Over the years, Chevrolet’s Corvette has consistently delivered world-class performance and style, at a lower price of admission than its overseas rivals. The 1955-’62 Corvette was a sports car by definition — a great beginning — but “world-class” it wasn’t. That changed in 1963 with the introduction of the Sting Ray: a car that laid the groundwork for virtually every Corvette afterward. The original Corvette’s old-school, X-braced frame; kingpin front end; solid rear axle; and worm-and-sector-style steering were out. In their place came boxed, welded frame rails with ladder-type crossmembers, a ball-joint front end, a recirculating-ball steering box, and independent rear suspension. Eventually disc brakes and howling big-block engines upped the ante further.
A graceful-looking coupe body was also part of the lineup, kicked off by the one-year-only, and now legendary, split-window coupe. Styling across the board was thoroughly modern and proved to be timeless — the 1963-’67 Corvette is easily one of the most memorable Chevrolet automobile designs of all time.
Call these cars what you will — C2, midyear, Sting Ray — the second-generation Corvettes have long been among the most sought-after collectible Chevrolets and have attracted a devoted following as well as a vast support network. As such, they’re one of the true blue-chip post-war American collector cars, reliably appreciating and commanding strong prices.
There are many, many variables to consider when shopping for a 1963-’67 Corvette, so generalizing about values can be tricky. On average, the ’63s have historically led the way, the ’64s have been the most affordable, while the ’65-’67s benefited from improvements like standard four-wheel disc brakes and the availability of Mark IV
