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100 BARRETT-JACKSON EXPERIENCE WINTER 2024THERE’S NO MISTAKING THE UNIQUE DESIGNOF THE ICONIC SPLIT-WINDOW CORVETTEONE-YEARWONDERTalk to any Corvette enthusiast and it’s highly likely that the model at the top of their dream car list is a 1963 Corvette Split-Window coupe. That’s no surprise when you consider the story of the now-iconic car. It marked the first time a Corvette was ever offered in coupe form, for starters. It was the first time the term “Sting Ray” was used. It was the first Corvette with independent rear suspension. And, of course, 1963 was the only year the Split-Window model was ever produced, making it highly desirable among collectors.The car’s design was largely directed by Chevrolet styling head Bill Mitchell, brought to life with sketches from a young Peter Brock and tweaks from stylist Larry Shinoda. Mitchell had a fascination with marine life and was often influenced by sea creatures like the sting ray and mako shark, and their anatomical features like gills, wings, tails and spines. That influence is more than evident in the 1963 Split-Window, which features a signature “spine” down the car’s entire body, culminating in the famous split rear window out back.Chevrolet produced 10,594 SplitWindow Corvettes in 1963, but that was it. The split-window back glass was not well-received by the public and, after that single year of production, the design was tabled in favor of a single back glass window in 1964. One of the most easily recognizable and widely appreciated members of the Corvette family, the 1963 Split-Window coupe today is a favorite of custom car builders, who specialize in adding modern technology while maintaining the unique allure and distinctive look of what is considered by many to represent the pinnacle of vintage ’Vettes. At the 2024 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, a number of these beauties will be making their way across the block, including those showcased here.