For Sale: 1965 Chevrolet Corvette in Bradenton, Florida

1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Convertible �€" Rally Red, 327 V8, 4-Speed, 4-Wheel Disc Brakes Why This Car Is Special The 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray is widely considered the finest example of the C2 generation, and for good reason. Nineteen sixty-five was the first year the Corvette offered four-wheel disc brakes as standard equipment �€" a significant engineering upgrade that replaced the drum brakes used on the 1963 and 1964 models. It was also the first year the big-block 396 was available, though the small-block 327 cars like this one represent the sweet spot of the C2 lineup: lighter, more balanced, and genuinely enjoyable to drive rather than just fast in a straight line. Chevrolet built 15,376 Corvette convertibles for the 1965 model year, making the roadster the more popular body style over the coupe that year. The C2 generation ran from 1963 through 1967, and 1965 sits at the center of that run �€" post the controversial split-window coupe year, and pre the 1967 models that many purists argue peaked the generation mechanically. In other words, this is the C2 in its most complete and well-rounded form. The VIN on this car decodes to confirm it was built in St. Louis (the 'S' plant code), in 1965, as a convertible �€" consistent with everything you see here. Rally Red over a red vinyl interior is one of the most visually coherent color combinations offered on the 1965 Corvette Sting Ray, and this car wears it without apology. The odometer shows 28,384 miles, visible clearly in the photographs. This is a car that can be driven to a show, driven home, and parked in a garage with confidence. It is not a trailered show piece with a velvet rope around it. The undercarriage photos confirm a clean, solid chassis with no visible rust or rot �€" which is exactly what you want to see on a car of this age before committing to ownership. Features List - Small Block 327ci V8 - 4-Speed Manual Transmission - 4-Wheel Disc Brakes (standard on all 1965 Corvettes �€" first year) - Independent Rear Suspension - Dual Exhaust - Wood-Rimmed 3-Spoke Steering Wheel - Full 5-Gauge Instrument Cluster with Tachometer - In-Dash Clock - Delco FM Radio - Red Vinyl Bucket Seats - Red Vinyl Interior Throughout - Center Console with 4-Speed Shift Pattern Plate - Seat Belts - Heater and Defroster - Black Convertible Top - Chrome Air Cleaner - Chrome Valve Covers - Chrome Bumpers - Chrome Billet-Style Wheels - Clean Undercarriage Mechanical Power comes from a 327 cubic inch small block V8, backed by a 4-speed manual transmission. The 327 was the bread-and-butter engine of the mid-1960s Corvette, offered in multiple states of tune for 1965 ranging from 250 horsepower in base form up to 365 horsepower in the high-compression L76 configuration. The 4-speed manual was the transmission of choice for serious drivers of the era, and the factory-style chrome ball shifter visible in the photos is correctly placed in the center console with the shift pattern plate still present on the console face. As noted, 1965 was the first model year the Corvette came with four-wheel disc brakes as standard equipment. Prior-year C2s used four-wheel drums, which were widely criticized as inadequate for the performance the car was capable of. The upgrade to discs all around was a meaningful improvement in real-world stopping ability and pedal feel �€" not just a spec-sheet item. The independent rear suspension, which Chevrolet introduced on the Corvette in 1963, uses a three-link setup with U-jointed half-shafts and a transverse leaf spring. It was a major step forward from the solid rear axle used through 1962 and contributes directly to the car's composed ride and handling balance. The undercarriage photographs show the rear differential, half-shafts, and suspension components clearly, and the chassis presents cleanly with no signs of significant corrosion or previous collision damage. The dual exhaust exits through the rear valance in the correct factory-style confi