What direction would you take with this 1963 Corvette split window coupe?
In the same family since new, it’s now being offered on a Barn Finds auction, with the current bid reaching $32,000.
The original owner wound up giving the car to his brother around 1967, and he used it as a daily driver for a decade before passing it on to his child. Around 1989, the third owner started a restoration project, taking the car apart with plans for a new paint job. Unfortunately, this vintage C2 wound up going into storage. For the first five years or so, they cranked the car periodically, but one day, it wouldn’t start and it’s been idle in their father’s garage since.
Now, they’ve decided it’s time for a new family to take over the restoration. A first glance at the photos might be cause for alarm since so many pieces seem to be missing, like the gas filler cap, side trim, seat belts, hood vents, and emblems. But not to worry, a photo shows all those pieces were actually carefully saved, all the way down to fasteners documented in plastic bags.
The Saddle Tan paint is in rough condition, but the color really does make a nice contrast when paired against the Saddle leather interior. An eagle eye will spot the 1967 seats in place, a change made by the seller’s father because he said the originals were just too uncomfortable.
The car also doesn’t have its original motor, as what was believed to be the first 300-horsepower version of the 327 had to be replaced under warranty, a claim that seems to be supported by the CE stamp on the block. Even though it’s been decades since it ran, perhaps the fix is something minor – no way to know for sure until a mechanic gets a hand on it. Regardless, we do know it’s mated with the original four-speed manual transmission.
It’s hard to find a one-owner split window coupe some 62 years later. It’s sad that the family is giving up on the car after so long, but priorities change. Would you like to tackle the project of bringing this long-ignored Sting Ray back to life? If so, how would you proceed?
Source:
BarnFinds.com
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Since I don’t like the color and it’s missing it’s original engine, I would restomod it!
Yep, if you don’t have the original engine, then that’s the heart of it. A big block for sure. I’m not crazy about the gold color. I have another color in mind. He has already taken the original seats out. I would install black leather.
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