Will Somebody PLEASE Drive this 1963 Corvette Split-Window Restomod?
It may be a multi-award-winning, top-notch piece of pricey rolling art, but this 1963 Corvette restomod is begging to be driven.
Low-mile vehicles – even those that weren’t built too terribly long ago – remain the apple of the car collector’s eye, and for good reason. If you’re looking to preserve a vintage ride for future generations (or profits), driving it a lot will only diminish its value, as well as its condition. However, we’re also seeing a whole heck of a lot of restomods being built, only to sit around and collect dust, too. Which doesn’t really make a ton of sense. Case in point – this 1963 Corvette split-window restomod that we recently spotted.
This 1963 Corvette is up for auction at Bring a Trailer as a truly fine example of its breed, and bidders are clearly aware of that, as it has already been bid up past the $400k mark as of this writing, with several days left in the auction. It’s a collaborative build as well, pieced together by the folks at Hot Rod Garage of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, with design work completed by Eric Black of E. Black Designs Co. and Jason Smith of Hot Rod Garage, who incorporated some vintage European sports car nuances in there for good measure.
The work here is quite extensive, too – the cowl vents and windshield wiper posts were smoothed out, the B-pillar vents filled, the badges shaved, the hood-insert pockets and front fender vents deepened and enlarged, and the rear valance modified to accommodate a center-exit exhaust. The rear floor has been mini-tubbed to fit larger tires, while there’s a ’67 grille opening up front, coupled with tucked bumperettes, LED lighting, Porsche side mirrors, and Jaguar door handles. Topping it all off are a few coats of the Ferrari hue known as Grigio Alloy.
The whole thing rides on a Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis with a Fast Track independent suspension, tubular upper and lower control arms, Baer disc brakes, and RS SV by Fox fixed-valve coilovers. It rolls on a set of custom 20-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels with satin bronze centers and brushed lips, wrapped with Nitto NT555 G2 tires measuring 255/45 up front and 315/40 in the rear.
Inside the cabin, one will find all-new threads from Chuck Rowland, consisting of blue leather-covered low-back bucket seats with white stitching, materials that are also present throughout the cabin. German square-weave carpeting and floor mats help complete the look, along with white leather for a nice contrast. There are plenty of modern amenities to be found as well, including a Vintage Air climate control system, USB ports, Dakota Digital instrumentation, and a Kenwood stereo.
Power comes from a blue powder-coated 416 cubic-inch LS3 V8 built by Don Hardy, which features a custom Edelbrock cross ram intake, two drive-by-wire throttle bodies, a Holley Dominator ECU, headers, and a stainless steel exhaust. It sends 620 horsepower to the rear wheels via a T56 Magnum six-speed manual transmission built by Bowler Performance and fitted with a McLeod hydraulic clutch and a Lakewood/QuickTime bellhousing, along with a Ford 9-inch rear end with a Detroit Truetrac differential.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this stunning 1963 Corvette has gone on to win a ton of awards in the two years or so since it was finished – 2023 Goodguys Chevrolet Performance GM Iron Builder of the Year, a Chip Foose Design Award, Big Oak Garage Pick, a CPP Top 10 Triple Crown of Rodding Award, and it was a top five finalist for Columbus’ 2023 PPG Street Machine of the Year and 2023 BASF America’s Most Beautiful award in Fort Worth.
Trouble is, it’s only been driven 222 miles in those same two years, which seems, well… like a shame. After all, isn’t the purpose of restomods to make old cars more enjoyable to drive, and not just to look at?
Someone please buy this stunning Corvette and drive it like it was meant to be driven!
Photos: Bring a Trailer
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