1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Restomod
(Featured on 5th July 2013)
Make: Chevrolet
Model: Corvette
Year: 1964
Registration: BDV 588B
Sellers original description:
Classic Corvette Sting Ray Coupe in Right hand Drive format. None were built this way at the factory, and resto mod cars are far more driveable (and desireable) than their stock counterparts. I am selling this car with only a few hundred miles on it since completion due to a change in my own circumstances. This car has modern handling, overdrive transmission, comfortable seating, power steering, modern radial tyres and a 400 horsepower all aluminium engine with significantly increased efficiency over the original drivetrain. So if you have always fancied a fabulous American sports car, but never wanted the risk and inconvenience of dealing with left hand drive. Then this is your chance to get something truly special and unique for less than the dealers are asking for a standard car. I don't want to think about how much this car has cost to build, but you could not get near it for the asking price.
Car has been photographed for Classic American Magazine and is scheduled to appear in a full feature article later this year as a part of their 60th anniversary celebration of the Chevrolet Corvette.
1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray. This car is a Resto Mod fully updated with modern Corvette running gear and an SRIII tube frame Chassis. The engine is a new GM Crate LS2 400 horse power all aluminium V8. The transmission is a new Tremec TKO500 5 speed manual with hydraulic clutch. Front suspension is 2005 C5 Corvette and the rear suspension and limited slip differential are from a 1987 C4 Corvette. The chassis is a work of art in modern tube frame design from SRIII Motorsports Inc. in New Lenox, Illinois, USA. The chassis was custom built for right hand drive and powder coated by SRIII prior to shipment. Check out the SRIII website link below.
The engine is an all new LS2 GM crate motor. It has been converted to run with a carburettor using an Edelbrock intake manifold, Barry Grant Speed Demon Carburettor, and an MSD ignition controller specifically designed for this purpose.
The transmission is a TKO500 from Tremec in the USA. Tremec are well known for their excellent transmission packages for converting older cars to run with modern overdrive transmissions. The engine comes equipped for an auto, but the Tremec kit provides everything you need to switch to manual (flywheel, clutch, hydraulics, bellhousing etc.). 3.27:1 first gear ratio combined with the 3.08:1 rear axle ratio gives a perfect 10.07:1 overall first gear. Combined with the 0.68 overdrive 5th giving 80 mph at 2000 rpm means you get the best off the line performance and optimum high speed cruise comfort with fuel economy. No compromise!
The rear axle is a (sought after) Dana 44 from a manual transmission C4 Corvette. The complete rear suspension from the same car was narrowed by SRIII for me. So it fits nicely under the stock width body. Rear brakes are also C4. The car has front and rear anti roll bars.
The SRIII frame is designed to use C5 Corvette front suspension and brakes. So I bought all new components to build this car with. Steering is power rack and pinion using a Chrysler right hand drive rack. The Chrysler rack was the correct width to work with the narrowed front suspension geometry. The suspension components are not narrowed, but the SRIII frame is built to narrow the front and of the car by moving all the suspension mounting points inboard, again to fit under the stock width body.
Cooling is from a Be Cool Aluminium radiator with electric fan and thermostatic control.
Ceramic coated exhaust manifolds feed a custom Dual Exhaust based on the stock 1964 system with a pair of Dyno Max Mufflers and oversized Stainless Exhaust Tips. The exhaust outlets at the rear have been moved inboard for a better appearance (in my opinion).
The entire electrical system for the car was replaced with an 18 circuit kit from Painless Wiring.
All the motors, brackets and bearings in the headlights were replaced with new.
All side lights, running lights, headlights, tail lights etc. were replaced with new or reproduction.
There are numerous door handles, window winders, badges, grill, licence plate mounts etc. that are new. Basically, most of the shiny stuff.
All chrome bumpers are new.
Wheels are C5 Corvette and tyres are new.
The car has a Vintage Air heater with defrost.
The interior is mostly custom or replacement using almost all new parts. The seats are from an Alfa Romeo and are Momo Leather. There are a few matching leather accents around the cockpit. Gauges are Autometer Phantom. The steering column is a tilt unit from Flaming River. Flaming River Double D shafts and Stainless joints are used to connect to the rack. All the carpets and door cards, glove box etc. were replaced with new parts from Zip Corvette in the USA. The car has been fitted with a pair of inertia reel seat belts and a Lokar Hand Brake mounted in the centre console. The seats have a very comfortable pull down arm rest. The drivers seat has a mechanism to adjust the height.
Fuel tank is a stock replacement unit. All fuel lines are braided stainless with new electric pump and filter from Summit Racing. All aircraft quality fittings.
Brake lines are all new, as is the Camaro brake booster and master cylinder. Plus of course, new brakes on all four corners.
The body was cleaned and stripped back to bare fibreglass. It is painted with Ford Performance Blue metallic in a base coat clear coat. The hood (bonnet) is a replacement item with a Stinger scoop bonded in to clear the air cleaner. Hood hinges and latches are all new replacements. Windscreen is new, all other glass is original. New sill plates and lower side body sill mouldings.
There is just too much stuff to list here, mainly because I cannot remember it all. I have added some links below to some of the suppliers mentioned above. This car was an 8 year project that started in America, and was finished in England. It was always intended to be Right Hand Drive.
Photos:
