1963 Dodge 330 Light Weight

Works in Progress

Tony writes: This Mopar is a 1963 Dodge 330 Light Weight 426 13:1 Max Wedge Car.

I am working with Rich G., the owner, to restore the 330 to original showroom, not race, condition.

To the right is the 330 project car as I came on the project.

Currently we have removed the front clip off the 330, pulled the motor and had it rebuilt to original specs with original in-the-box NOS Mopar Parts. The parts were still sealed in the boxes with the “Special Mopar Parts” label on them. Rich got these parts when he bought the car!

1963 Dodge 330 Light Weight Car, passenger size

The tan Dodge is a parts car Rich bought from an elderly couple which he found on his way to work one day. (See below.)

Finished on the 330 is the body work and the drive train.

We had the motor dyno out at 458 HP — ALL STOCK! — with room to play.

The Dodge has all the aluminum front end parts down to the aluminum bumper brackets. Everything is in perfect shape. Rich had to have the bumper reworked due to some poor pull strap placement when the original owner raced it.

Rich has owned the car since the early 1980's and has no intention of selling at any time. If anything he said he would donate to a museum down the road.

A 100% original car, the 1963 Dodge 330 was found in southern Illinois and was raced for a few years locally. So the person he bought it from had all the original parts from when it was bought new.

Rich knew that restoring this car would cost a fortune, but he got lucky in that one day he saw a 1963 330 car pull up next to him on the way to work. He followed the car and an older couple came out of the car. He asked them if they wanted to sell it and they said yes to his offer. It is a 1963 330 with a slant 6, but the car was 100%, they were original owners, and in great condition (some rust, but mint interior).

Rich paid $3000 for this car back in the mid 1990's. At current restoration parts pricing he made out already, not including having a great example of an untouched car for reference.

I am having a hard time finding original details on options or how the car looked as if you were going to buy if off the showroom floor. The members of the 1962 to 1965 Mopar Mail List Clubhouse who have been replying to my questions have been a big help getting the project in the right direction.

Any other questions let me know.

I have learned a lot about these Mopars and still need to learn more. Any questions about this project please contact me.

Update February 2006

The start of the engine
detailing has begun.

The project is going well!

Thanks Tony and Rich!

Restoring an original 1963 aluminum front end Mopar. It does not get much better than that!

Gary H.

January 7, 2006; Revised February 21, 2006

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