1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 split window heads to auction

The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette split-window coupe was a rare model produced for only one year, but this example is even rarer.

The car, which will be offered at Mecum's auction in Harrisburg, PA later this month, is one of only 199 Corvette Z06 models produced in 1963. This was the first year of the Z06, which later became the standard Corvette.

Designed for racing, the original Z06 was powered by a Chevrolet L84 engine, a fuel-injected 327 cubic-inch V-8 that produced 360 horsepower. It had a relatively high compression ratio of 11:1, solid lifter camshafts, and a high-flow exhaust system. It was also connected to a four-speed manual transmission. This Corvette's engine is described in the auction listing as numbers matching.

Other upgrades include a stiffer suspension and brakes. The car is finished in saddle tan with a matching saddle interior and is fitted with the turbine-style knock-off wheels that were popular on the C2-generation Corvettes.

Even if it were not a Z06, the reason this Corvette coupe is so remarkable is its split rear window. This styling was only used on the 1963 model, the first year of the C2 Corvette. Later, Chevrolet removed the divider to improve rear visibility, and all C2 Corvette coupes from the remaining production years (1964-1967 models) have an unsplit rear window.

The original Z06 was developed as a race car and many were assigned to race teams (legendary racer Mickey Thompson eventually owned five). Modern Z06s are strictly road cars, but they don't shy away from the track. The current C8 Z06 is the heir to that legacy with a flat-plane crank V-8 engine that produces 670 hp without forced induction. This engine is very close to the unit Chevrolet actually uses in its Corvette race cars.