One-Owner 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Has 610K Miles, Still Going Strong

Showcased at the 2022 World of Wheels Car Show, this triple-black Corvette is not just a high-mileage survivor, but also a one-owner car. Yup, all 600K+ miles have been added to this car by its original owner, who purchased the roadster new while he was only 18 years old.

And based on the map he proudly displays at every car event he attends, he's driven this Corvette to almost every U.S. state. But don't let that fool you, the car has been taken care of and appears to be almost pristine inside and out.

Of course, the owner had to replace or refresh quite a few components following his long journey across the U.S. He's also been involved in a few crashes that required a few front-end transplants. The rear end was also replaced at some point.

Does it still have the original, numbers-matching V8? Well, the engine still exists, but it's been put into storage because it was "too tired" after around 400,000 miles (643,734 km). The Corvette now relies on a replacement 350-cubic-inch (5.7-liter) V8 that runs great after more than 200K miles (322K km). And it sounds good, too, thanks to the aftermarket side-exit exhaust pipes.

The mill mates to a four-speed manual gearbox, so it's quite obvious that the owner is a big fan of rowing his own gears. After all, he's been doing it for almost 60 years.

This first-year C2 Corvette was originally fitted with a 327-cubic-inch (5.4-liter) small-block V8. It was the only mill available at the time, but Chevy offered four different versions. The base variant delivered 250 horsepower, while the fuel-injected 327 came with 360 horses on tap.

Dropping the original mill back under the hood would definitely turn this classic into a fantastic survivor, but it's safe to assume that it won't happen anytime soon. The owner is determined to put even more miles on it and move closer to the one-million mark. Needless to say, that's a cool way to live your life to the fullest.