Throwback Thursday: 1963 Daytona Blue Roadster

Sold at the beginning of the pandemic

This clean-looking ’63 Corvette roadster was sold in an April 2020 online auction and it seems, in retrospect, a pretty good buy at the $38,250 selling price.

The car was refurbished in the ‘90s and the body was repainted in its original Daytona Blue (916). It had 205/75 Firestone FR380 whitewall tires mounted on turbine-style wheels. The front suspension had been refreshed in February 2020, replacing ball joints and bushings.

The replacement 327ci V8 was reportedly rebuilt less than 1,000 miles before the auction. The block had been bored, line-honed, and balanced; the four-speed manual transmission had been overhauled in 2019.

The interior seats were dark blue vinyl (490B) with carpets matching that color. A Hurst aftermarket shifter replaced the factory original shifter.

The 160-mph speedometer showed just over 5,000 miles, but the actual mileage was unknown.

Considering that prices have risen on all used cars since 2020, do you think this was a good buy at that time? I checked current sold listings and couldn’t find a similar early C2 in comparable condition that sold for less the $50,000.

For anyone interested in reading a first-hand account of owning a second-generation Corvette, I recommend my Kindle eBook that you can find here. I think you’ll find it an entertaining and informative read.

Link for original auction: 1963 Daytona Blue Roadster