Some of you are really going to hate me for this but the car you see in the photos below and in the linked eBay ad is just absolutely begging to be built into a period 1960s hot rod. Why would you possible kill me for saying that? This sucker is a survivor to the absolute true sense of the word. The paint, the engine, the interior, all original. That engine is a 194ci inline six and we cannot tell whether the car is a three on the tree or ‘Glide but either way, all that stuff needs to go. We don’t want the thing turned into a tube chassis drag car, but built into a proper 1960s style machine with a tunnel ram small block and all the good stuff.
The appealing thing to us here is that so often in 2020 people are reviving and hot rodding these awful cars that have lived in the woods or someone’s meth lab yard for 30 years. When does anyone ever get the chance anymore to build an old school hot rod out of the exact car that guys used to build old school hot rods out of? This was something a kid bought for nothing in 1970 and slammed a small block and TH350 or 400 into, commencing the tire burning as soon as the thing was able to idle with open headers.
The car comes with some new chrome pieces and the freaking stock hubcaps. This is a one owner car which is even more interesting. Who loves a gutless, stripped inline six car enough to keep it for like 50 years?! The seller of this machine does.
It needs to be a hot rod, right? Or Wrong?
eBay: This 1963 Chevy II is an amazing survivor just begging to be hot rodded 60s style
i think it’s begging to be left just as it is.
Maybe my balls are getting old but I feel the same way. Use it the way it is. If I were to do anything, i’d just tune on the 6cyl a bit. If I got the hot rodding urge, turbo, efi, and a 6spd.
I owned exactly like it ..same color…194..
Six…sold it and bought a 63 nova two dr hardtop…one owner…
Leave that old chevy alone it does not need a blown small block.For goodness sake leave it alone. That\’s what the person keeping the car alive for the last 50 years did. Show some respect.
I’m torn on this one. Since my primary toy is a ’64 2dr sedan I really dig these cars. Mine is eventually going to look like a 70s street machine.
This one is awful nice as-is. Maybe add wheels/tires (steelies would be awesome) and give it a tuneup.
If I had to change it up then I’d probably do a period day-2 build. Keep the factory suspension (yes, I know it’s not the best, but that’s all they had). 12-bolt. Muncie. 327 with dual 4s. Early 60s hood scoop. Chrome reverse wheels. Period dual exhaust too. Tidy ride.
How about putting an Offenhauser three Weber carb on that 194, some port work, more compression and cam, and some tube headers? You can keep the original motor here and build a ’60s style hot rod at the same time.
You will have to at least put some frame work into it or the body will be twisted like a pretzel.
Leave the six in it. Leave the rest of it original.
I’m driving this little girl just the way she is.
Oh, and I hope she’s a 3 speed.
Leave it just the way it is.
find a borg warner O/D trans for it keep the shifter on the tree
..add a FI system from these guys
https://affordable-fuel-injection.com/..
Torq Thrust wheels
drive the snot out of it
faith is an odd friend time has been kind to this car so far let this one go
If you were in aussie and it was a ford it would be a barra swap, why not keep it a six and put a 4300 vortex straight six with a turbo and get the best of both worlds?
Friend at work has a 64 4 cyl original except paint + wheels
Body shop students fluffed the body – gloss black – I think it has Cragers
At first glance it looks like it should have an 8 ball , etc …It don’t
Another sleeper here is a 1st gen Mustang fastback – nice light blue metallic
and mag wheels – it’s a box stock restored 6 cyl car
Woman would not let her husband touch it
My 62 convertible survivor is same color. 194 3spd. Staying that way in the family
American Torque Thrust, cut wheel wells,wide tires. Drop the nose,jack the rear a little. 4 or 5 speed, your choice. Add high revving, snot idling small block and come pick me up. No, wait come get me first, I\’d like to turn wrenches on that sucker. Hell yeah!
283 4 speed, done.
Swap in the big 292 inline six – maybe stroked for even more displacement. Head work, mild porting w/bowl work, bigger valves, toss in a mild circle track cam (big mid range power), fabbed intake w/600 Holley, tube headers but keep it on the quiet side.
Four speed, 3.55 gears. Disk brakes up front, widen the stock wheels 2″, keep the dog dish hubcaps….
And leave the rest alone!
Terrible photography
What’s a all stock 63 Chevy II worth? Not that much it’s not a bucket seat car. It’s not a Nova 300/400 or Nova SS. That I6 is already sporting HEI big cap late 70’s distributor. Likely it’s been played with.
I would leave it together until the parts came in. Pull the front sheet metal, ditch the original bolt on unistructre. Get a kit for heidts or someone else that mounts modern suspension and has the mounts for a 6.0L truck engine and the 4l60 or 4l65. put the stock front sheet metal back in place. 3 times the power, 2 times the fuel mileage, 3 times the resale value.
I love this idea! I am a big fan of era correct modifications. This car would be sweet with a 12 bolt rear end, or a Ford 9 in. Then a four speed. I am not sure about the tunnel ram, but lumpy cammed 327 would be right at home in this car!
Leave it for one of my grandkids to build