Few American performance cars command the reverence of the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split-Window Coupe, a one-year-only design masterpiece penned under the direction of Bill Mitchell. Now offered on Bring a Trailer, this exceptional example combines the iconic split-window body with the highly sought-after L84 fuel-injected 327-cubic-inch V8, making it one of the most desirable C2 Corvettes ever produced.
Factory-rated at 360 horsepower, the Rochester mechanical fuel-injected L84 engine represented the pinnacle of Corvette performance in 1963, helping establish the model as a legitimate rival to Europe’s finest sports cars. Chevrolet built just 2,610 fuel-injected Corvettes that year, with historians estimating roughly half were split-window coupes. Even more exclusive, this car is among only 651 examples equipped with the aggressive 4.56:1 Positraction rear axle.
Originally delivered through Harry Mann Chevrolet in Los Angeles, the Corvette spent its early years competing on racetracks across California and Arizona. Its documented history became especially noteworthy after a Tucson collector acquired it in 1984. Over the following years, extensive research and restoration returned the car to its factory specifications, while period correspondence, photographs, and magazine features preserved its remarkable story. The owner also tracked down what is believed to be the car’s original Rochester mechanical fuel-injection unit, completing a painstaking search in 1994.
The restoration earned prestigious recognition, including Bloomington Gold certification and multiple NCRS Top Flight awards throughout the early 1990s, underscoring the car’s authenticity and presentation. Additional mechanical servicing performed by Vette Dreams in West Babylon, New York, during 2011 and 2013 totaled approximately $23,000, ensuring the Corvette remained in excellent operating condition.
Finished in its correct Daytona Blue over a dark blue vinyl interior, the fiberglass-bodied coupe features 15-inch steel wheels with knock-off spinner-style hubcaps wrapped in BFGoodrich Silvertown tires. The cabin retains period-correct appointments including bucket seats, power windows, an AM radio, an analog clock, lap belts, and a heater.
Instrumentation includes a 160-mph speedometer, a 6,500-rpm tachometer, and auxiliary gauges for oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel level, and amperage. Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission and the rare Positraction differential, preserving the engaging driving experience that helped cement the 1963 fuel-injected Split-Window Corvette as one of the most celebrated American sports cars ever built.
Source: Bring a Trailer
