- 1 of just 2,157 L78 big-block V-8 examples
- Numbers-matching IF suffix 425-HP 396-cubic-inch V-8 engine
- Beautiful Milano Maroon paint over a maroon interior
- The most powerful engine option available for the 1965 model year
LOT 395
Selling on Saturday
1965 Chevrolet Corvette 396/425 Coupe
Corvette really seemed to come of age with the 1965 model year. Styling-wise there were minimal changes, which included a smoothing of the hood, removing the left-over recesses, the air-intake grille was now painted black but retained brightwork on the edges, and the simulated fender side vents were reconfigured and made functional. This was to help direct cooling air to the now standard four-wheel disc brake system. Big 11.75-inch diameter discs provided over 461-square-inches of surface stopping power, which put Corvette into the league of great European touring cars like Aston Martin and Ferrari. Other comparisons could be drawn with the 250GT, such as raw horsepower which was supplied by the newly available 396-cubic-inch Turbo-Jet V-8. Just a few years before, Zora Arkus-Duntov had declared that there would be no need to increase the performance output of Corvette, but GM had authorized the installation of the "Rat Motor" into America's Sports Car so the Corvette's grand master's prediction no longer applied. There were some complaints that the Corvette was a bit too heavy. However, when compared to the Aston Martin DB5, a revered grand touring coupe, the Sting Ray came in about 300 pounds lighter. With the big-block V-8 added to Corvette's horsepower arsenal, there simply was nothing on the market to compete with it. Rated conservatively at 425 HP, 0-to-60 mph times were just over the five second mark while quarter-mile dashes from a dead stop averaged in the low 13-second range. Sales for Corvette rose by about 5-percent to 23,562 units; however, a mere 2,157 of new Sting Ray owners opted for the big new engine, such as this one.
A lovely example from 1965, this Corvette is finished in its original color of Milano Maroon and is said to have only received one re-spray during its lifetime. Featuring subtle chrome work, the body rides on a set of knock-off wheels wrapped in new radial Goldline tires. The maroon cabin nicely matches the exterior with an interior that features bucket seats and a factory AM/FM stereo. The fun really begins when you find the numbers-matching IF suffix 425-horsepower 396 V-8 engine under the hood. Equipped with the most powerful engine one could get for the 1965 model year, its one of only 2,157 examples to be factory equipped with the L78 big block, which further elevates it among its 1965 Corvette peers. Paired with a four-speed manual transmission, this is '60s sports car fun at its finest. According to the consignor, that while the title does read exempt, this example retains a reported 28,000 miles from new.
Offering both power and timeless design, this numbers-matching example was the first year Chevrolet introduced a big-block Corvette, forever solidifying a truly special milestone in the continuous timeline of America's Sports Car.
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