Second-generation Corvette (C2 "Sting Ray", 1963–1967)
1963–1967
The second-generation Corvette Sting Ray (1963–1967) is one of the most celebrated cars in American history. It introduced the nameplate, the first Corvette coupe, and fully independent rear suspension. The 1963 coupe's one-year-only split rear window — dropped for 1964 over visibility complaints — makes it the single most iconic Corvette body, and big-block 396 and 427 V8s arrived later in the run.
Photo: Alf van Beem / Wikimedia Commons — Public domain . Cropped to 16:9.
1963–1967
Overview
The second-generation Corvette Sting Ray (1963–1967) is one of the most celebrated cars in American history. It introduced the nameplate, the first Corvette coupe, and fully independent rear suspension. The 1963 coupe's one-year-only split rear window — dropped for 1964 over visibility complaints — makes it the single most iconic Corvette body, and big-block 396 and 427 V8s arrived later in the run.
Milestones
Highlights
- First Corvette coupe and first with independent rear suspension.
- The 1963 split-window coupe was a one-year-only design.
- Big-block power arrived: 396 cu in (1965), then 427 cu in (1966); the L88 427 came for 1967.
Model years in this generation