[VIDEO] Dennis Collins Rescues an Unusual 1963 Corvette Split Window Parked Since the ’90s

Jun 16, 2026

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[VIDEO] Dennis Collins Rescues an Unusual 1963 Corvette Split Window Parked Since the '90s

Dennis Collins has made a career out of chasing rare machines, but even he admits some trips feel bigger than others. His latest Coffee Walk adventure took him and his crew on a 650 mile turn and burn to San Antonio, all for a car he calls “one of the top Corvettes of all time” — a 1963 split window coupe.

The car had been tucked away for decades, cared for by a family whose late husband had been part of the local Pontiac club. When he passed, his wife Angela reached out for help finishing the work he’d started. That’s when Collins got the call — and when the story really began.

When Collins and his team — Alex, Zach, and Tom — arrived in Helotes, Texas, they found the ’63 stored alongside a ’35 Dodge, a ’99 Trans Am, and a rare Renault Gordini. But the Corvette was the star.

The car turned out to be a saddle tan on saddle tan coupe, color code 932, with a long list of desirable features:

• 300 horsepower RD code engine (numbers matching)
• Power windows — only 3,742 ’63s had them
• Power steering and power brakes
• Side exhaust (added early in its life, with the rear exhaust outlets glassed over and repainted)
• Original owner’s manual and mileage documentation

As Collins put it, “We’ve had a bunch of these, but this one’s unusual.”

The Corvette showed 82,000 miles, evidence it had been driven and enjoyed. The paint had been touched up years ago, and the side exhaust installation required custom work — both speculated to have been done in the mid ’60s.

Then came the big discovery – a complete set of Western Wheel knockoffs, still in their boxes from Corvette America, untouched for decades. Hammer, install kit, everything.

“Tell you what really helped it for us was the knockoffs,” Collins said, “and it’s got power steering, power brakes, power windows. I think saddle/saddle is a cool color combo. I’m glad nobody changed it. Back in the day, people didn’t like this color, but I sure like it now.”

The team agreed: they’d pay the asking price.

Getting the Corvette out of the building wasn’t easy. A nail in a tire, tight angles, and a stubborn trailer brake added drama, but eventually the split window rolled into the sunlight for the first time in nearly three decades.

“Happy birthday, Alex,” Collins joked as the car rolled out of the building where it had been stored for so long.

With the car loaded, the crew headed to New Braunfels for a celebratory meal at Krause’s, a local German favorite. Jalapeño gravy schnitzel, Brussels sprouts with bacon, Texas caviar — the works.

“Highly recommend,” Collins said between bites.

The episode ends the way all Coffee Walks do — with Collins thanking viewers and reminding them to like, share, and subscribe. But this trip felt special: a rare Corvette saved, a family’s story honored, and another piece of American automotive history brought back into the light.