C-2: The Stunning Sting Ray
In the Beginning:
The Corvette was the first true American sports car, and after nearly 70 years, it still is. The ‘Vette was born in 1953, flowing from the pen of legendary GM engineer and stylist Harley Earl, with direction from Chevrolet Division head Tom Keating. More than almost any other vehicle, the original Corvette defined an idea, and by the end of its first decade it was a winner in the showroom, on the street, and in the hearts of auto enthusiasts everywhere.
Evolution and Revolution:
By 1959, plans were already in place for Chevrolet to move in a new direction, one that would create a sports coupe along with the traditional roadster convertible. Input from the Q Corvette project and the Sting Ray Special Racer would lead to the XP-720 where the basic architecture began to coalesce. The eventual design of the ‘63 Corvette Sting Ray was a collaboration of chief stylist Bill Mitchell along with engineer/designer Zora Arkus-Duntov. Mitchell’s protégé Larry Shinoda would look to the fabulous ‘boat tail speedsters’ of the 1930’s for inspiration, and his split-window rear deck treatment for the coupe is considered a masterstroke of automobile design.
Coming of Age:
To say that the debut of the all new 1963 Corvette Sting Ray was a sensation is a serious understatement. It was instantly apparent that the second generation, or ‘C-2’ Corvette, had broken new ground. Additionally, aside from its stunning and head turning design, the Sting Ray now had the ‘nuts and bolts’ to make it a true high performance sports car in every sense of the term. Integral to the C-2 was a vastly improved chassis with added steel supports and an independent rear suspension to replace the old solid axle set-up. This was augmented by an integrated anti-roll bar for better handling, and stopping power was finally improved with larger finned drum brakes that reduced heating and fade.
Small Blocks and the Gear Box:
For ‘63 the new Sting Ray continued with the 327 cu. in. engine from the previous year. With subtle modifications, the carburetor versions produced 250 hp, 300 hp and 340 hp respectively, with the top option offering Rochester fuel injection producing 360 hp. The two-speed Power Glide automatic and three speed manual transmission were standard, but most customers preferred the 4-speed Borg Warner gearbox, soon to be replaced by GM’s own Muncie M-20 offering wider gear ratios.
The Rest of the Story:
From 1964 to its last year in 1967, the Sting Ray’s exterior remained largely unchanged save for subtle modifications to the grill, the hood and the fender scallops. Also, the coupe’s famous split-window was dropped, reverting to a single piece of rear glass. However, important changes were being made to engines, the chassis, driving comfort and overall handling and safety. A major development was 1965’s debut of the optional ‘big block’ 396 cu. in. engine with the novel ‘porcupine head’ valve train, pumping out 425 hp. Additionally, the Sting Ray now sported 4-wheel disc brakes for superior stopping power, available race style knock-off wheel hubs, a stunning side exhaust option and a telescopic steering wheel for an enhanced driving position.
By 1966 the ‘396’ gave way to the formidable 427 cu. in. big block that came in 390 hp and 425 hp versions and, importantly, provided substantially more torque. The Sting Ray’s final year of production in 1967 did not disappoint. The ‘427’ was tweaked with a three 2-barrel carburetor set-up delivering 400 hp and suspension components were beefed up. However, the ultimate power option was the pavement pounding L-88 code with an incredible 12.5:1 compression ratio fed by a huge Holley four-barrel carburetor. This $1,500 option was advertised as 430 hp but some believe it had a truer rating estimated to be north of 500 hp.
Positraction, a heavier, tighter suspension and power brakes were all mandatory on this street missile and only 20 units were ever ordered this way. Today, the legendary 1967 L-88 Sting Ray is, without question, one of the rarest and most coveted of all classic Corvettes…but this was the end of an era.
Epilogue:
Whether as a convertible or a coupe, the Corvette Sting Ray broke new ground and in no uncertain terms it defined exactly what a true production sports car should be. Today, almost six decades after the C-2 Sting Ray first appeared, these iconic vehicles remain as beautiful, exciting and desirable as they were when they first captured our imagination and graced the open roads of Amer