| Any small block V8 (262, 265, 267, 283, 302, 305, 307, 327, 350 or 400 cubic inch) made from 1955 through 1986 is a complete bolt in to replace the 283 in your '63. All the original accessories - ie intake and exhaust manifold, water pump, pulleys, distributor, starter, flywheel and belhousing will fit right on all the other small blocks. The only exceptions may be 1955 through '57' 265 and 283 small blocks as they used a front motor mount and did not have provisions for the later side mounts, but your not likely to run into one of these early blocks, or want to swap one into your truck anyway. Even post '86 smallblocks are a bolt in, into your truck. The main difference here is on these throttle body or tuned port fuel injection engines, GM changed the angle of the center intake manifold bolts slightly. You can either grind and notch bolt holes on any of the '86 or earlier carbureated intakes to fit, swap on a set of '86 or earlier cylinder heads, or convert your truck to fuel injection. Converting to efi is do-able, but complicated and not cheap. About your 3 speed transmission. The original '63 283 bellhousing clutch and flywheel will bolt to any Chevy small block V8. The early 3 speed was marginal, strengthwise even back in '63 on stock 283's. It's not really desirable, but it will live if you don't abuse it.
A better choice would be the later h.d full synchro three speed from a '66 or up V8 passenger car or truck, or if you can afford it, a '64 through '71 Muncie or '73 or up Borg-Warner T-10 or Super T-10
4 speed. Avoid the Saginaw 4 speed like the plague. It's no stronger than your original 3 speed. Any of these transmissions will bolt right up to your original bell - just make sure you use a clutch disk that matches the input splines on the tranny you're going to use and check the pilot hole size on the bell. Two different sizes were used on some of the older trucks - I can't remember off hand, but some of the early trucks (h.d 4 speed??) may have used a larger hole, depending on what model of tranny was used. Just make sure the front collar of whatever tranny you use is a snug fit in the pilot hole in the bellhousing. If not, swap the bell for one with the smaller hole. You may have to adapt or fabricate a new rear crossmbember and mount to support the back of the tranny and have a new front driveshaft section made up as well , but this is no big deal. Of course you could also put in an automatic too. If you can find one, some '63 Chevy trucks came with the two speed aluminum Powerglide. If you get the crossmember, mounts and driveshaft from one of these, any 62 or newer Chevy car or truck Powerglide will bolt in. (Don't use the '61 or older cast iron Powerglide. It will bolt to the engine, but it's a different animal. The mounts are different, it's heavy, clunky and parts for it are hard to find.) Also, the later 3 speed 350 Turbo automatic has the same dimensions as the Powerglide and it will fit right in, using the aluminum Powerglide's crossmember, mounts and driveshaft. mart
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