Corvette Sting Ray Pro Touring EFI LS1 V8 5 Speed w/AC

With a roster of lethal powertrains and a list of razor-sharp suspensions, the Corvette has been a scrappy, unapologetic symbol of American performance for over 60 years. And if you ask any longtime Chevrolet fan to name the most desirable Corvette, 9 out of 10 of them will probably say the mid-year Sting Ray. That's because, like all automotive icons, the Corvette had to evolve to survive. And over the years, that evolution has left many hardcore enthusiasts out in the cold. We all know a few of those enthusiasts-- the people who adore the performance of the modern car, but long for the days of Bill Mitchell styling and classic Detroit swagger. And that's why RK Motors Charlotte is proud to present customs like this awesome 1965 Sting Ray. With a professionally restored body, a slightly re-imagined interior, a custom drivetrain and a modern LS1 V8, it mixes the best of yesterday's form with the best of today's substance. If you love the looks of the second generation Corvette, but aren't too fond of its outdated technology and exorbitant maintenance costs, this 310 horsepower C2 resto-mod is the perfect compromise!

When it comes to the looks department, classic Corvette culture is much like purpose-built street rod culture. Most proud owners choose to deck their dream car in a traditional shade of red, a mirror-like coat of black, or something along the lines of bright yellow or bright blue. That's all the more reason this slick C2 coupe, which was recently covered in a correct coat of GM code Q Silver Pearl, is not only impressively stunning, but also refreshingly modern. Go ahead and take a look at our high resolution shots, or our plethora of inherited restoration photos, and you'll see that none of the car's bonding seams are visible from any angle. Clicking through the perfectly aligned set you'll find the body's panel alignment to be excellent all-around, allowing pivoting pieces to function exactly as they were designed. And when you access the zoom tool to get up close and personal with the finish, it becomes very obvious that someone invested a lot of time and money into creating a smooth, show stopping canvas. The end result is one glowing Chevrolet road warrior that has much more presence than a candy-tinted classic, and wears an appearance that is worthy of both its exceptional design and world beating performance.

Thanks to a renewed dedication to motorsports and a heavy influence from the original Mako Shark concept car, the second generation Corvette benefits from a much more sporty and striking appearance. At the front of this C2 an aftermarket chin spoiler, traditional amber marker lights and a show worthy chrome bumper cage a body-width, stainless-trimmed grille. Above that grille, a red, white and black Corvette cross-flag emblem is affixed in front of a retrofitted hood that's detailed with chrome trim and topped with a gloss black stinger stripe. Behind that hood, matte-finish wipers combine with fresh stainless trim and chrome bowtie mirrors to frame like-new glass that features varying degrees of tint. At the base of that glass, simple heat extractors ride between correct chrome door handles, ornate cross-flag fender emblems and correct stainless side pipes that are equipped with traditionally finned heat shields. And behind those side pipes, a chrome-trimmed Corvette fuel filler sits above a clean “Corvette Sting Ray” emblem, four traditional Corvette tail lights, a chrome-trimmed tag bracket and two more show worthy bumpers.

Tilt this Corvette's sculpted hood and you'll reveal a highly detailed GM LS1 V8 that looks awesome and, with roughly 310 horsepower, offers solid, reliable motivation. Built to tear up the street and wow show goers alike, this fully-sorted package combines a sturdy aluminum block with lightweight aluminum heads, flat-top aluminum pistons, coil-near-plug ignition and a computer from an 1998 Camaro to create razor-sharp throttle response and a torque band that's as wide as Texas. At the front of the bright silver mill, a factory serpentine system spins a fresh alternator and an Old Air AC compressor below a stainless air tube that's clamped to a big, re-usable filter element. Once air enters that filter, it flows through a factory throttle body into a factory LS1 intake which is bolted down over completely stock internals. High octane fossils are provided by a GM electronic fuel injection system. Sparks are sequenced through high performance 7mm plug wires. Spent gases are whisked away by a slick pair of ceramic coated headers. And cooling comes courtesy of a custom DeWitts aluminum radiator that's complete with fresh hoses and a quick-spinning electric puller fan. On the visual end of the spectrum, custom fuel rail covers, a slick oil cap and a chrome master cylinder provide a nice complement to the car's subtle exterior paint. The clean engine compartment, which even includes chrome hood pins, has been completely painted, jammed and detailed to highlight the presence of modern GM technology. And niceties such as rebuilt headlight motors, a rebuilt wiper motor and a heavy duty Optima gel cell battery ensure this seductive coupe is more than just a pretty face.

Flip this resto-modded Vette upside down and you'll find a rugged 5-speed transmission that delivers solid launches and potent acceleration via tall 3.45 gears. At the ends of the car a fully independent suspension, which was cribbed from a C4 Corvette, rides between a custom chassis, power rack and pinion steering and narrowed half shafts that keep 9.5 inch rear wheels tucked just inside factory fender wells. At the corners of the car, power four wheel disc brakes squeeze slotted rotors to provide sharp turns and quick stops. And at the back of the car, a 20 gallon Rock Valley stainless fuel tank wraps miles of go juice in years of reliability. Above that first class drivetrain, clean fiberglass floor tubs, which look factory fresh in every way, have been thoroughly undercoated to protect against Mother Nature's worst temper tantrums. Below that first class drivetrain, power flows to 225/50 front and 245/50 rear Sumitomo HTR radials via chromed 16 inch American Racing Torq Thrust IIs. And everything from this Corvette's high quality QA1 coil overs to its new stainless brake lines and correctly chambered side pipes is fully sorted and ready to hit the road!

Hit the remote for this coupe's curved fiberglass doors and you'll find a tastefully modified interior that, like the rest of the car, mixes classic Chevy style with a dash of modern componentry. The firm bucket seats, 6-way power units which feature double lumbar support, were lifted directly from a C5 Corvette. In front of those seats, Classic Instruments gauges look fantastic woven into factory metal panels and custom leather dash cowls. Below those gauges a custom console, which features an integrated emergency brake handle, props a stylish chrome shifter between chrome power window switches and controls for an Old Air climate system. Below that console, like-new carpet is protected by color-keyed and “CORVETTE” branded floor mats. At the sides of that carpet, stainless-trimmed door panels hang chrome handles for the car's doors and vent windows above large kick panel speakers. And above those door panels, a pristine black headliner frames retrofitted shoulder belts. In front of the driver, a polished steering wheel props a bowtie branded horn button on a polished Flaming River steering column that's equipped with modern cruise control. And behind the passengers, a fully carpeted storage compartment centers a remote controlled, and USB compatible, Alpine CD player between a 200 watt Kicker amplifier and two large MTX speakers.

The sale of this awesome Corvette includes many digital build photos, many digital build receipts and a small stack of printed component manuals.

In terms of bang for the buck, you just can't beat a Corvette. And when you throw in killer technology like this Sting Ray's custom suspension and modern V8, it adds a level of streetability and appeal that simply can't be beat. Think about it: this car is probably faster than 95% of what's on the road, it has killer handling, it's durable, it's comfortable, and heck, it even gets good gas mileage. This isn't some classic showboat that you stash in the garage and resale in 15 years, it's a fully sorted beast that you can, and should, enjoy every chance you get!