[VIDEO] Mike Finnegan’s Garage Rescues a 1963 Corvette Split Window Stored in Basement for 20 Years

We’ve all got bucket lists of things we want to do before we kick the … well, you get the picture.

Mike Finnegan of the aptly named Mike Finnegan’s Garage on your friendly YouTube channel is no exception.

In his latest video, Mike says he’s always wanted a C2 Corvette Sting Ray – but not a stock or restored one. Instead, he wants to install a tube chassis and various other parts on a 1963-67 Corvette that will enable him to have a great time at Drag Week.

“My dream is a 6-second capable street/strip C2 Corvette,” Mike says.

To reach that goal, he’s been searching for the right car for years. He thought he found it last year with a ’66, but decided he just didn’t want to chop it up.

Who knew that the Corvette of his dreams – with a VIN number capable of being registered to allow for drag racing – was hiding right down the street, in the garage of a neighbor just two blocks over?

And it’s not just any C2 Corvette – it’s the Holy Grail of many an enthusiast, a ’63 split window coupe.

His neighbor Jerry says the car had been stored in the basement of the previous owner for 19 years, and it’s been waiting a few more years in Jerry’s garage for Mike to show up and finish the project.

Mike worked out a deal with Jerry for the body and interior, along with a correct new ’63 replacement clip for the ’67 front end that had been installed somewhere along the way.

In the video, we see Mike and a gang of helpers pull the car, sitting on dollies, out of Jerry’s garage (after moving a ’69 Camaro RS also up for sale, in case you’re interested) and then two short blocks home using a Kawasaki 4×4, accompanied by two dogs.

After a quick cleanup inside and out, Mike and a helper move the Corvette into the garage and then can’t wait to test-fit the massive 711 cubic inch Chevrolet Sonny Leonard Hemi engine in the front clip, and after removing the master cylinder and the steering wheel, they believe there will be plenty of room there for all the auxiliary parts, once they get the new chassis. The new front clip, by the way, will be installed on pins to allow Mike easy access to work on the engine, he says.

Once all the work is done, we hope to share more of Mike’s videos about the car and definitely wish him luck on this wild project! It looks like his bucket will definitely be full with this car.

Source:
Finnegan’s Garage / YouTube

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