The Common Chevrolet Classic Car That's Worth A Small Fortune Now
The modern Chevrolet Corvette is America's very own supercar. A rear-engined marvel that handily competes with luxury marques like Ferrari that happen to cost several times as much as the humble Corvette's price of entry. However, this definitely wasn't always the case. The first-generation Corvette sports car, dubbed the C1, debuted in 1953 with an anemic six-cylinder engine that could only be paired with an automatic transmission. After nearly being discontinued, the Corvette was on much firmer footing by the time the second-generation C2 arrived on the scene in 1963.
The 1963 Corvette was the first to wear the "String Ray" (later spelled "Stingray") monicker, the first with four-wheel independent suspension, and could be powered by a bevy of brawny V8 engines, all the way up to 360 horsepower. Although the C2 body style continued until 1967, the 1963 model was distinctive because the coupe version featured a wide fiberglass partition separating two pieces of rear window glass in lieu of a conventional one-piece rear window. Today, extraordinary examples of this one-year-only Corvette "split-window coupe" can fetch enough cash to afford to buy a starter home: between $300,000 and $600,000.
The 1963 split-window was a one-hit wonder
While there's no question that the 1963 Corvette Coupe was visually striking when viewed from the rear, its drivers weren't always enamored with the split-window design. That's because the 1963 Corvette Coupe already had a prominent blind spot — an area of a vehicle where the driver can't see — caused by the substantial B-pillar behind the doors. Certain members of the Corvette's engineering staff were furious at an additional blind spot being created in the center of the rear window and blocking a comprehensive view from the rear-view mirror. But famed designer Bill Mitchell persevered and the split window made it to production.
According to the National Corvette Museum, a total of 21,513 Corvettes were made in 1963. About half of those, 10,594 to be exact, were split-window coupes. The other 10,919 were equipped with a retractible convertible top and therefore, devoid of the quirky rear window divider. Those production numbers are low compared to modern cars like the Toyota Camry, which sold 309,876 units in the United States during 2024. But still, the 1963 Corvette was an affordable indulgence for the everyman who wanted one. Its base price was a mere $4,252, which is equal to about $44,700 in today's dollars when factoring for ever-rising inflation. That's less than the average price of a new car in 2024, never mind a halo car like the Corvette.
Options like upgraded engines are important
By 1964, the split-window coupe disappeared in favor of a more conventional one-piece rear window with improved visibility. Only 10,594 of the 1963 Corvette split-window coupes were built to begin with, and the number that survives more than 60 years later is unknown. It's safe to assume that a decent portion were taken off the road due to accidents or sent to salvage yards because of mechanical damage or rust in their non-fiberglass parts, like the chassis. That makes for a rare bird today.
According to the classic car insurance company Hagerty, the estimated value for a 1963 coupe ranges from $77,200 in "fair" condition up to $191,000 in show-ready "concours" condition. Meanwhile, the most common "good" condition is valued at $116,000 by Hagerty. While those valuations are a good starting point, 1963 Corvette coupes can sell for a great deal more money with the right options like an upgraded engine with fuel injection, air conditioning, or special heavy-duty suspension.
A quick peek at the auction aggregator Classic.com shows an example with rare options selling for $625,000 in May 2024. That's backed up by a solid dozen mint 1963 Corvette coupes selling for more than $300,000 over the past 12 months, which is well above the insurance estimates represented earlier. Although riding in a convertible on a beautiful day can be an ethereal experience, drop-top 1963 Corvettes are typically worth much less — like half — than their viewing-impaired hardtop brethren.