Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1965)

SUMMARY

This fabulous C2 Corvette is totally correct, superbly original and a rare find.

DESCRIPTION

• St Louis-built in 1965, imported from the US in 1988 and supplied originally by Claremont Corvette in the UK
• Superbly finished in Goldwood Yellow, a one-year only factory colour
• Simply fabulous left-hand drive C2 cockpit in black leather and chrome
• Fitted with the desirable 327ci (5.4-litre) ‘Turbo-fire’ V8 producing 350bhp and a 4-speed manual box
• Just 47,645 miles from new and predominantly unrestored
• Many original features including the rare and collectable factory radio
• Multiple award winning car and also magazine featured. Pleasingly a wealth of trophies accompany the car
• With our vendor since 2012. Detailed history file with many receipts and old MOTs

Now in its seventh 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 product produced between 1963 and 1967, that really set Chevrolets cash registers ringing and left us with the most desirable and collectable Corvette to date. Designed by Larry Shinoda and 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, 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 changed to Stingray) as we know it.

1965 UR, originally registered here as JGU 31C arrived in the UK in 1988 from Newburgh in Indiana, shown by the original US Title documentation in the history file, and being a 1965 model was fitted with the newly available, four-wheel disc brakes and power steering. Finished in Goldwood Yellow with Black leather interior, this colour was only available for one year only making this car even more desirable and collectable. This delectable Sting Ray has won many Club and Concours awards in the States and over here in the UK and a large number of these trophies will remain with the car. It’s been featured many times in magazines including a 7-page spread in Classic and Sports Car, June 2014.

Supplied with a comprehensive history file showing the care and expense lavished on this special motor car, and includes 20 old MOT Certificates, the current MOT valid until November 2021 with No Advisories, many old Tax Discs and a plethora of invoices from both suppliers and garages. A recent addition to the car was a complete set of five brand new wheels at huge expense and indicative of our fastidious vendor’s attention to detail. A lovely feature is the original, fully working dashboard radio fitted from new which we are told rarely work in these cars and to replace, if you can find one, are around £1,500.

This is a simply delightful example of a C2 Sting Ray in a rare and attractive colour. It may not be everyone’s choice of Sixties Classic and it definitely wouldn’t suit a ‘shrinking violet’ but it’s an iconic and powerful sports car that does everything that Italian exotics do, but at a third of the price. Things don’t fall off, you won’t need a trickle charger, a cambelt change every three days or a bloke with a BSc. to change the plugs and, when we are finally allowed out again, you can ‘woofle’ down the High Street on a sunny afternoon and people will look at you and think California and Fonzie and ‘Happy Days', and they’ll feel better.

SPECIFICATIONSLot Number0MakeCHEVROLETModelCORVETTE C2Registration Number1965 URMOT Expiry22/11/2021Chassis Number194375S113341Body ColourGoldwood Yellow