Nineteen sixty-three was a big year for the Corvette. It was 10 years after the model’s premier, and Chevrolet was releasing the second generation of America’s sports car to great acclaim. The Corvette, now dubbed the “Sting Ray,” boasted an independent rear suspension, optional power steering, power brakes, and air conditioning. Its styling was drastically different than the car it replaced, but it was still incredibly attractive. Also, for the first time ever, Chevrolet offered the Corvette in both coupe and convertible body styles, with the coupe defined by a stylistic rear split-window, which would only survive as a one-year feature due to rear visibility concerns.

This ’63 Split-Window Coupe was finished in Sebring Silver over a black interior, and it was fitted with Chevrolet’s venerable 327-cubic inch engine, which could produce 300 horsepower and was mated to a Powerglide automatic transmission. It was also fitted with an AM/FM radio and the highly desirable option of factory air conditioning, which was an option that only 278 Corvettes were equipped with for that model year.

Not only is this Corvette presented in completely original and unrestored condition, but it was also owned by a life-long enthusiast and very noteworthy figure in the Corvette world, Chip Miller. In the mid-1970s, Chip and fellow enthusiast Bill Miller started Corvettes at Carlisle, which has steadily grown into one of the largest Corvette-centric events on the planet. Chip had an eye for quality, and he eventually built a private collection that featured a number of Corvettes from throughout the model’s history; all of the examples are notable for their extremely low mileage and original condition. This Sting Ray was sold from his estate in 2006, subsequently being purchased by the Andrews’ for their own collection. In their possession, the car’s original condition has continued to be preserved and maintained, just as Chip would have wanted.

The 1963 Split-Window is a landmark of American automotive design, as it is considered by many to be America’s most attractive post-war automotive design. The Sting Ray is simultaneously muscular and sensual, and its design perfectly mimics its personality, as it is both a capable sports car, with wins at some of the world’s most arduous races, and a wonderful grand-tourer that is ideal for cruising America’s highways.