Back in 1953, Chevrolet’s launch of a two-seater sports car was a radical departure for a marque hitherto associated almost exclusively with sensible family transport. Based on the 1952 EX-122 show car, the Corvette made use of existing GM running gear and a shortened chassis frame, around which was wrapped striking Harley Earl-styled glassfibre coachwork. Motive power came from Chevrolet’s 235.5ci (3.8-litre) overhead-valve straight six and, unusually for a sports car, there was automatic transmission, a feature that attracted much adverse criticism at the time.
Intended as competition for the T-Series MG, the Corvette cost way above the target figure, ending up in Jaguar XK120 territory but with an inferior performance. Sales were sluggish initially and the model came close to being axed, surviving thanks to Chevrolet’s need to compete with Ford’s Thunderbird. A V8 engine for 1955 and a radical re-style for ’56 consolidated the Vette’s position in the market.
Introduced for 1963, the heavily revised ‘Sting Ray’ version sported a totally new ladder-type chassis and for the first time there was a Gran Turismo coupé in the range. As had been the case with the previous (1956-62) generation of Corvettes, development proceeded slowly, being characterised by annual facelifts and few engineering changes of note. The long-overdue arrival of four-wheel disc brakes was the most significant development for 1965, while Chevrolet’s 327ci (5.4-litre) standard V8 was joined by an optional 396ci (6.5-litre) Big Block for ’65 only, then a ‘427’ until the end of Sting Ray production in 1967. The ‘Stingray’, of course, continued and the Corvette would go on to become the world’s best-selling and longest-lived sports car.

Kept by its last owner for 20 years, this matching-numbers Sting Ray Convertible is finished in silver metallic with black interior and has covered only 67,000 miles from new. The car has the 327ci engine and manual transmission, and is equipped with telescopic steering column, electric radio antenna and factory hubcaps. A very nice, genuine example, This car is very nice original with black softtop.
Enjoyed most of it's life in California and came to Europe in 2007.