Sane Spec: 1965 Chevrolet Corvette L75/4-Speed – Sold?

December 24, 2022, Update – We confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found, we’re assuming this ride is “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

Visit your local Cars & Coffee or other car show these days, and invariably the C2 Corvettes on display might have you believe every example came off the production equipped with side pipes, knock-off wheels, and leather hides.  That was not the case when new, modern restorations tend to add desirable options on all but potential National Corvette Restoration Society (“NCRS”) judging candidates.

A refreshing example bucking that trend was this 1965 Chevrolet Corvette convertible originally listed in November 2022 on Craigslist in Columbia, Kentucky (Bowling Green). This C2 features the knock-off style full wheel covers, rear-exit exhaust, and 300 horsepower L75 327 cubic inch small block V8. However, the “414B” shown on the trim tag indicates this C2 came from the factory with Bright Blue vinyl-covered seats, not leather as what currently appears (Please comment below to correct if we do not have this fact correct.)

Currently offered for $72,500, Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the collector car market, confirms the ask is in line with the one-year rolling average of this guide’s summary for recent sales of all L75-equipped 1965 Corvettes.  By clicking on the green dots in the graph below, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you evaluate the price of the Corvette featured here:

As a second data point, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask falls between this guide’s #2 Very Good” estimate of $63,800 and its #1 “Excellent” appraisal of $87,700 before making adjustments for documented optional equipment.

The C2 Corvette entered its third year of production in 1965 with minor styling changes and major performance upgrades. The most notable exterior styling difference was the replacement of the non-functional twin scallops (called “speed lines”) with three working vertical “gills” on the lower front fenders designed to remove heat from the engine compartment.

A big safety improvement was converting from all-drum to four-wheel-disc brakes in 1965. These new brakes featured four-piston, two-piece calipers that increased swept area by a whopping 41% over the antiquated all-drum design. Power brake-equipped cars also featured a new dual-circuit master cylinder system. Despite these braking advances, 316 (apparently either hard-headed or cheap) Corvette buyers in ’65 opted for the drum brakes to receive a $64.50 credit on their purchase. Another fun fact: in 1965, convertible Corvettes continued to outsell coupes nearly two to one.

The Dennis Kemp YouTube Channel features a walk-around video of the Corvette featured in this blog post:

This 1965 Chevrolet Corvette convertible for sale is an excellent example that we assume received a restoration at some point. You’ll need to confirm that with the seller.  The seller notes their C2 features a new convertible top, seat covers, and carpets, so we’re confused as to whether they replaced the original pieces or are replacements for the products fitted in an earlier restoration.

Here’s the seller’s description:

Show or go: What would you do with this 1965 Chevrolet Corvette convertible for sale?  Please comment below and let us know!