| was so great, the adding an extra shift at the St.
Louis plant couldn't even help keep up. Sales soared by 50% to 21,513 up more than 6000
units over the previous year. 1962 proved to be the last year Corvette sales would drop
below 20,000 and the last year Corvette would not have a coupe in the model lineup. New
features introduced in 1963 included four-wheel independent suspension, retractable
headlamps, and a "Split-Window" on the rear of the coupe. (Zora and Mitchell had
another argument over this one… Zora maintained that the pillar would limit the
drivers visibility, but Mitchell liked the design. The "Split" was on the 1963,
but Zora won out and it was dropped for 1964). Also new was the "cockpit style"
interior, and a host of new options, including the Z06 performance package (360hp fuel
injected engine, knock off wheels, 36 gallon fuel tank, Positraction, four speed manual
transmission, heavy duty brakes, dual master cylinder, sintered metallic brake linings,
front brake air scoops, heavy duty stabilizer, and heavy duty springs and shocks front and
rear), air conditioning, and the Muncie four-speed transmission. There was a beefed up
frame, quicker steering, self adjusting brakes with an 18 percent increase in lining area,
steel reinforcing for the fiberglass body, a lower stance, and the new model was also
shorter and narrower. Only 199 buyers chose the Z06 option package in 1963.
The Z06 Sting Ray was not the "meanest" Corvette built
for 1963 however, that title when to the Grand Sport, a purpose built race car looking a
lot like the ill-fated Corvette SS of 1957. The Grand Sport project began in 1962 with
Duntov's engineers fashioning a special lightweight Corvette, based on a tubular steel,
ladder-type frame. Using various aluminum components, a special hand made fiberglass body
with super thin panels, and magnesium Halibrand knock-off wheels also saved weight. Brakes
were large 11.75 inch disks at all four wheels. Initial plans called for a 377ci
small-block engine with four Weber carburetors for the Grand Sport. But neither became a
reality. The first Grand Sport was fitted with and aluminum 327 fuelie while awaiting the
377 V-8 still in development. Before the 377 could be finished, GM announced a racing ban,
instructing all divisions in January 1963 to cease racing projects immediately. Only five
of the 125 planned Grand Sports were produced before that order came down. All five
underwent various mechanical and exterior modifications, taking on a varied succession of
scoops, flares and engines. Both small and big blocks were used over the years and two of
the GS coupes were later converted into roadsters for competition at Daytona in February
1964. After a second racing ban (Corvette engineering was clearly still supporting the
five Grand Sports) the five Grand Sports were sold off, and like the SS and the SR2's
before them, all five Grand Sports are today in collectors hands.
Chevrolet was proud of the 1963 Sting Ray, and rightfully so. Car
Life awarded it's "Engineering Excellence" award to the new Corvette, Motor
Trend described the new Corvette as being "far in advance in both ride and handling
of anything now being built in the United States", and Car and Driver stated
"Steering effort is very low, cornering behavior is extremely stable, and the car
inspires a high degree of confidence." The new Corvette even impressed Road &
Track .. Just a few of the things the normally import oriented publication liked were: The
curved side glass, redesigned windshield, improve heater, spare tire mounted in it's own
housing underneath the car, better weight distribution with 48% front and 52% rear, the
front crossmember, welded rather than bolted to the frame, and the all new options. Zora
Arkus-Duntov was quoted as saying, "For the first time I now have a Corvette I can be
proud to drive in Europe." |
