The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette split-window coupe is a uncommon mannequin constructed for one yr solely, however this instance is even rarer.
Heading to public sale at Mecum’s sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, later this month, the automobile is one among simply 199 Corvettes Z06 fashions produced for 1963. This was the primary yr for the Z06, which turned a staple of later generations of Corvette.
Designed for racing, the unique Z06 was powered by Chevy’s L84 engine, a fuel-injected 327-cubic-inch V-8 rated at 360 hp. It sported a comparatively excessive 11:1 compression ratio, a solid-lifter camshaft, and a high-flow exhaust system. It was additionally related to a 4-speed handbook transmission. The engine on this Corvette is numbers-matching, the public sale itemizing notes.
Different upgrades included beefier suspension and brakes. This automobile is completed in Saddle Tan with an identical Saddle inside, and wears the turbine-style knockoff wheels that had been a well-liked alternative on the C2-generation Corvette.
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (picture by way of Mecum Auctions)
Even when it wasn’t a Z06, this Corvette coupe could be notable due to its cut up rear window. This styling characteristic was solely used for the 1963 mannequin yr, the primary yr for the C2 Corvette. Chevy later eliminated the divider to enhance rear visibility; all C2 Corvette coupes from the rest of manufacturing (mannequin years 1964-1967) have an undivided rear window.
The unique Z06 was meant to be a race automobile, with many being allotted to race groups (racing legend Mickey Thompson ended up with 5 of them). Trendy Z06s have been strictly highway automobiles, however ones that will not embarrass themselves on the observe. The present C8 Z06 carries on the legacy with a flat-plane crank V-8 making 670 hp with out pressured induction. The engine can also be very near the unit that Chevy truly makes use of in its Corvette race automobiles.
