The all-new second-generation Chevrolet Corvette debuted for the 1963 model year as the culmination of more than half a decade of research and development. A new ladder-type frame replaced the previous X-type structure, lowering the center of gravity while also improving handling. Solid, floating rear axles gave way to a fully independent suspension. The bodywork was in lightweight fiberglass as before, but the new Sting Ray was stiffened with nearly twice as much steel superstructure as on earlier models. Extensive wind-tunnel testing resulted in a radically different design, one that introduced what would become a Corvette staple: hide-away headlights.

For enthusiasts and racers alike, Chevrolet offered the new C2 Corvette with the L84 option, which grafted a Rochester fuel-injection system to the 327-cubic-inch V-8 engine for an impressive output of 360 horsepower. Distinctive to a fault with its solid lifters and aggressive camshaft, the L84 was a fire-breather that rattled on startup until its clearances shrank after warming up and loped suggestively at idle. These “Fuelies” were the talk of all the contemporary automotive magazines; so equipped, the new Corvette could sprint to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds. However, only 2,610 Corvette buyers were brave enough to select this formidable engine in 1963, of which an estimated 1,100 or so are believed to have been Convertibles such as this one.

Offered today from more than 35 years within the prized ownership of the consignor’s family, this fuel-injected 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Convertible was delivered new to Tom Harris Chevrolet of Zionsville, Indiana. Originally finished as it is today in Riverside Red over red vinyl, this first-year Fuelie convertible benefits from a highly detailed and well-preserved restoration reportedly completed in 1984, just prior to entering the current family’s ownership. A correct and numbers-matching L84 engine is present with date-correct head (number 3782461), Rochester fuel-injection unit (number 7017375), and intake assembly (number 3826810). About halfway through the 1963 model year, Chevrolet switched the L84 transmission pairing from the Borg-Warner T10D to the Muncie M20 wide-ratio gearbox. As an early car, this impressive example retains its proper, numbers-matching T10D unit. Additional features of note include the correct-for-1963 signal-seeking radio, a matching Riverside Red auxiliary hardtop, polished injection cover, and 15-inch Turbine wheels.

The first-year fuel-injected C2 Convertible offers one of the most compelling combinations of design and engineering from the Corvette’s long and proud lineage, making this example an outstanding opportunity for muscle car enthusiasts looking to experience the model’s ultimate engine of the era.