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Storage Unit Splity: 1963 Corvette Sting Ray

1963 Corvette Split Window

The 1963 Corvette Sting Ray is one of the most highly sought after Corvettes out there. Chevrolet built the Sting Ray with the backbone or Split window for just one year, making it very desirable among collectors. This one has been hiding in what appears to be a storage unit for a number of years. It seems that someone started to restore it, but lost interest after getting the fiberglass body stripped of its paint. The seller has listed the car here on craigslist, with an asking price of $45k. They have already reduced the price once, so perhaps they will lower it even more.

Storage Unit Split WindowIt seems the seller hasn’t even seen the car themselves, so they don’t know its exact condition or even which engine it has. Like most cars, options make a huge difference in the value of a Corvette and it’s hard to value this one without at least knowing what is under the hood. All C2 Vettes came with the 327 V8, but there were several performance levels available from the base 250 hp unit up to the range topping fuel injected 360 hp engine. Without seeing it in person or at least having a photo of the engine, we have to only assume this is a base model. Given the car’s current condition, we have our concerns about the motor and if the original is still even here. Finding a replacement shouldn’t be all that difficult, but it would certainly impact value. Given how sought after these have recently become, we are sure someone will jump on the chance to own it regardless of the engine or even its current condition.

Corvette Split Windows

The seller is certainly asking a lot of money for a car that they themselves know little about. Hopefully they will be able to get more information about its history and condition or at least come down on the price. We will be sure to keep an eye on this listing and if someone in is the Santa Barbara area, the seller will be showing the car on the 18th. If anyone can go take a look, let us know.

Comments

  1. Avatar Brian

    This seems like another weird Craig’s List car ad. The seller didn’t post a phone number, which usually isn’t a good sign, in my limited experience. I could be dead wrong, but something seems fishy about this one.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Horse Radish

      I don’t think ‘fishy’ isn’t the right word.
      Looks like the buyer is busy and doesn’t want to deal with curbside dealers or tire kickers.
      Either you want it or you don’t.
      …if it is that desirable/collectible.
      Very simple.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Horse Radish

        then again….reading the ad more carefully, this might be a curbside dealer himself, buying this car from out of town, taking over the storage unit etc….
        that would also explain the lack of detail.
        Don’t know what engine size in a $45kcar ??

        Like 0
      • Avatar Brian

        Any time your selling an old car, especially a high demand model like this, your going to have to deal with tire kickers and bargain hunters, it’s just part of the trip.

        If he doesn’t want or have time to fool with it, he should just consign it with a dealer or agent to sell if for him. Expensive yes, but convenience is expensive. Selling a car is a PITA, always has been and (unless somebody invents a BS meter) always will be.

        Like 1
  2. Avatar jim s

    4 photos and no important details do not get you $45k. i would run not walk away from this add.

    Like 1
  3. Avatar Mark

    It seems like the C-2 Corvettes are one of the most inflated value cars out there. Look in Hemmings or other media that sell special interest cars and its not that hard to find a complete running driving C-2 for less then what it would cost to restore this one, after you paid too much for it.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar memikeyounot

    I’ve never been able to collect and restore cars so don’t know much about them. Even though this car is 51 years old, I just don’t understand how people, whether first or second or tenth owner can let cars that have the value of this one, get in this condition. Again, having no experience, I’d say the price is $20K too high.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Horse Radish

      ..they were neglected before the market picked up.
      Hindsight IS 20/20

      Like 0
  5. Avatar John

    Does the seller know about Barnfinds.com? Someone ought to send him a link fituring this dialog.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Horse Radish

      ‘featuring’ ??

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Dolphin Member

    Given the amount of information that’s missing from this ad there’s a good chance this could end in tears for a buyer who doesn’t do every single bit of due diligence he can think of for this car, its rightful owner, its title, etc, etc.

    One of those steps is to be a N.C.R.S. expert, or bring one.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Mark E

    Ah, I see the car is in CA. I was hoping it was in CO, then I could say I’d like some of what the seller is smoking… :D

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jim-Bob

      Well…given that it’s CA, maybe the seller has a “medical” reason…

      Like 0
  8. Avatar DLM

    The reason the fiberglass is different colors is that somebody put on a new top surround. Sketchy.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Bryan Cohn

    Maybe its the son of the original owner and dad passed leaving him this Corvette to unload. All he heard from dad for years was how rare, how expensive and how expensive (haha) his car was and that one day he was going to finish restoring it. Sonny boy doesn’t know anything cause he really doesn’t know anything.

    Or, more likely, its someone trying to profiteer in a big way and they are too lazy to do any work.

    I’m hoping its the first possibility but reality in America tells me its the second…..

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Dirty Dingus McGee

    Unless this is a fuelie, a Z06 or documented racer by a big name driver, I would say his price is off by at least 25-30K.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Thomas Bean

      On piece of wisdom from a frequent Craigslist buyer…….”take asking price, cut in half, start from there.” Always exceptions to those rules: when you see “Must sell” or “Moving” you don’t have to be a chisler and take advantage. The TV show “Down East Dickering” (about the bartering slackers living in Maine) showed cause that…..even a chisler, street wise dickerer will…start way high over what he really will take. Asking price means nothing. It’s called cushion. It’s called…..pre contractual posturing.

      Like 0
  11. Avatar Jim-Bob

    The strange thing is, given the collector car market bubble, I wouldn’t be too surprised to see it go for near that price. It’s not worth that, but there are enough people out there who are rich and stupid that he might get close. It’s sort of become like the real estate market became in places like San Francisco where if you overpaid all you had to do is wait another 6 months to end up profitable.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Auld Bobby Friendship

      Aah, Jim-Bob, you have it sussed in a nutshell!

      It’s just crazy and the same here, in the UK. Worse, it takes even ordinary cars out of the reach of the would-be enthusiast.

      Like 0
  12. Avatar dl

    Price is about right if all the parts are there.. driver splitwindows are 65K now and fully restored are hitting 6 figures. More if it’s a fulie….. a bidding war will likely occur if the ad is real and multiple buyers show up. He’ll get his asking

    Like 0
    • Avatar Nova

      You hit the nail on the head…”if the ad is real”

      Like 0
  13. Avatar Horse Radish

    while we’re on the subject of 1963 Split window Corvette.
    this just sold at Mecum Auctions in Indy for $270 000 , wow.
    http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=SC0514-184358&entryRow=149&lottype=&startRow=141

    Like 0
    • Avatar Horse Radish

      [img]http://www.mecum.com/auctions/SC0514/SC0514-184358/images/SC0514-184358_1.jpg[/img]

      Like 0
  14. Avatar Brian

    Has anybody tried to email the seller? I have a strong hunch that you’d never get a response. Just in case it is for real, I’m not going to play my hunch and send an email as I have no interest or intent to purchase, and would want to bother someone just out of curiousity.

    About a year ago, someone posted an ad in the free section of the local Craigslist stating old car for free and showing a photo of a very nice yet dusty late 20s or early 30s Lincoln sitting in what looked like a corner of a warehouse. There was no contact name or phone number, just an email contact and a small map of the location, which was located on a very well known and highly travels area, which there was no such building located on. Now clearly, no one is going to give away a car like that and it only took about 30 minutes for Craigslist to remove the ad. I don’t know if someone considers placing an ad like this to be a funny joke or if they were just working to collect email address to build and sell list or what. Not saying that’s the case with this ad, but the whole thing seems abit off to me. You just never know.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jim-Bob

      I bet the owner is a Nigerian Prince. :)

      Like 0
      • Avatar Horse Radish

        …careful.
        They have the best hackers in the world and control 75% of all computers with malware..
        ;^}

        Like 0
  15. Avatar Charles

    http://www.usedcorvettesforsale.com/1963-Coupe-49k-Org-Miles-Silver-Red–55851

    Here is an add for a numbers matching 63 spilt window, 327, four speed, 49K actual miles car with all the paperwork for $79,900.00. One would spend at least than much to restore this 45K basket case, and still would not have a low mileage original car with the history.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Dolphin Member

      That’s an excellent example of the right way to properly sell a very decent ’63 split window for an OK price, given where the market is going on these cars and given how terrific it would be to own it.

      It makes this CL listing even more…..what’s the right word? Surprising? No, because the idea that somebody thinks he can simply cash in on a ’63 split window that looks like it needs more than everything and get a big pile of money for no effort or information isn’t very surprising. ‘Annoying’ is the right word I think.

      Like 0
  16. Avatar Larry Stockov Jr

    This was my father’s car. My mother and my nephew decided to sell the car like this. My father was an avid car collector. He would rollover and his grave if you knew the car was a barnyard find. I think the car had been stored since at least 1979 and my father had it long before that. I remember him telling me that it had the racing gas maybe it was the one with the big tank? For sure this is not the way that you would sell a car like this. If you’re wondering I was never close with my mom and dad but so sad to see the car go like this. I sent an email to my nephew and he told me that the car wasn’t wasn’t anything special. The car was special to me and special to the Corvette community Rest in peace dad
    Larry Stockov Jr

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jesse Staff

      Thanks for filling us in on the history of this Corvette. We are sure it is in good hands now and will hopefully see the road again sometime soon!

      Like 0
      • Avatar Larry Stockov Jr

        Hello Jesse,
        You are certainly welcome. It would make me really happy to see the car restored Someday. For you collectors my father had a treasure trove in those storage bins. All kinds of parts engines and also a second Corvette in there as well. So keep looking you’ll never know what you can find.

        Larry Stockov

        Like 0
  17. Avatar Mark in Medford

    If by chance this car had the ‘ big tank ‘ it would change the value alot, but I doubt it has one.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Larry Stockov Jr

    Looks like to me to be a big tank i’m not sure how much stuff that my dad piled in the back. Is that not a big tankcover?

    Like 0

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