You Can Now Buy One of the First-ever Corvette Stingrays

Little red Corvette packs 327-cubic-inch V8 and chrome in every possible location.

While flipping through the automotive category of Craigslist for the Los Angeles area, we came across this sharp 1963 Chevrolet Corvette “contertible”. While the listing itself isn’t all that great, the car looks like a shining example of the original Stingray. It is finished in bright red with lots of chrome, a black leather interior and a chromed-out, 327-cubic-inch V8 under the hood, serving as the stereotypical C2 that you would see at your local car show, but that is not a bad thing by any stretch.

1963: The C2 Cometh

The 1963 model year was a big one for the Chevrolet Corvette, as it marked the first generational change for the all-American sports car. With the introduction of the C2 came an entirely new look, the first fixed-top design and the Stingray name, all of which made the Corvette even more popular.

The Stingray name would be used throughout the C2 and C3 generations before being removed from the Corvette lineup. Of course, the Stingray made a return with the arrival of the C7 for the 2014 model year, but the fame of the Stingray name all began back in 1963. While all C2 models are sought after, 1963 will always be the original Corvette Stingray.

LA Stingray For Sale

Unfortunately, the person who made this Craigslist ad didn’t put a whole lot of effort into it, so little is known about this car shy of the basic details and the fact that it looks pretty clean from every angle.

“This BEAUTIFUL convertible is more than a head turner!!
Resto mod
Beefed up 327- all chrome
4-Speed standard
Cherry red paint
Underneath just as stunning as the top”

We aren’t sure what something is if it “is more than a head turner”, but evidently, this Corvette is just that. It says that the 327 engine is “beefed up” and the listing calls it a restomod, but there are no details as to what has been done to the engine or what other upgrades have been made. It has late model wheels and it looks like just about everything under the hood has been chromed, but it looks more like a clean, chromed-out C2 Corvette than a restomod, right down to the interior.

Frankly, if we were listing a modified 1963 Corvette Stingray convertible for sale with an asking price of $79,900, we would include a modification list and make sure that the title was spelled correctly, but the crummy ad doesn’t take away from the fact that this car looks great.

If you are serious about buying yourself a classic Corvette, maybe as a late Christmas or early New Years gift, your chance to buy one of the original Stingrays is only a flight to LA away.

Join the Corvette forums today!

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com