1963 Corvette

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Old Corvette: Your one stop web site for old Corvettes information from 1953-1967.  
The 1969 Corvette unleashed.

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1963 Corvette : Your one stop web site for information about the <a href="http://www.1963-corvette.com">1963 split window Corvette</a>.

Corvette Sting Ray

Enthusiasts often wonder where the Corvette sting ray evolved from. It came to be from a racing car called the Mitchell Sting Ray. William L. Mitchell had replaced Harley Earl as head of GM styling in 1958. Mitchell felt compelled to associate the Corvette with racing, so he persuaded Chevrolet general manager Ed Cole to sell him the chassis of the 1957 Corvette SS mule for $1 (to beat the corporate racing ban) so he could design a race car. Mitchell had designer Larry Shinoda create the Sting Ray from the sea creature. Shinoda came up with the 1963 split window coupe even though other people argued that it obstructed the view out the back window. Since the split window was only offered one year, it has been a very collectible item for Corvette owners.

“The 1963 Sting Ray introduced for the first time a full four-wheel independent suspension (earlier cars had independently suspended front wheels only), adjustable steering columns, wider wheel rims, and a continuation of the excellently received 327 hp engines first used on the 1962 model. With innovations including optional power steering and brakes, and much that was new in the interiors, the 1963 model was indeed a “New Corvette”.