1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Two-Top Roadster Mostly Orig NM Low Mi SoCal

1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Roadster

46579 Miles
VIN# 194675S110327

327/300 hp

4-Speed

Disc Brakes

Power Steering
($1000 Borgeson Upgrade)
Side Exhaust
(non-original)

Leather Seating
Hard Top
Soft Top

- Date codes are as follows:

Serial Number Plate: Chevrolet DD F-24 (February 24th). Serial #194675S110327

Trim Tag: Body A-3262 Date G12 (February 12th) Paint C-C, Style 19 467 Trim STD

Front Engine Pad: Left 110327; Right FOI29HF

Engine Block Casting # 3782870

Engine Block Casting Date – A175 (January 17th, 1965)

Carburetor – Carter AFB P/N#3721

Radiator - #3155316 (68-B); Supply Tank - #3155416 (65A)

Transmission Code – P8T14 (December 14th, 1967)

Intake Manifold: GM#3844459 (correct) Date-L164 (December 16th, 1964)

Exhaust Manifold: L-3846563; R-3797902

Thermostat Housing: #3827369

Serial #194675S110327

#1=Division 1 (Chevrolet);

#2nd&3rd - Identifies Series-94=Corvette;

#4th & 5th=Body Style(37 for 2 Door Coupe, 67 for 2 Door Convertible);

6th Digit=Model Year-5;

7th - Plant(S=St. Louis);

Production #, Starting with 100001(So S/N#10,0327 of 23,562 Corvettes built in '65 - 15,376 Convertibles & 8,186 Coupes)

Block Cast #'s:

3782870 = 327

Right Engine Pad - FOI29HF = HF=327/300,AFB 1x4bbl Carb & ManualTrans

A total of 156 pictures that accompany the description below are at the end of the text. Sometimes they are slow to load depending on the speed of your internet connection and the age of your computer. Give it several minutes to load. If they take too long you can go directly to my Photobucket Account and view the pictures in large format at this link:

http://s669.photobucket.com/user/fmattingly/library/Corvette%201965%20Red%20Roadster%20GJ

YouTube Videos of Walk-Around and Start-Up go here:

https://youtu.be/Z14_bFrwDOo

https://youtu.be/HgJQ9Xp-O2E

My background with classic automobiles extends for over 40 years. I have built and restored many Corvettes and Porsches and am a member of numerous car clubs including PCA & NCRS. I have judged at many Concour events in and around Southern CA. This is a no reserve auction and is going to sell to the highest bidder.

In the Wonderful World of Mid-Year (1963-67) Corvettes – arguably THE most desirable and fastest appreciating (and appreciated!) series of the Marque, certain years stand out from others – 1963 of course – the first year; as such, showcasing the new series in all its Split Window Coupe glory; 1967 of course – the Swan Song of the Marque to many, and considered to be the cleanest and most refined of the series; and 1965 – smack dab in the middle, and known primarily for the introduction of 4 wheel disc brakes. Disc brakes at all four corners – now virtually “standard equipment” on everything WITH four wheels, was fairly rare back then – GM was justly proud of the development, and marketed it mightily!

The ’65 Corvette Sting Ray convertible that you’re viewing today is being listed for a friend. To call this car “pampered” would be an understatement! Garage kept here in sunny Southern California for the last 15 years, never abused, never driven hard – it is in my opinion the PERFECT specimen of mid-year Corvette to acquire; not too nice to drive, and as such relegated to the status of "Garage Queen" after acquisition, but not a true "Survivor Example", which is often too unreliable to drive with any degree of confidence. Here are a few highlights for your consideration:

BODY & PAINT

The body on this car is very original and I cannot find any evidence of ever being damaged. The original bonding strips are faintly visible under the repaint, which showcase the fact that this car has likely never been in any type of accident. The front fender under-side bonding strips on both sides are intact and never messed with. The fender peaks are sharp as factory correct. The bead around the rear-end separating the upper and lower panel is perfectly symmetrical and comes to a nice point just like it should. If the car was ever hit it’s nearly impossible to fix it back to this factory correct look. The headlight bucket corners are exactly how they should be, slightly rounded. Also note how nicely the headlights open and align throughout the opening sequence (close up pictures).

Very high quality re-paint (originally Nassau Blue, now a color that appears VERY close to Marlboro Maroon) that has stood the test of time EXQUISITELY – virtually no stress cracks, no thin spots, no dull spots. I can tell this car was completely stripped when it was painted, likely completely disassembled by someone that knew what they were doing. There is no overspray on anything and zero indications that the car was ever anything but this color (we know it wasn’t, but you sure can’t tell). The paint on a level of consistency and gloss is probably a 9.2 out of 10 as it sits right now, but a gentle wet sand & polish would make this to an absolute show quality presentation, taking out the very minor imperfections in the paint, that are only found on a few spots on the paint.

The Chrome on this car looks redone and is a solid 9.7 out of 10. Show quality for sure.

INTERIOR

The Interior on the car is totally stock and complete. The leather seats surfaces are obviously newer, high quality and in great shape. There are no rips and show no signs of wear. The door panels look factory original and are in very good condition showing no cracks, wear or discoloration. The armrests have aftermarket replacement “caps” on them; they look good and match the color and material consistency of the door panels. The carpet is in nice original shape, probably an 8 out of 10 because of some age related fading, but I prefer this look rather than the “jet black” new carpet against an original interior. The wear to the carpet is minimal and again attests to the mileage of this car. The dash is in very good original shape with the exception of a small “lump” in the grab handle. In the overall appearance of the interior you would hardly notice it, but I feel I should point out imperfections. Glovebox is in excellent condition inside as well as out; opens and closes smoothly and has no major “dings”. Its a good 9 out of 10.

ENGINE

Original, matching numbers engine that runs great on 91 octane fuel; no need for octane booster here! This 300HP engine starts right up, settles down to a purr, but has a linear power curve for as far as you would like to push the skinny pedal on the right!

Anyone that has driven a handful of these Corvettes knows that “straight line tracking” can be “dicey” at best. This particular example has been “sorted” and drives straight & true down the road even at freeway speeds. A welcome addition is the $1K Borgeson Power Steering upgrade, which makes this Vette a pleasure to drive on the highway or in the parking lot. The owner also disassembled the steering column and replaced the upper and lower bearings as well. It has also had a razor sharp 4 wheel alignment specifically-tailored for radial tires.

We believe the milage to be the 46579 at the time we took the pictures about a month ago. This engine just does not appear to have ever been apart. The block stamp numbers are intact with broach marks clearly visible to the naked eye; zero signs of decking the block on this pad. I have judged mid-years for many years at various Corvette related events including NCRS and I can find zero fault with these numbers, about as unmistakeable as a original stamp-pad can get.

UNDERCARRIAGE

The Undercarriage pictures will tell the story of the life of this Corvette, carefully driven and probably never in any type of major weather. We don’t have any history of the car prior to Don purchasing the car, but we are assuming it was a local Southern California car from its overall condition. The undercarriage appears to have never been cleaned or painted and is in solid shape, some surface rust but this is very normal for a 53 year old car, even spending its life in SoCal. We are not talking flakey falling apart rust, just minor surface rust, again demonstrating what we think is a very original low mileage example.

Don kept copious records since he acquired it, and left no stone unturned – new weather strip, stainless steel brake caliper pistons, new heater core in ’08, new fuel tank/straps/bolts/hoses & lines in 2011, new convertible top that was put down for the FIRST time for the accompanying photos, new hardtop rear window – all reflect Don’s pride of ownership & attention to detail. Receipts for over $11K included with sale; very little of this was labor, as Don did most of the work himself, a very capable mechanic. 1965 Corvette Assembly Manual will also be included in the sale.

Headlight motors, another midyear “bugaboo”, work perfectly on this example.

The (non-factory installed) side exhaust gives the car an authoritative tone while not being deafening or annoying; instead, it reminds the driver, the passenger, and any onlookers that this is a car to be reckoned with – RESPECT!

Also available to the winning bidder (for a nominal fee) will be a set of ~1967 Rally Wheels with caps & beauty rings; of course, these will be included with the shipment or pick-up of the car.

This would be a great car for local shows, as it presents well in all areas. It is very complete and everything on the car works exactly as it should. Again, this is a turnkey automobile with everything on the car working perfectly. The body is near perfection, the original low mile motor runs like a swiss watch. It is a color change back to an NCRS example if that is your wish. But why? This is a great non-body-off original example that drives only like an original car does. Get out and enjoy this car like it deserves to be driven. Don would love that.

The car is available to be seen anytime during this auction in San Clemente, CA. Feel free to call me at 949-310-6262 from 7AM to 11PM seven days a week. I have shipped over 50 cars overseas and can help arrange transport to anywhere in the world.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

The car is for sale locally and we reserve the right to cancel this auction at any time before the end of the auction. We do not have a Buy It Now Price listed.

The car will be made available for inspection by serious bidders throughout the auction. Please e-mail us if you would like to see the car. If you prefer, we can arrange to have a qualified, independent, professional mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection for you (at your expense). It is the buyer’s responsibility to verify that all of the seller’s information and claims about the car are true and correct prior to the sale of the vehicle. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL NOT ACCEPT PAYPAL AS A FORM OF PAYMENT. THIS IS TRUE FOR BOTH THE INITIAL DEPOSIT AS WELL AS THE FINAL PAYMENT.

Winning bidder must contact us within 24 hours of auction end, and make arrangements for payment at that time. A $1000.00 deposit is due within 48 hours of end of auction. The deposit can be made by cash (please do not mail cash!), bank check, cashier's check, or bank transfer (preferred). The remainder is due within 7 days of Auction end. The remaining balance must be made in the form of a bank transfer (preferred) Cashier's check, or bank check (all forms of payment subject to verification). PayPal will not be accepted as a form of payment for either the deposit or the final payment. If no contact is made within 24 hours we reserve the right to re-list the vehicle, sell it to the next high bidder, or sell it otherwise. Please arrange financing prior to bidding. Once the final balance has been paid, title transfer paperwork will be initiated.

Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping of this vehicle. If you wish to have it shipped using a service, we will gladly cooperate, you can locate shippers by doing a search for “auto shippers”. We have relationships with both domestic and international shippers should you need some assistance.

This vehicle is being sold as is, where is with no warranty, expressed written or implied. The seller shall not be responsible for the correct description, authenticity, genuineness, or defects herein, and makes no warranty in connection therewith. No allowance or set aside will be made on account of any incorrectness, imperfection, defect or damage. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the vehicle and to have satisfied himself or herself as to the condition and value and to purchase based upon that judgment solely. The seller shall and will make every reasonable effort to disclose any known defects associated with this vehicle at the buyer's request prior to the close of sale. Seller assumes no responsibility for any repairs regardless of any oral statements about the vehicle. Please Check My Feedback- I value my 100% positive rating, and will do my best to keep it.

The winning bidder should have the car insured from the time the final payment is made to us. Once final payment is made, we will exercise a generally accepted standard of care, but the buyer assumes all liability and risk once the final payment is made.

Before delivery of the vehicle, the winning bidder must provide a photocopy of a valid driver’s license. Delivery is defined as the time at which physical possession of the car is transferred from us, the seller, to the buyer or the buyers’ agent or chosen transport company.

If you are not sure about something, Please ASK. Do not assume anything not listed is included. We reserve the right to cancel bids for excessive negative feedback. We reserve the right to end the listing if the vehicle is no longer available for sale.