Thought you all might enjoy some old pictures of my project from back in 2005. I know we all like pictures and stories.
I did it back to stock, even had points, 327 4 speed muncie, 300HP, 1963 split window coupe. Originally Riverside Red, it was black by the early 70's and also had some bright yellow, a metallic tan, and a bright metallic green. She had a hard life, the original solid lifter 340HP motor was long gone, I think it got parked about 1982ish. The engine I in it when I got it was a 350 out of a 1974 Nova, it has a big Holley and an aluminum high rise intake. I found this car and a rebuilt rolling chassis,everything new or rebuilt. It had a 63 327 in it with a powerglide, 15 inch tires and steel rims, new complete exhaust, brakes, brake lines, shocks, springs, fuel tank, fuel lines, radiator, transmission cooler, water pump, Carter AFB, clutch fan, pullies, belts, hoses, air cleaner, starter, rear end, drive shaft, what else is there?
The car I got had a muncie, that got rebuilt and replaced the powerglide, I had to find the rear window trim, rechrome the bumpers, redo the electric headlights, the power windows,
Got interrupted, will finish this off later.
-- Edited by DonSSDD on Thursday 4th of January 2024 04:22:03 PM
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
Also had to find the stock hubcaps (they came in early and late versions of a 63), a reproduction console, reproduction glove box door, outside mirrors, heater metal parts (some parts had 3 versions in 63), redid all the wiring, polished all the stainless, took everything apart and put it back together. Got a used 63 grill and polished that.
I had a great body man, the late Kenny Norwood, and his son Scott. Had to put a new 1 piece nose on it, firewall forward, and new quarter panels to replace the cut wheel wells. Also had a great upholstery guy, Alan in Liverpool, he did my seats and dash in leather to replace the vinyl.
Kenny was also a great mechanic, my rebuilt 327 ended up with 2 separate problems after about 2000 miles. The heads had big valves installed and hardened seats- one seat went into the water jacket. Kenny could tell which one was bad by feel and sound, it was steaming antifreeze out the exhaust. Got another set of heads and installed them, it worked like a charm.
After coming back to his shop on a test drive with the heads installed, he heard me drive in and said I had a slight engine knock. He figured out which piston was knocking with a broomstick. Dropped the pan, real easy to do on a C2, she had not been torqued correctly on one rod. Checked the bearings on that rod, no issues. Rechecked torque on all the rods, the rest were fine.
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
The rear window stickers were on the car when I got it.
Those 63 only hood panels were the originals, I got reproduction and sent them back, quality was bad, same for the rear license panel. I cleaned all the black paint off the hood panels, polished them, taped them, my daughter painted those tiny lines, really turned out great.
Those are old pictures of the car I got from a previous owner, I tracked it back to about 1968/1970. Circle track was in Lower Sackville, NS, near Halifax, other was a drag track at Oyster Bed, PEI.
I forgot how much work this was and how much I learned, I really had not touched a wrench from back in my teens until I got the 59 in 2003.
I hope you enjoyed this. I forgot to dig out pictures of the rolling chassis. My camera work at the time was lacking.
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
A lot of work went into changing it back into a great car. Got lucky the in identifying the torque issue with the rod so early!!! That would have been nasty otherwise.
I got it in 2005, spent way more money than I thought I would, sold it to a fellow in Switzerland, he came and looked at it.
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
True 63s, early 63 were the same style but were painted with a textured silver paint on the round plate in behind. Cant remember, I think this was the only style available until later when the knock wheels came out. I dont recall even a 63 dog dish.
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
Thanks for the comments, I did enjoy the car a lot. If you hammered it in first , it went sideways, the posi worked.
Ive been lucky to also have had a red and white 59 El Camino, a 62 bubbletop, and the big black GTO. The 59 got the most attention from men-women- children. The split window from men, and the big GTO from really special people. Im surprised how many people who had a relative/neighbour who owned a Cdn Pontiac with the stacked headlights.
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
