Is That A 1963 Split Window Corvette Under That Car Cover?

When you are a gearhead, people you meet often tell you about cool cars that they once owned, or once saw.  If you are really lucky, they still own those cool cars, and they want to show them off.  The other day when I was writing that blog about that hidden 1964 Corvette Convertible with the factory fuel injection, I realized that I actually know about a 1963 split window Corvette too!  Much like every cool car though, it comes with a story.

The story began a few decades ago with a man that bought a basket case 1963 Corvette, 327, 4-speed.  I’m told that it had all kinds of ugly body modifications, and needed quite a bit of TLC if it wanted to be seen by the public again. Luckily, the car was now in the right hands; the very capable hands of a body shop owner.  Over time, the car was pieced back together, driven for a while in red primer, and eventually painted a beautiful silver color. By 1988, it wasn’t “fully” finished, but it was a very drivable, fun, weekend and sunny day cruiser.

In the owners yard, there was a large storage tent that could hold a few boat projects, and store the 1963 Corvette in the winter time.  The Corvette often found itself parked in the shadow of the big old pickup truck.  It was almost as if the truck was guarding the Vette from something. Notice the truck lurking in the background.

Life was good for this Corvette over the next few years.  Summer cruising, winter storage next to the old pickup.  More summer cruising, more winter storage next to the truck, just like clockwork.  The winter of 1994 then arrived and the weight of the snow covered roof proved to be more than the storage tent could handle.  The snow and twisted metal rained down on top of the split window Corvette that day and the owner could only assume the worst.  The car had to be flattened.

When the snowpocolypse was investigated, by some act of car gods, the Corvette was almost entirely unharmed.  The big old pickup truck that lurked in the shadows for years had basically saved the Corvette from its certain death.  The rigid body 1940’s truck body was found holding the twisted tent structure up above the height of the split window.  The Corvette was left with nothing more than a few minor bumps and bruises.  Unfortunately, those minor bumps and bruises were the cause for the car to land in the same spot for the next 20 or so years.  Maybe someday it will come out and play again.

Jeremy Nutt

Hi, I'm Jeremy.

3 thoughts to “Is That A 1963 Split Window Corvette Under That Car Cover?”

    1. Hi James – I have been working on that for a while. I’m thinking / hoping that I can swing by there in the near future, help get it running again, and crank up the owners motivation. Nobody can resist the sound of a V8 lighting up for the first time in 15 years.

  1. I sure hope it gets fixed up – I would love to drive it. I’m the blonde(grey) vet attached to this silver vette owner!

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