Back in 2003, we were lucky to be at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance to witness history being made. All five 1963 Corvette Grand Sports were together in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton. Since they are among the most significant cars ever built, it is rare to see one in public. Corvette’s Chief Engineer Zora Duntov built the cars in secret, to avoid GM’s corporate ban on racing. When they finally discovered the blueprints and fiberglass molds, the cars were hidden by Chevrolet Performance and the program was shut down.
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You can’t deny the appeal of the widebody Grand Sport. But if you want one for yourself, your choices have been limited until now. For those with unlimited budgets, cutting up an original ’63 is an option, but you might find a target on your back from the Corvette faithful. So our friends in South Africa have the next best thing: My former career was a marketing manager at a Corvette aftermarket shop, and the notion of a new 1963 Grand Sport left me speechless. That was a decade ago, and GM was hesitant to embrace the idea at first. Chevrolet still builds a Corvette Grand Sport, and it’s the mid-level edition between Stingray and Z06.
But a customer who is in the market for a C7 doesn’t exactly go running to a race-ready classic. GM and Superformance worked out the details, so now you can order a Superformance Grand Sport with modern LS3 power. The 6.2 Liter V8 and Super Magnum six-speed transmission are available as a package for any classic. The monster camshaft is from the ASA late model series and can cause hearing loss with open headers. Nothing sounds better than side pipes, even if they burn you once in awhile. So if you want modern power with a classic look, Superformance and Chevrolet Performance have the solution. If you want the real thing, our dealers will be happy to find a classic Corvette for you. Stay with us for all your Chevrolet Performance news.
