1965 Bevedere II project!

I had posted in the welcome wagon threads that I was looking to get a '65 Belvedere II hardtop and possibly a '65 Belvedere I sedan. Well I picked up the hardtop yesterday. It took more than 2 hours of hunting up wheels w/tires and lugnuts and figuring out how to get it out of the barn before it was on the trailer. It has been sitting undriven for over 24 years.
It's going to need a lot of work, but I think it's definitely worth it. It has the original 273 and auto tranny in it. Body wise it has a few dents and dings and a couple of rusted out spots but nothing to major. I may need to put a trunk pan in it, but I may be able to save it.
First things first is getting some tires and wheels. As I said, we scrounged all over the barn to come up with tires and wheels (whether they held air or not) and lug nuts. Only one still held air after the 1 1/2 hour trip home. A neighbor of mine who has a 70 Cuda and has owned numerous Mopars gave me three 14" rally wheels (two with like new tires) to put on it to help get it off the flats on 3 corners. Only one has the 5 x 4.5 pattern. The other two are 5 x 4. He said keep em' and use for trade. Nice guy! So time to look for some steel wheels. I'm thinking 15 x 8.5 rear and 15 x 7 or 6 on front. Any suggestions on where to get them? Hoping to fit 275's on the back. I'd like to get as fat a tire on the back as possible without having to do any modifications. Suggestions?
I'll get pics posted as soon as I get them organized.
Will be asking lots of questions as this is my first Mopar.

Northwest Belvedere

Welcome to the Belvedere world. I'm here in the Northwest also - if you have any questions send me a PM.

65belv said:

Welcome to the Belvedere world. I'm here in the Northwest also - if you have any questions send me a PM.

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65belv, thanks and I'll do that.

Now for pictures from the first day home...with dirt!

Are you in Ohio? What size motor? Car looks good!

Sorry I see it is a 273.

More Pictures

More pics from the day my car came home. First five pics are at the place I got it from. It was located in the lower barn (gray w/red roof). We had to pull it forward out of the barn with a tractor. Once out the far end, we had it pulled backwards way up the driveway to get it at a good downhill slope so we could get it up on the trailer.
Wait til' I tell the story of what was in the blue shop. Holy Moly!



Money shot when it got home!


Original mileage? Doubtful, but it hasn't been tagged since '87. Who knows?

Check for wear on brake pedal pad. Good indicator of mileage on the car. Good find!

Looks like a pretty solid car. Always liked the '65's. Keep us posted with pics. I like seeing the progress on projects.

hey whats in the blue shop?welcome i have 65 hardtop also,mark

The Blue Shop!!!

moparmarkk said:

hey whats in the blue shop?welcome i have 65 hardtop also,mark

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moparmarkk, what we saw in the blue shop would make any grown man drool.

Long story short, the father died a little less than a year ago. One son had died 10 years ago. Mom, two sons and a daughter are letting some of dad's collection go. The stuff in the blue shop is not available.
The first room had two '72 Novas, one with a blown motor and one with the original 327. Also 3 extra motors, one blown. The second room had another 70's Nova with a 427. The guy said this was the scariest car they had. He also had a '70 Cuda drag car with a built 383 and wheelie bars. Bought about 16 years ago. Oh yeah, they had some non-descipt Vette in the corner also.
The third room was the best. First was a restored '60 Pontiac Ventura. What a long boat, but as a Pontiac guy, it was pretty cool. My favorite was a restored '65 Satellite. Black with red velour interior. Another favorite was the straight axle 63 Polara that has a '68 Super Bee motor/trans. The Super Bee was for sale without motor/trans for $6500 and with the motor/trans back out of the Polara for around $13k. Green on green, no stripes. Then there was the orange '68 Super Bee, the '69 Road Runner and the other '70 Cuda.
In the barn where I got my Belvedere was another '65 Belvedere, a 2 door sedan with what they said was a 413 in it. I'm still hoping to pick it up when they decide to let it go. Oops, also a '65 Cutlass 442 with a 455 in it sitting out side for sale, Needs work but a good start.

It was like walking into the greatest garage find ever. They had already sold about 8 other cars over the last couple monthe including a '37 Chevy Coupe (the father had called me about a '38 Coupe I had for sale to use the body for the '37. He told me he had a "bunch" of cars and that I should come look. I wish I had) A '36 Plymouth the son had owned since he was 13, some tri-fives and others.

It was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had with cars and hope to get the chance to deal with them a little more (Belvedere I sedan). They also have a couple older Hemi motors in the back of a truck bed in the barn I'm trying to get ahold of.

Today was a good day. We got the Belvedere to fire up after changing out the plugs, wires, points, condensor, cap and rotor. It runs pretty rough, but after sitting for 24 years I'm pretty happy it runs at all. Also got a ralley wheel from my neighbor on that actually holds air. 1 down 3 to go.

Got tires and wheels.



I found some tires and wheels for the car so I can at least roll it around. E/T IV mags with brand new 245/60/14's from CL (still had stickers on the tires). I figured for $300 I can always sell them later. Also got the worst of the crap out of the trunk and inside. Also titled and new collector plates so once I have brakes, I'm rollin' :headbang:

love 65 Belvederes

Pretty sweet barn find, what yeah going to do with the Belvedere?

That looks like a great car, nice to have a good neighbor to lend a hand, how many guys have one thats a Mopar guy! Good luck with it...

Just curious is that a 63 Chevy II the blue one there in front?

asaya said:

Pretty sweet barn find, what yeah going to do with the Belvedere?

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I'm not really sure yet. I want to put a 440 in it and I plan to keep the gold/white color combo. I'm not sure about the interior. It has the most expensive combo to replace so I might go to black or go to a two tone. I want to go with 8.5 rear cop wheels and put the biggest tires I can without changing it. Other than that, we'll see.

Ron 73 That looks like a great car, nice to have a good neighbor to lend a hand, how many guys have one thats a Mopar guy! Good luck with it...

Just curious is that a 63 Chevy II the blue one there in front?

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Yeah, the blue Nova is my sons original SS project. It's in about the same shape as my Belvedere. You can also see his (my money) 63 Nova drag car and my 56 Chevy 2 dr. post project under the covers. I hope to sell the 56 soon to help pay for part for the Belvedere.

Nice score!!!!!
Petty Blue 67 gTx

Ltlgto said:

I'm not really sure yet. I want to put a 440 in it and I plan to keep the gold/white color combo. I'm not sure about the interior. It has the most expensive combo to replace so I might go to black or go to a two tone. I want to go with 8.5 rear cop wheels and put the biggest tires I can without changing it. Other than that, we'll see.



Yeah, the blue Nova is my sons original SS project. It's in about the same shape as my Belvedere. You can also see his (my money) 63 Nova drag car and my 56 Chevy 2 dr. post project under the covers. I hope to sell the 56 soon to help pay for part for the Belvedere.

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Thanks, I once had one of the 63 Chevy II a life time ago. Good luck with selling the 56, that should help with the Belvedere!

A little progress!

So I've made a little headway with my '65. Put new battery cables in it, got a new battery, new air cleaner, new belts, new hoses, removed the rear bumper, wire wheeled the rust out of my trunk and applied a converter/sealer to it. I got my gas tank out and am getting ready to send it out to get cleaned. I'm going to have to find a new filler neck grommet though because it got damaged in the removal. 24 year old gas was pretty nasty. Thankfully there was less than a gallon in the tank.

I've also found a running 440 out of a '71 Chrysler New Yorker. Hopeing it's a TNT. No tranny so I will have to find a 727 for it. The guy I'm getting it from also suggested a 518 OD trans. I looked on Schumachers for the swap mounts and they talk about the 318 swap, but I assume it's the same as the 273 swap. Any suggestions, hints or known problems to look for to do the swap would be appreciated. (throttle cable, kickdown, trans linkage, wiring, radiator?)

You will need a 65 Big Block trans and kickdown linkage!It it a cable shift trans.if you go with a later style have to put a manual shifter in.You might be able to put a 66-67 column with auto. you'll also need the b/b motor mounts & brackets.You can use a /6 throttle cable or get the b/b cable.That will pretty much cover the swap! Good luck with the 65.