Description

Chassis No. 30837S116939
Engine No. 3116939 F0527RD

For most enthusiasts, seeing the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Coupe for the first time was a case of love at first sight. Road & Track opined, “As a purely sporting car, the new Corvette will know few peers on road or track,” while the British publication Motor pronounced, “In most respects the Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray is the equal of any GT car to be found on either side of the Atlantic.”

This spectacular “Split-Window” coupe benefits from having led a pampered life in the mild Southern California climate, in addition to a recent mechanical and cosmetic restoration. Reportedly acquired new by a doctor in Los Angeles, California, the Corvette would be passed on to his son in the 1970s, from whose family the consignor acquired the car just a few years ago. The Corvette was a largely original and unmodified car at the time, still retaining its original, albeit aged Ermine White paint, original black interior and chrome work, and importantly the matching numbers 327 cubic inch, 300 horsepower V8 engine, four-speed manual transmission, and factory air conditioning system, while the black and yellow California license plates still remained on the car. Decoding the trim tag and chassis number confirms the original colors as well as assembly at the St. Louis GM plant during the first week of June 1963.

Over the last nine months the Corvette has been treated to a comprehensive restoration by the consignor's in-house team of mechanics. The Ermine White exterior color was professionally renewed, while the chrome and stainless-steel trim was replated and polished. The interior features new carpeting and interior trim, while engine and engine bay ancillaries were restored, in addition to refurbishment of the chassis and electrical systems. The engine rebuild was done by Engine Works in Santa Ana, California, and noted Huntington Beach, California-based Corvette specialist Steve Luvisi was entrusted with installing the engine and fitting a new clutch.

This desirable Corvette is one of just 278 Split-Window Sting Rays produced with the optional 327 cubic inch, 300 horsepower V8 engine, offering a 50 horsepower increase from the base engine, and the most powerful engine available with air conditioning, while also being equipped with the much sportier four-speed manual transmission. “Only a man with a heart of stone could resist temptation like this,” said a Corvette advertisement in '63. With its iconic appearance and stirring performance, in addition to a pampered Southern California existence and recent professional restoration, this Corvette Sting Ray is certainly a tempting example of a world-class all-American classic.