| 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Convertible Beautifully restored C2 in “Sting Ray” with 350hp 327cu 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Convertible Beautifully restored C2 in “Sting Ray” with 350hp 327cu Seller: Silver Arrow Cars Ltd. #40218Office Location: Victoria, BC, CanadaVehicle FOB: Victoria, BC Canada (nearest US port/border crossing is Blaine, Washington) 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray ConvertibleChassis:30867S113797Final Assembly Date:Thursday, April 25, 1963; St. Louis, MOBody Built Date:April, 1963, week 4 #6522 (A.O. Smith)Engine: Restamped: 350hp*327 07*14Block Cast: 3858180 Tonawanda D256 (April 25 1966 on the 12pm/am shift)Differential Cast: 464910 Nineteen sixty-three was a big year for the Corvette. It was 10 years after the model’s premiere, and Chevrolet was releasing the second generation of “America’s Sports Car” to great acclaim. With the sexy aerodynamic design penned by Bill Mitchell and Larry Shinoda, the Corvette, now dubbed the “Sting Ray”, boasted an independent rear suspension, optional power steering, power brakes, and air conditioning. The all-new Corvette generated immediate acclaim, with Motor Trend testers remarking: “We thought the old model cornered darn well, but there’s no comparing it to this new one”. Road & Track stated that the 1963 Corvette “will know few peers”. The model has become something of a design classic, as it is renowned for its combination of European-inspired high style and American brawn, and it remains coveted by Corvette collectors as a landmark in the history of what may be Chevrolet’s most important model. After a decade of production for the classic but outdated live-axle Corvette model, the factory pulled out all the stops to present the brand new Corvette of 1963. In thiscase, “new” was not a figment of some advertising copywriter’s imagination, since every aspect of the exciting Corvette was totally redesigned. True, the engines and transmissions were carried over from 1962, but they were already engineered to world class standards, as attested to by all of the magazine reviews of the time. A beautiful new fiberglass body, for the first time available as both a coupe and a convertible, presented the most obvious improvement. Borrowing nothing from the design of any other car, either foreign or domestic, this unique Sting Ray show car inspired designstill looks as fresh and exciting today as it did at the time of its introduction 40 years ago.
Underneath a redesigned, much stiffer chassis with independent rear suspension, by now de rigeur for any automobile of sporting pretensions, offered vastly improved handling over its solid axle predecessor. The engineering of this platform validated itself by the fact that it continued, almost untouched, until the 1983 Corvette model year. Under the direct influence of three of the titans of General Motors – Bill Mitchell and Larry Shinoda in styling and Zora Arkus-Duntov in engineering, it is no wonder that this Corvette came out right.
Before the new Sting Ray even appeared in the show rooms of the nation, enterprising road racers like Dick Guldstrand, Bob Bondurant, Allen Grant and Davy MacDonald had them on the track. Doug Hooper, in the new Corvette’s maiden voyage, won at the RiversideTimes Grand Prix – although the Corvette drivers had to contend with Shelby’s new Cobras that the SCCA had approved as a production sports car despite its race car specifications. One of the kings of Sting Ray drivers was the sensational Dave MacDonald, whose spectacular sideways driving style in his Z06 Corvette compensated for the car’s inadequate (for racing) drum brakes – notupgraded by GM until the 1965 model year. On offer here is a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible in Riverside Red over Red Vinyl with a white soft top. It is equipped with the famous 4-speed Muncie manual transmission and has its original AM/FM Delco radio and clock. We aren’t certain when this Corvette was restored, but it shows extremely well. The interior is like new. Paint is very good, with only a few visible defects and touch-ups. The engine runs extremely well and has a great exhaust note. The rebuilt replacement engine is stamped "350hp 327" with what appears to be the date of July 2014 (07*14). This is probably when the car was rebuilt. The block is an original 327cu in, that was likely produced for a 1965 Corvette or 1966 Chevelle. They are identical to what would have been in the car originally.
This is a great example of a “first generation” Sting Ray. It has a unique look. Only 10,919 Sting Ray Convertibles were built in 1963.It has the very expensive optional alloy wheels. Factory AM/FM Radio, Clock, and one of the more powerful V8 engines available at the time. It’s a fantastic well-restored Vette without the price tag or temperment of the fuelies. If you are looking for the ultimate Sting Ray to add to your garage, this is one of the best we’ve come across in recent years. Clean, dry, and runs like new!
Please call us at +1 (250) 598-0090 to have any additional questions answered or to see the car in person.
Terms & Conditions Used vehicles are sold "as is", "where is" with no warranties either expressed or implied. We do not accept refunds.Winning bidder must contact us within 24 hours of the auction end, and make arrangements for payment at that time. A $2,000.00 deposit is due within 48 hours of end of auction. The remainder is due within 7 days of auction end. If no contact is made within 24 hours, we reserve the right to re-list the vehicle, sell it to the next high bidder, or sell it otherwise. The car is advertized elsewhere. We reserve the right to end the listing if the vehicle is no longer available for sale. Seller accepts Paypal for deposit only. Make sure if financing that your financial institution accepts the year and miles of this vehicle before bidding. Please arrange financing prior to bidding. Please do not bid on this auction unless you are serious about owning this vehicle. All non-paying high bidders will be reported to eBay, and negative feedback will be posted. Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping of this vehicle. F.O.B. Victoria, BC Canada We can assist buyer with export/import to Europe or other intercontinental destinations. | | | |