Early 1963 Corvette Questions

[Pete Zietzke]

What features, performance factors, serial number and whatever else distinguish an "early" 1963 Vette from those produced later throughout the remaing 1963 RPO's? My '63 SWC is 30837S10003x.

As an aside note here, I paid $5,467.26 for the car back in 1962 when I was serving in the U.S. Army in Germany. I had written a letter to Currie Chevrolet in Butte, Montana for them to order this car. Of course, Jack Cavenaugh (salesperson) responded back saying that for him to order it, he needed money. Back and forth we went with letters ... he sent to me the 1963 "NEW CORVETTE' bochure ... then followed with what color combination did I want, what engine, regular wheels or knock-off wheels, radio, etc.

With that, I sent him my total savings from having worked three jobs during my high-school days in the 'fifties ... $3,342.00. The remaining $2,125 was paid for by U.S. Savings Bonds I had purchased while in the Service plus a large bank loan from Whitehall State Bank. The owner of the bank knew of me as a younger kid and evidently trusted me ... probably because her husband worked with my dad for many years.

Anyway, everything worked out very well. Jack ordered the car ... when I returned home from Germany, the car was waiting for me there in Butte. WOW!!! ... I was one 'happy camper.' I remember when I went in to acquire my car, I had taken the brochure with me that Jack had sent to me over in Germany and asked him where is the blonde chickie that was shown on the back page of the brochure. He replied, "The 'Vette Convertible, in the picture, is red, the Black Coupe car you ordered does not come with that particular option." Lotsa laughs with that.

After all that stuff, it was not too difficult to become easily acquainted with many girlfriend's ... they seemed to everywhere at the time.

My apologies for going off with my little tangent here ... just remembering my good old days. Thanks so much for letting me remenisce a bit here.

Back to my central question: what defines an 'early' 1963 Corvette?

Best Regards,

Pete

[Jack H.]

Re: Early 1963 Corvette Questions

The terms 'early' 'mid' and 'late' are used in the hobby as relative terms. They're relative to the particular component of the car that's being discussed. This is because during a given model year there are running changes (sometimes more than one on a given part) and early/late are simply convenient ways to distinguish between cars that used the first issue of that particular component and cars that were built with the replacement component.

So, you can't generalize. You have to take it one part at a time, read the books that discuss the specifics of individual components and look for guidance in terms of when a particular part was changed. The specific time for 'early' vs. 'late' can vary widely depending on which part we're talking about.

A running change made in, say, the last month of production would have the first eleven months of production being 'early' and the last month beging 'late. Another change made, say, in the second month of production would see the first two months of production as 'early' and the last ten months of production as being 'late'....

[Steven S.]

Re: Early 1963 Corvette Questions

You should have frosted hubcaps, roller type gas door lid and long forward spike on the lower part of the outside mirror on the driver door. Hubcaps changed to chrome only very early and the gas door and mirror changed around mid run. The hood blocks also would be missing from yours. They later added 4 blocks them back off to 2 blocks then late in production eliminated them all together again.

Steve

[Tracy C.]

Re: Early 1963 Corvette Questions

Great story Pete. You are a lucky guy to still have the car you purchased new yourself.

As others mentioned, There is no common Vin(s) that define an early, mid, or late car. These are terms that define in very loose terms that a particular component changed during the production run. What constitutes an late configuration for the hubcaps would also be an early configuation for the steering wheel. It all relative to the component being discussed.

However, with a Vin as early as yours..(03x) It's safe to assume that your car would be considered "early" anytime you see this discussed regardless of the item.

tc

[Pete Zietzke]

Re: Early 1963 Corvette Questions

Hi Steve,

Because my car came with KH knock-offs, there is nothing frosted regarding hubcaps, the gasoline door is 'roller' type, and the outside mirror has a forward 'spike' in front of where the mirror is mounted.

I'm not clear on what you mean by 'hood blocks' ... please describe what a 'hood block' is.

Is it safe for me to 'assume' this car (10003x) is an 'early' version? Where did the serial numbers begin with the first 1963 RPO's?

Thank you in advance ...

PeteZ

[Chuck G.]

Re: Early 1963 Corvette Questions

Conventional wisdom within NCRS has always been that NO 63 was ever delivered with factory knock off's. Did your car have them? Chuck

[Joe C.]

PLUS, Two 1967 L89s *NM*

[Tracy C.]

Re: Early 1963 Corvette Questions

Pete,

If you can prove you picked up your new car with KH knockoff installed, this could be an unprecedented example.

Can you elaborate some on this?

tc

[Pete Zietzke]

Re: Early 1963 Corvette Questions

Hi Tracy,

Thanks much for your reply.

I also have four other mid-year Corvettes that I purchased myself waaaay back then. The two '67's were considered as junk when the '68's were introduced.

I think I'm getting the 'story' that my '63 is an 'early' version. As long as I understand that the Fuelie engine and drive-train did not change throughout the 1963 production year, I'm okay with this car to believe it is not some premature collosal mistake that needed to be corrected by later production corrections.

PeteZ

[Michael H.]

Re: PLUS, Two 1967 L89s

Yup, I think yer right on Joe.

[Pete Zietzke]

Re: Early 1963 Corvette Questions

Hey Chuck,

When I took possession of my '63 SWC from Currie Chevrolet in Butte, Montana, it came with the KH knock-off's that I had originally ordered.

The window sticker shows a P48 which, given my ignorant current day knowledge of my old cars, was the $322.00 option for the five knock-offs.

I do not know about a NO63 that you mention ... please advise.

Respectfully,

PeteZ

[Pete Zietzke]

Re: PLUS, Two 1967 L89s

Hi Michael,

Please elaborate as to what your statement means, "Yup, I think yer right on Joe."

Given that statement, to me, there is little, if any, meaningful content expressed. If I'm not getting the 'jist' of same, please help me understand what you mean.

Sincerely,

PeteZ

[Michael H.]

Re: PLUS, Two 1967 L89s

Peter,

Sorry if I question the facts that you presented but I can't help but wonder how it's possible that you wound up with a 63 with a serial number of 0003x. If you wrote letters back and forth to your dealer from out of the country, then finally ordered the car, at least a few weeks would have passed between the introduction of the 63 model and the actual order. By that time, serial number 0003x would have been ordered and probably produced for someone else.

If you were loking at a showroom brochure before writing your letters, that would suggest that the new 63 model was already released and available at that time. If your order was submitted within a weeko or two of that day, you most likely would have wound up with a cer in a higher serial number range, perhaps as many as several hundred more.

Also, I wonder about the fact that your window sticker shows the P48 option and price. Prior to about January or February of 1963, the P48 option was automatically included in the Z06 option.

I apologize in advance if I'm wrong but something just sounds too good to be true.

[Loren L.]

If your car carries a VIN of thirty something,

it definitely qualifies as "early" on any count.. Your later statement about the FI and Driveline NOT changing is, however, in error. There are some trim changes with the FI, with shielding and a transition from a T-10 to a Muncie 4 speed, plus a number of other running changes during the year.
Like the others, I tend to discount your recital about the KO wheels. My car was ordered by an AF pilot in October 1962; when he asked the dealer where his car was (AGAIN) in January, he was told that the ordering of the wheels was delaying production - he blacklisted the wheels and the car came in March, #10706.

[Chuck G.]

Re: Early 1963 Corvette Questions

Hi Pete. I capitalized the NO. , meaning no 1963 model Corvette.

What I should have typed is that there has never been a 1963 Corvette documented to be delivered from the factory with knock off wheels. Chuck