1963 Bel Air WAGON build

[jmastersinc]

I havn't been on here in a while, been a little busy (had 2 boys). I recently realised that we are goinig to need more room to cart the chitlins around and they will have freinds that will want to go. Solution was a 9 passanger station wagon (my wife REFUSES to drive a mini van). So what I ended up with, after 7 months of searching, was a 1963 Bel Air Wagon with no motor, tranie, rear end, radiator, or drive shaft. Not a big deal except for the rear end cause as i have learned over the past 3 weeks is that they are hard to find here in SW Washington. I did yesterday, come accross a ford 9 inch that is the right width (60") and it had disk brakes (bonus). Couldn't pass it up. The problem is that nothing lines up (both are controll arm/ coil rearends but completly diffrend as expected) I am thinking that my best bet is to cut everything off the 9 inch and start with a clean canvas. Anybody do this on this site? Have advice? Links? It will be pretty easy to do just want to be better prepared before i do it, after all this isn't a trail rig that don't really matter as long as it flexes, this will be a on road rig that will see freeway miles. Any advice is appriciated

Thanks much

here is a pic as she sits;

[Flatline's Up!]

I'm so wanting to do a wagon, but just don't have the $ or havn't come across the right "take it outta my field" el cheepo..

I've got a 468ci BBC driveline that's pretty badassed, and I want to tub/bag one and leave it semi ratty so I can have an obnoxious car to take my (now 3yo) son to little league games etc

Good luck with yours man, it looks like a nice place to start

[Rock4XFab]

Pull out the Plumb bob and taper measure. Drop the new rear under it and square it up. Them move mounts accordinly to match the frame side..

[jmastersinc]

Originally Posted by Flatline's Up!

I'm so wanting to do a wagon, but just don't have the $ or havn't come across the right "take it outta my field" el cheepo..

I've got a 468ci BBC driveline that's pretty badassed, and I want to tub/bag one and leave it semi ratty so I can have an obnoxious car to take my (now 3yo) son to little league games etc

Good luck with yours man, it looks like a nice place to start

Thanks, i know what you mean about finding one for less than 4k, i actuall pulled this out of a feild lol, i plan on leavin it ratty for a while thats whats badass bout old stuff, no matter what stage of the build it is still cool, rusty=cool primered=cool finished=cool ect...

[jmastersinc]

Originally Posted by Rock4XFab

Pull out the Plumb bob and taper measure. Drop the new rear under it and square it up. Them move mounts accordinly to match the frame side..

I am just worried about it being off centered or not squared up, but ill give it my all, thinking about trying to find some pre fabed tabs im thinking.

[jmastersinc]

picked up a muncie 4 speed



and a box of parts and a block painted super green, (that will be painted)



http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/g...wagonparts.jpg

I was told the motor was fresh but i am going to go threw it any way, its a 4 bolt main 350 came with just about everything. Than its back to the rearend

[reedwesd]

Nice car. I have a 64 that I have been working on for awhile and have done A LOT of research on parts for it so if you have any questions feel free to PM I will help any way I can. Here are some pictures if you are interested.
http://www.hubgarage.com/mygarage/vehicles/36481

As far as the rear end this maybe somewhere to start.

Moser has a 9” that fits directly in a 63.
http://www.moserengineering.com/Page...ous-ford9.html


Here is a set of brackets that will work on a 9” housing and is made to work on your car.
http://www.currieenterprises.com/CES...E.aspx?id=2496

[jmastersinc]

Thanks for the links, except the hubgarage one didn't work. I might lookinto the kit from currie or maybe just try to wing it. I am trying to find some stock controll arms to start with as a template for my tube controll arms but havn't had any luck as of yet.

[jmastersinc]

here is the 9 inch i am going to starts hacking away on it today to get it bracket free

[reedwesd]

Sorry try this one.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3336991

Are you going to make your own front and rear control arms?

[jmastersinc]

Frount and rear? i plan on making the ones for the rear i was thinking a bout 2 inch DOM not sure on wall yet. Also gonna need some ends, any recomendations?
here is the 9 inch striped

[reedwesd]

I you are just looking for ends here is a place that was recommended to me.

http://www.summitmachine.com/index.php?p=customParts

I think that for the money and aggravation it is hard to build the banana bar and the pan hard bar for what you can buy one for. I bought my pan hard bar from CPP for $49 off ebay and my tubular banana bar for $69 off ebay and they are both really nice quality. As far as the lower control arms I thought about making some but am still not sure yet. I am running bags and I may just end up buying the ones from air ride. Here is the links to the PH bar and banana bar that I got.

http://www.classicperform.com/Store/...rs/5964ATB.htm

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/58-64...=p4506.c0.m245

[jmastersinc]

I think i will build the bottom controll arms since that will be easy except for the spring bucket, wich i am hoping to find some stock controll arms to use as a template but havn't had any luck as of yet. The pan hard bar is intact so i might just put new bushings in it and leave it.

[Captainfab]

I believe that originally that car had the springs mounted on a bracket welded to the axle tube. You might be able to find a pre-made coil bracket/bucket from either of these guys that would work.

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com

You might also check with Art Morrison too, they might have one as well. Plus they aren't that far from you.

http://www.artmorrison.com

Originally Posted by jmastersinc

I think i will build the bottom controll arms since that will be easy except for the spring bucket, wich i am hoping to find some stock controll arms to use as a template but havn't had any luck as of yet. The pan hard bar is intact so i might just put new bushings in it and leave it.

[jmastersinc]

Thanks i am trying to get some messurments off a stock controll arm to start with or have one on hand as a template because the spring bucket is on the controll arm it makes the messurments more critical

[jmastersinc]

Motor is all ready to drop in, once i get the rear done,



Didn't want anything fanch, just a plain jane 350 4 bolt, bored .30 over, mild RV cam, 164 heads mild port (202's are a comin'), RPM intake mild port, 600 CFM Edlbrock carb, hooker headers, HEI,

[jmastersinc]

getting ready to start on the trailing arms and mounts, where is the cheepest place to get polly bushings and sleves, i bought some a while back for like 8 bucks a set but can't rember where.

[madmonk]

lower front control arm bushings from a xj cherokee are $7-8 at advance or vato-zone.

[Chairmnofthboard]

Is that 9" from a Lincoln Versailles?

[jmastersinc]

I am pretty sure it is