GTC60 Chevrolet Corvette 1963 SCCA

Conversion by SmallBlock Hero updated by Steve Stirpe, EASY, Aleroy

After a number difficult years, the Chevrolet Corvette slowly but steadily grew in popularity throughout the 1950s. In 1960 the production reached the planned 10,000 units for the first time. Ten years after the first Corvette was released, a completely new Corvette replaced it.

Although the overall design of the C2 was completely new, the rear end design introduced on the C1 in 1961 was carried over. One of the most striking novelties on the new Corvette were the reverse rotational flip up headlights, which would remain a Corvette feature until the C6 was introduced in 2004. Another important change was the introduction of the Coupe bodystyle, which for 1963 only featured a unique split rear window. This was replaced by a regular window after customers complained about poor visibility.

Technically the C2 followed the same principles as the C1 with a steel ladder chassis and a fiberglass body, but both were completely redesigned. Handling was much improved by replacing the live rear axle with a double wishbone and transverse leaf spring setup. The engines were carried over from 1962 and all displaced 327ci and produced 250 to 360 bhp. In the C2's last year of production, 1967, the engines had grown in size to 427ci and in power to a factory claimed 430 bhp.

At the 1962 Riverside Grand Prix, two new production cars faced each other for the first time. These were the Corvette Stingray and Shelby Cobra. Both had to impress Chevrolet and Ford respectively, but since the Cobra was 50% lighter it naturally ran away from all the Corvettes. This was an embarrassing result for Chevrolet and all aces for Ford.

In 1963, the ‘big three’ were restricted from racing due to a ban on official race programs by the American Manufacturer’s Association (AMA). To stay ahead of the gentlemen racers in Shelby Cobras, Zora convinced Bunkie Knudsen to build 100 lightweight Corvettes, enough to satisfy the FIA’s homologation requirements. The idea was to sell these cars to privateers and not directly participate in racing.