Vehicle Description
Imagine that you could get an L79 327/350 in your Corvette for just
$105 today. With that in mind, this stunning 1966 Corvette
convertible was obviously a staggering bargain when it was new.
Today, it's a formidable performer that looks fantastic after a
full frame-off and drivetrain restoration, offering a
matching-numbers engine and 4-speed gearbox, an awesome
triple-black color combination, and factory side pipes that bump
the stock horsepower to 365. Oh, and it's also packed with top-end
factory options, meaning this triple-black droptop is incredibly
rare as well. Worth it? With very little miles logged since the
frame-off restoration, you'd better believe it!
The Corvette neatly fits into a number of categories: with the
327/350 (again, boosted to 365HP with the side pipes, and even more
so with the performance goodies that were added during the
rebuild), it's a seriously fast piece of hardware, and the Code 900
Tuxedo Black paint gives it a high-visibility sinister look that's
just about right for a vintage Sting Ray. The professional
frame-off restoration was done with exactly that in mind, giving it
an exacting fit and finish that makes this car look great even at a
glance. The fiberglass shows zero issues, no cracks or amateurishly
sanded details, and no cut corners anywhere in the 'open-checkbook'
restoration at the hands of skilled artisans. Two-stage urethane
paint offers a depth and gloss that other Corvettes will envy, with
reflections that look a mile deep and can only be seen in black
paint. And if you're going to paint it black, you better get it
right because every single blemish will show, so it's obvious that
the best-of-the-best finished this Sting Ray. There might be some
very light signs of use, but let's not be confused here, this is an
absolute stunner that drops jaws everywhere it goes. The big block
'stinger' hood is arguably one of the best-looking ever fitted to a
Mid-Year Corvette and someone took the extra time to make sure that
it fit flush too. All the chrome has a terrific shine, with correct
emblems fitted all around and, of course, those thundering Code N14
side pipes that practically define the car.
Black leather bucket seats are the perfect complement to the Tuxedo
Black exterior, and rarely have we seen more inviting surfaces in
an early Corvette. In fact, if you look-up what experts like
Corvette historian Nolan Adams have published, there were less than
a handful of Triple Black C2s ever made, even less with these exact
options. Frankly, this may have been the only loaded '66
triple-black convertible ever made. Sporting yet inviting, the
Sting Ray interior is one of GM's best efforts, combining form and
function with a big dose of style that suits the Corvette
perfectly. On this car, of course, everything is restored,
including the accurate seat covers with factory headrests (Code
A82), matching door panels, and plush black carpets that show the
correct weave. Big, round gauges are all fully operational and
easily visible through the correct Code N32 Teakwood steering wheel
atop a factory tilt column, and you will note with some interest
that this car has a Code U69 vertical AM/FM radio and Code C60
factory A/C (now blowing cold R134a air), so you know the original
owner wanted this droptop loaded back in 1966. Grab the gorgeous
teakwood steering wheel, slot the big chrome shifter into gear, and
you'll feel all 365+ horses snap to attention under the hood;
there's just nothing else like it in all of the automotive kingdom.
This roadster also includes a folding black convertible top that
stows neatly under the rear deck, and seals up quite well thanks to
all new weather-stripping.
There's definitely something magic about a powerful small block V8
in a Corvette, and that collective reverence felt by millions of
fans is exactly what legends are all about. This one is the
numbers-matching 327 L79 with a factory High-Lift camshaft and dome
pistons, which was the nastiest small block powerplant on the
streets in the mid-60s. In addition to the high-lift cam, during
the rebuild the block was augmented with Edelbrock Performance
aluminum heads, an aluminum high-rise cross flow manifold, and an
Edelbrock Performance Series 4-barrel carburetor. It's a remarkably
docile beast when you're tooling around town, but snarls and roars
through the side pipes when you're gunning it and despite the big
horsepower number, it doesn't seem to get cranky. It's dressed
properly, with Chevy Orange on the block, finned valve covers, a
chrome air cleaner, and correct blue stripe cooling hoses, plus the
all-important '327' decal on the air cleaner. There's also an
upgraded alternator and A/C compressor, chrome distributor shield,
and a big aluminum radiator that keeps the whole show nice and
cool. It's remarkable how much room the side pipes free up
underneath, but it gives you a great view of the very tidy floors
and prove that this is a Corvette with nothing to hide following
the frame-off restoration. Code J50 power 4-wheel disc brakes and
Code N40 power steering are a great idea in a car with this much
horsepower and the reproduction Code P48 knock-offs look great and
are shod with stock-looking Michelin 215/70/15 whitewall radials
that take you back to 1966 all over again.
Perfect to drive and show while it appreciates, this Corvette hits
all the right buttons and has a pedigree to match. Offered with a
reproduction window sticker, owner's manuals, NCRS docs, and loads
of restoration photos, this Sting Ray checks all the boxes. Call
today!
