The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray used a 327-cubic-inch V8 engine. This small-block V8 powered every Corvette that model year, although buyers could choose among several output levels.
The 327 was a bored-and-stroked development of Chevrolet’s small-block V8 family. In the 1963 Corvette it produced 250 horsepower in standard form, with optional versions rated at 300, 340, or 360 horsepower. The top version used Rochester mechanical fuel injection, a major performance feature of the era.
The larger 396-cubic-inch big-block did not arrive in the Corvette until 1965, and the 427 followed for 1966. Those engines are therefore easy mix-ups when comparing later second-generation Corvettes with the 1963 car.
The 1963 model launched the second-generation Corvette, known as the C2, with independent rear suspension and the dramatic split-window coupe. Chevrolet built 21,513 Corvettes for the 1963 model year, divided between coupes and convertibles.