Back in the day, some ’63 Corvette owners removed the split in the back window to make visibility better, a decision they may have regretted later when the one-year-only split window coupe became quite the collector’s item.
Here, we find someone who apparently didn’t want to pay the premium for a real split window, so he did the next best thing and converted his ’65 Sting Ray into an SWC.
Now, the retro ’65 is up for sale on eBay, where it has already passed the reserve figure after 16 bids climbed to $45,000 which means it will soon be on its way to a new home after the auction concludes Sunday.
If the new owner is a purist, he’ll no doubt take the easily removable split off the car, but others might think it’s cool to have possibly the world’s only ’65 split window coupe.
Currently featuring black paint that could admittedly use “professional polishing,” according to the seller, this Corvette retains its numbers-matching 327 V8 engine connected to a four-speed manual transmission.
But it does come with many new parts, including taillights, tires, clutch pressure plate, disk and bearing, gaskets, hoses, water pump, thermostat, alternator, starter, four-row radiator, distributor, spark plugs and spark plug wires, fuel pump, gas sending unit, fluids, and front carpet (with rear carpet available).
He says the car will need a new heater core and two front bumper brackets, along with a new distributor to replace the Chinese brand he installed and isn’t pleased with.
What direction would you take with this car – take it back to original, stay a survivor, or become a restomod? The sky seems to be the limit.
Source:
eBay Motors via Barnfinds.com
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1965 Corvette with Optional Split-Window By Mitch Talley -Jun 28 WHAT KIND OF CRAP IS THIS ARTICLE? MITCH SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO WRITE ANOTHER STORY. THIS IS CRAZY. IT IS NOT A 1965 OPTION; IT IS A HACK-AND-WACK JOB. MITCH, PLEASE READ YOUR HEADLINE AGAIN AND SCRATCH YOUR HEAD.
Corvettes for Sale: 1965 Corvette with Owner Installed Split-Window. There I fixed the headline for ya C1TOC8. If I bought this car I would restomod it and the split window would be one of the first things to go.
I agree with C1TOC8, this story and its writer is a bunch of rubbish.
Did you read the story or just the headline? How is this story rubbish? I know the split window was not an option in ’65! Go back and read the story.
back in ’64 we were cutting these out of ’63’s and saved the pieces……..a number of them found their way into later models…..this wasn’t a lone conversion and in fact looks like a ‘hack’ job not like the real ’63 at all!!!!!!!!!
Seller says “original California car with original blue California plates”. Well for one, the car has white plates on it and two, the original California plates in 1965 were black…….and that removable “stick” on the back window is just crap.l
An option? Hmmm…I like it and would leave it but it is a custom built feature.
Looking at the tires, owner must be off roading this car, Chinese distributor and all.
By just the pictures here….I definitely remove the split window. As for restomod or not…the fact it has a numbers matching engine complicates that decision for me…If it wasn’t a numbers matching…I think it is a PERFECT candidate for a restomod. and I MIGHT consider redoing the split window instead of just automatically getting rid of it….It would at least be a consideration whether it happened or not…But since it does have a numbers matching engine….while it doesn’t eliminate the restomod path….it does make me feel like a true restore would be “saving” this vette from it’s past owners….
Mitch is RIGHT. no where in the story does it say that it was an option from G.M .
The heading court you out.
Mitch doesn’t deserve the flak he caught over this article. I’ve been a long time member of Corvette Nation and I’ve read all his articles since subscribing. Mitch knows his stuff, he’s written plenty of great articles and he’s shown us many interesting Corvettes whether they were excellent or bad.
I would buy a different car. It does say in the heading it was an option, that’s what made me look at it. I also claimed BS when I saw it. To many much nicer cars out there.
What the hell is up with the friggen plug wires??
My friend has what he thinks is a 1963 split window corvette. The left part of plate shows 1963 but the VIN is 40837S118641 which indicates 1964. Anyone know why this plate is like this? A tamper plate. He inherited the car and person had passed. The engine is not the same from the original and VIN does not match engine. Any ideas we are rookie car folks. Help! Steve
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