1963 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
The 1963 Sting Ray production car's lineage can be traced to two separate GM projects: the Q-Corvette, and Bill Mitchell's racing Sting Ray. The Q-Corvette exercise of 1957 envisioned a smaller, more advanced Corvette as a coupe-only model, boasting a rear transaxle, independent rear suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes, with the rear brakes mounted inboard. Exterior styling was purposeful, with peaked fenders, a long nose, and a short, bobbed tail. Meanwhile, Zora Arkus-Duntov and other GM engineers had become fascinated with mid and rear-engine designs. Duntov explored the mid/rear-engine layout with the lightweight, open-wheel, single-seat CERV I concept of 1959. A rear-engined Corvette was briefly considered during 1958"60, progressing as far as a full-scale mock-up designed around the Corvair's entire rear-mounted power package, including its air-cooled flat-six, as an alternative to the Corvette's usual water-cooled V8. By the fall of 1959, elements of the Q-Corvette and the Sting Ray Special racer would be incorporated into experimental project XP-720, which was the design program that led directly to the production 1963 Corvette Sting Ray. The XP-720 sought to deliver improved passenger accommodation, more luggage space, and superior ride and handling over previous Corvettes.
From Zora Arkus-Duntov's mind to your eyes, we offer up this first year C2 1963 Stingray Roadster showing 59,546 miles on the odometer that are believed to be original, but cannot be confirmed as such due to the title reading mileage exempt. This car comes with a body matching hardtop, and convertible soft top, a manual transmission, and the numbers matching L76 V8. With the roadster design it leaves the pointed fastback behind, (literally), and offers up a bit of a classy look with its thin V shaped front and rear lines, and the split bumpers with hidden headlights. "When the Sting Ray bites..." oh wait...!
Exterior
Duntov was in his radical mode when he designed this car. Fiberglass molded to an art form of rolling sculpture with its thin V shaped hidden headlight split bumper front end, and thin V rear complete with the dual round inset tail lights, and more split bumpers below. The Sting Ray began to come into its own during these C2 years. This car comes with a white canvas convertible top with clear plastic window. It moves up and down with ease and hides itself right behind the passenger compartment. An additional fiberglass hardtop, painted in body matching Ermine White and a glass rear window can be put on for all season driving. Up front the "solar panel" vented stinger style hood is flanked by the hidden headlights. This works its way back to the passenger compartment which is framed up front with a curved windshield for that panoramic field of view. Ribbed stainless steel moldings are on the rockers to fill the gap between the front and rear 14-inch white wall tires complete with the rarely seen factory Corvette wheel covers. For the convertible top, no tonneau cover is necessary due to the hinged flip up panel just before the pseudo-trunk that houses the entire folded down canvas top. Overall, the paint finish shows well but does present a few very minor imperfections including chips and slight sanding scratches of the paint.
Interior
For the interior beautifully aged all original red vinyl low back buckets are flanking a center armrest which becomes a chrome edged center console. This houses the chrome ball topped shift lever as well as the power window toggles and then climbs straight up to house a side mounted factory AM/FM radio, various knobs and pulls and large chrome bezel black faced clock. Both sides split gracefully to their respective corners of the dash, but first take an opportunity to form 2 graceful cowls, one for the glovebox, and the other for the gauge cluster. Both have a black faux leather textured vinyl background which is very clean, with the glovebox having a silver door highlighted by a crack free red padded topper. The original red rimmed steering wheel with tri machined metal inserts and a center crossed flag badge fronts the dash. Factory original red carpet floods all the floors and shows with light soiling as do the carpeted floor mats. Door panels make use of tuck and roll red vinyl on top of the panels, and after jumping across a delineating chrome strip, the ribbed vinyl changes to smooth material. Nice chromed knobs handles and vents are embedded within the door panels. Just a hint of red carpet is on the bottom of each pristine door.
Drivetrain
Under the hood is a 327ci V8 which is numbers matching and specs out as a 340hp L76 version. It is fed by a 4-barrel Carter carburetor and on the back is a Borg Warner T10 4-speed manual transmission. A 3.08 Positraction rear axle handled the rear tire turning duties. Correct ribbed aluminum Corvette script valve covers are on along with a chrome lidded air cleaner and the correct L76 aluminum intake manifold.
Undercarriage
Very gracefully aged straight rust-free black steel makes up the undercarriage and has obviously been well cared for over the years. Exhaust piping is quickly routed away from the engine to either side and routes rearward to the back of the car passing through stock replacement mufflers and ending with chrome tips through the rear valance. Independent coil spring front suspension and transverse leaf springs on the rear with 4-wheel drum brakes are noted sitting within this excellent environment.
Drive-Ability
A quick starter and smooth idle. Pressing the accelerator made this car come to life and on the test track it showed us nice acceleration, good handling and smooth shifting with an easy clutch. There were no faults or frowns to speak of during our time behind the wheel and we returned from our early Fall drive with smiles on our faces.
A great example from 1963 in Sting Ray form, she's a fun driver, and can be used as such, or even to show, it is nice enough and preserved enough to do so with respect. A great color combo and an all-season driver with the convertible, and hardtop. A classy sculpted profile sports car made in America and definitely iconic in its reputation and looks for this year. Thanks Mr. Duntov, and careful on that "stinger", it will put your eye out as they say!
30867S110260
3-1963
08-Corvette
67-Convertible
S-St. Louis, MO Assy Plant
110260-Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
G2-2nd Week March
STYLE 63 867-1963 Corvette Convertible
BODY 4368-St. Louis Body #
TRIM 490M-Red Vinyl
PAINT 926A-Ermine White
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display. This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more inf
