1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray

Description

You can ask pretty much any Corvette guy what the ultimate classic Vette is and he'll probably name a second generation car with a storied Chevrolet V8. Investors clearly agree, as prices on these classics skyrocket year after year, despite the state of the economy. And it's not just big block roadsters fetching good money either, as our last two numbers-matching small block coupes sold for "$93K":http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inventory/sold#!/1966-Chevrolet-Corvette-Stingray/133257 and "$74K":http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inventory/sold#!/1966-Chevrolet-Corvette-Stingray/133240 respectively. You know what that means, right? It means if you're looking to jump into the hottest Corvette niche on the market, there's certainly no time like the present. And if you're serious about making that jump, this Daytona Blue roadster is the perfect place to land! As a numbers-matching, correctly restored L76/4-speed car that's won multiple awards on the national level, its paint might as well be called 'Daytona Blue Chip'. And if you're a discerning enthusiast who wants a car that's as significant as it is entertaining, it's time to buy the Corvette of your dreams!

Not only was this exclusive Sting Ray awarded multiple NCRS Performance Verification and Top Flight honors, it also scored 99.2 out of 100 points to become 1 of only 919 cars bestowed the DUNTOV Mark of Excellence Award. Here's a detailed breakdown of the car's original VIN and trim tag:

VIN: 40867 S 106556

4 – 1964 model year
08 – Corvette
67 – Convertible
S – Assembled at GM's St. Louis manufacturing facility
106556 – Production sequence number

TRIM TAG:

• D7 – Assembled on December 7th of 1963
• 64 – 1964 model year
• 867 -- Convertible
• 3844 – St. Louis body sequence number
• 490 – Blue vinyl interior
• BB – USED WITH: BU (base unit) / NOT USED WITH: A31 (power windows) or M35 (Powerglide)
• 916AA -- Dark Blue paint

Refinished in correct GM code 916 Daytona Blue basecoat, this handsome C2 roadster is a cool and refreshing change from the flood of bright red and black Corvettes you see at all the big shows. That said; the car was certainly intended to be a showpiece from the word go. And one look at its silky smooth body proves its rebirth was both thorough and professional. We all know second generation Vettes can be a challenge to correctly restore, but this drop-top has all the signs of an expert job, including great panel alignment, good gaps, and no signs of cracks or stress marks in any of the usual trouble spots. The soft glow of the car's 'aged-to-perfection' clearcoat somehow seems more accurate than most modern paint jobs. And overall, this first class NCRS champ, which looks fantastic in person, is absolutely exquisite throughout!

Not surprisingly, every piece of chrome on this DUNTOV award winner was restored to a 100% show-quality appearance. Whether that means an excellent original piece was refinished to better-than-new condition, or fresh reproduction items were installed, the car's caretakers certainly did their homework to ensure this C2 is both accurate and impressive. At the front of this old school show queen, bullet-style marker lights, a show worthy bumper, and a red, white and black cross-flag emblem cage a body-width, stainless-trimmed grille. At the sides of that grille, simple heat extractors ride between traditional chrome door handles, ornate cross-flag emblems and correctly detailed rockers. Opposite those rockers, mirror-like wipers combine with a chrome bowtie mirror, fresh stainless trim, and a bright white top to frame like-new glass. And behind that glass, traditional Corvette tail lights illuminate a chrome-trimmed fuel filler, a clean “Corvette Sting Ray” emblem, a chrome-trimmed tag bracket, two show worthy bumpers and pristine stainless exhaust tips.

Tip this Corvette's hood forward and you'll find an original 327 cubic inch V8 which wears a correct 3782870 casting number behind a matching 106556 partial VIN, and a 365 horsepower (RE) V8 assembled on November (II) 18th, (I8) 1963 in Flint, Michigan (F) assembly stamp. Introduced as the ultimate option for Sting Ray owners who wanted to be just as quick in the corners as they were on the straightaways, Chevrolet's lightweight L76 utilizes a wide-bore block, a forged steel crank, forged pop up pistons and a Duntov 30-30 cam to turn stout 11 to 1 compression into a solid 365 horsepower. At the top of the spry block, a mirror-like air cleaner funnels wind into a big Holley 4-barrel that's juiced by clean stainless fuel lines. Below that carburetor, a bright aluminum intake perfectly complements finned Corvette valve covers. At the back of that intake, a chrome-capped ignition system shoots spark through metal-sleeved wires which lurk below correct cast iron exhaust manifolds. And at the front of those manifolds, a heavy duty radiator circulates water through reproduction GM hoses and authentic tower clamps. Whoever performed the restoration on this Corvette did an excellent job of creating an award winning, reliable engine bay which is every bit as detailed as the rest of the car. Bright Chevy Orange paint covers the block from its oil pan all the way to its chrome oil tube and, as always, looks great against GM's satin black bay. As expected, correct marks and decals are present and accounted for. And niceties such as a reproduction Delco battery and a fresh brake booster ensure the car runs every bit as good as it looks.

Flip this small block Vette upside down and you'll find a solid chassis that's in good shape, and today, looks much as it did when it rolled off the showroom floor. At the center of the car, an original Muncie M21 4-speed, which wears a familiar 3851325 casting number behind a matching 106556 partial VIN, utilizes a correct rear end and rugged 3.70 gears to deliver the neck-snapping launches and potent acceleration Duntov Corvettes are famous for. At the ends of the car, a fully sorted double A-arm front and independent rear suspension is completely detailed down to its gray shocks and transverse spring. Above that rebuilt suspension, original, never-hit floor tubs, which look factory fresh in every way, are bolted to a straight, satin black frame. At the corners of those floors, standard, four wheel drum brakes mix good handling with quick stops. At the edges of those brakes, power flows to the pavement through 15 inch turbine wheels which spin 6.70-15 BF Goodrich Silvertown meats around bright chrome spinners. And everything from this Corvette's fiberglass tire tub to its correct, factory replacement exhaust system is ready to hit the show field!

Swing this Sting Ray's light, fiberglass doors open and you'll find a correct vinyl interior that, unlike most vintage convertibles, displays no cracking or annoying color issues. Thanks to the car's trailer queen status, its firm, blue seats still have years of life left in them. There's stain-free carpet which, thanks to translucent floor mats, still features clean blue shading. At the front of the cockpit, stylish, deep-set gauges and a brushed metal accent panel look great inside Chevy's traditional dual-cowl dash. In the middle of the floor, a waterfall center stack hangs a continuous motion clock and a correct AM/FM radio above a chrome, fully functional shifter. In front of the driver, a gorgeous Corvette Rally wheel spins glowing satin spokes and a slick wood rim around a pristine cross-flag horn button. At the sides of the passengers, scuff-free door panels center perfectly placed armrests in pristine stainless trim. And below the car's retracted top, a fully carpeted storage compartment shows virtually no signs of usage.

Naturally, this award winning roadster comes with a mountain of documentation that includes:

• An original owner's manual.
• An NOS owner protection plan.
• NOS radio instruction manuals.
• A 1964 Florida license plate.
• A few vintage pictures.
• A vintage trade paper ad that lists the car with 37K miles.
• A mileage statement from one of the car's previous owners.
• A stack of receipts that date all the way back to 1970.
• A letter from the car's fifth owner, Fred Oliva, to the car's second owner, Ronald Chopski.
• Detailed notes from the conversation Fred Oliva had with Ronald Chopski.
• A letter from Fred Oliva, to the car's third owner, Steve Gjuresko.
• Detailed notes from the conversation Fred Oliva had with Steve Gjuresko.
• A copy of the car's 1968 title, which lists Steve Gjuresko as its owner.
• An official affidavit and tag application that shows Steve Gjuresko stored the car from 1975 to 1981.
• A copy of the car's 1990 title, which lists Doug Haas as its fourth owner.
• Two Bills of Sale from Doug Haas to Fred Oliva.
• A temporary Florida tag issued in February of 1990, during Fred Oliva's purchase.
• A permanent tag application filed by Fred Oliva.
• A Top Flight Regional certificate from the 1992 NCRS Winter Meet in Cypress Gardens, Florida.
• Judging sheets for that Top Flight Regional Award.
• A Performance Verification certificate from the 1993 NCRS Winter Meet in Cypress Gardens, Florida.
• Judging sheets for that Performance Verification Award.
• A Top Flight National certificate from the 1993 NCRS Convention in Grand Lake, Oklahoma.
• Judging sheets for that Top Flight National Award.
• An NCRS Zora Arkus Duntov Mark of Excellence Award license plate.
• A small owner's pin
• The car's original wheels and polished hub caps.

This first class Sting Ray has an awful lot going for it: a numbers-matching small block, a numbers-matching 4-speed, an extensive ownership history, and the kind of award recognition most car enthusiasts only dream about. And if you're a discerning enthusiast who's looking for a blue chip classic that'll serve well as an investment, a show car or a weekend cruiser, it's just your style!