1963 Corvette Coupe

[NoviVespa]

The car of the week.

http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/car-of-...&rid=188331541

==

[Truth Detector]

The split window was a horrible idea. I don't understand why it is so desirable now other than its scarcity.

[Indy-hp]

It looks cool, and it's rare because it blocked the rearward view too much and was never done again.

One of my favorite cars of all time.

[JMFVET]

The split window was a horrible idea. I don't understand why it is so desirable now other than its scarcity.

IIRC, they didn't plan on the split window originally. They settled on it because they were having trouble molding the rear window in one piece and didn't want to redesign the entire car.

[flatlander_48]

IIRC, they didn't plan on the split window originally. They settled on it because they were having trouble molding the rear window in one piece and didn't want to redesign the entire car.

The "they" was probably my first employer, the former Libbey Owens Ford Co. (now Pilkington NA). I suspect the problem was getting enough heat into the glass to bend the ends, but keep the center section and the large areas on the ends flat. The car had a nice, smooth fastback profile, but with too much heat those large would have made a bow in the glass that wouldn't match the body shape...

[PHJIndy]

The '63 split window Corvette was one of the most beautiful cars ever produced, imho!

[Frank Capua]

I had one for about 18 months `75-76 while I was in the Air Force it was plain Jane White with black interior and a powerglide... Just to be able to say I had one. The girls liked it.

[coopert54]

The '63 split window Corvette was one of the most beautiful cars ever produced, imho!

Make that two votes. I LOVE its looks and could not care less if you cannot see behind you because you would be passing just about everyone anyway.
Split windows are cool!

[Sea Fury]

The looks and the rarity drive the price, TD. It looks great, but as has been pointed out, the split blocks the rear view. The rarity, you see, comes in great part from the fact that a lot of owners of '63s had the body shop hack the center bar out later on and replace it with a '64-'67 one-piece rear window. So an original split-window '63-especially one that has never been cut-is rare indeed.

[cheeseczar]

One of the guys I work with bought one in boxes and is doing a ground up on it. It's year 3 but he's good and it's going to be a beauty.

[Tifositoo]

IIRC, they didn't plan on the split window originally. They settled on it because they were having trouble molding the rear window in one piece and didn't want to redesign the entire car.

The story I heard was that Bill Mitchell really pushed the split window design because it emphasized the hood bulge and the crease line down the center of the top of the car.

Zora Duntov hated the design because it was almost impossible to see out the back of the car, especially when trying to park it.

One day, Duntov was trying to parallel park a prototype with Mitchell close by. Zora jumped out of the car and told Mitchell, "Here, you park the damn thing...", or words to that effect; Mitchell tried...couldn't...and the rest is history.

For a collector, there probably aren't too many situations where parallel parking would be a priority, so rearward visibility doesn't enter the equation.



Dan

[brokentierod]

wow! I had forgotten how sexy they were! You gotta remember this is 1963. Corvettes looked like a rocket ship compared to your fathers Oldsmobile. As far as the split window goes - no true affecianado would park anywhere near another car car. So, parrallel parking is out. The proper thing to do was pick a spot at the far end of the parking lot, at least three spaces from the nearest car, park the car such that you only have pull out ahead, and when you pull out lay rubber for as far as your wallet can stand - tires cost money you know.

[KnockOff]

14 years old

"Janice", 20something, blonde, family friend

dark blue, white interior, 4 speed, '63 split window

Some "first times" a guy never forgets.

[fasteddy]

In 64 my brother had a 63 convert. with FI and headers, 456 r/e. Crazy quick.

[Frank Capua]

One of the guys I work with bought one in boxes and is doing a ground up on it. It's year 3 but he's good and it's going to be a beauty.

I built a `67 from the ground up that came in a box and AMF gave me three different choices in how I wanted to build it... took me just 3 days though.

Your dealership must be an equal opportunity employer.

[Tifositoo]

I built a `67 from the ground up that came in a box and AMF gave me three different choices in how I wanted to build it... took me just 3 days though.

Your dealership must be an equal opportunity employer.

Don't you mean AM-T ?




Dan

[Jag-lover]

I grew up in SoCal when the Stingrays first came out and it was hard to find an unmolested one. Normal modifications were the six tail lights, flared fenders and an external exhaust.

[Frank Capua]

Don't you mean AM-T ?




Dan

Yea, it was a few years back... been a few years since I did any bowling too.