As the early '60s gave way to the middle of the decade, the second generation of Corvettes represented a high-water mark for Chevy. No question, the previous generation was undeniably cool and stylish in its own right, but with some well-planned structural upgrades to increase both their safety and durability, combined with a style like no other American car offered at the time - nor since, for that matter - examples such as this 1964 Chevrolet Corvette took things to a new level. 1964 was quite a year for Chevy's American sports car. They had a little time to make some minor tweaks to their new design that had premiered the year before, but there wasn't much that needed fixing. The generation featured a substantially stronger steel frame than its predecessors to hold its fiberglass body panels in alignment, and that upgrade has paid dividends in this 'Vette as, more than a half century after it debuted, it's impressively well-aligned. Step around to the front and notice how the flip up, hidden headlights - a feature that would become a hallmark on the Corvette for decades - line up with their surrounding panels. And of course, there's that tapered, one of a kind rear windshield - an additional defining feature that was improved over the year before via the removal of the partition that had obscured vision in back. Glance a little lower and you'll see how the tailpipes exit out the back just the right amount, surrounded by their chrome casings. There's inspired mid-'60s style wherever you look, and it makes you think that this model must have been a daunting foe for its competitors. It's come through the years in good form - the split bumpers both fore and aft are level and remain securely in place, you won't find serious issues on any of the trim or bright work and there's clear glass surrounding the cabin. The black vinyl interior is another standard-bearer for its era, with a pair of rally-inspired buckets inside that are in nice shape, with no splits or undue wear on their surfaces. Up front, a stock Corvette steering wheel sits in place, waiting to be gripped as you navigate this American sports car, while just beyond it, the dash area, with its double cove configuration, also really stands out. Six well positioned gauges reside in the instrument cluster - all still functional - while a sizable analog clock and a vertically mounted AM/FM/cassette player sits front and center. There are no serious blemishes on the dash pad, and the brushed chrome insert on the passenger side and those frames surrounding the gauges are looking pretty darned good. A 327-cubic inch V8, arguably the displacement most closely associated with vintage Chevys, sits perfectly in the engine bay, with its 4-barrel carb riding on top under a chrome air cleaner and factory, branded valve covers and signature "rams horn" exhaust manifolds on its sides. It's a great sounding small block as it breathes out into its dual exhausts, and it provides plenty of punch for this lightweight performer. The efficient small block pairs with a 4-speed manual transmission to provide just the right "hands on" driving experience you'd want in a car like this. A pivotal Chevy classic, it sits on a set of 15" Corvette wheels with spinner centers, wrapped with Matrix Multi Mile tires. This 1964 Chevrolet Corvette represents the chance to put an important specimen of vintage American automotive design in your garage. Call today!
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