1964 Chevy Corvette Sting Ray - The Perfect Pink Pearl

Upon completion the third week of December at the Baltimore plant, instead of the normal shipment to a dealer, this car was immediately shipped to the Chevrolet Engineering Tech Center in Detroit, Michigan where it arrived by December 21, 1964. The Engineering Center then began the task of converting this car into the first Z16. Many of the unique Z16 parts were, of course, not yet in production, so many of them were hand built and fitted. Apparently, once the prototype parts were deemed satisfactory, they were approved for production.

D.H. McPherson was the executive in charge of the project and reportedly drove this prototype for some months after it was built. Art Armstrong believes it very likely the car saw time at the Milford Proving Ground (Chevrolets test track and facility near Detroit) as was common with pilot cars and test mules. The official assignment of the car to the Engineering Center was for an experimental check. It was sold by Engineering (through a dealer) in February 1966.

Chevrolet General Manager Bunkie Knudsen, introduced the Z16 at Chevrolets Desert Proving Ground in Arizona in February or March, 1965. An article in the May, 1965 issue of Mechanix Illustrated confirms this. The first known Kansas City built production Z16 was built in late February, 1965, so it stands to reason that the two prototype pilot cars were two of the cars at the introduction.

While the #1 Z16 appears like all other normal Z16s at first glance, there are a great many small details that the Chevrolet enthusiast will pick up on. Sample, Experimental and vendor tags and markings on many parts make the #1 Z16 not only unlike any other Z16, but a true one-of-a-kind car!

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• DESCRIPTION1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE, 1965 CORVETTE '396' COUPE #12,864. THIS CORVETTE IS RECOGNIZED AS THE "FIRST" BIG BLOCK CORVETTE PRODUCED AS A REGULAR PRODUCTION OPTION AT THE ST. LOUIS CORVETTE PLANT FOR CUSTOMER DELIVERY. TO DATE NO OTHER EARLIER REAL RPO-L78 CORVETTE HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED. THROUGH HIS CONTACTS AT CHEVROLET, CORVETTE RACE CAR DRIVER CLIFF GOTTLOB KNEW THAT CHEVROLET WAS PLANNING TO OFFER A BIG BLOCK ENGINE OPTION IN THE CORVETTE. IN OCTOBER 1964, CLIFF, WHILE SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES OVERSEAS, PLACED A SPECIAL ORDER FOR THE FIRST '396' CORVETTE WITH THE HELP OF RALPH MILLER AND VINCE PIGGINS OF CHEVROLET. AFTER MANY DELAYS CORVETTE #194375S112864 WAS FINALLY BUILT ON FRIDAY, MARCH 19,1965. IT WAS DELIVERED TO QUALITY CHEVROLET IN WICHITA,KS AND WAS SHOWROOM DISPLAYED UNTIL RELEASED TO CLIFF ON FRIDAY, MARCH 26,1965. THE CAR WAS DRAG RACED EXTENSIVELY THE FIRST YEAR OF ITS LIFE AND PROVED THE DOMINANCE OF THE BIG BLOCK ENGINE. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS NOT MODIFIED AND SURVIVES TODAY AS A TRIBUTE TO THE BIRTH OF THE BIG BLOCK ENGINE(IN 1967 CLIFF ORDERED THE 1967 L-88 CORVETTE THAT HE RACED UNTIL HE SOLD IT TO DAVID BURROUGHS). ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT OPTIONS ORDERED BY CLIFF WERE THE 425HP396 ENGINE,CLOSE RATIO 4-SPEED TRANSMISSION,4:11 POSITRACTION REAR AXLE,TANSISTORIZED IGNITION,TINTED GLASS,AM-FM RADIO AND GOLD LINE TIRES. SIDE EXHAUST AND KNOCK-OFF WHEELS WERE ADDED AT A LATER DATE. THE CAR HAS SPENT ALL OF ITS LIFE IN KANSAS AND OKLAHOMA(I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 1985). THE CAR WAS INVITED TO THE 1995 BLOOMINGTON GOLD SPECIAL COLLECTION - TRIBUTE TO THE 1963-1967 STING RAY CORVETTES(IN PICTURE). THIS MILESTONE CORVETTE IS OFFERED FROM MY PERSONAL COLLECTION. PRICE IS $265,396.00.