Estimated Price: £50,000 - £60,000
Now in its eigth 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 product produced between 1963 and 1967, that really set Chevrolets cash registers ringing and left us with the most desirable and collectable Corvette to date. Designed by Larry Shinoda and 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, 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 (later changed to Stingray) as we know it.
With a plethora of expensive options available including power steering, power brakes and air-conditioning, the C2 Corvette was wonderfully easy to drive every day, and yet still managed to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on-end with a hefty push of the accelerator as the V8 engine roared into life. Few cars at the time boasted such power and driver refinement, and the C2 really did pave the way for the luxury Grand Tourers that followed.
Imported into the UK by the previous owner in 2015 from Alabama, this Corvette is believed to have had three former owners whilst in the states, in Florida, Pennsylvania and Alabama, respectively. Its final US custodian owned the car between 2011 and 2015 and appears to have spent a significant amount on the vehicle. Since its arrival here, UK Corvette specialists, Claremont Corvette, have carried out various works on the car including general servicing, brake fluid changes, new sump gaskets, new belts, new fuel pump, new horn relay and electronic ignition.
Having been featured in American Classic magazine in July 2017 (Issue 315) the car later joined our enthusiast vendor’s care in 2021. It's finished In Rally Red with superb panel gaps, factory air-conditioning, leather seating, upgraded power brakes (J50), and is accompanied by a large and detailed history file. The current odometer reading of 45,328 miles may well be accurate based on the known ownership and provenance.
This is a simply delightful example of a C2 Sting Ray in a classic colour combination. It may not be everyone’s choice of Sixties Classic and it definitely wouldn’t suit a ‘shrinking violet’ but it’s an iconic and powerful sports car that does everything that Italian exotics do, but at a third of the price. Things don’t fall off, you won’t need a trickle charger, a cambelt change every three days or a bloke with a BSc. to change the plugs and you can ‘woofle’ down the High Street on a sunny afternoon and people will look at you and think California and Fonzie and ‘Happy Days', and they’ll feel better.
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