1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray C2

Now in its sixth 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 collectible 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 as we know it.

The aims for the new car included: improved passenger accommodation, more luggage space and superior ride and handling and with this in mind a new ladder chassis was created for the car by Zora Arkus-Duntov, the most important element of which was the move away from a live axle to independent rear suspension, courtesy of lateral struts, radius rods and transverse leaf spring. The independent front suspension was much as before, as were the recirculating ball steering and there were a number of drive train options available including four small block V8 engines, three transmissions, and six axle ratios. One major innovation was that the C2 was available in both Convertible and Fastback Coupé form. The latter initially featured a dramatic split rear window, but rear vision was poor so this was discontinued a year into production. Detailed changes were made through the years, with the first of the big block engine options occurring in 1965 (the same year four-wheeled disc brakes became standard).

The car presented here is a 1965 Chevrolet Corvette "Sting Ray' C2 coupé. This particular, matching-numbers, example was manufactured at the A.O. Smith plant in Ionia, Michigan on the 5th January 1965, with its engine being produced at the Flint engine plant on the 28th December 1964.

Originally finished in Nassau Blue, the same livery it sports today, it comes with its "optional extra' side exhaust pipes and many other original parts. Under the bonnet, lurks a 5.4-litre 327 ci. V8 producing 300bhp mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox.

This example of the famous Sting Ray was imported into the UK in 2015 in a fully restored condition. Our fastidious vendor, 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 total amount spent apparently to bring the car to this level being circa £67,000. The car is UK registered, coming with a V5c and reprinted original dispatch data from the US, is on the Corvette Register and has been a regular and popular attendee at numerous club events.

This is a very special 1965 Corvette 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. Not to be missed.