Update! The seller has weighed in and states that he has located $20K worth of parts, they are not included with the car. So, please talk among yourselves about the real “true value” of this project. JO
And now it’s time for something from the “What the heck happened?” department. We have an uber collectible 1963 Chevrolet Corvette “split-window” coupe for your review but it looks more like a split-body version. So sad, let’s dig in here and find out what happened. This ‘Vette is located in Lima, Ohio and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $22,500 with four bids tendered.
Apparently, this 52K mile Corvette coupe got whacked back in 1976, and the wrap was severe enough to bend the frame. That’s not the only thing that got bent as you can see from the above image that the roof has sustained serious damage too. Besides the substantial passenger-side damage, the driver’s side appears to have caught some of the action too, probably by being driven into an object as a result of the impact. So, there is damage in both quarters, the passenger side roof, B pillar, rear bumper, frame, passenger door and rocker panel – and that’s before delving into the mechanicals.
Speaking of those mechanicals… Well, there essentially aren’t any as this ‘Vette is a wreck & roller. The seller states, “This vehicle is a low horsepower standard 4-speed shift car” – or it was, anyway. Low horsepower probably means a 250 gross HP, 327 CI V8 as that was the standard Corvette engine for ’63 but power extended, by option, all the way up to a fuel-injected, major-domo of 360 HP. It appears that someone, over time, added side exhausts but only the driver’s side is still in place. Another item for the to-do list.
The interior, what’s visible, isn’t in particularly good shape but then why would it be? It looks as if the entire environment and its black vinyl upholstery – which is according to the trim tag, may have been exposed to the elements as there is plenty of dust and dirt. And of course, there is the obligatory “box” to block what little view exists. It does have that neat vertical Delco radio, however.
The seller claims that he has $20K worth of repair parts, plus a frame section to cover that previously mentioned underside damage. It seems that by one’s best estimate, the extent of the true damage can never be fully realized until a complete dismantling occurs – that’s when you can find all of the hidden stuff that’s not otherwise visible. This is a no reserve auction, so at the current bid, it could be that the successful bidder will end up essentially paying for those sourced parts and getting a wrecked split-window ‘Vette thrown in with the deal. What do you think, does this seems like it makes sense to pursue?
Redefining split window
Good luck. The buyer will need a lot of that and even more money
The buyer needs to think about another vehicle.
The no motor and motor not go with it implies “I’m keeping it..”. Should have phrased motor long gone…
The roof is going to need a clip and makes it to a bad purchase.
Paint 30-40 k includes roof installation and frame
Missing NOM never recovers price. Another motor and trans five minimum.
Add it all up and you have just spent more than a NOM not original split.
Good luck..
The paint code is my fave by way…
Future resto coming up …
I don’t ever see this as actually being a car again…let’s say you have a straight rolling frame, what is actually left save able of this body? Some finish pieces, dash maybe, I think it’s only good for the VIN tag…even the split panel has developed a set from being left warped for so long…there’s nothing salvageable here that I can see
I wonder what the insurance coverage and payout was in 1976. In many respects these were considered 13 year old used cars. The desirability was still there but without the premium.
Financially it makes little sense to rebuild this car. A salvage/rebuilt title on a base model along with a NOM and transmission aren’t selling points. It’s value is as a parts car but not at the asking price.
Oh, the Chebbie guys panties will be moist over this hunk of junk. Oooooh, it’s a split window oooooh. Scrape the pile after stripping it for parts
Sounds like you must be one of the slobbering Mustang GT or a goobering Mopar guy!😂🤣
Yep Grey Wolf, Mopar all the way, buy that pile of crud big guy and show us when your done
NOW NOW, Children mind your manners , sticks & stones may break bones but words will never harm ya’s, Why can’t we all just get along ?
Saw it in half lengthwise and put the good side on a wall.
Dont know much about Vette restorations , but would the front clip be worth the kind of money that’s being bid ? I can see the clip being used to repair a better Vette , and the rear glass must have value , but unless this was a 1 of 1 car which it isnt, I dont see anything but a parts car here
A well-done and humorous write-up for an otherwise sad story. Can’t believe the bidding is up to $22,000+ at this writing.
Some people have more money than common sense, I will guess their IQ is somewhere close to the moron score. You have to know when to quit, this car gave up the ghost back in 1976. Part out what’s left and give it a respectful burial. I wish I could have that kind of money.
Trailer it south to Columbus this weekend for the Good Guys show. Someone will buy it…
Best suggestion so far! Then you’d have to figure out how to get it off the trailer and onto another one. Maybe he could sweeten the deal by including the trailer…
I have restored a half dozen corvette but would have to think twice about this one
What a pos…We bid tree- fiddy for this fine restorable automobile.
Most of the bad stuff will buff right out.
lets see a morrison frame 327 300 4speed complete body paint60,ooo non original car . ????? dannys Mustangs
17 bids, now over 30k. The fix is NOT a problem. The MONEY is the determining factor? For those kind of bids, this car will be repaired, not parted. I bet it doesn’t have a salvage title since it was in 1976?
Gosh, anything can be brought back to life. This 63 split window, without an engine, if I read it right, will require about $60K-$80K minimum to get it into shape. It will be a non-numbers matching machine that will be shunned by the Split Windows purists, but treasured by the person that spent a “wad of greenbacks” who will be able to wow the folks who like the “glitz”, but have little knowledge of how this car was resurrected with a host of parts and materials from disparate sources. It also appears the seller is sitting on a pile of parts, which will not go with the car. Is this a hostage crisis or is the seller going to make extra money brokering those parts to the highest bidder? And where the blazes did the original engine go? Come on get real, for the current bid the seller ought to empty out every part he has for this car so the buyer has a shot at putting things right. Otherwise Frankenstein will be just that.
Wish I knew why they keep writing up cars that really are nothing more than parts cars. Oh boy….another Vette….Cuda….Charger….etc. All of them have belonged in the scrap yard after they’re pick clean of the few usable parts on them.
Time to write up some cars people might want to buy.
You and several dozen others have read and commented to this article. It’s generated exponentially more web traffic (interest) than the “cars people might want to buy.”
1963 split window coupe. Period.
As much as a Corvette fanatic that I am (since seeing the first ’53 @ the Waldorf Astoria annual New Car Show in 1953)I’m afraid this poor split window is finished , but yet someone has bid it to $31,100. That is insanity.
I’ve seen Res-to-mods sell well on the North side of $200-250 K. So there could be some profit here. Just wish I had the talent.
This thing stinks. I cant see anything here that makes it worth–ready kids–30 large? Most of the bids are suspicious. Sounds like he has the mill and is keeping it. IMHO not even a parts car. Know what you are buying. Good luck and happy motoring.
Cheers
GPC
The engine probably ended up in an Impala or something in 1976, I see nothing mysterious about that. What I find unreal, is in 1976, this was nothing special, why not end up in the junk yard to be picked clean then crushed? Is this a flipper? Must be, but where did it sit and rot making an eyesore all these years? I had a good friend in high school who had a 63 Vette, but it was a convert. He had too much car for his driving talents, and I knew it. Rode with him a lot in it, I am lucky we didn’t end up like this car.
Perhaps the driver/owner thought once his physical situation as a result of the accident were healed, perhaps he could go ahead and repair the car.
However once he finally was able to see the wreck that had been sitting under the tarp all those years, he decided to sell it off. Next owner pulled the engine and is selling it today.
I’d bet the engine left by 1980 if not 79.
This car will be rebuilt.
I know a man who started with a parts yard cowl from a 64 and built a
63 split window into a consistent show winner.
And yes Ralph P. If you see this I’m talking about you.
Some very expensive junk here and the latest bid is 30,000. Someone check the local asylums.
“Honey, have you seen my $20k Corvette parts? Never mind, found them”.
She took a pretty hard hit. The passenger seat is all bent up.
You think there is bloody DNA all over the inside of the wreck? Maybe the car is haunted, like Christine!
Lucky he had that early design air bag to save him! still looks usable after the crash.
Bottom line is, the VIN, title, and any stampings are worth big bucks from any low production high performance vehicle. No matter how they go about doing it. Sometimes even using a whole completely different car.
You also hear the stories how some of these 63’s were changed removing the split shortly after new for better visibility. Some say those are worth the same if not more than originals if you have documentation to prove the claim.
It seems today the people with the whims of such vehicles as these have not the problems of everyday people like myself, their pockets seem to be bottomless. And you see the end results all the time for sale for hundreds of thousands of dollars all over eBay and the internet alike.
Nope! Maybe as a restomod.
This will be at Carlisle next month complete with 1976 dust. To the comment about a trashed 63 coupe in 1976 was worthless you are uninformed or not old enough. Bill Munzer did a body off of a red on red coupe fuelie that was showcased in a book. His efforts won him a brand new 76 Corvette at Bob McDormans show. Done to NCRS specs this car might bring $85,000.
Hey Gary, didn’t say I wanted to buy it. You must be a frustrated Mopar owner, or non-owner, that can’t finish what you have or don’t have, or priced out of the market. Went on a feeding frenzy and could not afford the overpriced parts and now have an expensive chicken coop? Prices on Mopars are coming back to earth, now you bought high! WOOPS!
On Jul-09-21 at 07:08:04 PDT, seller added the following information:
The $20,000 In parts that I have located are NOT INCLUDED IN THE SALE…..
Hummm, what does ROI stand for??
Return on Investment, it aint here!
If the chassis is still good and can be strengthened, I could see this Corvette getting a custom body, either a duplicate of the 1963 split-window Corvette or an original design body from a coachbuilder like Zagato.
Sold at nearly 48K ! Guess the experts got “Learned”?