1963 W200 Crew Cab Project

[NevadaCrew]

I figured I would introduce myself. I have been lurking here for awhile gathering knowledge as we patiently waited to start our project. This is my wife's truck, it was acquired by my father in law in the early 80's from a wrecking yard. He fixed it up a bit and it became the family truckster. She remembers going from Northern nevada to Disneyland in California in it. It did not have a back seat at the time so the kids rode in lawn chairs for the while road trip. Fast forward a bit. I was a Dodge guy before I met my wife. Once we met I fell in love with her and the truck. The truck was parked when we first met 16 years ago, I struck a deal with my father in law 10ish years ago to aquire the truck. We are finally in a place to spend some cash on it and we are getting it going for my wife to haul our kids in it (has a back seat now). I got it running and driving now. Plans are to clean her up a bit. I want to do the interior up nice and leave the outside alone for now. We want to use it and enjoy it with our kids and some day break it down and paint and fully restore it. For now, have some fun. Here is a pic of the old girl.

[NevadaCrew]

Struggling with pictures, bear with me.

[Wildergarten]

Nice truck! And welcome!!
Can't make out the winch very well. Need'm close-up!

[Red383]

Cool truck, nice to know the history on it too.

[nutz]

yea sweet ride
the lawn chairs ...maybe need another set
make sure if something goes wrong ...it will be easier to find a new wife
then again she might be thinking ..i can a new guy anywhere ...will never find another 63 crew swept

[NevadaCrew]

No winch yet, would like to find a reasonably priced Warn 8274. That might be asking to much though. Can't find one on the used market I can afford around here.

I agree, it would be near impossible to replace the truck. Luckily I feel the same way about my wife. We have 16 years together so far. Fingers crossed I don't have to worry about loosing her or the truck. The title is in my name though .

[NevadaCrew]

I am trying to like to some pictures of the interior I have been working on. I'm not a forum dude so bear with me. I created a Flickr account, not sure if this link thing will work. Let me know if this works, or what I need to do to make it work.

[NevadaCrew]

20240611_191400 by Todd Rash, on Flickr

20240611_191410 by Todd Rash, on Flickr

[NevadaCrew]

fab9dc0f-29f8-42ca-8467-ffe27e5de4ed by Todd Rash, on Flickr

df66930b-913c-4c9a-a55f-1f56d7309937 by Todd Rash, on Flickr

[NevadaCrew]

20240614_175148 by Todd Rash, on Flickr

[NevadaCrew]

20240618_070113 by Todd Rash, on Flickr

[NevadaCrew]

I have been working on the interior for the past few months, trying to get it ready for my Wife to drive the kids around this summer while on summer break, just got it done the other day and wanted to share some pictures. She picked the colors and fabric, wanted it to look like a expedition truck or a cabin type feel since we go to the Sierra's quite a bit for camping. I think it turned out pretty cool. I like the shift boots I got made, was always worried on how I would trim out the twin sticks but this solution worked out pretty slick. Also got some new tires on it, some 255/85 R16 Falken Wildpeaks, and picked up the old Ramsey Winch the other day for the front so I can finally fill up the winch bumper. I am taking it to the exhaust shop this week for dual exhaust and then I am taking some time off from working on it and just going to try and have fun cruising around with momma and the kids. It is far from perfect but it runs, it's safe, pretty reliable, and I think just plain cool.

[BigBlockTrucks]

20240618_070113 by Todd Rash, on Flickr

Did someone bend the twin sticks like that, or is it original that way in that year?
Both of my trucks have sticks that are straight.

[NevadaCrew]

Not sure how they are supposed to be to be honest. There is nothing indicating that they have been bent to me, but with a truck that has been on the road for so long who knows what someone may have done throughout the years. Either way, they work fine, go into gear well. I am sure someone on here knows weather or not they ever came like this or not.

[Wildergarten]

Re photo:

Would love some detail on that t-case shifter boot. Where'd you get it?

[NevadaCrew]

Stronghold shift boots

https://www.strongholdshiftboots.com/

He does not have them on his website but can make them if you give him a call. Basically two flaps of a silicone sheet that overlap and seal it up decently, with a black steel floor bezel. He made my 4 speed boot too, and I have a silicone boot under the leather to really seal up the floor penetration.

[Wildergarten]

Stronghold shift boots

I've exchanged emails with him and was planning to go with him when I get there. They do look good!

[sledgehammer]

Looks cool. Fresh seats and carpet really change the look

[NevadaCrew]

Thanks! Still got more cleaning up to do but it is alot fresher and comfortable now. I have color matched paint to the green vinyl, I am going to paint the door panels to match the vinyl seats. I have all the weather stripping and window seals to finish up too. The carpet is an ACC standard cab kit, they did not offer crew cab stuff. They finished the back of the standard cab kit with a sewn binding so I ordered bulk carpet and layer it on the rear floor and let the front carpet overlap. The binding came out right at the back seat so it actually worked out pretty well, and I got left over carpet so my upholstery guy can make some custom floor mats. Still gotta figure out headliner and the flip down windshield sun shades but we will get there when we get there.

[NevadaCrew]

Stronghold shift boots

I've exchanged emails with him and was planning to go with him when I get there. They do look good!

I highly recommended him. I think it is a side business and he works out of his garage or small shop. Very easy to deal with and had the best solution I had found for our transfer case shift boots.