# 1963 Impala SS powerglide to



## littlerascle59

Gotta 1963 Impala SS with the factory powerglide. As you may know of the unique shifter for the 63 Imp SS, how can I swap out my powerglide to a a 200 4r,700r4, or 350 tranny while keeping my o.g. shifter?


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## 64_EC_STYLE

A lot of companies sell the overdrive coversions kits like Hub¡a®ds and CLassic industries

They even have the shift indicator for your console


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## budgetblueoval

copy


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## rickyracer1962

i think lokar makes a conversion for this, basically uses a cable type linkage with the stock shifter. i would use the 200, a little more work since the crossmember ends up further back, but its worth it for the gear ratios. the ratios are way better than the 700


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## littlerascle59

I see the conversion kit for the column shift and the 64 SS but not the 6Tre SS. The 63 SS floor shifter is alot different from the 64SS. The conversion kit for the 64 SS will not work for the 63 SS if I wanna keep my 63 SS shifter.


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## littlerascle59

Somebody,anybody :dunno:


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## fatruss

i dunno i have always had good luck with the 350's i never cared for th 700's


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## 64_EC_STYLE

I'm pretty sure lokar has a cable kit that will work. You might have to cut it to length and some fab, but it can be done.


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## ENCINAS

swaped out the powerglide with a 350 never will go back just my taste with the power glide felt like my cruiser was a race car real head jerker but fast









summit has the con/ kit


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## slam-low63

i hear you , my powerglide is tired , but i dont wont to get rid of orginal shifter , someone out there knows,


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## littlerascle59

Finally someone knows what I mean about my 63 SS shifter


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## Ese Caqui

I went from a powerglide to a 350 on my 66 SS and kept my OG shifter. All I had to do is change the linkage but that is it. Driveshaft, mounts everything was a direct swap!


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## littlerascle59

> _Originally posted by Ese Caqui_@Jul 9 2009, 04:09 AM~14419116
> *I went from a powerglide to a 350 on my 66 SS and kept my OG shifter.  All I had to do is change the linkage but that is it.  Driveshaft, mounts everything was a direct swap!
> *


Like I said, have you seen a 63 SS Impala shifter for the powerglide? :uh: It is waaaaay different from the others. The 64 SS shifter is a easy conversion. I can do that in my sleep. Don't know about the 66 SS but the 64 SS with powerglide, your shifter is mounted to the floor, then the linkage comes from the shifter to the side of the powerglide. BUT the 63 SS with powerglide shifter is mounted to tranny itself(not to the floor like most floor shifters), its(the shifter) almost like having a 63 SS or 64 SS with a factory 4 speed shifter but its an automatic.


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## Ese Caqui

> _Originally posted by littlerascle59_@Jul 9 2009, 08:33 PM~14429347
> *Like I said, have you seen a 63 SS Impala shifter for the powerglide? :uh:  It is waaaaay different from the others. The 64 SS shifter is a easy conversion. I can do that in my sleep. Don't know about the 66 SS but the 64 SS with powerglide, your shifter is mounted to the floor, then the linkage comes from the shifter to the side of the powerglide. BUT the 63 SS with powerglide shifter is mounted to tranny itself(not to the floor like most floor shifters), its(the shifter) almost like having a 63 SS or 64 SS with a factory 4 speed shifter but its an automatic.
> *


Aw shit, my bad G


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## littlerascle59

1963 Impala SS powerglide to a more modern tranny conversion
:biggrin: Finally found it.


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## littlerascle59

1963 and earlier Impala
Shifter shown as both an 8 and 12 inch handle with Marble and White Smoothie knob respectively. A GM shifter is shown on the right. 

Powerglide factory Shifter
The early Impala automatic console shifter mounted to the side of the Powerglide transmission. The Powerglide tail housing was specially cast to accommodate the shifter. As a result reusing this shifter under the factory console is a big problem. Even if you can devise and construct the necessary brackets to mount the shifter it will probably end up not in the right spot as the newer transmissions are wider and larger.

The problems are: 1) No place to mount the factory shifter, 2) Console is very low to the floor and most floor mounted shifters do not fit under it. 3) It remains functionally a 2-speed shifter.

SHIFTWORKS new Shifter 
TH350, TH400, TH200-4R, TH700-R4, 4L60, 4L65, 4L80
Our solution at Shiftworks is our new shifter that mounts to the floor of the car. It uses a rod linkage like the factory shifter and can be mounted flush with the floor for clearance under the console. Our recommended version comes complete with all mounting hardware, rod linkage components, neutral safety/back-up light switch, and a white smoothie shift knob. Our shifter is designed to function like and look like a factory shifter. It works with all TH GM transmissions. It has a stainless steel handle and is made in Rochester, New York.








Factory shifter on right


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## slam-low63

> _Originally posted by littlerascle59_@Jul 12 2009, 06:17 PM~14451569
> *1963 and earlier Impala
> Shifter shown as both an 8 and 12 inch handle with Marble and White Smoothie knob respectively. A GM shifter is shown on the right.
> 
> Powerglide factory Shifter
> The early Impala automatic console shifter mounted to the side of the Powerglide transmission. The Powerglide tail housing was specially cast to accommodate the shifter. As a result reusing this shifter under the factory console is a big problem. Even if you can devise and construct the necessary brackets to mount the shifter it will probably end up not in the right spot as the newer transmissions are wider and larger.
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> The problems are: 1) No place to mount the factory shifter, 2) Console is very low to the floor and most floor mounted shifters do not fit under it. 3) It remains functionally a 2-speed shifter.
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> SHIFTWORKS new Shifter
> TH350, TH400, TH200-4R, TH700-R4, 4L60, 4L65, 4L80
> Our solution at Shiftworks is our new shifter that mounts to the floor of the car. It uses a rod linkage like the factory shifter and can be mounted flush with the floor for clearance under the console. Our recommended version comes complete with all mounting hardware, rod linkage components, neutral safety/back-up light switch, and a white smoothie shift knob. Our shifter is designed to function like and look like a factory shifter. It works with all TH GM transmissions. It has a stainless steel handle and is made in Rochester, New York.
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great job looking out for the rest of us :thumbsup:


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## littlerascle59

, will be getting this soon and I will post a how to thread.


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## slo

lokar


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## littlerascle59

Bump for the 63 SS owners, who ain't seen this


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## HOTEL CALIFORNIA

:nicoderm:


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## littlerascle59

Bump for da '63 S.S. owners


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## slo

lokar


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## littlerascle59

> _Originally posted by slo_@Nov 27 2009, 09:48 PM~15801655
> *lokar
> *


They don't sell a conversion kit for the *'63 Impala S.S. w/ factory powerglide.* The '63 floor shifter is unique compared to all the other year Impalas.


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## Infamous James

one of our cars had to give it up to get the LS motor/tranny to fit...


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## littlerascle59

> _Originally posted by Infamous James+Dec 12 2009, 09:21 PM~15962971-->
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> Click to expand...
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> Didn't a 4L60 come behind the LS1's? If so, here ya go if ya wanna put a somewhat o.g. shifter and the front part of the console back in.
> <!--QuoteBegin-littlerascle59_@Jul 12 2009, 07:14 PM~14451554
> *1963 Impala SS powerglide to a more modern tranny conversion
> :biggrin:  Finally found it.
> *


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## slo

> _Originally posted by littlerascle59_@Dec 11 2009, 09:15 PM~15954183
> *They don't sell a conversion kit for the '63 Impala S.S. w/ factory powerglide. The '63 floor shifter is unique compared to all the other year Impalas.
> *


ah yes thats for the column shift thati did.


BM shifter?


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## pink63impala

crossmember at hubbards...

http://www.impalaparts.com/Store/Product.p...5864TCM7&CatId=

linkage

http://www.impalaparts.com/Store/Product.p...ductid=5864CSR7


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## slo

why is this toppic pinned?


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## pink63impala

dunno


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## Ragtop Ted

> _Originally posted by Infamous James_@Dec 12 2009, 07:21 PM~15962971
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Nice drop.


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## littlerascle59

> _Originally posted by slo+Dec 16 2009, 06:29 PM~16001861-->
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> Its pinned because its a bitch to find an easy conversion kit for the floor shift '63's because of its unique design while keeping your stock shifter console and appearance without doing any modifications.
> <!--QuoteBegin-Infamous James_@Dec 12 2009, 09:21 PM~15962971
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As you can see, even Infamous James said they had to give up the stock console because of the way its made. Talk to other '63 S.S. owners and maybe they can explain it better than I can. :uh:


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## littlerascle59

> _Originally posted by slo_@Dec 15 2009, 08:57 AM~15986654
> *BM shifter?
> *


The purpose of this topic is to do a modern transmission swap while maintaining a stock appearing shifter and console for the '63 S.S. You will not achieve that with any B&M Shifter that I know of.


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## SW713

i got a homie that did one. i sold him a 63ss with the stock powerglide/shifter setup. he didn't like the p/g (he has a TH350 on his other 63), so he welded up a custom bracket that allowed him to use the stock shifter with the new TH350.

i didn't check out how he did it exactly, i just saw the stock shifter in there after he did the work. i'll ask him and get the details.


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## Ant63ss

you have pics of it installed?


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## littlerascle59

TTT for the 63 SS owners...


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## S.O.B cc

6 cyl 230 with a 2 speed powerglide ... what tranny should i put in ther so on freeway with the 13's on the car it isnt revvin out to do 65 ?


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## Ragtop Ted

> _Originally posted by S.O.B cc_@Mar 24 2011, 10:07 PM~20174726
> *6 cyl 230 with a 2 speed powerglide ... what tranny should i put in ther so on freeway with the 13's on the car it isnt revvin out to do 65 ?
> *


Honestly, I'd leave it like it is. I'd only change the tranny if I was putting in a V8 as well.


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## 63 VERT

> _Originally posted by Rivis~N~Lacs_@Jan 24 2010, 08:56 PM~16398144
> *i got a homie that did one.  i sold him a 63ss with the stock powerglide/shifter setup.  he didn't like the p/g (he has a TH350 on his other 63), so he welded up a custom bracket that allowed him to use the stock shifter with the new TH350.
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> i didn't check out how he did it exactly, i just saw the stock shifter in there after he did the work.  i'll ask him and get the details.
> *


Any pics I need to do mine :biggrin:


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## littlerascle59

> _Originally posted by Ragtop Ted_@Mar 25 2011, 07:11 AM~20176372
> *Honestly, I'd leave it like it is.  I'd only change the tranny if I was putting in a V8 as well.
> *


V6 or V8..., doesn't matter to me I just don't like driving with a powerglide. Only time I'd use one is prolly for racing.


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## Havocg12

nice ....anyway to get them cheaper...


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## krisFATAL

rickyracer1962 said:


> i think lokar makes a conversion for this, basically uses a cable type linkage with the stock shifter. i would use the 200, a little more work since the crossmember ends up further back, but its worth it for the gear ratios. the ratios are way better than the 700


LOKAR sucks. horrible customer service when i purchased mine.. "Oh yea this will work great" shows up, and hits the firewall when you try to shift into gear.. call them back "Well its a universal that we cant promise to work" why not mention it off the bat ??

i went with shiftworks kit.. it was pricey but its bad ass and looks factory. i cut the hole on the floor out into a square so it could fit better and just welded in some filler plates. I need to still find a nice rubber boot to work with it but still looks baddd


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## oldsoul

Pics bro.


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## littlerascle59

TTT


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## SSIX 3

anybody here have pics of the shiftworks 63ss shifter installed?? and about how long does it take to install? my 63ss currently has a B&M quik shift shifter but wanna go back to the factory style,...and i here shiftworks is the best way to go....also can someone tell me the total cost of the kit and does it include the shift cable?


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## sturmgewehr

Hey all I recently traded my 63 vert project for a clean 63 ss,the po had put a LS motor in it and did not have the old powertrain so I kept the 350/th350 combo from the vert but wanted to keep the stock shifter. I was able to build a pretty simple bracket that worked great for me? not sure why it would not be easily built by anyone on this site? it is possible my car is not a true ss and hole in the floor is not exactly as og? not 100% sure, also the owner before him had a pg in the car with a custom crossmember with bracket attached to it and floor might be trimmed a little?? it looks like the hole is a little egg shaped towards drivers side,,,Either way here are some pics .I had to weld a stud to the top because a bolt head would interfere wth tailshaft bolt. (and yeah its kinda rough lol but it works and feels super solid


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