BS ??? Got to stop ??? Urban Lengend ??? Oviously none of that is true, you said it youself that there were only a few, a few is more than none. Sooooo, it must be true, it did happen !!!!!

 

Well, after seeing the picture below, you will have seen two SWCs that have had the split removed:




And, yes, the differential cooler obstructs rear vision.

Jim

 

I wish we could get Roger Brunelle, founder/owner/operator of Bruno's Corvette Service in Srudio City, California for perhaps 40 years, on this thread. His was one of the top body shops in LA for repair on any fiberglass vehicle.

Bet he alone removed splits from at least 25 '63 SWCs during the '64 model year. And more as people bought used '63s and wanted to update them to current, including hood and side vents, over the next three years or so.

Personally I've always loved the split and wanted a stock-looking coupe to go with my highly-customized '64 convertible. But if the cost spread of a '63 over a '64 remains, I'll compare the relative cost of converting a '64 coupe before making a final decision, they have those cool black instrument centers, cleaner hood and are nicer to ride in!

 

URBAN Legend is base on A LOT, not just a few, there is always exception to rule, and there were some, but NOT common by no means. When I read posts like your, it gives the impression it was a common practice done by 63 owners and it was not, please read post closely, URBAN Legend is this is what a 63 owner did.... There are a few that took the entire body off a 63 and bought a "MAKO SHARK" style body, it was done, but thank the Lord only a few did it, many to Corvettes that were totalled and rebuilt. As a 63 owner I don't want people mislead on this web site that only a few do something, people post like it was common practice. This subject comes up about twice a year, and there is always a few who have to post it was very common for the split to be remove, sorry but it was not common and the URBAN Legend has grown to a point that it seems almost everybody took the split away...NO SO.

 

Jim,

That is NOT a stock 63 its complete modified for track and a knock off of 63 factory racers. I am talking about the stock 63's with windows removed to appear like a 64,...give me a break, not taking about flairs, vents, little trunk, and most likely a tube frame or a later year Corvette Chassis, you know what the intent of my post was. NOT reproing the racers, but trying to make it a 64 stock Corvette for street use, I know you can drive yours on the street, but you know the intent...BTW really nice job, love to see those cars.[/QUOTE]

 

Why not John Herold, who worked for Bruno in LA. John is one of my best friends and worked for Bruno for several years. John has shared with me many of the strories of what came out of Bruno's shop, and John was his glass man during that time through the 70's. Sure, there are some, but not the amount that people think.... Most of those cars that were modified are long gone, as many were used for the track, or customized so much they never saw the street, but later were parted out, and the split is not the best thing for track use. As previously posted you MUST have 360 degree visibilty, the Split was designed as a stock factory car for the public. My friend John who worked for Bruno is well aware of the splits removed, and even put back on several years later, but with very poor resutls.

 

During the 70's decand, the poor C2 became an expirmental car for people who like to work with fiber glass. Many of the C2 were cut, reshaped, customized, and made to look almost unrecognizable during that period. WIDE wheels not really tall, were the big craze, with many have these EXTRA Wide wheels on the back, and small narrow wheels on the front. I have seen more Corvette altered to except the extra rear light, then I ever did taking the split away. And the hood, I wish a could put here on line some of the old photos I have of Corvette Hoods being modified, the big mod was the big square box, or the cowl induction that sets about 8 inches high, often found on the Makos Kits. And talk about the backs, many bought the rear glass kits that had the VENTS on the rear windows. Front headlights were modified so they were put under the exising head lights and the buckets were glassed in as part of the front clip, and every type of grill work from chrome round bars to diamond cut screens were used. Bumperettes replaced the two split bumbers, and the big thing was tucked and pleated seats, using larger seats then the stock ones.... But almost EVERY corvette had flared wheels, at least in the back, and many all four were flaired. Paint schemes, everything from the crazy Psychodelic swirls and flowers, to metal flaking (big flakes), stripping and my favorite was the rainbow or prism metal flake pant.

Of all the years, I really think the C2 was the car that shared most of the severe body altering modification, and the C3 was a close second.

I think the older guys who are on this forum will agree, many of these C2s of today have been restored back to factory, were victims of the made glassers of the 70's.

Believe me if you look back at the OLD car shows photographs of the 60s and 70s you will see EXACTLY what I am talking about.

 

I couldn't agree more! In 1978 I bought a Z-06 in baskets. Body mods??? Front parking light pods removed and glassed smooth, the grille was cut out and other lights were mounted there, headlight doors molded in with 1968 Impala bezels molded in below the peak, 6 taillights (of course), the vents on the B piller were smoothed out, all four wheel wells had "baby" flares (as we called them), the 2 recessed front fender side impressions were converted to ONE large impression and a 3" spoiler was added to the rear lip. But it still had the split window and I hated driving it because I couldn't see who was behind me.
I have pictures but I can't find them now.......

Verne