1963 Corvette Color Distribution

[Mark R.]

The CORVETTE BLACK BOOK only lists, for 1963, the number of cars done in Daytona Blue (3,475), Riverside Red (4,612), and Sebring Silver (3,516). Does anyone know of a source that provides a more comprehensive listing of the exterior color quanities for 1963, including Tuxedo Black, Silver Blue, Saddle Tan, and Ermine White ? Any help regarding the 1963 exterior color distribution would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Mark

[Eric J.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Mark, I am not sure that information exists, but here is some unscientific data you can mull over.

My database has 212 63s that list a color:

53 Red
44 Silver
33 White
32 Dblue
22 Saddle
17 Black
11 SilverBlue

Now if you apply these percentages to the actual production of 21,513 you get:

5,378 Red
4,465 Silver
3,349 White
3,247 DBlue
2,232 Saddle
1,725 Black
1,116 Silver Blue

Larry Brooks published a 1963 survey results in the 1976 Vette Supper Shopper and listed the following:

16% Red
21% Silver
26% White
15% D blue
6% Saddle
8% Black
8% Silver Blue

Using his percentages applied to the total production you get:

3,442 Red
4,518 Silver
5,593 White
3,227 D Blue
1,291 Saddle
1,721 Black
1,721 Silver Blue

Compare the two samples to the known production:

Red Mine: 5,378 Larry's 3,442 Actual: 4,612
Silver Mine: 4,465 Larry's 4,518 Actual: 3,516
DBlue Mine: 3,247 Larry's 3,227 Actual 3,475

Larry and I both have similar percentages for the other 4 paint colors so I would assume that the others break out like this:

11,603 have a color leaving 9,910 63's do not have one:

Using my % numbers applied to the 9,910 you get:

3,940 White
2,627 Saddle
2,030 Black
1,313 Blue

Using Larry's % numbers applied to the 9,910 you get:

5,368 White
1,239 Saddle
1,652 Black
1,652 Blue

Not sure if this helps, but I now have a headache!!

Eric

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Hi Eric,
Hope all is well!
I also now have a headache from attempting to decipher your calculations.

To add to your unscientific data (and headache), please consider my '63 file totals to date which includes both yours and Larry's lists.

Marc, by the way, this was one of the reasons that I started recording 63's many years ago! To try and determine the paint totals for the year and to establish which is the rarest color for 1963.

To date, I've listed 2,506 cars with the breakdown as follows:
559 - Riverside Red
379 - Sebring Silver
335 - Daytona Blue
350 - Ermine White
229 - Tuxedo Black
208 - Silver Blue
173 - Saddle Tan
6 - Primer or Special Order
267 - Undetermined Color

From the onset, Riverside Red was the most popular color on my list and Saddle Tan the rarest.

I've read a couple of times where people claim that Tuxedo black was the rarest paint option for 1963 but I never understood where they got that info from.

Again, should anyone wish to add their car to my research list, please feel free to contact me!

Regards,
Syd

[Mark R.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Eric and Syd:

Thanks so much for your information. Am I correct in assuming that that the color distributions reported in the CORVETTE BLACK BOOK generally come from GM supplied data ? If so, what do you think is the reason for the missing data for 1962 and 1963 ?
Mark

[Nick M.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

To further complicate the equation, what were the production #s for fuel injection in 63? and just to enhance the data, does anyone know how many of the 63 FI cars were Coupes vs. Convertibles?

[Eric J.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Nick, That will take a few minutes.... Mark, Not sure why, I am sure someone will have some info. I know they tracked Sebring Silver because it was an extra cost option (RPO 941 $80.70) Eric

[Eric J.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Nick:

My database has 72 1963 Fuelies

41 are Split Windows
24 are Convertibles
7 are unknown

Assuming an even distribution of the unknowns would add:

63.08% of the 7 unknowns are SW and 36.92% are Verts so that comes to a total of:

45 SW
27 Convertibles

Appying this ratio to the total FI production of 2,610 would give you:

1,631 Fuel Injected SW Coupes
979 Fuel Injected Convertibles

Completely unscientific, but a ballpark.

Eric

[Mark R.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Eric:

A very helpful and interesting example of the art of extrapolation.

Thanks for sharing you information and insight.

Mark

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Hi Eric,
Does your 72 recorded Fuelies include Z-06's?
Just wondering.

Best regards!

Syd

[Eric J.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Syd, I have 15 purported Z06s of those 3 also reported they were Fuel Injected. Since they were all supposed to be FI then.... I must add a few more...

30837S102300
30837S103022 FI
30837S106753
30837S108689
30837S108956
30837S109046 FI
30837S109331
30837S109493
30837S109586
30837S109609
30837S112675 FI
30837S112790
30837S113702
30837S115675
30837S120537

For the record, I have not verified that these are FI/Z06s or even Corvettes. I am only reporting what the source reported.

Eric

[Eric J.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Now that I've "drilled down" on my data and amended FI to the Z06 entries I have a new SW coupe/Convertible total:

1,730 SW
880 Convertible

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Thanks Eric!
(Just looked up purported lol).

My understanding from past discussion here on the TDB, is that the reported 2,610 L84 fuelie option car total for 1963 includes the 199 built Z-06's.
Hope that I got that right.

Of course, I also only record them as seen and give benefit to the owner.

Syd

[Eric J.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Syd/Mark, To add to my headache I extrapolated Syd's numbers to the 9,910 that didn't report a color. I threw out the 6 primer/special cars, because I have a feeling that number would skew the results.

36% 3,613 White
24% 2,364 Black
22% 2,147 SBlue
18% 1,786 Saddle

BTW Syd's sample group distribution is a lot closer to the actual numbers:

Actual Red 21% Syd 25%
Actual Silver 16% Syd 17%
Actual DBlue: 16% Syd 15%

Nice sample group Syd!

Eric

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

Thanks Eric!!

As you well know, lot's and lot's of work involved.
Had hoped to somehow release my data for all by now but the cars just keep coming!

Please take into consideration that many, many cars were/are repainted Red and some were hard or impossible to get the true trim tag info on.
Red is always suspect and I try to verify, as others as well.

My '63 list includes 3 Primer cars and 3 Special Order (other color) cars.

Syd

[Bob R.]

Re: 1963 Corvette Color Distribution

If you go to www.c2registry.org they have 183 additional 63's you can add to your list.