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Sports1963 Corvette Sting Ray: Why the Split Window Matters
One year of split window, and collectors have not forgotten.
The 1963 Corvette Sting Ray was a clean-sheet redesign, and its signature feature lasted a single season. The coupe's rear window was split by a center bar, a styling idea that made 1963 the most talked-about year of the whole generation.
1963 Sting Ray design and engineering
Bill Mitchell led the styling, with Larry Shinoda shaping the sharp body, while Zora Arkus-Duntov focused on handling. The Sting Ray gained independent rear suspension, a major step forward for an American car, and its 327 cubic inch V8 was offered with up to 360 horsepower using fuel injection.
The split window: beauty versus visibility
Duntov disliked the split because it blocked rear vision, and it was dropped for 1964. That decision is exactly why 1963 coupes are cherished: a flaw to some became a one-year signature. Buyers should check frame condition and the originality of the fiberglass panels carefully.
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray key facts
- Model year
- 1963
- Signature
- Split rear window
- Generation
- C2