At the 2024 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, a number of these beauties will be making their way across the block, including those showcased here.
Talk to any Corvette enthusiast and it’s highly likely that the model at the top of their dream car list is a 1963 Corvette Split-Window coupe. That’s no surprise when you consider the story of the now-iconic car. It marked the first time a Corvette was ever offered in coupe form, for starters. It was the first time the term “Sting Ray” was used. It was the first Corvette with independent rear suspension. And, of course, 1963 was the only year the Split-Window model was ever produced, making it highly desirable among collectors.
The car’s design was largely directed by Chevrolet styling head Bill Mitchell, brought to life with sketches from a young Peter Brock and tweaks from stylist Larry Shinoda. Mitchell had a fascination with marine life and was often influenced by sea creatures like the sting ray and mako shark, and their anatomical features like gills, wings, tails and spines. That influence is more than evident in the 1963 Split-Window, which features a signature “spine” down the car’s entire body, culminating in the famous split rear window out back.
Chevrolet produced 10,594 Split-Window Corvettes in 1963, but that was it. The split-window back glass was not well-received by the public and, after that single year of production, the design was tabled in favor of a single back glass window in 1964.
One of the most easily recognizable and widely appreciated members of the Corvette family, the 1963 Split-Window coupe today is a favorite of custom car builders, who specialize in adding modern technology while maintaining the unique allure and distinctive look of what is considered by many to represent the pinnacle of vintage ’Vettes. At the 2024 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, a number of these beauties will be making their way across the block, including those showcased here.
LOT #1343 – 1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CUSTOM SPLIT-WINDOW COUPE – NO RESERVE
Pictured above and powered by a GM 6.2-liter 650hp supercharged engine paired with a 6L80E transmission, this Split-Window Corvette is riding on a powder-coated Art Morrison IRS chassis with chromed and painted RideTech adjustable coilovers, with stopping power from Wilwood 14-inch brakes. The exterior was stripped, and all the panels were brought back to the original look, then the quarters were widened, a new tunnel was built and a smoothed floor was installed. The exterior was then finished in a custom mix of gray metallic, adding pearl and glass flakes for a diamond sparkle. The car also features Resto-Mod Tech custom LED headlights, a Dakota Digital linear-actuated hood and smoked glass. The custom red-leather interior features matching door panels, a Vintage Air system, power windows, a custom dash, a console and custom LED lighting with Dakota Digital HDX gauges, a clock and a Rockford Fosgate stereo. This Corvette has a very documented history, including being previously owned by Gary “The Local Brush” Kupfer. Kupfer painted and modified the car to take to numerous ISCA shows. In 2022 Burning-River Resto-Mods in Ohio acquired the car, gave it some 20th-century upgrades and then toured it through the ISCA show circuit. LOT #1393 – 1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CUSTOM SPLIT-WINDOW COUPE – NO RESERVE
This Split-Window received a professional restoration and custom build by Factory Hot Rods. The build started with a clean, original factory GM body, which was rotisserie-restored and upgraded with the latest in modern technology. Its foundation is an SRIII custom round super-tube chassis with C7 Z06 Corvette suspension front and rear. It has been modified with a 2-inch stretch on the rear floor for more comfort and to accommodate taller drivers. This Corvette is powered by a new 755hp LT5 supercharged GM Performance crate engine mated to a TREMEC Magnum 6-speed manual transmission. Stopping is handled using ABS electric over hydraulic power brakes. Other features include Viking coilovers, HD Z06 sway bars, power rack & pinion steering and a stainless-steel fuel tank. Other details include a custom polished high-flow radiator, Billet Specialties steering wheel, a custom big-block Stinger hood, a Vintage Air system, custom Classic Instruments gauges and a polished tilt steering column. The exterior color is Ferrari Bianco Italia (Pearl White) over a red custom leather interior featuring a custom Autosound stereo with Bluetooth, tinted LOF glass and shoulder harness belts. The sale includes a photo album of the complete restoration/build and an owner/operator manual. LOT #1333.1 – 1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CUSTOM SPLIT-WINDOW COUPE – NO RESERVE
This Split-Window coupe was the subject of a custom build by Doug Rippie Motorsports in Chandler, AZ. It is powered by a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine mated to the V8 is a 5-speed TREMEC manual transmission, and it’s all mounted to an SR111 tube-frame chassis with 3.55-ratio 9-inch Currie rear end with Eaton Detroit Truetrac limited-slip differential. The car also comes equipped with a Ron Davis aluminum radiator and Billet Specialties serpentine belt conversion, a stainless-steel fuel tank and a ceramic-coated mandrel-bent Heartthrob dual-exhaust system with stainless-steel mufflers. This Corvette rides on C6 Corvette front and rear independent suspension and rolls on Budnik forged wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires. It is equipped with power steering, power-assisted Wilwood 4-wheel disc brakes, retractable headlights, adjustable Viking coilovers and Vintage Air climate control. Finished in Silver Blue (912), this fiberglass Split-Window was refinished by Squeeg’s Kustoms of Chandler, AZ. The interior includes a 3-spoke steering wheel on a Flaming River tilting column, Dakota Digital 160-mph, 8,000-rpm tachometer auxiliary gauges and Glide Engineering bucket seats trimmed in black leather. The car won the 2023 Pacific Grove California Concours Auto Rally Best of 60-Year Anniversary of Corvette Marque Award. NCRS shipping data report references a production date in March 1963 and indicated initial delivery to Luby Chevrolet of Denver, CO.
LOT #1363.1 – 1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CUSTOM SPLIT-WINDOW COUPE – NO RESERVE
Built by Hot Rod Garage in Sands Springs, OK, this Split-Window coupe is powered by a Wegner Automotive LS9 block with a Magnuson Heartbeat TVS 2300 low-profile supercharger, paired with a TREMEC T56 6-speed manual transmission. Utilizing the first Art Morrison GT-Sport low chassis, the ride height is 3 inches lower than the stock C2 Corvette. This car has Strange Ultra Series coilovers, as well as Wilwood SL6 6-piston front and SL4 4-piston rear brake calipers coupled with 14-inch rotors. Purchased in January 2019 in Arizona, the body was stripped to bare fiberglass and 1.5-inch flared rear quarter-panels were molded in, along with an engine bay dress-up kit hiding wiring and hoses and smoothing out the engine bay. The bumpers were cut, reshaped and tucked tight to the body. Additional features include LED headlights and a C&R Racing radiator. The complete custom interior contains a Flaming River steering column, custom billet steering wheel, one-off Dakota Digital instruments, a front and rear camera system integrated into the rearview mirror, Vintage Air, RECARO seats and an Alpine sound system. This Corvette was named 2023 Goodguys Chevrolet Performance National Builder of the Year and previously participated in the Barrett-Jackson Cup competition.