Update 1/24/2018 – Nate just let us know that he has received a deposit from a reader. The deal is set to be finalized on Saturday, the 26th. If anything changes, we will let you know!
If this isn’t the holy grail of Corvette Barn Finds, well, we don’t know what is. This Split Window Corvette has been with the same family since new and has been parked for the past 40 some years. It’s packing its original 340 horsepower 327 V8, which is mated to a 4-speed. Reader Nate M states that it’s going to need to be restored, but the engine runs and the car appears to be complete. It’s currently located in Bluff City, Tennessee with a clean title in hand and a $49,995 asking price. If you’d love to give this desirable Corvette a new home, please contact Nate via the form below.
What Makes It Special? One family owned since purchased new in 1963. Matching numbers 327 V8 340 horsepower with 4-speed. It was originally white with red leather but has been repainted red. Everything is complete and matching numbers, including the carb, transmission, rear end, and every other major component. All window trim in perfect condition. The frame and suspension are free of rust. It has been stored indoors for over 40+ years. This car is the perfect candidate for a restoration to be an NCRS or Bloomington Gold status car.
Body Condition: The body needs restoration. All stainless trim and bumpers are rust and dent free. The interior needs refinished as well, but all the framework and parts for the interior are present and complete. The gauges are even in working order.
Mechanical Condition: The motor, transmission, and rear end are all in working order… but will probably need to be restored to be driveable.
Making this Split Window an NCRS award-winning car will require a complete restoration, but making it a show stopper would take nothing more than making it a safe driver and cleaning it up. It’s a bit of a bummer that it’s been repainted, but we would be more excited to see it at an event in its current state than one that has been fully restored. The interior looks like it would even clean up nicely, but you will want to properly treat the leather to ensure it doesn’t degrade with use. The paint and body are going to be real conversation points in their current state, as they show the car’s history far better than any photos or pieces of paper can. We all have different tastes, interests, and goals though, so what really matters is that the next owner gets it back on the street.
Do you have a barn find Corvette collecting dust? Is it time to move it along? Please consider listing it for sale here on Barn Finds!
- Asking Price: $49,995
- Location: Bluff City, Tennessee
- Title Status: Clean and Clear
- VIN: 30837S107887
What’s the story on the white 63 next to it
Wow, I agree, the holy grail. Make it drivable, and drive it. Burn some rubber, use it for what it was meant to be.
Put the wiper arms and blades back on though lol. 50k seems like a reasonable price to me..
This is the perfect car to buy, clean it up, restore the mechanicals, and enjoy driving it. A full on restoration would be a shame, as the cost would put it out of reach as a daily driver. This car was meant to be driven and enjoyed! And, by the way, a few thousand thoroughly enjoyed miles would not stand in the way of a total restoration at a later date!
Agree, $50K is reasonable if the car is what seller claims. Restored mechanical and rubber components, along with cleaning and maintaining paint and interior will be key. But a 63 with a 327/340hp is always desirable.
This is a ’63 L76 340 HP. The latest SCM Guide says these have been selling at major auctions in very good/excellent condition for a median price of $104,500 in the last year, so the asking is pretty reasonable.
But then you have to factor your own valuation for the 1-family, all original, unrusty frame, etc, history of this car, and then maybe it becomes something of a bargain.
But you still have to be careful, since last year’s SCM Guide says that these ’63 L76 cars sold at auction for a median price of $108K, so in the last year the sale prices haven’t increased and might have decreased…or maybe it’s just a temporary wobble in the market.
A little more info on the condition of the drivetrain would probably help people decide whether they want to be a buyer. Has the engine been started recently, and how does it run? Compression test? Shifting through the gears? Assume that you would want to go through the brakes, but how well it runs and drives would help someone to know whether they are in for a drivetrain, or partial drivetrain rebuild or not.
Bottom line: a terrific 1-family garage find, one you don’t see very often. It’s great to see it here on BF.
They’re still out there, folks.
Well, interesting average sale prices at just over $100K. Being a corvette the 3 most important things to its value is:
1. Numbers matching, which it has and that is great. Entry level 327 is not great from an investment perspective.
2. Correct color (so it needs to be painted back to white….getting rid of the red is quite a task especially if not taped well on the red repaint) ALSO, white typically does not bring the money that an original RED Corvette would bring.
3. And restored as it was born/built originally. Not being a Fuelie or Big Brake Big Tank car pretty which makes this your “base model” 63 Corvette. Don’t get me wrong….very cool but these are the facts.
Pay $50K for it, to get the car to NCRS concours it is going to take at least another $100K+, if not $150K+….. unless you are doing the work yourself, then it will only take another $60K+ which puts you over what the car will resell for. Either way you are in for more than the car will sell for AND CONSIDER …..WHAT IS THE LOW END PRICE for sales on 63’s because a WHITE 63 with limited options and a 327 is going to sell on the low end of that scale.
As for a price tag on the story, not sure on that one. It really does not add a ton of value unless it was well preserved, super low miles or had a celeb owner……which it has none of these.
So I agree with the many comments already to restore it mechanically at a high level both in quality and show AND DRIVE IT ! If you restore it you won’t drive it unless you have too much money and don’t know what to do with it!
Totally agree with you. Been loving Corvettes since a kid 10 years old back in 1970. Watching closely and dreaming. Holy Grail, yes. BUT! So, so many details and aspects to be considered with this and any “old” car.
Are you referring to this example, or Corvettes in general, when you say “Not being a Fuelie or Big Brake Big Tank car pretty which makes this your “base model” 63 Corvette.”
According to Wikipedia, “All 1963 cars had 327cid engines, which made 250 hp standard, with optional variants that made 300 hp, 340 hp and 360 hp.” So doesn’t this particular car have the 2nd best engine available in 1963? Or do you mean a 340hp model is the lowest model worth considering?
I got this in the mail today. I knew about the other Hertz cool rentals but never had heard of a Hertz Stingray rental. https://www.corvetteonline.com/news/hertz-rental-63-ski-car-sells-at-barrett-jackson/
cool novelty SWC but a lot of $$ for a low power auto. A nice driver NOM one went for $77k incl. commission. probably the best deal on one there.
Scuderia, “low power auto”…??, this is a 4 speed car, and I would be very happy with 340 hp, in pretty much anything.
I think I saw another 1 or 2 posts that said this was a lower power car. More than 1 hp per cubic inch is amazing, especially in a street car in 1963. But, that is just my opinion.
This is not a “low power” auto. The 340 hp 327 was a high performance engine with a solid lifter cam, 11.25 compression, big valve heads and sub 6 second 0 to 60 times back in the day. These are pretty good numbers even today. With better tires and a good tune this would still be a respectable performer today.
The 327 340 swc is a highly desirable car and the asking price seems reasonable assuming all the while that the chassis is rust free and the car is as represented. I would only do a sympathetic restoration making sure it is clean, mechanically sound and safe to drive, and enjoy as is. In my opinion this would make for a more interesting car than any 100 point ’63.
@BigK my comment if you look my response was a reply to @leiniedude post on the Hertz C2 that sold at barrett jackson.
Strange Scuderia how some people do not get the post. Take care, Mike.
Sweet! Then again, what’s the story on the 2d 63?
Respray Red strikes again.
Great truck, it came with military tires? Also, why is this not worth more than an original bronco, they go for so much, this is much more rare, and in great condition, all original, plus 135hp 6 cylinder, what does a bronco 302 v8 put out or a 6 in a bronco compared to this, I would rather have a patrol, than a bronco, which many have.
Beautiful car, but I would posit that anything that “needs restoration” to be “drivable” cannot be accurately described as being in “working order.” Discuss.
It looks like a decent split window, for the price, especially considering how crazy the SWC market has been the last few years. From what I see, the body has some damage, so it would make sense to strip it and repaint it it’s original Ermine White.
One thing of note is that if it has leather seats, as the writer states, then they’ve been added. Red was not available in leather in 63, just vinyl. Saddle Tan was the only 63 interior color available in leather. The 490L trim code indicates a red vinyl interior in a coupe body, and it does look like vinyl to me.
In today’s car selling world, vinyl = leather.
Steve R
You might want to check your facts Steve, in 1963 the seats would have been Naugahyde. Since the U.N. put a ban on the hunting and exportation of Naugahyde in the early 80’s vinyl has been used as a replacement for it. Unless you can get an original set of seats in the proper color this car will NEVER be 100% although I have heard of clandestine shops in Tijuana that can reupholster them properly.
LAB3, I went hunting Nauga’s just the other day. They lifted the ban on Nauga’s, so now we can use Naugahyde
It’s vinyl
What about the pearl white Vet 1963 on the left side of red one? Or is that a rendering of what this red 63 originally looked like?
I wish i knew what happen to the white 1963 split window Vet i helped get out/dig out of a old widows hoarded garage in San Dimas Cal. back in 1977? I helped get it running only for her to sale it to someone else for only $200oo while i was at the bank after giving her a $20 deposit.
’63 coupes have to be the prettiest Vettes ever made.
I watched Barrett-Jackson last week. Most of these Corvettes selling at that price were restored completely.
What’s all the bull about matching # s that never started till 1968 or so !
Holy Grail would need to be black :) close thought
Can’t help but wonder why the alternator is on the wrong side. Only air cars had the alternator on the drivers side and the 340 HP cars never came with A/C.
Just how things work out for me. I have been hoping for a 64 or 65, and you throw up a 63? If this were about May I would already be making arrangements to go get this awesome car. Just can’t, I have no room, until spring when I add on! Can’t pour concrete when the weather is like this! It’s been really cold.
no response from seller
Personally, I am not a fan of any hard top Corvette. They MUST be a convertible. But I do understand this car’s value. What an exciting Barn Fid this is. The new owner is going to love it. I hope they actually drive it. She has sat way too long.
@bob you buy this one and I’ll trade you mine :)
@ BRAKTRCR
I was responding to the link posted by @leiniedude to the Hertz ski car which was a 250hp auto that sold for $177K with commission.
Thanks for the offer Scudera, but I have a 66 that is in near perfect condition and a 94 which I am in the process of selling.
The only color available for leather in 63 was SADDLE TAN !!!!!! Those original RED seats just might be from the rare non-Canadian Nauga-Cow because if it was a Canada car then GM could document that this was the only RED Leather car ever built for the US market. Got love all original cars, yeh