[VIDEO] 1963 Corvette Split Window Gets its First Wash in 21 Years

Aug 9, 2026

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[VIDEO] 1963 Corvette Split Window Gets its First Wash in 21 Years

If you’ve followed our coverage of WD Detailing over the past year, you already know their specialty isn’t just cleaning cars—it’s resurrecting them. We’ve watched them revive everything from forgotten classics to mud caked modern muscle, each transformation revealing a story beneath the grime. But even with all the WD Detailing features we’ve done, this one stands apart.

Because this time, the crew wasn’t just restoring a car.

They were restoring a legacy.

A 1963 Corvette Split Window, abandoned for 21 years, buried under dust, mouse nests, and memories. The kind of car that can command seven figure money in perfect condition—yet here it sat, forgotten in an Idaho barn.

When the team first saw it, the reaction was instant: “Oh my God… this is the most beautiful car that’s ever been made.”

Even under decades of grime, the split window shape still hit like a punch. Manual transmission. Red interior. A silhouette that defined Corvette’s second generation.

But this wasn’t just a rare Corvette.

It was Rick’s Corvette.

Rick was the kind of man whose friends smile when they talk about him—generous, warm, a mountain man with a loyal dog named John and a deep love for animals. And he adored this Corvette.

When he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, he tried to sell the car to pay for chemo. But when doctors told him the treatment wouldn’t help, he made a final decision: “I’m not selling her.”

He couldn’t bear to watch the car leave.

Before he passed, Rick made one last wish: Find someone who would keep the car exactly as he built it—not strip it, not restomod it, not “make it their own.”

That someone turned out to be Ken.

A friend called, Ken drove out, and a trustee opened the barn doors. There it was—20 years of dust, bird droppings, mouse nests. A 1963 split window wearing a ’67 hood, ’67 knock off wheels, side exhaust, and a balanced and blueprinted 327 Rick had chosen himself.

Ken made an offer, thinking it was safe. Later he learned he wasn’t even close to half of the highest bid.

But Rick had already made his choice: “No, you’re not. I want Ken to have that car.”

Money couldn’t buy it. Respect could.

If you’ve read our past WD Detailing stories, you know they don’t shy away from a challenge. But this one tested every skill they had.

The exterior was buried under grime. The interior was filled with mouse nests, mold, and ruined carpet. Wiring was chewed through. The smell was overwhelming.

They pressure washed the exterior, removed iron deposits, clay barred the paint, and polished the burgundy finish until it glowed. Underneath the dust, the car revealed its original Tuxedo Black over red heritage—a stunning combination.

Inside, they found two mice behind the seat—evicted gently, because Rick loved animals. The carpet was unsalvageable, so Ken chose to replace it entirely.