One of Five
History was made when Corvette decided to make the Grand Sport, and its legacy continues to this day with the modern C8 Grand Sport. However, while the new one is built to perform and slot under the ZR-1, the original Grand Sport was built to compete. The Grand Sport rolled off the lot as a no-frills, no-fuss, no-BS race car designed to be the fastest in its class.
The restoration of this storied race car is also as no-frills, no fuss, and no BS, enough for it to be one of (if not) the most anticipated lots at this weekend’s Sotheby’s auction. The initial estimate for this ultra-rare 1963 Corvette Grand Sport is anywhere between $11,000,000 and $13,000,000.
Only five Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sports were ever made, making it one of the rarest competition cars in the world and rarer than the likes of the Shelby Cobra and the Ferrari 250 GTO. Yes, the numbers don’t lie; there are fewer examples of this car compared to the legendary 250 GTO.
This Is THE Car
The 1960s were a huge turning point for American performance cars, and it was during this decade that we got these absolute legends like the Shelby Cobra, the Ford GT40, and also the Corvette (C3) Grand Sport. Built on the bones of the Stingray at the time, there was one goal in mind when Corvette’s engineers were given the task of building the Grand Sport: go racing and do it better than the Shelby Cobra.
This is one of five legendary Corvette Grand Sports, and it’s also the first of three Grand Sport Coupes ever (period). This is one of the most significant factory-produced competition cars that Corvette has ever produced, and it wasn’t just another Corvette (C3) Stingray with a huge number slapped on it. The Grand Sport is a rework with hundreds of unique parts and components that make it different and better than the standard Stingray.
The same car you see here is the same one that was raced on track by Dick Doane, who drove it to three SCCA class victories during the 1963 season. It was also part of the Mecom Racing team’s run in the 1963 Bahamas Speed Week, securing 2nd in its class in the Nassau Trophy. Other notable races it competed in include the 1964 Bahamas Speed Week, the 1964 and 1965 12 Hours of Sebring events.
Furthermore, some of America’s best racing all-stars back then got behind the wheel of this thing, including the likes of A.J. Foyt, Jim Hall, Augie Pabst, Dick Thompson, John Cannon, and Delmo Johnson.
Chassis 003, race #65, at the starting line of the Nassau Governor’s Trophy Race at the Bahamas Speed Week, 1963. Chassis 003 is flanked by Jim Hall in the #66 Chaparral 2A and Dick Thompson in the #80 Corvette Grand Sport.
No Expense Spared
To restore a piece of history like this, the current owner had to do it the right way, which means no expense was spared in returning this Corvette Grand Sport to its former glory. The owner has had this car for 23 years, and he made sure that no stone was left unturned for the Grand Sport. He even restored it to its 1964 Sebring livery, done in blue and wearing the number two.
The restoration was so good that it earned two Bloomington Gold certifications and was honored by the National Corvette Restorers Society. The owner of this car is also fully aware of its historical significance, even down to the extensive collection of spare parts and its maintenance history. Apart from racing and its restoration pedigree, this car was also present at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, and Sonoma Motorsports Festival.
This weekend, August 15, 2026, is the day that it will be offered by Sotheby’s at the 2026 Monterey Auction. Watch out for Lot 341 and prepare your bids.
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