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

General Information

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.

3207C1E7-7A5C-4B5D-9C62-225C15199341.jpeg


79D62708-9666-45F3-8E1D-BF545BD7CA68.jpeg


94F66074-3903-44A8-B800-8CB633C1C0C5.jpeg


F8B2B757-EE11-4BB2-BB1A-42319CA63164.jpeg


44842CAE-1C5C-4C4C-B101-4C55D1A37F77.jpeg


A737F9BA-1813-434A-A96E-DECF116E4280.jpeg


D4ABEEB4-803C-4542-8B16-38B35A22B965.jpeg

taws697

Addict
TCG Premium
Sep 11, 2015
634
2,537
West Chicago, IL
Real Name
Wes
Wow! just seeing this thread now. Amazing work man. Love that your doing it all yourself too
Thanks. I spend more time googling/YouTubing “how-to’s” than I care to admit:ROFLMAO:.

Damn!

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the trans/rear end combo. I’ve got an m21 and 3.55’s for my Buick because the trans was a screaming deal but an m20 might be a better choice.
Yea my m21/4.11’s should make for a fun car around town and at the strip. Unfortunately it will not care for highway speeds. An m20/3.55 setup would probably be ideal for a street car. Nice 1st gear ratio for minimum clutch slippage while still having reasonable highway rpm.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bob Kazamakis

Bob Kazamakis

I’m the f-ing lizard king
TCG Premium
Oct 24, 2007
85,190
44,817
Denver
Real Name
JK
Thanks. I spend more time googling/YouTubing “how-to’s” than I care to admit:ROFLMAO:.


Yea my m21/4.11’s should make for a fun car around town and at the strip. Unfortunately it will not care for highway speeds. An m20/3.55 setup would probably be ideal for a street car. Nice 1st gear ratio for minimum clutch slippage while still having reasonable highway rpm.
I have my fingers crossed my 455 low end torque won’t make it terrible in first. We’ll see.
 

taws697

Addict
TCG Premium
Sep 11, 2015
634
2,537
West Chicago, IL
Real Name
Wes
how hard would it be to stuff a T56 in there?
I’ve seen it done before. It requires some tunnel modification and a kit to move the shifter location forward. One tricky thing is figuring out the 2 piece driveshaft setup because the T56 is so long. X-frames are a pita when it comes to driveline stuff.
 

greasy

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Jun 25, 2007
36,909
28,931
  • Like
Reactions: taws697

taws697

Addict
TCG Premium
Sep 11, 2015
634
2,537
West Chicago, IL
Real Name
Wes
It is this one, says it’s unavailable now ?

BlueFire Upgraded 1080P 5.5mm Semi-Rigid Inspection Camera, 2 MP HD WiFi Borescope Snake Camera, Zoomable Focus 1800mAh Battery Wireless Endoscope for Android and iOS Smartphone, Tablet (11.5FT) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DNQ9KC4/?tag=tcg21-20
Ok, thanks for checking anyways. I’ll just pick one off Amazon.
 

taws697

Addict
TCG Premium
Sep 11, 2015
634
2,537
West Chicago, IL
Real Name
Wes
I was able to sneak out to the garage this weekend. I didn’t accomplish a whole lot, but at least it’s something. I installed the lifters, pushrods, and rockers. The cam card calls for .014” valve lash when hot. I temporarily set them at .009” since the engine was cold. I also drilled and tapped a 1/2npt hole for the heater hose in a factory location. I had to plug some of the other unused holes in the manifold. After that, I got the manifold on and torqued down. My snake camera wound up being super useful in getting the intake ports lined up.
18CF0D18-5E33-4982-8413-A50478D61411.jpeg

61056D6F-D57F-496F-A1AF-D43F92D06B20.jpeg

60E196B8-473E-446A-82FE-77C3FA8B26DF.jpeg

F56A8D77-8602-4691-999C-ED400013CC30.jpeg


Now I need to get it prepped for paint and install the aluminum water pump and harmonic balancer.
 

taws697

Addict
TCG Premium
Sep 11, 2015
634
2,537
West Chicago, IL
Real Name
Wes
I’ve been slowly bolting parts on to the 327 which has been quite satisfying. I installed an aluminum summit racing water pump, 6.5 GM performance balancer, pulleys, fan clutch, and fan. Unfortunately the pulleys didn’t quite line up, so I wound up shimming out the crank pulley. I also painted the valve covers and Lakewood scatter shield that I picked up. At that point I went ahead and installed the oil fill tube, dipstick tube, heater hose barbs, Prothane motor mounts, and oil filter. For fun I threw on one of the headers. Once I’m sure they clear the frame, I’ll send them out to be jet-hot coated in a cast iron gray color.
F20FACB5-9394-4B99-8A0A-5C2F190E0A9B.jpeg

DFD3842B-2BF2-4413-84B2-C7B2619B8F5F.jpeg


I’m waiting on the 327 “TurboFire” stickers that go on the top of the valve covers. Then I will install them and the 300hp stickers that go on the side of the valve covers.
6874C3DC-3168-49E0-9D07-68F4D7753961.png

88FD94F0-4676-494A-A9EB-5B33B7B3BF29.jpeg

I also picked up a correct 63 shifter setup.(Rod, ball, and boot.) It should bolt up to my Hurst Comp shifter.
3D193360-3FF0-4B48-9719-4004C2C9BA6F.jpeg
 

taws697

Addict
TCG Premium
Sep 11, 2015
634
2,537
West Chicago, IL
Real Name
Wes
After playing with the gearing calculator that
Jeffs FRC posted on greasy’s thread, I realized that I might need 4.56’s. I’m dreaming of trapping like 110-115 and with 4.11’s I’ll be right on the rev limiter in 3rd. I could go down to a 26” tire but I love the way it looks with a 28 stuffed under it.
56545132-AA17-45AA-8C64-E4D33612D454.png

A12302A5-6D59-4039-A96F-108A0C230D7E.png
 

Pressure Ratio

....
TCG Premium
Nov 11, 2005
20,303
11,728
Glen Ellyn
The engine looks good.

That is a lot of gear to cruise around with. What does the calculator look like with the 26" tire. On the track the 26" tire would be more efficient due to weight and rolling resistance. I like the look of 28's stuffed in the wheel well. But for the track and street, the current gear with the 26" tire for the track may be a better option.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bru and taws697

taws697

Addict
TCG Premium
Sep 11, 2015
634
2,537
West Chicago, IL
Real Name
Wes
The engine looks good.

That is a lot of gear to cruise around with. What does the calculator look like with the 26" tire. On the track the 26" tire would be more efficient due to weight and rolling resistance. I like the look of 28's stuffed in the wheel well. But for the track and street, the current gear with the 26" tire for the track may be a better option.
Here’s a graph with 4.11’s and 26’s:
5AA3E220-E558-4808-B9B8-1448B63E28E4.png

Its fairly close to 4.56’s with 28’s. I have to purchase a ring and pinion either way. What you’re saying about the rotating mass and rolling resistance makes sense though.
 

stock-t-bird

THORNTON QUARRY
TCG Premium
Oct 24, 2008
4,356
4,664
Thornton Quarry
4:56 is a lot on the street for SBC..4:11 should be ok...your doing very well with the swap
my SBC with 4:11 ran 55mph @ 3krpm...similar set up..just a thought...i could be very wrong...but thats what happened..highway sucked at 55 mph

4:11 will max out 1/4 mile...just an Old School guy here with SBC 350/420hp
 

Pressure Ratio

....
TCG Premium
Nov 11, 2005
20,303
11,728
Glen Ellyn
"Ideal" on track would be the 4.56 and 26" tire. In 1:1 you would be looking at about 118 mph at 7,000. RIght at the high side of what you hope to trap.

So maybe the 4.56 and 26" tires for the track and the 28" tires for the street is the hot ticket. It'll feel zippy on the street. But cruising rpm is what you would have to look at with that combo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: taws697

taws697

Addict
TCG Premium
Sep 11, 2015
634
2,537
West Chicago, IL
Real Name
Wes
"Ideal" on track would be the 4.56 and 26" tire. In 1:1 you would be looking at about 118 mph at 7,000. RIght at the high side of what you hope to trap.

So maybe the 4.56 and 26" tires for the track and the 28" tires for the street is the hot ticket. It'll feel zippy on the street. But cruising rpm is what you would have to look at with that combo.
I think you’re right, that sounds ideal. I’d like to participate in some nostalgic drag racing events. For those I could throw a 26 on. Outside of that, I’d cruise around on 28’s. That would put me at 3k doing 55mph. Just fast enough to not get road raged off of rt.64. ?
 

Thread Info