Daily Slideshow: Take a Gander at Superformance's 1963 Grand Sport

1. The Unicorn of Corvettes

The legend that is the 1963 Corvette Grand Sport wasn't ever really meant to be. And yet, the nameplate's "father," Zora Arkus-Duntov, made it happen. The result was a lightweight racing car designed to take on the mighty Shelby Cobra on the track, and it wound up doing just that - three times in fact. But sadly, GM's chairman at the time wasn't so thrilled with the idea and promptly killed it. As a result, only a small handful of Grand Sports were built. That is, until Irvine, California based Superperformance decided to build another one.

>>Join the conversation about Superformance's 1963 Grand Sport right here in Corvette Forum.

2. Staying Faithful to the Original

Superperformance is not new to the ultra-rare automotive recreation game, already offering "new" versions of legendary rides like the Cobra and GT40. So it would only make sense that they turn their attention to perhaps the greatest car GM ever produced. They didn't take that task lightly, either. This Grand Sport was built from the ground up using the same methods, blueprints, parts specs, and materials as the original cars. Heck, the end result is even an officially licensed GM product. 

>>Join the conversation about Superformance's 1963 Grand Sport right here in Corvette Forum.

3. The Real Deal

Indeed, 50 years after the original Grand Sport roared to life, we've got another one. And it features the same type of round tube frame as its predecessor. That base is surrounded by hand-laminated fiberglass bodywork and even real magnesium wheels. There's only one real, rather large difference between this particular Grand Sport and one of the originals. And it lies under the Cadillac Firemist blue and neon-orange striped hood.

>>Join the conversation about Superformance's 1963 Grand Sport right here in Corvette Forum.

4. Classic Style, Modern Power

That's where you'll find something far more modern than anything Chevy built in the '60s - a C7 Corvette-derived 6.2-liter LT1 V8. With a bit more (as yet undetermined) power than the original, this "new" Grand Sport hustles through the gears of its Tremec T-56 six-speed manual transmission post-haste. It also has no trouble working out the new Avon tires, measuring 245/60R15 up front and 295/50R15 in the rear.

>>Join the conversation about Superformance's 1963 Grand Sport right here in Corvette Forum.

5. Obtainable Performance

On the inside, helpful things like power windows and optional air conditioning make driving this Grand Sport recreation a little more pleasant than the original, too. But the best news is, you can actually buy one, and it won't cost you millions of dollars, either. The drivetrain and assembly-less package cost starts at $109,900. Option it up for this particular example, and you're looking at $162,265. It might sound like a lot of cash, but that's an absolute bargain compared to what an original Grand Sport would cost you. If you can find someone that'll sell you one!

>>Join the conversation about Superformance's 1963 Grand Sport right here in Corvette Forum.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.