer awhile now. Might never be done, I got a picture in my mind, and I ain't quite there, y'all know the feeling.

[ChiefRocka]

Yeap....that Chevy is NICE !!!

...the truck is cool too !!

[joe231]

that is, and will be even more so when done, an amazing ride
very nice work!!!

[502tripower]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

nice, and I like the 61 belaire 2dr hdtp too!

Thanks guys for the kind words. I figure this thing has been on hold long enough. I am going with the factory yellow and white with all of the moldings. The only reproduction parts used are the rear cross sill and the side moldings & clips. You could still find or buy factory parts when I started this project. Here are a couple of pics for the bubble top fans...

[gulfcoast66]

Nice bigboy toys! Great work on that 63 cant wait to see the end results on that thing. Chris..

[protrash64]

Nice pics and narrative 502. I relate to a bunch of that searching for parts; bought a Sunday paper all the time for the parts classifieds!!!

I like the look of the polished stock valve covers; never seen a set like that.

[72BlckButy]

What a great looking build, keep up the great work!

[MEANlowGREEN]

That's gonna be an awesome ride when you are done. Love the Impala too. My mom had one just about identical to it with a 348 tri-power and a 4 speed a long time ago. I'd give anything to have that car in my garage today! Keep up the great work and keep us updated on the progress

[jchav62]

Awesome build! Everything is awesome. I'm liking the bubbletop too. Let me know if it gets in your way and I can go pick it up.

[65panelrat]

Beautiful Toyz Man! You got me drooling all over my computer!

[502tripower]

Thanks guys for the complements. I mocked up my rear bumper yesterday and will be fitting the roll pan today. Because I welded that 3X4 angle to the back of the frame rails I had to do a little fab work to the to center brackets. Origanaly I was going to run just the roll pan but I think these trucks look to square and unfinished with just the roll pan. Don't get me wrong there are many out there that have done a great job of pulling it off but I thought it would look real clean with the roll pan and the bumper. I will post some pics later. As far as the bubble tops go I am the 3rd owner of the white and red car. It is a factory documented SS 348/350 HP 4-speed car. I put wheels, tires, dropped spindles, springs and disc brakes to get the ride height I wanted. I kept all of the factory stuff so it could go back including wheel covers if need be. I looked for almost ten years to find that car. I am the 2nd owner of the Bel-Air. I bought it from the grandson who got it from his Grandmothers estate for 75.00. I payed a little more than he did. It was nice find. A few more pics.

[slepysal]

OK I AM JEALOUS!! JK nice very nice

[4dranch]

What did the leather seat come out of? just curious

[MEANlowGREEN]

Looks like a 94-98 Silverado or Suburban/Tahoe seat to me. I've got an '04 Silverado in mine. I chose it for the built in seat belts.

[4dranch]

Originally Posted by MEANlowGREEN

Looks like a 94-98 Silverado or Suburban/Tahoe seat to me. I've got an '04 Silverado in mine. I chose it for the built in seat belts.

502,, did you remove your gas tank before installing the new seat?

MeanLOWGreen,,Any trouble with the 04 seat?

[MEANlowGREEN]

The '04 seat bolted in like it was made for the truck. No problems installing it at all. I also used it with the stock gas tank for a while with no issues but I was able to slide it back another inch or so once I moved the tank under the bed.

[4dranch]

thanks, MeanLOWGreen

[protrash64]

I didnt mention it before 502, but I dig the Impalas, too. I love the look of the old 348/409 engines. Yours are really nice.

[502tripower]

Originally Posted by 4dranch

What did the leather seat come out of? just curious

I bought the seat new from GM in 1998 and it is a Silverado seat. The seat belts are mounted just like the 98 Silverado belts. When I had the big window liner out I installed the sholder harness bosses. If you look at the pics you can see the hole in the liner. I did relocate the tank to the back of the truck. Here are a few pics of the tank and the area that it goes. I did have to modify the last bed rail as you can see in the pics. Also I got my bumper and roll pan in today. What do you guys think?