Car enthusiasts are an odd bunch. To the casual observer, this 1963 Corvette race car looks like nothing more than a pile of rusty metal and rodent droppings. However, to an enthusiast, this classic slab of American performance is pure potential.
Recently rediscovered after sitting for 44 years in the California sun, this 1963 Split Window Corvette race car appears to be on track for a new lease on life. In a recent series of YouTube videos, we get a run down on the condition of the vehicle, which, suffice to say, is a bit rough.
In the videos, we see the 1963 Corvette race car sitting amongst the weeds, but digging under the grime, we find something rather enticing. The old-school livery is one indication, with yellow paint and red, white, and blue striping down the sides. The Corvette is running on wide turbine wheels shod in Firestone racing slicks, while a set of side pipes promise a raucous sound track. There’s even a nice little inscription on the rear bumper that reads “Porsches Such Vette Fumes.”
The interior looks pretty gross, with lots of cobwebs and dirt, under which we spot some bucket seats, a four-spoke steering wheel, and aftermarket gauges. Clearly, this thing was used for competition, with a cooling hose aimed at the driver’s seat and extensive roll cage.
According to Motor Trend, this 1963 Corvette race car was discovered in a classifieds ad in a local newspaper. As the story goes, the seller had purchased the car as a stock split-window in 1968, and promptly turned it into a race car, regularly hitting Riverside Raceway on the weekends. Apparently, the Corvette had its last SCCA race in 1978, with the owner retiring the Split Window in favor of a tube-chassis Chevy Camaro.
Despite the fact it had sat for so long, it looks like the Corvette actually got running again. Hopefully, the new owner will give it the restoration it deserves.
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Comments
Those turbine wheels AND side pipes!!😍
Chevy have made an excellent choice back the day by using fiberglass for the body. This car can be restored. Beautyful car.
It’s never too late for a 63 split window!
One of the most sought after vettes. But it’s ironic that according to my late father they only made them one year because drivers at the time hated the split window due to the rear view obstruction. He said some actually modified their 63’s to use the one-piece 64 rear glass.
Yup! I’m an old guy as you will notice with this comment.
We were all Chevy drag racers back then so we were always buying parts from Mustang Chevrolet in San Angelo, Texas. Everybody knew everybody that was a racer in a small town. One of the mechanics there, the brother of my high school buddy, bought a new ’63 split window. When the ’64 Vette hit the showroom floor he bought a ’64 rear window and cut up the “63…….. I was there! It was cool then, but I have nightmares about that now.
Yup, my dad said the same thing!
Hey, Sweet car! I’m one of those dad’s! I ‘m old enough to have lived through the removal of the split window days. It WAS cool back then. Not so much now. I wonder if some real smart guys are out there coming up with a “Restoring window kit”? for those who did the the move. Could be a game changer. Anybody out there with the idea?
Haha, that would be very cool especially if you could restore a modified 63 back to the original split window.
This is a real piece of crap. That was the wrong car to butcher. Vettes weren’t drag cars.
Agree, I’ll take a 427 Fairlane. Sorry I know this is a GM site but they were bad @ss!
Carl, I agree. There were a lot of great cars. People have their preferences. Butchering any car like this is just plain wrong.
“Porches Suck Vette Fumes.”
I would hope it goes faster than a porch.
If you’re ole school you gotta love it no matter you brand preference.