1964 Chevrolet Corvette

1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Convertible L76 327/365, Matching Numbers, Bloomington Gold Survivor


Why This Car Is Special

The second-generation Corvette, known to collectors as the C2, arrived for 1963 as a complete redesign the first since the car's introduction a decade earlier. It brought independent rear suspension, a stiffer ladder frame, and styling by Bill Mitchell and Larry Shinoda that drew directly from Mitchell's Stingray racing car. For 1964, Chevrolet refined the formula. The controversial split rear window of the 1963 coupe was gone, the fake hood vents were opened up to actually function, and the suspension was retuned for a smoother, more controlled ride. The result was a car that drove as well as it looked.

Total 1964 Corvette production came to 22,229 units. Of those, 13,925 were convertibles. This particular 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray left the St. Louis assembly plant as a high-optioned, performance-focused convertible, and it has survived six decades in a condition that earned it Bloomington Gold recognition one of the most respected authenticity certifications in the Corvette world. Bloomington Gold evaluators examine cars for correctness of parts, finishes, stampings, and date codes. Earning that recognition with the original drivetrain intact is a meaningful accomplishment, and it directly affects the car's long-term collectibility.

The VIN on this car decodes to confirm it is a 1964 Corvette convertible built at St. Louis, with a 327 cubic inch engine and a 4-speed manual transmission all of which align with the documented, matching-numbers drivetrain present in the car today.


Features List

- 327ci L76 Small Block V8, 365 horsepower
- Matching numbers engine, transmission, and drivetrain
- Bloomington Gold Survivor certification
- Hurst-shifted 4-speed Muncie close-ratio manual transmission
- 4.56:1 rear axle ratio
- Off-road exhaust headers
- Dual exhaust with side exhaust outlets
- Factory knock-off wire wheels
- Whitewall tires
- Independent rear suspension
- Four-wheel drum brakes
- Black folding soft top
- Black vinyl bucket seats
- Wood-rimmed steering wheel
- Full gauge cluster with tachometer
- Dashboard clock
- AM/FM Delco radio
- Center console with Hurst shifter
- Outside driver mirror
- Seat belts
- Corvette Sting Ray badge
- Fiberglass body


Mechanical

The engine in this 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray is the L76 the 327 cubic inch small block rated at 365 horsepower. In 1964, the 327 was available in four states of tune: 250, 300, 365, and 375 horsepower. The L76 was the second-highest output carbureted option, sitting just below the fuel-injected L84 Fuelie. It used solid lifters, a higher compression ratio of 11.25:1, a larger carburetor, and more aggressive camshaft timing than the milder 327 variants. The result is an engine that runs with authority throughout its rev range and pulls hard well past 5,000 rpm.

Backing the L76 is a Muncie 4-speed close-ratio manual transmission, shifted via a Hurst mechanism a combination that was widely regarded as the best-feeling manual setup available in an American production car at the time. The Muncie unit, built by GM's Muncie, Indiana transmission plant, was introduced for 1963 specifically for the new Sting Ray and became the transmission of choice for performance-minded Corvette buyers throughout the C2 era.

The 4.56:1 rear axle ratio is a numerically steep gear intended for hard acceleration rather than highway cruising. Combined with the off-road exhaust headers and dual exhaust, this car was clearly ordered by someone who intended to drive it seriously. Off-road exhaust headers were a factory option that bypassed the standard exhaust manifolds in favor of freer-flowing cast iron headers that exited through the side exhaust outlets in the rocker panel area a feature that i