1963 original engine

[David H.]

[Harry S.]

Re: 1963 original engine

Do you have the original transmission in the car? If you believe you do and the gears have not been changed and it's a close ration trans, then the car was 340 or 360 hp. If it was 360, then there are some tell tale signs to look for if it's a no hit car.

Otherwise it was a wide ratio trans and the car was 250 or 300 hp. Do you have the owner history on the car?

[Michael G.]

[Duke W.]

Re: 1963 original engine

5300 tach redline... 250 or 300 HP. 6500 redline... 340 or 360 HP engine, and in a car this late the oil pressure gage would probably be calibrated to 80 psi on these two mechanical lifter engines. If the trans is original it will have the abbreviated VIN stamped on it.

If the redline is 6500 there are other things that can tell if it was a 340 or 360 HP engine. If 5500 there's nothing else to distinguish if it was a 250 or 300 HP engine unless the original manifold and carburetor are on the later engine.

The most common drivetrain combination in '63 was the 300HP-four speed.

Duke

[David H.]

Re: 1963 original engine

Thank you all for responding.
of course, the tac!
its 6500 redline.
that narrows it down to the 340 or 360.
Attached some pictures of the engine compartment.
I doubt it was a fuelie but one never knows.

[Michael G.]

Re: 1963 original engine

There are no holes in the driver’s side wheel well for the fuelie air cleaner, that tends to suggest a 340. The driver’s side exhaust manifold would appear to have once been on a fuelie, though for some unknown reason its hole looks partially plugged. Not sure what to make of that.

If you post a pic of the other exhaust manifold and its a real, ultra-rare fuelie manifold, you may have a case for a fuelie…

[Jimmy B.]

Re: 1963 original engine

check your radiator saddle, 63 f.i. unique

[David H.]

Re: 1963 original engine

Ok, what am I looking for?

[Edward J.]

Re: 1963 original engine

Dave, does there appear to be any holes for the fuel injection emblem? Sometimes they get filled in when car gets painted? Take a picture of inner driver fender.

[David H.]

Re: 1963 original engine

Like this?

[David H.]

Re: 1963 original engine

Checked again after finding out where it goes. Just below the crossed flags. No sign of any previous holes.

[David H.]

Re: 1963 original engine

Checked again after finding out where it goes. Just below the crossed flags. No sign of any previous holes.

[Richard M.]

Re: 1963 original engine

David,

Did you order a Shipping Data Report? Another avenue would be a history search, starting with the dealer, albeit a long and arduous process to try to locate any original paperwork for it.

You never know what you could discover.

Rich

[David H.]

Re: 1963 original engine

The shipping data report is on my list. Thanks

[David H.]

Re: 1963 original engine

Richard, where do I get the shipping data report?