Chronology of Chevrolet Corvettes

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References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2023 December 20.


1963

January 4
  • Jack Gordon gives Bunkie Knudsen approval to proceed with the 427-ci engine in passenger cars (including Corvette). [822.30]
January
  • Chevrolet changes the mandatory options list for the Corvette, separating the 36-gallon fuel tank and knock-off wheels from the Z06 package. [315.20]
January 21
  • General Motors' Chairman Frederic Donner issues a policy memo, re-iterating the company's compliance with 1957 Automobile Manufacturers Association ban of company-sponsored racing. This officially cancels production plans for the Corvette Grand Sport, with only 5 of the intended 125 cars mostly built. [1] [3.51] [5.80] [30] [55.77] [79.70] [106.5] [131.84] [211.47] [309.12] [318.73] [488.24] [534.45] [580.174] (December 1963 [152.39]) (first week of January [133.92]) (February [7] [381.48])
February 16
  • At the Daytona International Raceway in Daytona Florida, the American Challenge Cup race is held. Mickey Thompson enters four 1963 Z06 Corvettes, two with newly developed Mark II big block 427-ci "Mystery Motor" engines.
    • Finishing 2nd is the "Nicky Nouse", a lightened near-stock fuel-injected 1963 Sting Ray, driven by A.J. Foyt.
    • Finishing 3rd is the 1963 427 ci ZO6 driven by Billy Krause. Rex White races the second 1963 427 ci Z06 Corvette but quits on Lap 38; Mickey Thompson continues until the suspension breaks.
    [131.56] [176.20] [229.37] [354.65] [454.127] [720.25] [825.91] (January [345.14])
February 17
  • At the Daytona International Raceway in Daytona Florida, the Three-Hour Continental race is held.
    • Finishing 3rd in GT III class and 3rd overall is the Grady Davis #11 Corvette Sting Ray driven by Dick Thompson.
    • Finishing 5th in GT III class and 6th overall is the Dixie Motor #5 Corvette Sting Ray driven by Johnny Allen.
    • Finishing 12th in GT III class and 22nd overall is the Tony Denman #19 Corvette driven by Tony Denman.
    [176.20] [197.74] [206.51] [229.37] [354.65] [423] [454.127]
February
  • Chevrolet revises the trim tags codes used on current model Corvettes. [167.29]
  • The Chicago Auto Show is held. Chevrolet displays a special 1963 Corvette convertible modified to demonstrate various styling proposals, most notably side-mounted exhaust headers and mufflers. The car is painted light pearescent blue with a white stripe down the hood and rear deck, and has functional air outlet grilles in the hood, and aluminum wheels. [219.40] [580.161]
(month unknown)
  • Midway through the 1963 production year, Chevrolet replaces the Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed transmission with a Muncie transmission. [103.23] [148.40] (mid 1962 model [28.43])
  • The external rear-view mirror on the 1963 model Corvette is replaced with a taller design with a smaller base. [148.40]
  • An AM-FM radio is made available as an option on 1963 model Corvettes. [148.41]
March
  • At a news conference in Detroit, the press ask General Motors Chairman Frederic Donner and President John Gordon about the new fast Chevrolet engine raced at Daytona. They reply that they know nothing about it. (The embarassment caused by this one question changes the course of Chevrolet's racing involvement for decades.) [518.156]
  • General Motors executives make it clear that Chevrolet must stop all race involvment. [206.51] [229.39] [354.65] [357.38] (February [720.25] (April [518.133])
March 23
  • In Sebring, Florida, the 12 Hours of Sebring race is held, round 2 of the International Championship for Manufacturers, round 1 of the Challenge Mondial and round 1 of the International Trophy for Prototypes.
    • Finishing 2nd in Grand Touring +4000 class, 16th overall, is the Johnson Chevrolet #3 Corvette, driven by Delmo Johnson and Dave Morgan.
    • Finishing 3rd in Grand Touring +4000 class, 17th overall, is the Dixie Motor #6 Corvette, driven by Jef Stevens and Johnny Allen.
    • Finishing 4th in Grand Touring +4000 class, 25th overall, is the Grady Davis #2 Corvette, driven by Ed Lowther, Duncan Black, M.R.J. Wyllie, Don Yenko, and Richard Thompson. The car is not running at the finish.
    • Jerry Grant and Don Campbell drive the Alan Green Chevrolet #7 1963 Corvette in Grand Touring +4000 class. After 46 laps, the car retires. They place 42nd overall.
    • Roy Kumnick and Ralph Salyer drive Salyer's #4 Corvette in Grand Touring +4000 class. After 120 laps, the engine fails. They place 43rd overall.
    • A.J. Foyt and Jim Hurtubise drive the Nickey Chevrolet #5 Corvette in Grand Touring +4000 class. After 84 laps, the engine fails. They place 46th overall.
    • Dick Thompson drives the Grady Davis #1 1963 Corvette in Grand Touring +4000 class. After 14 laps, the car is out due to a failed gearbox. He places 63rd overall.
    [263] [299.35] [337.64] [348] [423] [580.162] [825.92]
March
  • Chevrolet lends Corvette Grand Sport #004 to Grady Davis of the Gulf Oil Company [3.51] [5.85] [106.6] [260.46] [299.35] [318.73] [534.45]
  • Chevrolet lends Corvette Grand Sport #003 to Dick Doane, Chevrolet dealer in Dundee, Illinois. [3.51] [5.85] [42.47] [106.6] [260.46] [318.73] [534.45]
April 7
  • At the Marlboro Raceway in Maryland, an SCCA national championship race is held.
    • Finishing 1st in A Production class and 1st overall is the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Z06 driven by Dick Thompson.
    • Finishing 1st in B Production class and 5th overall is the Corvette driven by Don Yenko.
    • Grady Davis enters #16 Corvette Grand Sport #004, driven by Richard Thompson. This is the racing debut of the Grand Sports.
    [5.88] [30] [181.32] [226.46a] [299.35] [325.14] [337.66] [423] [580.175]

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April
  • Lee Iacocca of Ford announces a commitment to factory support of racing: "... race on Sunday, sell on Monday. ... Our philosophy is based on Total Performance". [5.80]
April 28
  • In Danville, Virginia, the SCCA holds the Governor's Cup race for production and modified classes.
    • Finishing 3rd in C Modified class and 4th overall is the Grady Davis #11 Corvette Grand Sport driven by Ed Lowther.
    • Finishing 1st in A Production class and 6th overall is the #10 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Z06 driven by Richard Thompson.
    • Finishing 3rd in A Production class and 8th overall is the Grady Davis #9 Corvette Sting Ray driven by Duncan Black.
    • Finishing 1st in B Production class and 9th overall is the Grady Davis #12 Corvette driven by Don Yenko.
    • Finishing 5th in A Production class and 11th overall is the #49 Corvette driven by Roy Kumnick.
    • Finishing 2nd in B Production class and 13th overall is the #51 Corvette driven by Robert Mouat.
    • Finishing 6th in A Production class and 14th overall is the #6 Corvette driven by Frank Dominianni.
    • Finishing 7th in A Production class and 15th overall is the #8 Corvette Sting Ray driven by Ben Moore.
    • Finishing 3rd in B Production class and 16th overall is the #83 Corvette driven by Bob Sinn.
    [299.35] [337.66] [423] [580.175]
May 12
  • At the Marlboro raceway in Cumberland, Maryland, Richard Thompson races a Grand Sport Corvette to 3rd in class, 5th overall. [181.32] [580.175]
June
  • At the Road America raceway in Elkhart Lake, Wisconson, Richard Thompson races a Corvette Grand Sport to 3rd overall. A Cobra is the winner. [181.32] [299.35] [337.66] [580.164,175]
  • At the Bridgehampton raceway, Richard Thompson races a Corvette Grand Sport to 4th overall. [181.32] [580.175]
(month unknown)
  • Zora Arkus-Duntov is officially given responsibility for the Corvette engine and chassis. [5.32] [578.63]
  • Car Life magazine selects the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray as winner of Award for Engineering Excellence for 1963. [580.161]
  • Ralph Eckler opens a business in Rock Island, Illinois, repairing Corvettes. [106.74] [316.37]
July
  • At the Lake Garnett, Kansas, raceway, Richard Thompson races a Corvette Grand Sport, but does not finish. [181.32]
  • In Pomona, California, a car race is held. Bob Bondurant finishes second in a 1963 Corvette Z06, behind a Cobra. [216.13]
(month unknown)
  • Material used for the headlight buckets on 1963 model Corvettes is changed from fiberglass to metal. [148.40]
  • Chevrolet decides to unofficially support the entry of Grand Sport Corvettes at the Bahamas Speed Week race (Nassau Race Week). [106.6]
  • Zora Arkus-Duntov upgrades Grand Sport #004 with fuel-injection. [534.45]
August 4
  • In Meadowdale, Illinois, the SCCA holds a race for modified classes.
    • Dick Doane finished 6th in a Corvette Grand Sport.
    • Richard Thompson races the #11 Corvette Grand Sport, but does not finish.
    [181.32] [423] [580.175]
August
  • The Bonneville National Speed Trials are held, in Utah.
    • Bob Hirsch races Bill Scace's 1963 Corvette with 317-ci engine and GMC 6-17 supercharger to 175.092-MPH two-way average. His best one-way speed is 181.45-MPH.
    • Jack Lufkin races a 1962 Corvette frame with replica Corvette body and destroked engine to 187.659-MPH in D Sports-Racing class.
    [337.22] [580.125]
  • Production of 1963 model Corvettes ends. [148.40] [167.29]
August 24
  • At the Watkins Glen raceway in Watkins Glen, New York, an SCCA race is held for modified classes. Finishing 1st in C Modified class and 1st overall is the Corvette Grand Sport #004 driven by Richard Thompson. This is the first overall win for a Corvette Grand Sport. [5.88] [30] [106.6] [181.32] [182.8] [196.32] [197.74] [337.66] [423] [488.22] [534.45] [580.175] [704.21]
(month unknown)
  • GM Styling creates a 1964 Corvette Styling car for Ozzie Olson, of Swedish Crucible Steel. [576.103]
September
  • Production begins on the 1964 model Corvette. [30] [148.42] [311.29]
(month unknown)
  • At the end of the SCCA racing year, Don Yenko, racing a Corvette, is points champ in B Production class. Richard Thompson, racing a Corvette Grand Sport, is 4th in C Modified class. [3.124] [133.72] [337.24] [394.12] [454.90] [580.176]
October
  • At the end of the racing season, Chevrolet regains the two Corvette Grand Sports it loaned out for racing. The pair, and a third, are prepared for racing at Nassau, Bahamas. [3.52] [5.88] [260.48] [534.45] [704.21]
  • The Paris Salon auto show is held, in France. Pininfarina shows the Corvette Rondine show car, painted metallic turquoise, and a custom body with inward-sloping rear window on a 1963 chassis. [542.53] [580.162]
(month unknown)
  • Chevrolet loans three Corvette Grand Sports with aluminum engines to John Mecom. [5.88] (sold to John Mecom [534.45])
  • In response to Ford's GT40 project, Chevrolet proposes building one prototype and six race cars for international racing. Zora Arkus-Duntov begins work on a mid-engined four-wheel drive prototype, called GS-3. (It is later called GS-10, and finally CERV II.) [21] [30] [58.53] [381.48] (1964 [17])
  • Car Life magazine votes the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray their award for engineering excellence. [5.93] [314.46]
November 30
  • Three Corvette Grand Sports painted Cadillac blue with 550-bhp aluminum 377-ci engines arrive in Nassau, Bahamas. [1] [5.88] [104.151] [454.91] [534.45] [580.176] (late December [3.52] [42.47])
(month unknown)
  • A red 1963 Corvette coupe with fuel-injection and 3.70 axle is shipped to Europe for automotive press testing. [580.158]
December 1
  • At the International Bahamas Speed Week races in Nassau, the 99-mile Nassau Tourist Trophy Race is held. Rear axle overheating puts Jim Hall's #65 Corvette Grand Sport #003 out after 9 laps, and Richard Thompson's #80 Corvette Grand Sport #005 after 15 laps. [5.88] [152.32,34] [423] [454.91] [564.57] [580.177]
December
  • Chevrolet engineers on vacation in the Bahamas quickly devise and implement rear axle oil coolers for the Grand Sports. [5.88]
December 6
  • At the International Bahamas Speed Week races in Nassau, the 112-mile Governor's Trophy race is held.
    • Finishing 1st in prototype class and 3rd overall is the #50 Grand Sport #003, driven by Roger Penske.
    • Finishing 2nd in prototype class and 4th overall is the #65 Grand Sport #004, driven by Augie Pabst.
    • Finishing 3rd in prototype class and 6th overall is the Grand Sport #005, driven by Richard Thompson, despite a blown engine.
    The highest finishing Cobra is eighth. [5.88] [106.8] [133.94] [152.35] [260.48] [332.87] [337.66] [423] [454.91] [564.57] [580.177] [704.21] (Thompson is fifth overall [5.88])
December 8
  • At the International Bahamas Speed Week races in Nassau, the 252-mile Nassau Trophy race is held.
    • Finishing 1st in prototype class and 4th overall is the #50 Corvette Grand Sport #004 driven by Richard Thompson.
    • Finishing 3rd in prototype class and 8th overall is the #65 Corvette Grand Sport #003 driven by John Cannon.
    A Cobra places 7th overall. [5.88] [106.8] [133.94] [152.35] [332.87] [337.66] [423] [564.57] [580.177] [704.21]

End of 1963. Next: 1964.

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Last updated: 2023 December 20.
Copyright © 1995-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/vettehis/
Link to Ken P's home page.

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