My idea of wonderful
Although I have made my sentiments known, I reiterate that there are only two 1960s American cars I’d want to own and drive: any Corvair with a four-speed (preferably a ‘65 or later), and a small-block ‘63 to ‘67 Corvette. No big blocks (which ruin the car’s balance), and no Barrett-Jackson queens with every option in the book (I can’t stand the backup light, which ruins an otherwise cute ass on the ‘67 C2s; still, I wouldn’t kick one out of bed).
If you have driven a C2 Corvette without power steering or brakes, you know that you don’t need that crap. The manual steering is light and delightfully positive. The non-power brakes on my friend’s ’66 are direct and progressive. And please, forget air conditioning, or any other option that normal human beings didn’t order at that time. Ever tried to work in the engine compartment of these things? Tight. Painful!
This ‘64 is my dream car.
I even like the hubcaps
Although factory side pipes were available, I never liked their looks (but I did love their sound); a pair of glass-packs could be a satisfactory alternative.
I shot this ‘64 C2 in Chestertown, MD, in 2009. The original owner had bought the car in his younger days. Eventually he sold it, and had rued the decision until 2008, when he found the car again, bought it back, and then restored it.
I’m no lover of hubcaps (my father would have caned me for this–they were “wheel covers”) or whitewalls (yucko mundo!), but on this car they are perfect. I’d go with them.
Why can’t I get a red interior today?
My 1960 Plymouth Fury had a white exterior and a red interior. Perfecto mundo! Transfer that to a “64 Vette, and I don’t know if I could describe my emotions in a CC-compliant manner.
White exterior–PN orgiastic. Red interior–not exactly what Klockau is Coocoo for Coco Puffs over, but I love it.
This is my dream car.
Unfortunately, a restored ‘65 C2 with the same specs as the subject car went for $57,750 at the recent Barrett-Jackson Reno auction. And so, a ‘64-’66 Vette will continue to be a dream, but nothing more.
300 horse 327
I drove a friend’s ’66 300-horse 327 in the late ‘60s. Fun stuff. Providing you weren’t into stoplight grand prix (or didn’t feel sexually challenged driving a car with less than 425 hp), it was really a sweet package.
This car was not over-restored. The owner simply brought it back to the state in which he first fell in love with it.
I’m still in love.
This is a sweet spot for Corvettes. I drove a 75 for a couple years. In those days CPS didn’t yet run our lives and I had a seat behind the seats for my 3 year old. Dumped it for an Olds Cutlass back in 82 when he outgrew the seat. Regretted that then and now.
Corvettes aren’t for everyone but they are special.
Absolutely beautiful. And thanks to whoever scheduled this against the Camry. THIS is God’s Own Car, not that boring Japanese reliability queen.
Like you, small blocks only. I prefer my Vette’s on tight windy roads, not dragstrips.
When I was a boy I used to fantasize about silly big engines in muscle cars from the 60s. After I became a man I realized that often those silly big engines ruin the car for anything other than drag racing. A well tuned small block is one of the best engines for almost any (less than full size) car built before real smog controls. I keep my big block fantasy to Cadillacs, Imperials, and Lincolns now.
Yes I’m with you on that Syke, if it doesnt turn left and right at 60mph is no use to me, only one direction from here is straight flat roads and I can avoid that easily in my car and take hwy50 a great road though not passenger friendly perfect for a light Corvette.
$57,750 i thought that was Barrett Jackson’s telephone number.It’s a seriously great looking and no doubt sounding car.One of my pet hates is cars with every option when in reality few people had them.I hope you get one Kevin
You would have loved my Dads ’64 Corvair Monza Kevin. It was a 4-speed in this exact color combo. Looking at the pics I am struck by how similar the interior impressions were.
It was the first car i remember him having and he had it for years. I preferred the ’65 on the Vairs and on Vettes I’m split between the C2s and C3s, leaning more towards the C3s.
Can’t agree with you on the whitewalls and hubcaps though. I’d want a look more like this L88 that sold a few years back for $1.25M. Even the C3 L88s are bringing Gullwing + money. One sold last weekend in Monterey for I believe $800K.
Here’s the C2 with pipes…
Here’s me in the ’63 Monza…
I am not a Corvette fan.
Having said that, I have loved C2s ever since a guy near my grade school brought home a brand new dark blue ’63 split-window. I’m sure he wondered why the windows always looked drooled-upon.
I think my favorite would be a ’66 convertible with those finny-looking wheel covers. This color combo would be just fine.
I hope your corvette dreams come true some day Mr. Martin. While I am with you on the small block 64 vette mine would not be a vert, that is just a dream and its more plausable that a 65 corvair in that color scheme may end up in my driveway some time soon. Id like a bone stock corsa coupe and a highly modified coupe with a ls3 behind the front seats and brakes and suspension to match but a bone stock outward appearance.
The 63 hardtop would be my choice without the truck engine I can get enough tickets with a 327 and you can steer them, a huge plus.
Barrett Jackson pricing really isn’t the same as real world pricing, and with Corvettes, even Mecum can get real crazy real fast. If you just want a nice driver Vette and not a show car or fully restored car, you can do way better than $57k. In like 2 minutes on Google I found several 64-66 Vettes in the mid-20s that looked really good, hop up to $30k and you will find beautiful examples as long as you do not require a big block, numbers matching rare model. I was actually surprised, I thought C2s were all insanely priced, I might consider one myself now as they are one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
If it is truly your dream car, that is not out of reach, its barely more than an average new car these days. You should go for it.
If you are willing to go newer you can get a very nice C4 with 300 hp and a 6 speed manual for $10,000 and it will be someone’s garage queen that was barely broken in. With the money saved you can give it some nice Recaro seats and knock down 30 mpg on the highway all day long.
But then again I’m likely the only guy here whose fantasy ‘Vette would be a 1996 manual trans with the targa top.
My friend’s wife bought him a 2002 ZR1 for his birthday. It was used. Perfect condition. $30,000 bucks in 2008. I have never driven a car that required so much attention. I don’t care what gear you were in, if you applied the throttle injudiciously, it would snap your head back, and that of you passenger. Not a car you wanted in commuter traffic. I have never driven a car with so much torque.
Sure, a ZR1 will get far better gas mileage than a small block C2, and is far faster. But as Kiwibryce stated, a 327 will get him all the tickets he needs.
The current obsession with higher and higher horsepower cars begs the question-do we want cars that are rewarding to drive, or that make for good conversation (and bragging rights) at your next cocktail party? I like drivable cars.
At a Coffee and Cars event in Falls Church, Virginia a couple of years ago, I overheard a Porsche 911 owner state that he put very few miles on his Porsche because he didn’t want to lower it’s value. I felt like punching out the douschebag on the spot.
A C2 Vette is a fun car to drive. I would like a fuelie ’65. A lot of drivers are freaked by the Bendix babies, but once you learn how to tune them, they require very little maintenance (or attention), and return gas mileage that comes close to equaling today’s Vettes.
The C2 is a drivable collectible that makes very little demands on the owner. Sounds great, feels great.
@PDan: You’re not the only one. Make mine a 1996 Grand Sport. It’s all good. 🙂
These mid 60s vettes are great cars, but to me the coupe was the better looking model…
1964bler sums up my feelings. I am not a Corvette guy, but if I were, it would be a 63-67 model. This looks like a sweetheart. I would not really be picky, either. So long as it doesn’t have a PowerGlide, I would be happy.
My only gripe about this particular car, and its a minor one, is the ’68-up valve covers. Just looks wrong on this car.
Christmas 1966 – I was 5 years old and received a Tonka car carrier truck with red and yellow C2 Corvettes loaded on the back – the Corvettes were my favorites. 30 years later I bought a 1965 C2 roadster, rally red, black leather interior and black top, repro-knock offs, genuine teak steering wheel, 327-300 hp and 4 speed manual. Nice driver condition. It was better than my 5 year old brain ever imagined – dreams do come true. I kept it 11 years, but changing work and family situation meant I rarely drove it and I was afraid it would start having expensive issues from lack of use, so I sold it for double what I paid for it. But truth be told the Mini Cooper S that replaced it is more fun to drive and its retro styling helps ease the pain of not seeing the red C2 when I enter the garage.
Those door interior armrests must be the lowest ever on any GM car.
The interior theme of the first generation Corvair Monza must have come from this.
C2 has always been my favorite Vette generation.
After all these years I never tire of looking at these cars, the highlight of the Corvette line. Everything afterward has been chasing that high mark of style and panache ever since, everyone coming up short, though the Mako Shark Corvettes have a style all their own.
Beautiful 64 there!
In 1976 I very nearly bought a 1965 Corvette convertible. Red with red leather, had the 300 hp 327 and was very fast. Seller was asking $5k which seemed quite fair. Then I found out insurance would be around $2500 per year (I was 19)!! Ended up buying a new ‘vette instead…a 1976 Chevette!