based on early '60's Mopar Logo

Works in Progress

1963 Plymouth Belvedere

Jessica writes:

Hey! :)

I am the proud owner of a 1963 4 dr Plymouth Belvedere.

1963 Plymouth Belvedere


I bought the car a year ago for $150 from a wrecking yard. She's all there! Originally a 225 \6 car, her engine bay sits empty...waiting for a new engine to give her life. Her original engine, sadly, blew a rod. I found bits and pieces of stripped bolts and crushed bearings in the oil pan. It looked as though the oil hadn't been changed since 1970! The oil was really syrupy-thick, and had grounded black chunks of metal and dirt. Upgrading to a V8 is definitely in mind.

The wrecking yard holding the car had originally picked it up off the side of the road near my house. Apparently the engine had blown while trying to climb a hill. While sitting along side the road, some vandals thought they'd be clever and threw a few rocks through the back window. The car had sat for a while..missing its window..allowing rain and moisture to collect below the rubber seal. When i had taken the seal out to examine the damage, i was in dismay. The entire window ledge/casing/ needs to be cut out and re-welded. the trunk has a large spot of surface rust that needs tending to.

1963 Plymouth Belvedere - floorpan 1963 Plymouth Belvedere


Currently I'm in Arlington, Texas... I had to undergo a few changes for a year, which has put my restoration project for the Belvedere on hold. Currently i'm restoring a 57 DeSoto Firesweep while here in Texas. I plan on bringing that on up with me when I return to Pennsylvania in the summer. They'll be roommates undergoing some heavy cosmetic surgery ;)

Thank you for your time. I just wanted to show you a few pictures of my car, and tell you a little bit about her. It has been lots of fun working on her, and I can't wait to return home to begin again! Future plans are unknown right now. There are really only a few minor things to replace for the interior and exterior. I managed to find a horn-ring that WASN'T BROKEN! Bought it at Spring Carlisle in April (before I left for texas) for $14! (it pays to be a girl ..hehe). I've also found the rear glass for my car. $60, and they pulled it for me. It just needs installation after I replace the rusted out ledge. Now I only need to have the front seat redone (the rear is perfect), and find a neutral button! (the one on my '63 is missing).



Fantastic, Jessica!

The only Mopars I like nearly as much as the '62 to '65's are those Mopars with fins. Gotta love 'em!

Good luck with both restorations, the '57 and the '63!

"How to decide which to drive?" will emerge as one of the better decisions to make in life, I am certain! :-)

Oh, and don't give up on the \6. Great motor and with horsepower potential; for example, a \6 powered '76 Dart even won the 2001 Mopar Collector's Guide Point Series Championship in Sportsman class, (beating a lot of Hemis) by running routine 14 second runs down the quarter. :)

Gary H.


December 15, 2001

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