[VIDEO] Donald Osborne Drives a ’67 Corvette 427 and Asks if it’s Better than a ’63 Split Window?

One of the debates among Corvette collectors that seems to ebb and flow over the years is which of the two midyear Corvettes is considered to be the best: The 1963 Split Window versus a 1967 Corvette Big Block? It seems lately that the ’63s are currently on top but then you see a ’67 Corvette sell north of $2 million, and that definitely raises some eyebrows.

Well-known car aficionado Donald Osborne with the Audrain Automobile Museum addresses that question during a nice drive in a Silver/Black ’67 427 Coupe. The Sting Ray shows very well as Donald first examines the car from all sides. As he moves around the it, he points out the unique lines of its peaked fenders and the sharp horizonal feature line that surrounds the car.

“The 67 is probably my favorite of all because I love the detailing on it. It’s so terrific. The ’63…the original…a beautiful car but I think that it was so unfortunate that it was saddled with those fake hood vents and all the stuff that sort of were sports carlike, but not executed to the level that frankly the car deserves.”

To truly experience the 1967 Corvette 427/435 is to drive it, and that’s what Donald does next. As a fan of both Italian and British sports cars, Donald talks about how GM Design Chief Bill Mitchell incorporated much of that European detailing under his watch. Not only are they pretty to look at, but Donald says the engineers did a terrific job with chassis dynamics as well. “I can say that this not only holds its own but is so much more satisfying in many ways than its contemporaries,” says Donald.

One last point Osborne makes before we get to the video is the community aspect of the Corvette, which most first-time owners may not realize is as big as it is, and with so many different viewpoints as well.

“The Corvette World is a great one. You can get lots of information, lots of opinions in it God knows, but you’re always supported and you’re always in a community that really loves the cars and uses the cars. These are cars to drive and what I really like about Corvette owners is that they drive their cars. It’s a terrific, terrific thing to experience.”

Indeed!

Source:
Audrain Museum Network

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