It was a mistake. At least, that is what Zora Arkus-Duntov thought. He hated it. He felt that the vertical bar bisecting the back glass was a safety hazard, a visual nuisance, and a piece of design fluff that compromised the integrity of a high-performance machine. But Bill Mitchell, GM’s design chief, didn't care about visibility. He cared about the stingray. He wanted a spine that ran from the roof all the way down the tail, mimicking the anatomy of the sea creature that inspired the car’s name.
That petty boardroom brawl gave us the 1963 split rear window corvette, a car that is now basically the "Mona Lisa" of the American automotive world. It’s weird how history works. The very thing that the lead engineer wanted to chop off with a hacksaw is now the reason why a 1963 Sting Ray coupe can easily command double the price of a 1964 model at auction.
The One-Year Wonder
1963 was a massive year for Chevrolet. They were moving away from the solid-axle C1 and introducing the C2, a car that actually felt like it belonged on a track. It had independent rear suspension. It had a ladder-type frame. It looked like nothing else on the road. But that split rear window corvette design was so controversial within the company that it almost didn't happen.
Duntov was a racer. He was the guy who famously did 150 mph at Daytona just to prove the Corvette could do it. To him, anything that blocked the driver's view of a chasing police car or a rival racer was garbage. He and Mitchell fought like hell over it. Mitchell won for 1963, but Duntov won the long game. By 1964, the bar was gone. The glass was one piece. Visibility was restored, and a legend was inadvertently created.
If you’ve ever sat in one, you know Duntov had a point. When you look in the rearview mirror, there’s just this thick, fiberglass-reinforced pillar right in the center of your field of vision. It’s annoying. It’s clunky. And yet, it looks absolutely stunning from the outside.
Why Collectors Lose Their Minds Over the 1963
It isn't just about the window. I mean, the window is the "tell," but the 1963 Sting Ray was a leap forward in tech. You had the Fuelie engines—the 327 cubic-inch small blocks with Rochester mechanical fuel injection. They were rated at 360 horsepower. In 1963, that was insane.
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Most people don't realize that the coupe was actually more popular than the convertible that year, which was a first for Corvette. People wanted that radical fastback look. But because the split-window design was so widely criticized for its poor visibility, many owners actually cut the center bar out. Seriously. Back in the late 60s and 70s, it was common to see guys "updating" their 63s by installing the 1964-1967 one-piece glass.
They basically destroyed what would eventually become a million-dollar asset to see better while backing out of a driveway. Talk about a bad trade.
The Z06 Connection
You can't talk about the split rear window corvette without mentioning the RPO Z06. This wasn't a trim package for the suburbs. It was a "competition" package. It added a massive 36-gallon fuel tank (often called the "Big Tank") for endurance racing, heavy-duty power brakes with finned drums, and a much stiffer suspension.
Only 199 of these Z06s were built in 1963. If you find a Z06 that also happens to be a "Tanker" (one of the 63 cars with that huge fuel tank), you aren't just looking at a car. You are looking at a blue-chip investment that rivals high-end real estate.
Spotting the Real Thing vs. a Clone
Because these cars are so valuable, the "tribute" market is huge. I’ve seen 1964 Corvettes that have had a fiberglass bar bonded into the rear window to mimic the 1963 look. It’s easy to get fooled if you aren't looking at the details.
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- The Hood Indentations: The 1963 had two "cookie sheets" on the hood. These were faux vents that didn't actually do anything. In 1964, the indentations remained, but the silver inserts were gone.
- The Interior: The dashboard on the 63 has some unique quirks, including the specific shape of the storage bins and the upholstery patterns.
- The VIN: Obviously, the VIN is king. A real 63 will start with 30837 for a coupe.
Honestly, the fake ones are usually pretty easy to spot if you look at the glass. The 1963 glass is unique to that year; you can't just slap a bar over a 64 window and expect the curvature to look right to a trained eye.
The Myth of the "Safety" Recall
There’s a common rumor that the Department of Transportation or some government body forced Chevy to get rid of the split window. That’s total nonsense. There was no federal mandate. Chevrolet dropped it because it was expensive to produce and because the customer feedback was legitimately negative. People complained they couldn't see.
It’s a classic case of "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." The moment Chevy smoothed out the back for the 1964 model year, the 63 became an instant aesthetic icon. It’s the "flaw" that makes it perfect.
Maintaining a 63 Today
Owning a split rear window corvette isn't like owning a modern C8. It’s a labor of love, mostly because parts for that specific year are notoriously difficult to source. The rear glass itself? If you crack it, get ready to empty your bank account. It’s not just "glass." It’s a specific, curved, two-piece assembly that requires a very particular weatherstripping seal.
And let’s talk about the drum brakes. Unless it’s a Z06, your 63 has drums all around. They fade. They pull. They are terrifying if you’re used to modern Brembos. Most owners who actually drive their cars end up doing a disc brake conversion, but if you're looking for a Top Flight NCRS (National Corvette Restorers Society) award, you have to keep those drums. It’s a trade-off between safety and "originality" points.
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The fuel injection units are another headache. The Rochester units are beautiful pieces of engineering, but finding a mechanic who can actually tune them is like finding a wizard in the wild. Most people give up and throw a Holly carb on there, which is a shame, because a properly tuned Fuelie is a masterpiece of 1960s grunt.
What to Do if You’re Buying One
If you are serious about getting into a 1963 split-window, do not buy it sight unseen. This is the golden rule. These cars have fiberglass bodies, which means they don't "rust" in the traditional sense, but the birdcage (the steel subframe inside the fiberglass) absolutely does. If that birdcage is rotted, you are looking at a six-figure repair bill just to make the car structurally sound.
- Check the Birdcage: Peel back the kick panels. Look at the body mounts. If you see crumbling orange flakes, walk away.
- Verify the Engine Stamps: "Numbers matching" is a term thrown around loosely. Check the pad on the front of the engine block to see if the VIN derivative matches the car.
- Get an NCRS Inspection: Don't trust a general mechanic. Hire a Corvette specialist who knows exactly what color the overspray should be on the floorboards.
The 1963 split rear window corvette remains the ultimate statement of 1960s optimism and design-led excess. It’s a car that shouldn't have been built, wasn't liked when it arrived, and is now the most hunted car in American history. It proves that sometimes, the designers are right and the engineers—bless their practical hearts—are wrong.
To start your journey, locate an NCRS-certified judge in your region to act as a consultant before viewing any potential purchase. You should also secure a copy of the "Corvette Black Book" to cross-reference production codes and options for the 1963 model year specifically. This will prevent you from paying a premium for a "cloned" split-window or a car with a non-original drivetrain.