I have a friend that wants to go look at this 63. Any comments?

fleabay 111172078571

 

If you want some help on a site, its best to provide a link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111172078571?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D111172078571%26_rdc%3D1

 

The body, gaps and door fit look pretty good. I hate the right hand side outside mirror on these early cars. Non-factory and unnecessary IMO. The carpet is a lousy install - check out the pic on the right hand fresh air floor vent - messy. Incorrect master cylinder. The steering column spring tension is not adjusted correctly (or safely). Valve covers are way wrong including fasteners. Left hand side exhaust manifold is not original. Lousy engine detailing. The tachometer redline is conveniently hidden in the interior shots so I can't say if that's correct or not.

The right hand front tire has about 37 pounds of wheel weights on it so I'm betting that rim is prob bent all to he!!. Real '63 rims are expensive to replace.

(Who puts wheel weights on the outside of the wheel on a classic car anyway?)

Looks like an amateurish restoration BUT all the stuff I can see is easily correctable. Prob other stuff I missed in just my quick look I'm sure...

The numbers all over would have to be carefully checked of course and a personal/professional inspection is an absolute necessity....in this market all-in-all that's prob not a terrible price if you can live with the color and powerglide tranny. Not my first choice.

My gut feeling is this seller is looking from $72K-$75K to "seal the deal"...

 

Not a criticism of the car, but more the ad. Not nearly enough information or right pictures to make me pay $76K, even if it is a SWC.

 

Beautiful color combination.

Ray

 

why is it sitting so high in the back, or low in the front?

 

Ok Frankie - what the heck is the steering column spring tension? I've been around these cars for years but have to say I've never heard of speing that needed to be adjuested on the steering column.

I agree with the rest of your comments, pretty sloppy "restoration". Missing ignition shielding, radiator fan extension instead of a clutch, and junk on the exhaust manifolds looks BAD!

 

And with no pictures of the trim tag or engine stamp pad, plus the "issues" under the hood, I'd have to be suspicious of the seller's "Matching Number" claim.

What the heck is going on with the dash board? The covers on the eyebrows, have strange seams on both sides of both of the eyebrows. I'm guessing someone had covers made for them, at a local upholstery shop. Also, from the picture looking in the passenger side door, it looks like the rivets that hold the dash to the door jam, are missing?????

It's a pretty car, but it needs to be looked at in person.......but then, I don't believe anyone should ever buy any collector car, without inspecting it first!

I was trying to decide if it was sitting high in back (a common problem when new springs have been installed), or if it's just an optical illusion, caused by the angle of the photo, or position of the car?

 

The spring on the forward part of the steering shaft provides the preload for the steering column ***'y including that very precious one-year-only upper column bearing. Improper preload can cause premature failure and other problems (see red arrow in first pic on the car in question).

These '63s do not have the typical spring under the horn button that provides an equivalent function; they have that one-year-only spacer instead.


The AIM spec is .020" between spring coils. Second pic is my '63 after the proper adjustment of the collar clamp. Now I know you'll be running out to the garage to check yours (and you should)!

 

Saddle Tan interiors are the only ones that come in leather in '63 and I assume that includes the dash. If so, it may be put together differently than the typical vinyl. Soooo....I noticed those seams but gave this area a "pass" since I wasn't sure about it

 

Frankie,

I feel like a Dummy (or maybe my old age is catching up with me). For some reason all I could think of was the interior of the car and the column. Thanks for learing that up.

John

 

Nooooo problem

 

Stop ! Stop ! Stop ! I went down to San Diego, along with the President of one of the local car clubs, to look at this car, before I found my dream in Seattle..

This car has been on Ebay for 6-8 months, and needs alot of work. (even though it as a recent body off restoration) Wasn't done very good. This has a 2 speed transmission, and when we drove it, was making an awful noise. They wouldn't show me any receipts for any of the work, they claimed was done. The paint, even though it was recently painted, has a hundred "fish-eyes" in the paint. There was a dozen items that needed attention, and we passed. If you could get it for $50K, might be a deal, but as I seen it, it needed a repaint, maybe some tranny work, new glove box, carpet, etc. Just alot of small details that were overlooked. Gauges didn't work, if I remember, just alot of TLC. Good luck, but take another set of eyes with you to check it out. Very poor restoration - must have been on a small budget.

 

The rear is definitely too high..........but the front height is perfect

 

The only thing leather, in a 63 leather interior, is the seat covers. The dash and door panels, were still the same molded vinyl pieces, used with the vinyl seat interior.

The saddle interior was available in either vinyl or leather. That car appears to have the standard vinyl seat covers. Of course, who knows what seat covers should be in that car, since the seller chose not to include pictures of the trim tag.

 

I don't know what is going on..........but it looks TERRIBLE

 

There's no way that dash seam is correct, leather or not.

'63 ads with no VIN plate photo make me a little squishy.

 

Glenn, Clean out your PM box!

Verne

 

Dang, Frankie - good call on the column spring.

If you can't get an expect to check a car, posting pics on this forum is the net best thing. Love it.