Corvettes don't get much better than this.
The Chevrolet Corvette is an American icon, and as the latest generation continues to sell in record numbers, older models are increasing in value at an unprecedented rate. We regularly report on the large number of exotic and special edition Corvettes that go to auction, but our favorite examples are those manufactured during the golden days of the 1960s. This 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 “one-year-only” Split Window Coupe might just be the most special Vette we've ever covered, and should reach an estimated price of between $700,000 and $900,000 when it goes up for sale at the 2022 Amelia Island Auction with Gooding And Company. That's not the highest number we've seen a Corvette sell for, but it ranks up there.
This iconic Corvette was the first of 1963's major redesign overseen by Bill Mitchell and featured Corvette firsts such as independent suspension, and the first official competition package known as the Z06 package. This included a 360 horsepower 327 CID RPO L84 OHV V8 engine with Rochester Ramjet mechanical fuel injection, a close-ratio four-speed manual transmission, and heavy-duty suspension with thicker stabilizer bars. The braking system was also completely overhauled and featured special drum brakes that incorporated ventilated braking plates and “elephant ear” scoops. The Z06 package cost a whopping 25 percent of the overall price of the car. Only 199 of these factory-built Z06s ever saw the light of day, making this one of the most desirable Corvettes under the sun.
This vehicle's first owner was James Serio from Ithaca, New York. He purchased the car from local agent Jack Townsend on February 25, 1963, and thanks to his father's connections, managed to order the Corvette with a Sebring Silver paint job and Saddle Tan leather, making it the only 1963 Z06 with this combination. The car retailed for $5,949,25 back then. The car was sold in the early 1970s to Michael Raczkowski and by that time, the car had done a little over 4,000 miles. Mr. Lojewski purchased the car in 1975, and it has remained in the family ever since.
This Corvette has since gone on to win numerous awards, including Bloomington Gold Certification and NCRS Top Flight Awards. The odometer currently stands on 5,353 miles.
“In accordance with multiple 1963 Corvette authorities as well as having conducted many hours of inspection and authentication of this specific vehicle, I would consider this the most perfectly intact and preserved example of the entire 1963 – 1967 production run. As founder of Bloomington Gold, I have been exposed to thousands of C2 Corvettes and fortunate enough to inspect almost all of the top twenty unrestored, preserved C1 and C2 Corvettes over the past fifty years. Although there are several that come close, I know of none more perfectly preserved than this example. This is not to mention the iconic 1963 design, extremely rare color combination, rare Z06 heavy duty brake option, iconic fuel injected engine, and nearly sixty years of meticulous custodial care,” says David Burroughs, head of Bloomington Gold.
The Amelia Island Auction will take place on Friday, March 4 at 11.00 am EST ahead of that weekend's Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
Keyword: This Split-Window Stingray Is The Holy Grail Of Corvettes