The 1963 Chevy Corvette was the final result of more than a half-decade’s worth of research both on and off the racetrack. Conceived by Bill Mitchell and Zora Arkus-Duntov, the second-generation Corvette literally evolved from a racecar – namely the Stingray racer that Mitchell created (and privately funded out of his own pocket.)
Even its title, which was an axiom deliberately given to the race car because of its resemblance to an actual stingray, stuck and further defined the C2 for all time as the “Corvette Sting Ray.”
The car was an instant marketing success. Given its improved and re-imagined styling from the C1, and the impressive advancements made to the car’s performance and handling, there had been no doubt that the second-generation Corvette would be a triumph. Even so, nobody could have guessed that Mitchell’s ingenious design and Duntov’s engineering wizardry would produce a sports car that would become as popular or as successful as the 1963 Corvette ended up being.
Custom-built by Jeff Hayes of American Speed Shop in Bloomington, Indiana, this 1963 Chevrolet Corvette split-window coupe showcases the enduring appeal of the original Sting Ray design. It is now offered for sale via Bring A Trailer.
It features a black fiberglass body mounted on a replacement Art Morrison chassis, with flip-up headlamps, quad taillights, chrome bumperettes, and shrouded side exhaust pipes. Inside, red leather-trimmed bolstered bucket seats, a Billet Specialties steering wheel, a Lokar polished shifter, and AutoMeter instrumentation complete the look.
Powering this split-window Corvette is a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 with a Velocity induction system, paired with a 4L70E four-speed automatic transmission and a solid rear axle, delivering an authentic C2 Corvette experience faithful to Bill Mitchell’s original design.
Source: Bring A Trailer
