Differences Between ’62 and ’63 Jetfires
May 8, 2011
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Following is an extensive table showing the unique attributes of the 1962 and 1963 Jetfires.
body | ||||||||||
2 door, true pillar-less hardtop | ||||||||||
side window sills, stainless steel | ||||||||||
windshield “glue/caulk in style”, no rubber gasket (1-1962 Jetfire reported with gasket style) | ||||||||||
’62 | larger “F-85″ emblem in grill center, 11 & 1/2” wide | |||||||||
’62 | dual chrome wind drifts (spears) down hood | |||||||||
’62 | Jetfire script with red, orange, yellow & white bulls-eye, lower front fenders | |||||||||
’62 | Jetfire script on top trunk surface, lower right side (no bulls-eye) | |||||||||
’62 | dual, full body length side trim, SS, with fine line brushed aluminum inserts | |||||||||
’62 | underside hood support, 5/8″ round tube on left side | |||||||||
’63 | dual, full body length side trim, SS, with coarse line brushed aluminum inserts | |||||||||
’63 | Jetfire script with red, orange, yellow & white bulls-eye, in-between dual side moldings, rear fenders | |||||||||
’63 | Jetfire script on front lip of hood, left side (no bulls eye) | |||||||||
interior | ||||||||||
turbo gauge in middle front floor console | ||||||||||
’62 | Jetfire script on square gray metal plate-emblem mounted on dash above glove box | |||||||||
’63 | small Jetfire script with red, orange, yellow & white bulls-eye, mounted on dash above speaker | |||||||||
’63 | red, orange, yellow & white bulls-eye emblem (no script) on door cards above arm rest | |||||||||
engine | ||||||||||
turbocharged, all aluminum V-8, 215 cid, 10.25:1 compression, 215 H.P. | ||||||||||
engine block numbers (to be covered in an article later) | ||||||||||
block main bearing cap bolt holes 9/32″ deeper than other F-85 / Cutlass-215’s | ||||||||||
block main bearing cap bolts 9/32″ longer and 12 pointed bolt heads | ||||||||||
heads stamped with “T” suffix in identification number (right head only) | ||||||||||
aluminized valve heads and seats | ||||||||||
main and connecting rod bearings-marine 400 (tougher) | ||||||||||
pistons identification mark-square end “V” notch | ||||||||||
choke heat stove in left exhaust manifold (hydra-matic trans only) | ||||||||||
PVC used to burn engine fumes-left valve cover | ||||||||||
turbocharger | ||||||||||
AiResearch TO-5, 6 to 8 pounds boost at ~90,000 RPM (2-5/16″ turbine / 2-1/2″ compressor) | ||||||||||
(if uncontrolled, this turbocharger could produce 21 pounds boost at 150,000 RPM!) | ||||||||||
’62 | cast iron turbine housing porcelain coated bright red | |||||||||
’62 | center housing and compressor housings painted red to match | |||||||||
’62 | by-pass controller painted red to match | |||||||||
’63 | cast iron turbine and center housings painted silver | |||||||||
’63 | compressor housing, bare aluminum color | |||||||||
’63 | by-pass controller painted gray | |||||||||
fluid injection | ||||||||||
(cool combustion chamber, prevent overheating and pre-detonation) | ||||||||||
(liquid mixture of 50% water+50% methyl alcohol+water soluble lubricant) | ||||||||||
turbo rocket fluid, 5 quart tank, mounted on left wheel housing, under hood | ||||||||||
tank pressure relief cap opens at 6.5 to 7.5 psig (manual reset button on top) AC Delco #RC23 | ||||||||||
inline filter for turbo rocket fluid, AC Delco GF-91 original, GF-61 replacement | ||||||||||
spare, 1 quart bottle of turbo rocket fluid mounted under hood | ||||||||||
boost limit control (3) | ||||||||||
exhaust by-pass valve opens at 6 to 8 pounds boost, reduce turbine RPM’s | ||||||||||
boost limit controller, closes down secondary throttle plate at 6 to 8 pounds boost | ||||||||||
turbo rocket fluid tank pressure cap opens at 6 to 8 pounds boost | ||||||||||
fuel induction | ||||||||||
unique intake manifold to accommodate turbocharger | ||||||||||
single barrel Rochester side draft carburetor, designation “RC” | ||||||||||
unique throttle body between carburetor and compressor housing | ||||||||||
fuel supply | ||||||||||
fuel lines 3/8″, fuel filter in glass jar, AC Delco # GF-149, NAPA # 3039 | ||||||||||
fuel return line to tank from fuel filter housing | ||||||||||
2″ longer fuel filter sock on fuel pick-up pipe in tank (9″) | ||||||||||
fuel tank gauge level sender assembly, two pipe system to accommodate return line | ||||||||||
fuel pump, supply pressure 6 to 8 pounds | ||||||||||
engine cooling | ||||||||||
cross flow, high capacity, 4 core radiator | ||||||||||
special fan clutch on A/C cars, code stamped #2200 | ||||||||||
lubrication system | ||||||||||
lubrication and cooling oil supply line from oil pump to center housing of turbocharger | ||||||||||
turbocharger oil return line from base of center housing to right valve cover | ||||||||||
engine oil input pipe and breather cover in right side valve cover | ||||||||||
’62 | breather cap/cover, gloss black | |||||||||
’63 | breather cap/cover, gloss holiday red | |||||||||
both valve covers are unique to Jetfire | ||||||||||
OEM oil pressure ~ 20 psig, “Jim Noel suggests to increase oil pressure to ~ 40 pisg” | ||||||||||
distributor | ||||||||||
hydra-matic, vacuum advance-metal tube, distributor #1111013 | ||||||||||
4 speed manual transmission, vacuum advance-rubber hose, distributor #1111021 | ||||||||||
exhaust | ||||||||||
“forward flow” right side exhaust manifold (exhaust gas outlet in front, to turbo ) | ||||||||||
single 2″ exhaust pipe, dual outlet muffler, 1 & 1/2″ tail pipes | ||||||||||
angle cut, stainless steel exhaust tips 1 & 1/2″ I.D. | ||||||||||
transmission | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | reverse | |||||
62-’63 | 4 speed (YES, 4 speed) hydra-matic (’61 F-85 is a 3 speed hydra-matic-#561) | |||||||||
’62 | stronger hydra-matic for “high performance” engine, serial # prefix OX-562 | |||||||||
’62 | gear ratio | 3.64:1 | 3.03:1 | 1.58:1 | 1.00:1 | 3.57:1 | ||||
’63 | stronger hydra-matic for “high performance” engine, serial # prefix OX-563 | |||||||||
’63 | gear ratio | 3.51:1 | 2.93:1 | 1.57:1 | 1.00:1 | 2.96:1 | ||||
automatic choke-3 step choke cam | ||||||||||
4 speed manual transmission, Borg-Warner T-10 (intro April ’62) | ||||||||||
gear ratio | 2.54:1 | 1.92:1 | 1.51:1 | 1.00:1 | 2.61:1 | |||||
manual pull cable choke-2 step choke cam | ||||||||||
manual transmission clutch, 10″ disk & high tension, 3 finger pressure plate | ||||||||||
Note: | The 1961 F-85 hydra-matic was a 3 speed. All ’62 and ’63 were 4 speed hydra-matics. There has been some discussion on the website regarding number of shifts and reference to 3 speed hydro-matic in all ’61 to ’63’s. The ’61 could have be installed into ’62 and ’63 cars by some repair/exchange shops. Note the prefix code on the transmission ID plate to be sure just what you have in your own cars. | |||||||||
drive line | ||||||||||
two piece, over lapping, rubber sleeved, rear drive shaft section | ||||||||||
differential 3.36:1 gear ratio | ||||||||||
tune-up | ||||||||||
spark plugs AC Delco 45 FF, gap 0.030 | ||||||||||
ignition timing set to 10o BDTC at 850 RPM, vacuum line off and plugged | ||||||||||
wiring harness | ||||||||||
’62 | generator wiring harness | |||||||||
’63 | alternator wiring harness (charging system, all F-85’s switch to alternator for ’63) | |||||||||
no (1.80 ohms) resistance “built into” wire in harness from ignition switch #2 to coil | ||||||||||
external resistor mounted on coil bracket stud (0.5 ohms, between ignition #2 wire and coil) | ||||||||||
high output coil-code stamped #170 | ||||||||||
purple wire in left wire bundle to turbo fluid tank, fluid level sender | ||||||||||
wheels, tires & covers | A/C | wheel | tire | cover | ||||||
’62 | standard | ? | 13″ | 6.50×13″ | full | |||||
’62 | optional | ? | 13″ | 7.00×13″ | full | |||||
’62 | optional | ? | 15″ | 6.00×15″ | dish & ring | |||||
’63 | standard | no | 13″ | 6.50×13″ | full | |||||
’63 | optional | no | 14″ | 6.50×14″ | full | |||||
’63 | optional | (rare opt) | no | 15″ | 6.00×15″ | dish & ring | ||||
’63 | standard | yes | 14″ | 6.50×14″ | full |
One Reply to “Differences Between ’62 and ’63 Jetfires”
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Jim,
Could you tell me if the stainless steel full body length side trim, and the fine line brushed aluminum insert trim on a Jetfire can be straightened and polished. I figured your the guy to ask since your “jetfire” convertible looks great. I am looking at purchasing a set and in the event there are kinks and bends, I wanted to be sure they can be straightened and polished.
Thanks.
Charles