Well, I don't know about how much I can contribute, but I'll do what I can. The old 63 didn't start out as a full restoration, but over the years it turned into one. I bought it as a running basket case when I was 15 years old.
Over the years it was fixed up and rebuilt as a teenage male learned how to drive. At one point, I even had to replace the frame after wrapping it around a telephone pole on a rainy day. I found a 65 frame w/front and rear suspension for $125. I couldn't beat the price, so I put it under my 63. That's when I learned about the differences in the way the rearend was held in place between the 1963 and the 1965.
It started out with a 283, 2 speed Powerglide, and 3.73 non posi rearend. In it's various incarnations it had a 65 327, a TH-400, a 74 400 small block and 3.73 posi rearend.
I had to drill out the rivits holding the crossmember under the rear of the trans and slide it back about 2 inches or so to get the TH-400 to fit, but the overall length was within acceptable tolerance to keep the driveshaft. I just had to change the yoke.
The 62 I have now had a straight 6 in it (not sure which one) and I drove that until it stripped the nylon teeth off the cam gear and died on the side of the freeway. I had a 67 327 in the garage, so that's going into it now. I have the SM420 4 speed and 3.90 rearend so I think I'll keep those. I located a full gauge cluster and put that in. That was something I always wanted in the 63, but never found.
I have also bought the VintageAire AC kit and will be installing that as well. I will be putting in a power steering kit too. Over all, the look I am going for is Stock with a few creature comfort upgrades. No lowering kits. I'll let the kids do those. I don't want it to look like a total custom like I've seen some trucks, that's why I'm going with as many stock options as I can locate, but I do want to make it a little more comfortable to drive. I like the look and feel of the originals, so I may not even do the disc brakes, but I will do power brakes. I had those in the 63.
