What car would you buy in 1963?

"JR1" (type35bugatti) 11/02/2015 at 10:40 • Filed to: What Would You Buy When, WWYBW

5

100

Rules: The car had to be sold brand new in 1963.

I am going to throw a curve ball with my pick today. A 63 Falcon Wagon. By no means the best car sold new in 1963 but for some odd reason I have always loved the little things.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:43

3

money is no option correct?

CalzoneGolem > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:47

6

1963 Impala SS

djmt1 > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:47

3

I think I’d make a good bank robber.

Punk_Girl_98 > CalzoneGolem 11/02/2015 at 10:48

1

This!

yitznewton > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:49

3

The answer is always...

I don’t know anything about comparative reliability of cars then. I mean, there’s the Jaguar E-Type, the Alfa Spider...

JR1 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 11/02/2015 at 10:49

2

Correct

JR1 > CalzoneGolem 11/02/2015 at 10:49

1

I thought about picking one of these. Good choice

DoYouEvenShift > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:50

4

JR1 > djmt1 11/02/2015 at 10:50

0

These are beautiful cars. Did they use the same engine as an XKE?

CalzoneGolem > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:51

0

IMO the best looking generation of Impala

davedave1111 > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:51

2

Lehto-bait:

WiscoProud > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:52

0

I rebuilt one a '63 with a friend back in the late 90s when we were both in autobody school. He wanted a lowrider, which isn't my cup of tea, but it turned out pretty nice.

JR1 > yitznewton 11/02/2015 at 10:52

0

I didn’t know they made the Elan in 63? Very interesting

JR1 > DoYouEvenShift 11/02/2015 at 10:52

1

Oh Lord. These are so beautiful

djmt1 > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:53

1

I don’t think they did.

JR1 > CalzoneGolem 11/02/2015 at 10:53

1

I like the bat wing Impala personally but this generation had more attitude

JR1 > WiscoProud 11/02/2015 at 10:54

0

I like the look of some lowriders but I would never personally buy one

CalzoneGolem > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:54

1

Doesn’t surprise me at all.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:56

4

Side curtain MK2 Austin Healey Sprite for sure. Fuck yo side windows, fuck yo door handles fuck yo radio and fuck yo couch. All I want is minimalist driving bliss.

LongbowMkII > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:56

0

no doubts:

Birddog > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:56

5

Super Stock Polara.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:58

2

Not sure. So far my picks for these are based on “what I could likely afford as an engineering type back then”. The Franklin, the DeSoto, another DeSoto, all solidly in the mid to upper middle-class price bracket. A ‘63 Bird might be stretching it, but not badly. A Corvair Monza would be tempting, but I think I’d have ultimately been scared off. Air-cooled wasn’t wacky for the Franklin in its time (in fact, it sounded really good), but by ‘63, the frame of reference was a Bug..

Hoccy > JR1 11/02/2015 at 10:58

1

Easy.

JR1 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/02/2015 at 10:59

0

So so small yet so awesome

jariten1781 > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:00

0

300J...just the intake runners are enough to sell it for me, plus I'm in the minority that likes the more restrained styling of the later letter series. Double plus, they only made approximately 0 of them so you'd never see another.

JR1 > LongbowMkII 11/02/2015 at 11:00

1

Not a split window?

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:00

1

Mine would be a toss up between a 63 Ford Galaxie 500 because NASCAR

Or a 63 Ford F100

Snuze: Needs another Swede > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:00

1

Olds F85 coupe with the turbocharged 215 V8 and a 4 speed.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:01

0

Deluxe, according to the fender decorations and hubcaps. This, in a two-door wagon (scarce these days) is among the rarer and more coveted Falcons.

LongbowMkII > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:01

1

I like the C2 convertible more than either coupe.

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/02/2015 at 11:01

0

Great pick. One of the more under appreciated eras of the Thunderbird. I have always loved these

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > DoYouEvenShift 11/02/2015 at 11:01

0

Wasn’t 63 the only year for the split window?

JR1 > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 11/02/2015 at 11:03

1

I was heavily considering a 63 Galaxie 500. They kicked ass

JR1 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 11/02/2015 at 11:03

0

Turbo? How do I not know about this?

WiscoProud > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:03

1

Same here. It was full on late-90s lowrider too. Heavy flaked paint, small Dayton wire wheels, white top, orange body, etc. One of the other guys rebuilt a late-60s El Camino and another did an old Chevy flat bed, which both turned out really nice.

JR1 > jariten1781 11/02/2015 at 11:04

0

You get the unique pick for the day. I have never cared for the styling of the 63

JR1 > Hoccy 11/02/2015 at 11:04

0

My wagon is cooler!

LongbowMkII > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:04

2

Fine, one doubt:

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:05

1

A/C, power steering, 390V8, Swing-Away steering wheel, available Tri-Power triple-two barrel carbs and high compression heads...

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/02/2015 at 11:05

0

I would be fine with a four door as well but naturally the two door looks cleaner.

Jack Does Cars > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:05

8

Class.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:05

0

My uncle had one back in the late 60s that he use to race at tracks in northern illinois/northwestern Indiana. They are sweet rides. The hood is my favorite design aspect of it

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:05

1

This.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Snuze: Needs another Swede 11/02/2015 at 11:06

0

Turbo in 1963? That’s awesome lol

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:08

1

Plus, borrowing from the Hupmobile slogan of “doors made for a man, not an eel”, the four-door front doors are smaller, more cramped, and worse for visibility. The four door B-pillar is like 8” further forward. The Aussie wagons and pickups all use the short front doors, but fortunately the US Rancheros and two-door wagons didn’t. It makes for a big rust-gathering spot over the not-a-door-sill behind the door, but it’s mostly a good thing.

Toyota Sucks Lots Of Sausages > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:08

4

Because racecar

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:10

2

Yeah, I’m not right in the head.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:10

3

Uh Ferrari GTO no question.

jjhats > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:12

14

this sex bullet:

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > CalzoneGolem 11/02/2015 at 11:13

0

It *is* the best looking Impala, as we’ve discussed.

jjhats > DoYouEvenShift 11/02/2015 at 11:14

1

this is how you design a car. not a single line is out of place or redundant

CalzoneGolem > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/02/2015 at 11:14

0

Exactly.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:15

1

Easy! Lincoln Continental

JR1 > LongbowMkII 11/02/2015 at 11:15

0

The Italians definitely know how to style their cars

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:15

1

It’s a turbo version of the same aluminum 215 that Buick introduced, and that became the Rover V8. The Olds Turbo Jetfire. Very cool when running, but prone to issues - overheating/radiator clogs, turbo failure, the need to keep a turbo additive tank topped up (water/methanol/oil mix), and the fact that sometimes the additive tank hydro-locked the engine.

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/02/2015 at 11:16

0

I know. More of a personal luxury car than a grand tourer though. It is too bad they didn’t make the suspension a bit sportier

JR1 > Jack Does Cars 11/02/2015 at 11:17

0

I can’t believe it took so long for someone to pick the Continental

JR1 > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 11/02/2015 at 11:17

0

Drag strips or like road courses?

JR1 > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 11/02/2015 at 11:18

0

Care to explain why?

JR1 > Toyota Sucks Lots Of Sausages 11/02/2015 at 11:19

1

Maybe Porsches most beautiful car

JR1 > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 11/02/2015 at 11:20

0

Perfect choice!

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:20

1

600 Grosser. But there’s 300SL too. 1963 was a beautiful year other than the fact it was the year Kennedy was assassinated.

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/02/2015 at 11:21

0

I am not surprised there were issues. This (or was it the Corsair?) was the first application of a turbo in a car ever. I wonder what the reasoning was for? Better gar or better performance?

DoYouEvenShift > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 11/02/2015 at 11:22

0

I think so. Im not an expert on classics, but I think youre correct.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:24

1

Circle tracks and drag strips

MultiplaOrgasms > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:24

1

It is a 3.8 XK of some description.

shop-teacher > Jack Does Cars 11/02/2015 at 11:24

0

Winner!

TheHondaBro > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:24

2

Honda S500, because it’s a four-wheeled motorcycle, and it has some of the Soichiro magic built-in.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:26

0

Speaking of sporty suspension, I suspect the Capri will surprise when driving. The front suspension is so much stiffer than the rear, that a flat on front right while on the trailer had the whole thing tilting strongly right... even with the opposite rear flat. So, the rear will be a bump-squasher, but with all the weight up front on a hard setup (so hard to get the wheels on the trailer at first), I think it’ll bend corners better than expected. They advertised that it could, actually, but then again they advertised “Dramatically simple lines”.

Anyway, I need to take it autocrossing at least once, for the lulz.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:28

1

I love Opels. This may have been the Camry of its time but I just love the American influenced of Opels and European Fords of the 60s.

MultiplaOrgasms > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:30

0

Benz life, specifically the 300SL engined life.

Laurence > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:35

6

1963 was the first year for the Mini Cooper S, so one of them.

Jack Does Cars > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:36

1

I honestly don’t know.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:38

2

The Olds and the Corvair introduced the turbo at the same time. As to why, I think GM were drawing on their experience with turbos on Allison V12s and others from WWII and basically went mad with power. 250+ HP in a car with good balance... sign me up! It’s worth remembering that the Corvair was supposed to be the leading edge tech car, and Olds was one of GM’s Power to the People (to coin a phrase) performance leaders - the ‘50 Rocket V8 is considered by some the first muscle car.

JR1 > TheHondaBro 11/02/2015 at 11:44

0

That engine sounds so amazing

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/02/2015 at 11:52

1

First you have to get the thing running. Who knows how long that will take.

Part one of a test done by Chrysler in 1958 bias is very obvious

More Chrysler propaganda.

But it is still fun to see the Lincoln driving around in the videos. As for the suspension I remember reading once that the original development of the unibody was so bad the car broke when testing. So they stiffened everything including the suspension.

JR1 > MultiplaOrgasms 11/02/2015 at 11:53

0

I love how even the Germans did tail fins

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JR1 11/02/2015 at 11:57

1

A Mercedes 600.

Coincidentally I’m currently sitting next to a kid who DDs a 62 Falcon sedan.

MultiplaOrgasms > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:00

1

Peilkanten.

CaptDale - is secretly British > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:01

1

New that year..

1963 Lamborghini 350GT

or a 1963 Iso Grifo

JR1 > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 11/02/2015 at 12:01

0

Nice pick although a tad ugly IMHO.

As for someone who DDs a classic car that is very brave

JR1 > CaptDale - is secretly British 11/02/2015 at 12:03

1

Both are amazing choices

crowmolly > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 11/02/2015 at 12:06

1

Yes.

Berang > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:08

1

camaroboy68ss > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:09

2

“A 4 speed, dual quad, posi traction 409!” So either 63 impala, Biscayne or bel air. The Z11 Impala would be nice with its aluminum nose

Hoccy > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:10

2

They never sold 2-door Amazon wagons.. Could make something like this though:

Cé hé sin > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 11/02/2015 at 12:13

0

With hindsight, no.

Ed, for the old good times > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:13

0

Yes, you could have a brand new MkIII in 63.

Lucas electrics included.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Toyota Sucks Lots Of Sausages 11/02/2015 at 12:13

0

Please GIB!

CaptDale - is secretly British > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/02/2015 at 12:14

1

Agree, I have a ‘69

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > CaptDale - is secretly British 11/02/2015 at 12:15

1

Need pics! I love these things.

JR1 > Ed, for the old good times 11/02/2015 at 12:15

0

Beautiful

AMC/Renauledge > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:17

0

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:17

0

Second video’s conclusion - 94% of owners of ‘58 Lincolns are actually crazy. MY CAR IS PREETIEST

Third video: people driving Lincolns don’t bother turning the wheel when charging at cardboard hay wagons. Also, you can brake while swerving the Lincoln to make it lose rear traction.

Fourth video “amount of change is what’s most important” - aka the ‘50s are silly, and let’s ignore how different the ‘58 was from the ‘57 in the Lincoln... and from everything else. Also, soooo many cheats against the Lincoln. Width of entry measured at the bottom of the side window. Back of seat thickness discounted because the padding isn’t foam rubber. On and on. Although, it should be noted that Lincoln bozo-ed a lot of things on the Lincoln in ‘60. Weird - probably cost reasons.

Cé hé sin > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:17

3

Has everyone just forgotten the E Type?

Ed, for the old good times > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:18

1

Yes, so handsome, from the almost zero front overhang to the roundish rear end...

CaptDale - is secretly British > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 11/02/2015 at 12:19

0

This is how I bought here 5 years ago. Unfortunately I got carried away with the restoration and she is in pieces in my storage unit until I move to a new place with a garage so I can put her back together. I found her on CL owner had her sitting in his garage for 30 years and his kids didn’t want her and he was asking $1000, but I got her for $500 because I wanted to restore her. God, now I am really sad I didn’t have the time or money to finish her back then... I never got to drive her when I bough Wanda.

CaptDale - is secretly British > CaptDale - is secretly British 11/02/2015 at 12:21

0

Went nuts stripping her

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JR1 11/02/2015 at 12:29

1

I would agree with you, but then both of us would be wrong.

Toyota Sucks Lots Of Sausages > CaptDale - is secretly British 11/02/2015 at 12:32

1

What’s GIB?

It says this in the online dictionary

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

1. a cat, especially a male cat.

2. a castrated cat.