midyearguy

I'm looking at a rolling chassis and shell. Chassis has been completely restored, convertible. No other parts are included. Questions are what is a good price for this and other question is how hard is it to put a BB in a 63? Has anyone here done it?

achapman

Putting a BB in a 63 has been done many times.... but to do it right will cost beaucoup $$$$ The BB cars had different springs, upgraded shafts and rear end, beefy front and rear sway bars, Hood bulge.... and a notch in the frame to accomodate the BB.... also don't forget the disk brakes..... :smash:

olredalert

------The big block will bolt in the frame.The notch in later frames is not needed but is very desireable.The clearance by the front pulley is so close you cant get a fan belt on without removing the pulley,and the balancer has to be on the engine when you drop it in.Big hassle!
------We did a 64 way back in the seventies and if I remember correctly we even had to use an AC spacer behind the motor mounts.When you use one of those spacers on both sides it makes it damn hard to get the motor-mount bolts in.We were young and stupid though and managed to get done somehow.It was a junkyard 396/325 and ended up not being any faster than a good 327/300.Plus we couldnt run an air-cleaner with the stock hood.Didnt have enough money for a special hood so just ran around without one.There was also a ten inch hole in the floor right in front of the passenger seat.My buddy that owned the car could never talk the chicks into riding with him.Wonder why?......Bill S

waynec

I'll take a swag at a price... seems to me a well-restored rolling chassis has to be worth at least $7k to $8k, and the body perhaps another $5k. But, be aware that it will be very expensive to find, buy, and refurbish all of the many missing pieces when purchasing them one by one, and you'll still have to paint it. Think hard before you buy; a basket case is one thing but a partial vehicle is quite another when it's missing engine, trans, tops, glass, instruments, console, steering column, inner door linkages, bumpers, harnesses, lighting, seats, etc, etc, etc, ...ad infinitum. I once heard that buying all the parts for a current-year car costs about 10 times as much as buying the car already-assembled from the dealer, and I have to believe the same principle applies here. You'd probably be well-advised to find a totalled but complete car to use as a donor to complete this one, or better yet, buy a restorable complete car instead of this one. Also, would you get a title with the purchase, or is that yet an additional hassle.