🔧 BUILD Taws697's 1963 Biscayne Build! the anti-swap. Engine updates on page 5

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After reading the thread on user participation, I decided to start a build thread. I got the car back in 2018 but never made a thread because 1, it’s not a turbo LS or blown coyote and 2, because I move so slowly on it. I may fail miserably, but here we go.......

1963 Chevy Biscayne 2dr post. Laurel green with a fawn interior. Straight 6 with a 3 on the tree. 40,000 mile car completely untouched with plastic covers on the seats. This thing is bare bones. It has 1 option which is a push button radio, nothing else. No side mirrors, single speed wipers, no reverse lights, manual steering and brakes. The original owner down in Kentucky passed and his buddy sold it to me out of the estate. I got the original owners manual, accessory book, dealer ice scraper and even the statement of origin. These are pictures of when I picked it up.

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taws697

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So the good news is that the vinyl floor covering fit nicely. Bad news is that I tore the shifter boot down by the floor. You can’t really see it. I’ll probably leave it for now and address it later.
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The headers finally arrived from Jet-Hot. Although they aren’t the color I was originally looking for, I think they did a nice job on them. I picked up a set of locking stainless header bolts from Totally Stainless as well. I’ve used a couple different style header bolts and so far I’m liking these a lot. I went to back one off and could feel a substantial detent in the locking washer setup.
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I had noticed that the passenger header primaries were really close to the fuel and brake lines back when I did a test fit. I re-bent the lines and routed them on top of the frame rail as opposed to on the inside of the rails. Hopefully they won’t get too hot.
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The carburetor arrived around the same time. It’s a Holley 650cfm, so mechanical secondaries, and a manual choke which I probably won’t hook up. I tossed that on along with the throttle linkage.
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taws697

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Get some of the slip over heat sheilding for the fuel ines. Also get an electric choke kit. Holley sells them. Both of those things will make your future driveability smooth. Vaporlock and hard cold starts aren't fun. Build looks great!
Thanks, I’ll look into some heat sleeves for the lines. I’ve gotten away with no choke in past, I guess I’ll see how this one does. It only will get driven in nice weather, but not the end of world if I have to go back and throw an electric one on.
 
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taws697

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I keep forgetting to update this thread. Lately I’ve been working on little odds and ends. I got the alternator mounted and put together a PCV system running from the hole in the back of the block up to the vacuum port on the back of the carb.
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I also installed the Pertronix “stock look” distributor and their igniter 3 coil. I set the rev limiter at 7k for now. After messing around with spark plug wire routing, I wound up just ordering all of the factory hangers and the supplementing with a few Moroso looms. I went with MSD street fire 8mm wires.
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I bought a dual feed line for the the Holley. From the pump I bent up a stainless line and ran it to the black anodized 90 and little in-line filter.
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I also made progress on installing the front suspension. I’m kind of bummed because my factory lower control arms did not clear the headers. I bought a set of tubular ones that I still wound up modifying to make work. Threw on the Global West front springs, spindles and disc brake kit.
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Heres some photos of the 4 speed steering column I put together. I had Restopaint mix up some paint to match the interior. He got the color pretty close.
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My main goal now is to finish up the steering stuff and master cylinder. Then I should be ready to hang sheetmetal on the front end.
 

taws697

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Nice! Me too even though I haven’t put it together yet and it’s been sitting here for months. Why just the lower tubular a arms? I could use a little more caster from my stock ones
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Nice. My axles and brakes showed up but I’m still waiting on the housing and center section. To be honest, I didn’t want any tubular control arms. I had quite a bit of cash tied up in the original ones. (Sandblasted, powdercoated, Moog bushings/ball joints, new hardware, etc.) I wasn’t too happy when I went to install the lowers and they hit the headers. For some reason it never crossed my mind to check that ahead of time. So I ordered a set of tubular lowers that had more clearance. I still had to dimple the headers though. I like that the uppers will still look correct from under the hood at least.
 
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taws697

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So I finished installing all of the steering linkage.(Intermediate shaft, gearbox, pitman, idler, centerlink, etc.) I also installed the master cylinder and finished up the brake lines.
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The 9” housing showed up the other day. I’m still waiting on the center section though.
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Last night I threw on the core support and front fenders. Hopefully tonight I can install the hood and try to get the body gaps halfway decent.
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taws697

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So what are the details on the 327 build again? I may be acquiring a 327 and was planning on a similar build. Just a nice top end kit to make 350-400 rwhp.
It’s a factory forged small journal crank, LT1 rods, forged flat top .030 over pistons with valve reliefs, trick flow double hump aluminum heads with 60cc chambers. Lunati voodoo solid flat tappet cam with matching lifters and dual valve springs, Edelbrock performer RPM intake, Holley 650 double pumper, Hooker Super comp 1 3/4 headers. I believe I’m at about 10.4:1 and around 400hp at the crank.
 

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