The Chevy Corvette for 1963 received a complete redesign, including an independent rear suspension with transverse leaf spring, wider arched fenders, hidden headlights, and first-ever coupe variant with a split rear window. The new Corvette Sting Ray ditched the previous generation’s Safety Girder X-Frame in favor of a perimeter-style design, an enclosed cargo area as opposed to the previous trunk, and a center spine (much like that of a stingray) that arced rearward from the top of the windshield or the leading edge of the rear deck on convertibles.
1963 Chevy Corvettes also got a completely revamped interior featuring twin binnacles. The driver’s side had a large round speedometer and tachometer finished in black with recessed bright centers. Smaller gauges with similar finishes flanked the larger ones, showing levels for gas, battery, temperature, and oil pressure. The shift knob and interior door knobs were of black plastic. Early production models had AM signal-seeking radios, but AM/FM radios became available later in the production year. The passenger side of the dash was home to a spacious lockable glove box with a grab bar formed into the dash above.
Drivetrain choices were mostly held over from the 1962 production-year Chevy Corvette with the exception of the fuel injection units that had been designed with larger intake plenums. The manual transmission supplier was changed from Borg-Warner to Muncie during 1963 production.
Kelsey-Hayes aluminum knock-off wheels, RPO P84, were intended to be an available option on the 1963 Chevy Corvette, but there is some debate as to if any were actually delivered. Reasons given for the delay in availability were the wheels coming loose or losing air. Thirteen sets of Kelsey-Hayes knock-offs with two bar spinners were delivered to race teams, but no sets have been documented as delivered to customers.
Our feature 1963 Chevy Corvette Split Window Coupe is finished in its original hue of Daytona Blue over dark blue vinyl. It is powered by the matching-numbers L75 327 cubic-inch Small Block V8 that made 300 horsepower when new. The Small Block is backed by a Powerglide two-speed automatic transmission. The Corvette is equipped with power drum brakes (disc brakes were not available until 1965), power steering, power windows, and an AM/FM radio. It rolls on reproduction knock-off wheels shod in Goodyear Speedway Blue Streak tires. Included in the sale is a National Corvette Restorers Society Shipping Data Report.
This stunning 1963 Chevy Corvette Split Window Coupe is currently being auctioned on Bring a Trailer with the sale concluding Monday, July 15th.
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Want to buy
One of the coolest American cars ever .
Let me get my EBT card.