1966 Chevrolet CORVETTE

Manufactured in 1966 and imported from the ‘States a few years ago, this stunning Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray is a genuine ‘matching numbers’ car with an ultra-low mileage of just 47,800 miles, almost all of which were incurred by its first and only US owner, who owned the car for almost 50 years.

The mileage is fully verified and certified to be true in a handwritten letter from its first UK owner, who confirms the fact that he imported it himself with an odometer reading of just 47,000 miles. He was living ‘Stateside at the time and fell in love with the car, so he bought it over there, registered it in his name in the USA, and then shipped it over here.

Specified from new in Sunfire Yellow with a black interior and soft-top, this is a four-speed manual car that still has its original bill of sale and first title paperwork. The subject of recent mechanical refurbishment, it is being offered for sale with a stack of paperwork to support its provenance and is, according to the vendor “in superb mechanical condition.”

The glassfibre body means that rust simply isn’t an issue. But that does mean you need to ask different questions so... the panel gaps are good, being as tight and even as we’ve ever seen on a car made of this material. The originality continues with the glassfibre’s integrity; there is one odd crack in the paintwork (by a headlight) but nothing else to show concern with the body and its gel coat; it’s just simply a little hint of patination.

The Sunfire Yellow colour suits the car, and is more muted than some of the more lurid shades of yellow we have been faced with; suffice it to say that while the ‘Vette has never been the most subtle of cars, this one looks as understated as any we’ve seen. Peter Stringfellow would have hated it, which is probably all the endorsement you’ll ever need.

The chromework is modest but in good shape, and the whitewall tyres are matching Kumho, which you’ll have come to understand means it has been owned by a careful, considerate person who understands that maintaining a car like this cannot be done on the cheap.

The underside is as clean as you could ever hope to see on a road-going car, and it appears to be free of rust, rot, and general bodgery. What underseal there is appears to have been applied to keep the chassis rust-free rather than to hide years of neglect. It’s all really rather lovely under there (we have extra photos from under a ramp – it’s all well worth a look).

The convertible roof is taut and waterproof, and while it doesn’t offer the user-friendliness of something like the Mazda MX-5, it gets the job done and anyway, if you buy a car like this you’d better not have the roof up unless it is actually bucketing it down.

(A valuable white hard-top is supplied with the car. If you only ever fit it to drive your ‘Vette to the Alps for a fortnight’s skiing then you’ll be forgiven for using it; everyone else should really leave it in the garage.)

The black leather seats are in fabulous condition and show almost no visible wear much less the sort of rips, tears and other damage that afflicts lesser examples. But then it’s built like a tank inside there; we can count 17 screws holding the trim on the glovebox in place, so Lord only knows how many one-inch bolts are holding the actual glovebox there…

The huge, three-spoke teak steering wheel is deeply dished in the way that only sportscars from ‘Merica seem to be able to carry off, and the centre console not only features some of the most beautifully labelled switches we’ve ever seen but it also hosts a vertical radio - and who wouldn’t want a car with a radio that is arranged vertically? That the owner still has the operating instruction sheet for the radio only adds to the cool.

The interior really is rather magnificent and is further evidence to claim this car really has led a thoroughly pampered life. It would be a fine place to be on a sunny summer’s evening with the roof down, a loved one sitting next to you, and Springsteen singing softly:

Hey what else can we do now

Except roll down the window

And let the wind blow back your hair?

Well the night's busting open

These two lanes will take us anywhere

If there was any doubt to the integrity of this example, now is where is should go, the vendor is very experienced in classic cars and states that this example drives superbly. It has none of the looseness (in the mechanics or the interior) that results in clonks or rattles that can be associated with older vehicles. Overall he says that it is extremely tight - probably a direct and wonderful result of it's low mileage, having been pampered, and generally only worked on by people with knowledge. The 327 cubic inch (none of your lily-livered cubic centimetres here…), 300bhp V8 engine is in fine fettle. This is partly because it’s a very low-stress application and partly because it’s recently been serviced, a comprehensive one at that that included fresh brake and clutch fluid.

Other recent work includes a new fuel pump and sender unit, front dampers, new brake shoes and a handbrake cable, plus new anti-roll bar bushes. It’s also been fitted with various new rubber seals on the doors and roof where it needed them and had its electrical system checked and tickled to ensure that everything works as it should.

The vendor then took it on a 400-mile test-drive (as you do…) to make sure that everything was bedded in and performing properly. He reports that it drives “superbly”.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s low mileage. The car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it.

It also comes with some of its American paperwork including its first ever title document and first bill of sale. It also has the original owner’s manual and warranty booklet, as well as the original Chevrolet Protect-O-Plate; the latter is a rare and lovely touch that adds considerably to the car’s already charming provenance.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been lightly used and maintained to the very highest standard.

The 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray is a very, very collectable car and this well-presented example has the benefit of an impeccable history as well as the original engine. It is one of the best out there - particularly if you prize originality.  

That the bodywork, interior and mechanical components are in such good and original condition only add to the appeal of a car we’ve all been drooling since we first laid eyes on it.

Which means it isn’t going to be cheap. We expect it to sell for between £50,000 and £60,000, at which point it still represents good value for money; you can buy cheaper examples, but the market prizes the very best cars above all else and a slightly larger investment now will reap dividends when you come to sell the car later.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Epping; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.