This is the Lil Caboose Ice Cream Shop on Route 28 in West Yarmouth MA, where the first owner of this Sting Ray lived. During Summers in the 1970s when all the tourists went "down cape" , the owner would park his prized 1965 Sting Ray in front of the ice cream store to help attract attention to the store. The shop still stands today at 1279 Route 28.

This 1965 Corvette Sting Ray was manufactured in St. Louis in June, 1965 and delivered to George E. Rowe Chevrolet Inc in Lexington MA. It was sold to the first owner in Yarmouth, MA in October, 1965. It spent the first 23 years of its life in New England, before being sold to successive collectors in the Santa Barbara and Ventura CA area. It's approximate sales price in late 1965 was $5500.

Views from both sides of the 327 CI small block Chevy Turbo-Fire V8 engine rated at 365 hp. The cylinder block casting No. is 3782870, with a cast date of F 1 5 (June 1, 1965). The engine pad stamp No. is 51***36 F0603HH correlating properly with the VIN number and the Flint MI engine build on June 3, 1965 with HH suffix for Special High Performance 365 hp. The correct machining marks (called broach marks) are still visible on the engine stamp pad. This engine features a high performance cam shaft, solid valve lifters, and has 11:1 compression ratio pistons. This special higher performance sportscar featured a 6500 RPM tachometer, 80 lb oil pressure gauge, large FIVE quart baffled oil pan, and special alternator pulley designed for higher RPM usage. This car has NO power steering and NO power brakes. The chrome cover behind the round air cleaner is the distributor shielding that came on these engines. There is such shielding covering the spark plugs, the plug wires and the distributor and coil to help prevent static interference to the Delco AM-FM radio.

Corvette Restoration Specialist and Bloomington Gold ZZenith and NCRS Master Judge for Mid -Year cars Dennis Hakim (Ventura, CA) carefully inspecting the engine stamp pad numbers for originality and authenticity during Oct 09 Flight Judging. His verdict - "It's got the 'skinny H' and righteous broach marks; you can take this one to the bank,,," Mr. Hakim's eyes lit up when he saw this car on the judging line, because he remembered it from long ago. He knew of it when it was first brought out to the west coast by a Santa Barbara car collector. In fact, he said he tried to buy it from that owner in the early 1990s, but the price was too high. He recalled it as a very honest and unmolested high horsepower two-top roadster, with all original drive train. A beautiful restoration candidate. The car was hidden away in collections over the ensuing 17 years, and he was pleased to see it out being driven and judged now, and still in the same all original condition.

This car was entered in Flight Judging at the Fall 2009 Southern California Chapter Meet of the National Corvette Restorers Society and received an overall score of 91.8 %, Second Flight. A very respectable score for an unrestored Sting Ray that is not known to have been previously judged. The engine casting and stamp numbers were all judged to be original and matching to the VIN and Trim plates as well as the Protect-O-Plate that is still present.

This is a shot of the underside of the dash board on the passenger side. You can see the bottom of the inner heater box, underside of the glove box, right side console cover plate with passenger heater outlet, and most importantly, the VIN tag and TRIM tag mounted on the hinge pillar cross brace, a part of the "birdcage" that is the metal sub structure of the fiberglass body. The small VIN tag is riveted on the right, and the larger TRIM tag is riveted on the left. These tags are generally the first things that a prospective mid year Sting Ray buyer looks for to establish the originality of the car. The TRIM tag indicates if the car is a coupe or convertible, the year, month and day it was built, the paint color, and interior color and material (vinyl or leather), and whether the body was produced at the St. Louis MO or A.O. Smith of Ionia MI corvette body shop. My car has a St. Louis body.

The "standard" interior on mid year Sting Rays was black vinyl. The interior on my corvette is Saddle Tan vinyl. The code for this is 420 and is so marked on the Trim plate located next to the VIN plate under the dashboard on the passenger side. The dash pads are still the originals, and the door panels appear original. The carpet appears original, as do the seat covers but would have had to be redone by now. The paint code for Glen Green is GG and is also so marked on the Trim plate. Previous information indicates that the car was repainted one time in the original dark green color in modern two stage enamel. The rear, front, all all four fenders show no old traffic collision damage repair. Bonding strips are in place, and bonding seams are faintly visible in the paint on the fenders.

The Mid Year or 2nd Generation (C2) Corvette Sting Rays were manufactured from 1963 through 1967. Previous to 1963, the 1st Generation (C1) Corvettes featured the more roundy, less angular shape, exposed double or single headlights, side coves behind the front wheel wells, and straight rear axle. The 1965 Sting Ray was the mid year car of the Mid Year series. Many collectors think the 1965 is the best mid-year, but each year has its admirers. The 1965 model was the first to feature 4 wheel disc brakes, and the last year for the fuel injection option on the small block engine. Late in the 1965 production year Chevrolet offered the first of the big block v8 engines, the 396 CI Turbo Jet engine. In 1966 this engine was enlarged to 427 CI and it replaced the small block fuel injected engine, which was no longer offered.

1965 Corvette Sting Ray, 327 ci V8, 365 hp solid lifter, 11:1 compression, Holley 4BBL carburetor, 4 spd manual transmission. Glen Green paint, Saddle Tan vinyl interior. Tan vinyl soft top, removeable hardtop. Kelsey-Hayes 15" x 6" knock off wheels, Firestone Deluxe Champion 7.75 x 15 bias ply Gold Sidewall tires. (Note- photos here show car wearing 215 x 75 Coker Classic radials). The true knock-off turbine style wheels were an option that Chevrolet offered on the Sting Ray in 1964, 65 and 66. These wheels have no lug nuts, in fact are held on to the hub with a spinner that is installed by whacking with a lead hammer. This type wheel was outlawed as a safety hazard in 1967 because the spinners stick out. This wheel has been offered as a reproduction by aftermarket wheel sellers for years, but the originals made by the Kelsey-Hayes company are highly sought after, and ridiculously expensive to buy. Even the original spinners command serious currency. This car has its original five wheels including the spare, and its original spinners.

Discussion with previous owners revealed that the body was in old worn and blistered original paint condition as recently as 1990. It was listed for sale in Dec 1990 Driveline No.76 and described as "Virgin 65 Roadster, 5 K/O wheels". It was repainted shortly after that in two stage acrylic enamel Glen Green paint, very closely approximating original lacquer appearance. There are few if any stress cracks in the body. There are touched up stone nicks in the nose that are not noticeable. It still appears today as a Virgin 65 Roadster. It is not a "survivor", but it looks like one, in very well kept condition.

All glass is original date coded LOF except the tinted windshield which has been replaced and is unblemished. Body panels appear all original and all bonding seam lines are faintly visible. Nose and tail are original, and undamaged. The engine was rebuilt at some point and was balanced, and runs very strong. Oil stays clean and amber colored over time. There is no exhaust smoke. The interior appears all original but is thought to have been redone once, probably in the early 90s. Dash pads are originals in good condition. Original body mounts indicate the body has never been lifted from the chassis. The hidden VIN number is present on the left side kick up, and matches. There is no rust evident on the frame save for a small spot of rot-through in the lower right corner of the left side rail end cap. A new replacement end cap piece is included. The frame is not pitted. The birdcage under the windshield (up above the glove box and forward of the instrument cluster) is surface rust colored but not rotted. Both door hinge posts are solid top and bottom, and still green zinc chromate painted. Overall the birdcage and frame are very solid. Everything works on this car from the windshield washers to headlights motors, turn signals, T3 headlights, high beam and parking brake indicator lights, glovebox lights, Interior lights, all instuments, odometer and trip meter, etc. The starter and alternator are correct number and dated originals. All five wheels are old original Kelsey-Hayes knock offs with original spinners. Jack and tools are present. The hard top wears matching GG paint, in used condition; the plexiglass window is original and clear, but has light scratches. The headliner is original and good, but has a couple marks in it. The tan vinyl top is near new condition, with clear plastic window and has warning tag. The top frame was restored and powder coated and appears new. The bumpers are all originals, and in very good old wavy condition. There is light rust discoloration inside of them. There are several sets of correct and properly cut Briggs/Stratton keys with knock outs. The spare tire lock is present. The odometer shows 83,000 miles.