I sure did not remember the 250 hp version…musta been a 2- barrel?(very odd for ANY vette)…the 300 hp was considered the minimum a vette owner could be caught dead in.
To Wigg’s point, quite a difference in how quickly the 327 revved over the 350…every one seemed to notice.
Greetings All,
We have a '63 “tanker” in the family.
You mentioned the lack of disc brakes.
The Z06 optional brakes we have, were bigger drums with multiple semi-metallic pucks mounted on the shoes.
My Dad owned a Jag E at the time, and it had the 4 disc. Funny thing, Grandpa ordered the optional brakes figuring thats what was coming, he was surprised to say the least.
About everything you would want to know about the 63 can be found here. It says the 250 HP version had a Carter (AFB?) four bbl. and the 300 HP version had a larger carb, larger valves, different air cleaner but the same cam. There were also 340 and 360 HP versions the latter being FI. About 3,900 of the almost 22,000 Corvettes made that year had the base engine.
It was the standard engine from '62 to '66, if memory serves. It was a 4-barrel. The 300hp version was only about $50 additional so relatively few 250hp models were built. In '67 the 300hp version became standard issue. (Might have been '66…not sure). Also, for many years, a 3-speed stick was standard but, here again, not many Corvettes were actually so equipped.
One of the cool things about the Corvette was that it could be built in a wide variety of flavors from mild to wild. Fire breathing monster…or tractable ‘personal car’ with one of the milder engines, A/C, power windows, etc. The XKEs were built pretty much one way; nowhere near as many buyer choices.
A few years ago I did a fairly extensive mechanical ‘refresh’ on a '64 with the 250hp engine. Very pleasant car to drive, and cool to be seen in…but obviously not very fast.
Cheers
DD
The 250hp version used the old Carter “WCFB”
Cheers
DD
1 Like
Ha! Well, since you brought up that point, I’ll play along. I think both cars did, or at least had some kind of accident. The driver of the Vette obviously had some sort of collision that knocked him unconscious and sent him to the hospital (supporting your position), but he also says he’ll never forget “that horrible sight,” which strongly implies he saw something much worse happen to the Jag. Because the Jag driver isn’t around to be questioned, the assumption is that he is dead.
(Betcha can’t tell I’m a lawyer by trade. 
)
Another interesting debate I’ve heard is why the Jag driver saw “six taillights” on the Vette, when it should only have four. One theory is that adding two additional taillights was a common period mod to C2 vettes. I think it’s more likely just an error. Songwriters were not necessarily real car guys. There’s an apocryphal story that some guy once showed Brian Wilson his ‘32 Ford hot rod and Wilson had no idea that it was a “deuce coupe”. (That could have just been the drugs)
The various members of the Beach Boys may not have been ‘car guys’ in the sense we think of, but they enjoyed the popular cars of the era. Various members at various times had Corvettes, Jags, Aston Martins, Mustangs, etc
Brian Wilson and his Corvette…
Dennis Wilson did a fair bit of amateur racing in a Cobra and also owned Corvettes and XKEs…which is what you owned when you were “in with the in crowd” 
Cheers
DD
2 Likes
I think you are right and that is actually the way I interpret the song. I was really just stirring the pot to see if I could get the corvette guys riled. American band, American car-of course it was the funny English car that lost!
a 64 vette with the 327/300hp option came standard with drum brakes and a 2 speed powerglide trans. 2 speeds! crazy.
disc brakes were standard for 1965.
1 Like
The 2-speed Powerglide was always optional, never standard. GM held on to that 2-speed technology wayyyy past the expiration date !
Cheers
DD
1 Like
I had a 2019 C300 MB as a loaner for a week while my MB SUV waited for some parts – that thing had 9 speeds and paddle shifters. I was more scared every mile I drove it than the mile before (but I guess me and USAA would have handled anything untoward).
The brakes, handling and suspension were not to be believed.
You think it was bad as the “Pow’rSlide?”
Datsun had a 2-speed in the 1200…!!!
I’ll wager that anyone who has seen the world outside the windshield rotate and slew on multiple axis would describe that as a “horrible sight”. I know I have.
3 Likes
With the right rear end gearing the 2 speed automatic was perfect for the quarter mile and stoplight match races which was everything back in the day. My nephew who is drag racing a 1200hp twin turbo ford futura has it set up with a 2 speed that is modified to handle the torque. It is running under 9 seconds.
2 Likes
The 2 cars are forever linked by dead mans curve
about the chevy SBC ,from 1955 thru 1994, manufactured almost 100 million engines in many factories around the world!
no one will ever build like that again, modern tech can whip up in a matter of months,new Cad/CNC etc.
and did own and modded a new 1957 Vette 4 speed (late 57)and on a street race NEVER got beat, and could shift it at Full throttle no lift !
hell i never got beat by any furen car, actually race a 1955 Mercedes Gullwing , and beat him till we run outa road!
ron
2 Likes
did have an E coupe ,it was a 1967 , had it for few weeks 1971, sold it ,developed a rod knock 1#cylinder, lost my faith in British cars, until 1993 my 1978 XJS , and got sucked into the William Lyons thing again!
sold the Etype for $750. bucks , probably worth more today?
… had there been a few corners, however…
He was obviously drunk and was seeing double.
No other logical explanation for a 'vette negotiating a curve better than an E.
Or they both slid off the road and the 'vette crashed better. Maybe the corvette was a coupe and the E was a roadster?
1 Like