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Corvette Of The Day: 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 "Big Tank"
1963 Corvette Sales Brochures

1963 Corvette - The Ultimate Guide

When the 1963 Corvette finally made it to market, its sales numbers jumped off the charts, literally skyrocketing Corvette sales to levels never before experienced – even in 1953 when the original C1 had originally been marketed to enthusiastic soldiers returning home from overseas.

1963 Corvette Special Editions

Firmly at the helm of the good ship Corvette in the early 1960s, chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov--a two-time class winner at Le Mans in a Porsche in the mid-1950s--deftly got around GM's racing ban by making certain that road racers could properly outfit their cars from the factory, with options like an extra-large fuel tank and heavy-duty brakes. That started the era of Chevrolet creating some amazing special edition Corvettes.

In 1963 GM Design put together two special Corvettes according to special work orders. The first was delivered fresh to the 1963 Chicago Auto show, while a nearly identical version was gifted to the retired Harley Earl. These Vettes received numerous modifications from GM Design including and a new custom interior and sidepipes.
This one-off Corvette was custom-built by GM Styling under famed design chief Bill Mitchell, especially for the famed industrialist and Indianapolis racing sponsor Ozzie Olson of Olsonite fame. Among its special modifications including custom floor grates that were a trademark feature of the GM Styling specials
The GS II (Grand Sport II) was a test vehicle completed in late 1963 by Chevrolet Engineering Center (C.E.C.). The chassis was constructed of spot-welded sheet steel and was fitted with narrow tires. With only minor testing done at GM’s test facility in Michigan, the vehicle was shipped to Texas to the Chaparral Cars test facility.
The Corvette built for 'Bunkie' Knudsen is a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette styling car known as the "Bunkie" Knudsen Corvette, built for Chevrolet general manager Semon E. "Bunkie" Knudsen. Finished in Rose Pearl with a full-length White racing stripe, it is outwardly distinguished by its chromed header-style pipes.
The "Asteroid" started life as a 1963 Chevy Corvette.  It was ordered by mechanical engineer and renowned mid-century speed boat racer Bob Nordskog, sans any exterior paint save for a primer coat.  Instead, the car was shipped directed to Barris Kustoms with instructions for Barris to transform the brand-new Corvette into a more radical version of itself.
The Corvette Rondine concept was built by Pinanfarina and introduced at the 1963 Paris Motor Show. The car started life as a 1963 split-window Corvette, which is all the more unusual because Chevrolet introduced the split-window coupe at the same time that Pinanfarina was introducing a custom-built Corvette based on that very same platform.
1963 Corvette Grand Sport
Some of the iconic American sports car’s earliest forays into racing were snuffed out before they ever truly began. The 1963 Corvette Grand Sport, a Zora Arkus-Duntov designed rendition, of the C2 was staged for track domination, both at home and abroad.
The first Z06 was actually an option package first offered with the 1963 Corvette. The package was developed by Corvette's legendary lead engineer and racing advocate Z0ra Arkus-Duntov.  The Z06 option was designed to allow consumers to bolster the 1963 "Split-Window" Corvettes performance and handling capabilities for use on the race track. Selecting regular production option (RPO) Z06 when ordering a Corvette resulted in a car equipped with some tasty options.
The 1963 Wedge Corvette split windshield concept was a sleek, front-engine design study that revived the Q Corvette’s split-windshield gullwing-style doors with a short, bobbed tail. Late in 1963, a GM Styling team under Henry Haga prepared this future Corvette proposal. Its sophisticated lines included side-mounted exhaust pipes.

1963 Corvette Engines

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