63 Fleet SWB Project (surprise birthday present)

[lgh1157]

I've built a few cars, nothing real fancy, just fun weekend drivers

My wife had been talking about wanting a truck ( owned a 90's Tacoma 20 years ago when we met .... and talked about getting something older one day )

She was heading to the beach for 2 weeks with the kids, ( july 4th weekend ) i was staying in town and working , . . . so i thought,**** it, im gonna find her a truck, preferably a 63

I looked at 8 trucks, all way over priced, rusty, wasps, gas tanks in the bed, not running , . . . i drove way south of ATL, up to TN, . . . and all over the outskirts of ATL

9th truck was perfect, up in South Carolina, good price, solid and a 63

I had a trailer waiting the day they all headed to the beach, they we heading to N.C, i was heading to South Carolina
Got the truck on friday, busted ass all weekend

Found out the truck had a 283 out of a 66/77 passenger car
Added a new radiator ( had the old I6 and had no brackets )
Lowered ( too much )
CPP disc brake swap - new ball joints, tie rods etc
New filters
Got rid of the old style bolt on oil filter an adapter
New Master Cylinder ( did some custom work extended the brake push rod with some all thread )
Cleaned out the inside of the cab
All new fuel and Brake lines
Cut the rear crossmember and added a 49-52 chevy pass car gas tank, ran the filler for the tank on the side of the bed with a custom pedestal
New edelbrock intake, carb and a HEI Dizzy
New door locks

Here are some pics

[lgh1157]

As i found it in S.C

[lgh1157]

Headed home

Pretty clean interior

[The Rocknrod]

Wow that's a nice find.

[lgh1157]

Added the CPP front end kit
6 Lug discs
Got some wheel Vintiques to fit the discs
And some new cokers

Only had 8 days before she got back from the beach

[lgh1157]

Got truck good enough to cruise the block, surprised her when she got back ( thats a long story ), she was blown away, . . . . . we have been working on it, getting all the bugs out . . . . .

Removed the bed
Cut the rear X-member
Flipped and moved it back
Fabbed up some front brackets and welded some nuts on top - so i can unbolt the straps and drop the tank without any issues

[lgh1157]

Added some more functional pretty stuff to the engine

[vin63]

Very cool...outstanding find!

[rbruno68]

Where were you looking that you found that many for sale in a weekend? I have been looking for a 63 for a while and not having any luck in my area. I am in MD so not too far from where you are. That is a great find. Sort of wish I beat you to it. lol

[lgh1157]

Originally Posted by rbruno68

Where were you looking that you found that many for sale in a weekend? I have been looking for a 63 for a while and not having any luck in my area. I am in MD so not too far from where you are. That is a great find. Sort of wish I beat you to it. lol

I found most of em on Facebook Marketplace

The 63 i bought was on C.L - ****ty ad, bad photo, . . . so i went for it hahahah

Here are some i dug up just now :

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...5-d4a82990a0df

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...5-d4a82990a0df

Fleetside SWB
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...5-d4a82990a0df

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...5-7b075ad74a10

[rbruno68]

I reached out to the third one down and got an initial response, then got ghosted and never heard back. The grey stepside I think has been advertised a couple times. My search continues.
Thanks,
Rob