Make: | Chevrolet |
Model: | Corvette Sting Ray Coupe |
Type: | -- |
Trim: | -- |
Year: | 1965 |
Mileage: | 6537 |
VIN: | 194375S116216 |
Color: | Black |
Engine: | -- |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Transmission: | 5-speed |
Drive type: | -- |
Interior color: | Black |
Vehicle Title: | Clear |
Item location: | Saint Louis, Missouri, United States |
Gorgeous custom Corvette Coupe with all the stock looks of an original, but carries a custom Hilborn electronic fuel-injected system and TKO600 5-speed manual transmission under the hood! All of it configured in a way where the body nor chassis were never cut, drilled or modified in any way! The original numbers matching engine/transmission are included should someone wish to convert it back to full stock! Very impressive in every sense! A must see!! Full video with test drive here... -- 9h-OH5rpVFA The 1965 Corvette continued on the success of the mid-year String Ray with subtle changes. The hood vents were removed, and a trio of fender vents now effectively reduced engine heat, with the standard wheel covers redesigned to accommodate standard 4-wheel disc brakes that improved braking capability & lifespan. Also new for 1965 were integrated door panel armrests, better seats, and redesigned grill. It proved to be a successful year with Chevrolet selling 23,562 examples, of which only 8,186 would be coupes! We are very pleased to offer this incredible 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe finished professionally in high gloss Tuxedo Black over Black Leather interior! This special example was restored from the vision of longtime California resident and founding member of the American Mid-Year Society, Bill Pallas. Although, being a lifetime enthusiast of the 1963-1967 Corvette, he didnt purchase his first one until the summer of 2000. It would be his prized 1964 convertible example, followed by many others. In approximately 2004, he located this 1965 Sting Ray Coupe in San Diego with the 2nd owner of 23 years. It had been upgraded with a powerful 350ci Winston Cup V8 engine suitable for exhilarating performance, but was horrible for the Los Angeles area traffic at lower rpms. Luckily, the all numbers matching engine came with the car, and some decisions needed to be made. A restoration would commence, and Bill was insistent on keeping such a wonderfully solid and rust free specimen with the opportunity to return to 100tock with little effort. So, with the help of his brother, Dean Pallas, of Legendary Muscle Cars in Huntington Beach, CA, they began by removing the body from the chassis for a complete repaint. The best body shop in town would also prove to be the slowest, typical of a high demand facility like Kye Yeungs European Motorcar in Santa Ana, but the finish results are second to none! The chassis would be fully restored in the meantime awaiting the expertise of Kyes base coat/clear finish. The original engine would remain crated in lieu of this performance 350ci engine for the freedom of building a true driver. Dean would rebuild this 4-bolt main V8 with a .030-over bore & 11.5:1 forged TRW pistons, milder Iskenderion roller mechanical camshaft & lifters, aluminum roller rockers, Isky springs, pushrods, retainers, & locks; steel crankshaft, Chevrolet Pink rods, Hedman headers, and a modified Hilborn injection system! The iron Chevy Phase II heads would be ported & polished, and fitted with new valves and valve guides offering a 64cc combustion chamber. The machine work was completed by Dougens Machine in Riverside, CA. The Hilburn Injection system was converted to an EFI system with the help of F.A.S.T (Fuel Air Spark Technologies) and guidance of Stuart Hilborn (signed the glove box). This was done using RC Engineering fuel injectors screwed into the valley sides of the throttle bodies fed by fuel rails in between. The original fuel hoses are now acting as vacuum lines to the absolute pressure sensor on manifold, oxygen sensors on the exhaust system, and MSD 6AL box and Denso spark plugs managing the ignition. The computer adjustable EFI controller is housed in the glove box and was tuned by Westech Performance Group in Mira Loma, CA. They would dyno this engine to 454 horsepower and 421 lb.ft. of torque! This Corvette was also selected by Classic Chevrolet to be part of the engineering effort to produce a kit that allowed a Tremec TKO600 5-speed transmission to be installed without any modification to the cars chassis or body. Their effort has rewarded the car community the CC5S Ultimate Fit conversion kit now available to all Midyear Corvette owners with a truly stock look! A McLoed aluminum flywheel, clutch assembly, and scatter shield were installed at that time. Additional features include power windows, factory AM/FM pushbutton radio with power antenna, aluminum knock-off style wheels with Diamond Redline radial tires, and electronic exhaust cutouts for making a little extra power and noise when the moment allows! The car was completed in 2006 and took easily took concours wins and shows it was entered. It would also be featured as a centerfold in Corvette Enthusiast magazine in September 2007, and later in Velocity Magazine in September 2008! Both magazines are included with the sale. Additionally, the original numbers matching engine & transmission have been uniquely displayed on a custom fabricated coffee table with a gorgeous etched glass top to mimic the profile of a the 1965 Corvette Coupe! It is a professionally engineered display piece that you truly have to see in person to appreciate! Both car and coffee table were donated to the Ronald McDonald House of Maderas, CA to be raffled off in November 2009. The lucky winner held possession for about 3 years, before its new and final owner would keep it through 2019. Today, the odometer reads 6,537 miles. It has always been garage kept, collector owned and cared for since completion and continues to operate just wonderfully! If you are looking for a mid-year Corvette with all the attributes of an original at a glance, but prefer the enhancements of a powerful, fuel-injected V8 and 5-speed transmission to better handle cruising speeds on the highway at lower rpms and offer better fuel economy, then look no further! With custom variants using modern chassis and drivetrains easily selling for $250,000 at auction these days, this is an absolute bargain! Act fast before you miss this opportunity!