Ready To Roll: 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split-Window Coupe
Being forced to part with a classic car due to health issues is a heartbreaking experience. This is especially true when it is a car that is as magnificent as this 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Split-Window Coupe. After 14-years in his possession, the owner has made the gut-wrenching decision to part with the vehicle. That means that someone has the potential to become the owner of one of the most iconic cars to have ever rolled off an American production line. The Corvette is located in Barnegat, New Jersey, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding hasn’t been intense on the Split-Window, with only two bids submitted up to this point. This has pushed the price to $72,600, and the reserve has been met. However, lack of action doesn’t necessarily equate to a lack of interest. There are currently 124 people who are watching the listing.
Growing up outside the continental USA, it is fair to say that the most instantly recognizable Corvette for the majority of people was any of the C3 derivatives. However, the Split-Window Coupe wasn’t far behind. For me, the shape and style were cemented in my mind because I owned a battery-operated Split-Window tin toy as a boy (which I wish that I still owned). This particular Corvette is a great example that is ready to be driven and enjoyed immediately. Tackling the most vital issue first, and that is a lack of structural rust in the vehicle. The owner states that the frame is solid. We get a brief glimpse of the Corvette’s underside, and it looks to be clean and sound. The fact that the Sting Ray has been garage-kept for the past 14-years has undoubtedly helped its cause. The exterior is finished in Daytona Blue, and this holds a beautiful shine. There are no issues or cracks with the fiberglass, while the trim and chrome appear to be close to perfect. The wheels aren’t original, but not only do they suit the Sting Ray in my mind, but sourcing replacements should be relatively easy if full authenticity is the aim. The glass all seems to be in good order, including that gorgeous split rear window. This brings us to an interesting piece of trivia. Many buyers didn’t actually like the back window, although it didn’t stop Chevrolet from achieving a sales record for the Corvette in this model year. It also didn’t prevent the Coupe from just outselling its Convertible sibling. A number of buyers loved their Coupes but found the split to be a distraction while driving. Some dealers offered buyers the option of removing the rear windows, cutting out the fiberglass strip in between, and then installing a one-piece rear glass in its place. This was purely a dealer option and was never sanctioned by Chevrolet. It isn’t clear how many owners chose to follow this path, but there was reportedly a reasonable number. You have to wonder just how many of those owners think about that today and regret their actions. If they had waited a year to buy their Corvette, it wouldn’t have been an issue. The Split-Window was only offered for a single model year.
It isn’t clear whether the Corvette is a numbers-matching car, but it does come nicely equipped. All 1963 Corvettes were fitted with the venerable 327ci V8. In standard form, this produced 250hp. However, if a buyer wanted a real increase in performance, this could be achieved by simply handing the dealer $107.60. This brought the L76 version of the 327 to the table. Horsepower jumped from 250hp up to 340hp. That’s plenty of bang for your bucks. That is what we find under the hood of this Corvette. A 4-speed manual transmission backs this V8. If you wanted to get “motorvating,” then this was a pretty hot ticket. The Sting Ray should be capable of storming through the ¼ mile in 14.3 seconds. Keep the right boot buried for long enough, and you will potentially find 139mph beckoning you. The news all appears to be positive with this classic. The owner states that both the front and rear suspension have been rebuilt. The 327 is said to fire-up easily, and it runs strong. It is also good news that there have not been any cooling issues with the car.
Does anyone feel like sliding behind the wheel and rewinding the clock to 1963? That is the effect that you would get inside this car. The Saddle Tan vinyl interior has been fully restored, and the presentation is astounding. There’s nothing here that is worth criticizing beyond some minor marks on the console aluminum plate. The trim and dash are spotless, while the same appears to be true of the carpet. However, this interior isn’t merely about looks. It is wonderful to find a Corvette of this vintage where everything inside the vehicle works properly. Even the often-troublesome clock is said to function correctly.
I wish that the photos that the owner supplies of this 1963 Corvette Split-Window Coupe were of better quality. I don’t believe that they do the car justice, because this is a beautiful car that deserves to be viewed in all of its glory. If this is a numbers-matching car, that is going to make it extremely desirable for potential buyers. If this is the case, then it is conceivable that the auction could push on towards a 6-figure sale price. Even if it isn’t entirely original, then it should have no problem in reaching somewhere around $80,000. It will all come down to how many of those people watching the listing are serious about owning this classic. It will only take two people for this to potentially happen. Could you be one of them?
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Comments
4 D’s of a great deal:
Death
Divorce
Disease
Delinquency
Beautiful. At the very least I would spray those cherry bombs BBQ black.
It’s a nice weekend driver.
Art……defined.
Wow. If I could have a C3, it would be a ‘67 427, or this. And my friends, the wheels are perfect. I want to put these on just about anything (US built) that rolls… Very envious of next owner.
“If I could have a C3, it would be a ‘67 427…” make that ’68-’69 427. A ’67 is a C2.
Nice 63 …many pictures except the block number doesn’t match 111841 vin.
The block on net states
“1962-65 3782870 327 2 car, truck”
http://minuit10.net/EngineCode/chevy/SmallBlockCastingBlock.htm
“rive due tohealth condition.Will take pictures uponrequest. Numbers as follows:30837S111841 Style G5 63 837, Trim 49ON,Body 6535, Paint 916A Casting 3782870, Engine 3116646 F05T6RE, Trans 385325”
So NOM engine as displayed above by owner. Wrong wheels and exhaust as well as not spare tire carriers case or tire. It makes it easy for the cherry Bombs-not melting it. I would never put those on this car. Out three inch pipes and original throaty exhaust or the tuned borla exhaust that’s made for a C2.
I do like the color and interior and wish owner good on sale..i bet still 70-88 K as its a-nice color combo and nice paint.
I was confused by what he said about the engine number. If I was buying I would look at $65-70. With the ‘born with’ motor its an $80k car. I don’t doubt it will go for more than that.
That year there were 4 Horse Power ratings …… standard 250hp, Optional 300hp, high performance 340hp, and high performance 360 hp fuel Injection.
Perfection on 4 wheels.
Good Lord! Nice set up, you can be sure that the value of a split window is going to climb a lot faster than putting the sale amount of cash in a bank, (at roughly 2%).
I am not an expert on the sting ray line, but looking at the photographs of the engine bay, it appears that the car doesn’t have Air Conditioning. Seems to me if it doesn’t driving that beauty in August could be a toasty experience. It would be a sin to drive with the windows open to keep cool, especially on the freeway. Please, somebody correct me!!
Bob,
Out of 21,513 Vettes built in ’63 only 274 had AC. It cost a whopping $421.80. Most people back then were more interested in performance than comfort. Even though you could only get AC with the lower 250 or 300 HP cars. There was 10,594 coupes buit and you are right they were warm to ride in.You had to depend on the vents and window wings.
Craig,
Rear wheel wells look original.
Shifter doesn’t look original. Original had a reverse lockout trigger if I remember.
Not trying to get anyone upset, but some of you expect pure perfection and nothing less. I would rather buy a driver then a show piece that you won’t drive.
I think most people feel that way.
Buy a model and build it to perfection ,then you can look at it all you want for alot less $$.
I’m truly sorry if I hurt anyone’s feelings.
Just saying my opinion.
PS: I love “Barn Finds” 😊
I’m with you, Larry.
I’ve always said, we all have our own opinions. It has nothing to do with right or wrong. We may not agree with one another. But we should respect one other”s opinions. .
It looks like the rear wheel wells may have been radiused to fit larger tires and wheels.
Or the car is slightly raised in the back.
Pretty 🚘
Don’t think they were radiused but looks like they were stretched in the back shouldn’t be that big of a gap behind the tire
Perfection!!!
Speaking of options from the past. It reminds me of my decision to pay an extra $295, for the GTO package, on my ’65 Tempest Lemans. Back then it was quite a lot of money. But oh what a difference, I never regreted.
Regarding the “minor marks on the console aluminum plate”, looks more to me like someone or something very heavy was rolling around on that plate . .
First Vette I ever got a ride in was a co-workers 63 SWC with a 65 FI engine in it. Especially loved the way the doors wrapped into the roof, gave it such an exotic look to it. Thing was he had someone that knew how to work on the FI unit, and it ran like a scalded dog.
This one looks good but not sure it’s worth as much as I think it will ultimately go for.
Thanks Dennis, Your answer about the A.C. was most enlightening, especially the price of it as an option. Times sure have changed, now folks consider A.C. as a standard that comes with a car.
Back in the day, every car had a laundry list of individual options.
Then the manufacturers came out with “option packages”.
You want A/C?? It comes in this package. You don’t want some of the other options, in that package? Too bad…..LOL!!
It reminds me of the famous movie, “Five Easy Pieces”, when Jack Nicholson wanted a chicken salad sandwich. He didn’t want all of the items in the sandwich. The waitress didn’t want to delete an item. Funniest scene in the movie.
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=uh-mail-web&p=Jack+Nicholson+scene+in+%22Five+Easy+Pieces%22#id=2&vid=931915ddf080b5fd962a586c543fa7f2&action=click
It’s the “Holy-Grail” of Corvette-dom”
“If ‘Ya got da muny, ‘ya got da huny.”
Wud a ride!!!
Ended:Aug 25, 2020 , 11:10AM
Winning bid:US $82,600.00[ 16 bids ]