For decades, Corvette has proudly worn the title of America’s Sports Car, but its reputation has spread around the world, as evidenced by this incredible 1963 Corvette Z06 Split Window Coupe originally exported to Australia and awarded Bloomington Gold Benchmark Certification in 2013—the ultimate prize for unrestored vehicles and America’s most prestigious Corvette award. That honor only comes after the candidate car has achieved Gold Certification and excelled in all four categories of Survivor judging during the same weekend. According to Bloomington Gold, to date, less than 5% of the Corvettes that have been certified have received the prestigious Benchmark Award. This remarkable Z06, one of only 199 produced, has achieved those lofty heights and more. Indeed, it has been in the spotlight almost from the start. Produced on May 11, 1963 and finished in Daytona Blue paint with a Dark Blue interior and radio delete, it was delivered new for export to GM Holden’s headquarters in Australia with the full complement of Z06 equipment: 327/360 HP Rochester fuel-injected small-block V-8, 4-speed manual transmission, 3.70:1 Positraction rear end, special heavy-duty suspension and heavy-duty, power-assisted brakes with finned drums, metallic linings and internal cooling fins fed by screened ducts attached to openings in the backing plates. Upon its arrival in Port Melbourne, it was immediately transferred to R.C. Phillips Sports Car World in Pyrmont near Sydney for conversion to right-hand drive. One can imagine the sensation this racing-purposed Corvette caused on the Australian car show circuit, drawing huge crowds at both the 1963 Sydney and 1964 Melbourne Motor Shows while still under the ownership of GM Holden. Its first owner, Lincoln Rodney Kakoschke, purchased it from GM Holden through R.C. Phillips Sports Car World in 1964; its low mileage (22,816) and extraordinary condition suggest that he drove it quite sparingly and applied diligent care to its maintenance and preservation. In 1980, it won Best in Show at the first Corvette Car Club of Australia convention in Victoria and was subsequently featured in the club newsletter. After acquiring the Z06 in 2011, ProTeam Corvette in Napoleon, Ohio, commissioned Bill Gould’s AutoAncestry to thoroughly research the car’s history, a task that spanned four years and produced an extensive dossier that is now part of its fulsome documentation. In March 2013, the car began a whirlwind tour on the American concours circuit. It was invited to the prestigious Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, proceeding afterwards to the 36th Annual Ault Park Concours d’Elegance in June and then the 35th Annual Concours d’Elegance of America (formerly the Meadow Brook Concours) in Troy, Michigan on July 28. It wrapped up its tour with an invitation to Corvettes at Carlisle on August 23-25, where it was the star of the show in the popular “Chip’s Choice” display. With a record of awards that place it at the summit of Corvette honors and documentation that includes the AutoAncestry research materials and Classic Car Affirmation Services certification of its original engine, this 1963 Corvette Z06 ranks as one of the most exceptional, fascinating and important examples in the world.