It really is fascinating how a seemingly small alteration to one particular model year of a classic car magically makes it more desirable and, at the end of the day, far more valuable, too. Just look at this 1963 Chevy Corvette C2. Believe it or not, that seemingly inconsequential split in the rear windscreen, making two separate pieces of glass, means the difference between a mid-five-figure price tag and one in the high six or even seven figures. A total numbers-matching, all-original, split-window C2 sold for $357,500 at auction a few years ago.
But this slightly crusty 1963 split-window C2 for sale on eBay by a seller out of Kentucky is a nice discount over what sold at Barret-Jackson back in 2020. With the same 327-cubic inch (5.35-L) small-block V8 under the hood as the day it left the factory, this C2 split-window has all the same credentials as an auction-ready show car, just with all the TLC involved removed, for now. The vehicles resided in Central Florida, a place not known for salty, icy roads in the winter. This should mean the little bits of rust correction need not be something that’s a dealbreaker.
The car’s OEM two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission is still present, too. Although some might find the prospect of an automatic C2 Corvette to be as appealing as the moldy queso in the back of your fridge, the fact that factory hardware is still more or less where it should be only adds dollar signs to the value in its own respect. Though the exterior paint looks like the result of an infant’s diaper accident at the moment, the owner deduces that once the paint and the little bit of extra bodywork that needs doing is finished, this could be a $150,000 showstopper every day of the week.
From every angle and every possible viewing point you could possibly look at this Vette, we see more and more potential for whatever project the tentative new owner. Such an eclectic mish-mash of intact and slightly disheveled old GM components makes for an interesting set of challenges both inside and out. Should the car be stripped down to the bare body and chassis before being painstakingly restored down to every last nut and bolt before being sold for a massive profit? Or is its slightly sorry state these days the grounds for a totally awesome restomod?
We have a feeling some of the purists out there would wretch at the thought of an LT1 replacing this old 327. But then again, the old owner made it clear this is one of the most fertile grounds for a restomod of any car we’ve seen lately. Ultimately, it’s up to whoever forks out $99,500 for the privilege.