1965 Corvette Coupe C2

• Superbly presented in Nassau Blue with a Blue Vinyl interior and matching carpets
• Fitted with dual side-exhausts, an exceptionally rare option present on just 759 Sting Rays from this model year
• Immaculate centre knock-off wheels wearing lightly-worn BF Goodrich Silvertown Goldlines 
• 327ci. (5.4-litre) Turbo-Fire V8 producing 300bhp mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox
• Restored in the States and imported into the UK in 2015
• 1st Prize at the Classic American Car Show Tatton Park July 2016 – Best Classic Corvette
• UK-registered, benefiting from recent expense, regular and popular attendee at numerous club events

Now in its eighth generation, the Corvette began life in 1953 with the C1, a model that inspired a generation of young Americans and gave the Ford Empire a nine-year headache. However it was the C2, the immortal Sting Ray produced between 1963 and 1967, that really set Chevrolet's cash registers ringing and left us with the most desired and collectable Corvette to date. Designed by Larry Shinoda under the guidance of the legendary Bill Mitchell, influences on the Sting Ray's unique and unforgettable form are said to include: the E-type Jaguar, a Mako shark once caught by Mitchell, the 'Q Corvette' concept car of 1957 and the 'Mitchell Sting Ray' design exercise. By the autumn of 1959 elements of the two unique Corvettes had been built into XP-720, the design programme that led to the production of the Sting Ray (later Stingray) as we know it.

There were a number of drive train options available including four ‘small block’ V8 engines, three transmissions, and six axle ratios and the new Corvette was available as a fastback coupe as well as the traditional convertible. Detailed changes were made through the years, with the first of the ‘big block’ engine options arriving in 1965, the same year four-wheel disc brakes became standard.

The fabulous Corvette C2 Sting Ray Coupe presented here is a matching-numbers, example manufactured at the A.O. Smith plant in Ionia, Michigan on the 5th January 1965 and fitted with a ‘small-block’ V8 built at the Flint engine plant on the 28th December 1964. The file has a copy of the original sales invoice for US $4,900.88 from Schwyn Brothers Chevrolet of Michigan to a Mr Frank Tennant on January 22nd 1965.

Originally finished in Nassau Blue, the same livery it sports today, it’s fitted with dual side exhausts, an exceptionally rare option present on just 759 Sting Rays from this model year, and sits on a set of immaculate centre knock-off wheels wearing lightly worn BF Goodrich Silvertown “Goldlines”. Under the bonnet, lurks a 327ci. (5.4-litre) ‘Turbo-Fire’ V8 producing 300bhp mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox. The engine bay presents well with a red-painted block, chrome rocker covers and a chrome air filter dish. The Corvette’s interior is well presented in body colour with blue vinyl, matching carpets, lots of chrome bezels and an attractive Teak steering wheel surrounding the traditional cross flags on the boss. 

We understand that the car was imported into the UK in 2015 in a fully restored condition, however, the previous owner, a member of the National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS), spent a further £13,000 on the chassis in 2016 and he now describes the body, chassis, and suspension restoration work as being close to ‘show quality'. The car is UK registered and is complete with its V5C and reprinted original ‘dispatch data’ from the US. It’s on the Corvette Register and has been a regular and popular attendee at numerous club events and indeed won 1st Prize at the Classic American Car Show Tatton Park July 2016 – “Best Classic Corvette”.

The below bullet points show the love and attention the car has received by its two UK owners since it arrived here

• 27th April 2016. Italia Autosport: rear trailing arms, suspension, brake flexi-hoses and brake lines, repairing headlamp electrics, battery isolator – £10,881
• 27th April 2016. Italia Autosport: windscreen and seals – £918
• 9th July 2018. Jasmine Porschalink: replace driveshafts – £828
• 28th August 2019. Jasmine Porschalink: engine out, strip down and rebuild with new gaskets and repaint engine, full service replacing filters, plugs, water pump, gaskets, expansion tank and repairing leak into interior by replacing weather strips – £4,735
• 11th September 2019. Jasmine Porschalink: replaced alternator, and wiring looms on headlamp, dashboard, ignition wiring harness etc. £2,885.

This is a very special 1965 C2 in its original colour with correct VIN and trim tags. It looks amazing, sounds even more amazing, and goes really well with a smooth gear change and excellent brakes. This is an iconic and powerful sports car that does everything that Italian exotics do but at a third of the price. In a rare colour with side-exit exhausts and enthusiast maintained this pretty Corvette will reward any inspection.