Factory Fresh 1963 Z06 N03 Corvette Coupe Is One of Just 63 Produced
This factory fresh, uniquely optioned, and incredibly rare 1963 Z06 N03 Corvette coupe is headed to auction.
In the Corvette world, certain acronyms and combinations of letters and numbers can mean the difference between a car that’s worth a decent amount of money and one that’s worth a tremendous amount of money. This 1963 Z06 N03 Corvette coupe, which is scheduled to hit the auction block at Mecum’s Indy sale this month, falls squarely into the latter category, thanks mostly to the fact that it’s one of just 63 cars produced in this exact configuration.
A grand total of 199 Z06 Corvettes were produced before General Motors changed course and pulled its factory racing support. This particular car was ordered new from Robert Chevrolet in Hicksville, New York, and saw action in SCCA competition. It was later owned by Los Angeles Times publisher and notable collector Otis Chandler, who showed the car at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
What makes this particular 1963 Z06 N03 Corvette coupe even more notable is the fact that it is also one of just 63 built with the optional 36-gallon fuel tank – a desirable option for drivers who wanted to cut down on the number of pit stops they had to make during the course of a race. It provided fuel for GM’s L84 327/360 V8, which is backed up by a four-speed manual transmission and Positraction rear end.
Other notable standard features on the Z06 included beefy brakes with oversized finned drums with internal stamped steel cooling fans, ventilated backing plates with cooling scoops, sintered metallic linings, and a special dual-circuit master cylinder, as well as heavy-duty shocks and springs, and a 20-percent larger front sway bar. This particular example was also optioned with power brakes, an off-road exhaust, leather seats, power windows, an AM/FM radio, a 4.56 gear ratio, and 6.70-15 blackwall tires.
All of that is capped off with an unusual color combination – Saddle Tan with a matching tan interior – that helps make this already rare Corvette even more interesting. The car has been treated to a body-off, factory-fresh restoration, which has helped it garner Bloomington Gold Certification and multiple NCRS honors, including Top Flight, Performance Verification, and the Duntov Mark of Excellence Award.
This rare and unique C2 Corvette is certainly a special car, making its estimated hammer price of $425,000 to $475,000 actually seem quite reasonable.
Photos: Mecum Auctions
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