Split Window ’63 Corvette Is A Wicked Drag Racer

For many, owning a 1963 Corvette Coupe with the split window is a dream they fear will never come true. After all, values for these sports cars which once were considered a bit of a freak have skyrocketed in recent times as scarcity breeds appreciation. To see one that’s been modified almost beyond recognition is just too much, at least for a certain section of enthusiasts.

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But we think this drag racer ’63 Corvette is great. Sure, the front end comes from a ’67 and so some people will want to fight us and anyone else who says it’s not one. Even worse, that split in the rear window was cut out, improving rearward visibility by using glass from the other C2 Corvettes.

This racecar is about so much more than cosmetics. Don’t get us wrong, it looks cool with its throwback aesthetics from a time in racing some younger enthusiasts might not even know existed. And that’s where vintage dragsters like this become tools of education as well as fun playthings.

Converted to a drag car back in 1969 when split window Corvettes weren’t all that valuable, it’s always used Lingenfelter engines, even though they’re progressed from a 292ci small block to a 255ci small block and finally the de-stroked 302ci small block used in it today.

Other performance elements have also evolved over the years. While it started with an Olds rear, later that was swapped for a narrowed Dana 60, a four-link suspension with coilovers added along with some aluminum interior pieces to lighten the curb weight. That’s when the Corvette was also blessed with a new paint job, similar to what it wears today.

Adding to the historical cache of this racecar is the fact John Lingenfelter raced it at the 1971 US Nationals in Indy, although that was for a brief moment.

Check out the video to see the car more completely and learn even more.

Image via Hot Rod Hoarder/YouTube