Classic DREAMCARS Mount Dora, Fla. (352) 385-1945 www.classicdreamcars.com

 

                           

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1967 CHEVROLET CORVETTE STING RAY L-79 CONVERTIBLE

THIS CAR CAME TO US OUT OF THE PALM BEACHES AND IT'S A REAL BEAUTY FINISHED IN MARINA BLUE WITH WHITE BUCKET SEATS AND SOFT TOP(ONLY), IT RECENTLY HAD OVER $8,000 IN RESTORATION BY ONE OF THE TOP CORVETTE SPECIALISTS IN THE SOUTH. THE CARING OWNER SAW FIT TO RESTORE "ANYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE" ON WHAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD CONSIDER A 'DROP DEAD GORGEOUS" VETTE TO BEGIN WITH. THIS IS A ' NO-HIT CAR'.... EQUIPPED WITH THE HOLY GRAIL (TO US) OF ENGINE TRANSMISSION COMBINATIONS THE 327/350 "L-79" WITH MATCHING NUMBERS WITH 4-SPEED . IT ALSO CARRIES POWER STEERING , POWER BRAKES, WHITEWALL TIRES, POSITRACTION, ORIGINAL AM/FM RADIO AND POSITRACTION. CHEVROLET SOLD 14, 436 CONVERTIBLE'S IN 1967 BUT, ONLY 6375 WERE BUILT WITH THE L-79 OPTION IN BOTH COUPE AND CONVERTIBLE. TO BOOT, ONLY 3,840 WERE MADE IN MARINA BLUE WHICH IS JUST 17% OF PRODUCTION WHEN NEW. THEN , NARROW DOWN THE FIELD TO 'NO ACCIDENTS' WITH DESIRABLE OPTIONS AND YOU ARE TALKING A CAR THAT IS ONE OF A HANDFULTHAT STILL EXIST.

AFTER SELLING CLASSIC CARS FOR ALMOST 21 YEARS, IN OUR OPINION, WE CAN'T HELP BUT, GET EXCITED BOUT ONE PARTICULAR CAR. THEY STANDS HEAD ABOVE ANY OTHER COLLECTIBLE AS THE MOST BANG-FOR-THE-BUCK, IN A CLASSIC CAR. IT'S THE 1967 CORVETTE STINGRAY. IT'S NOT JUST THE TIMELESS BEAUTY OR BEING THE LAST OF THE MID-YEAR VETTES BUT, PERFORMANCE IN THE ENGINE/ TRANSMISSION COMBINATION THAT MAKES OR BREAKS GREAT CLASSIC CARS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S THE COMPATIBILITY WITH THE DRIVER. THOUGH THERE ARE THOSE THAT LIKE THE BIG BLOCKS BUT, ANY TRUE CORVETTE AFFICIENDO WILL TELL YOU THE SMALL BLOCK 327 CORVETTE'S ARE THE WAY TO GO. THIS BLEND OF WEIGHT (3020 LBS) HORSEPOWER (327/350) DESIRABILITY AND TRANSMISSION (4-SPEED MUNCIE) MADE FOR THE ULTIMATE CLASSIC CORVETTE EVER PRODUCED. IF YOU'VE EVER OWNED A BIG BLOCK VETTE, YOU KNOW THEY ARE NOSE HEAVY AND TEND TO DROOL....LIKE A 300 LB. GORILLA. THE SMALL BLOCKS ARE EASIER TO GET PARTS FOR, GET BETTER GAS MILEAGE ( A FIRST TIME CONSIDERATION IN MANY YEARS).... AND HANDLE BETTER- THIS IS A GREAT GARAGE ASSET FOR ANY COLLECTOR. YOU'LL FIND A BUNCH OF MID-YEAR VETTES OUT THERE BUT, MANY HAVE ONE-PIECE NOSES, COLOR & DATA PLATE CHANGES OR 'STORIES' ATTACHED. THIS ONE DOESN'T. PRICED WAY UNDER LAST YEARS MARKET AT THE NO-BULL 'STIMULUS' PRICED @ $74,950 or nearest offer

THE STORY:

"The Summer Of Love" was mutually declared in 1967 as Flower Children from all over America converged on San Francisco. "... Be sure to wear flowers in your hair".... sang Scott Mackenzie. San Francisco was the Capitol of the Hippie-Sub-Culture and Home of KMPX, the World's First Progressive Rock Radio Station and it was home of Rolling Stone Magazine. Tourists would come to the Hills of San Fran just to ride the "Hippie Hop" Gray Line Transit that ran through the Haight-Ashbury District and gawk at the Hippies on board. This would be the year they held the Monterey Pop Festival. While City Fathers braced for the worst, the Festival instead drew well-mannered, neatly groomed groups of Flower Children which milled around peacefully on the Festival Grounds. Organized by the "Mama and Papas" John Phillips. the Festival featured "Country Joe and the Fish", "Big Brother & The Holding Company (Janis Joplin), "Jimi Hendrix", "Moby Grape", "The Grateful Dead", "Quicksilver", "The Steve Miller Band", "The Who" and, even "Jefferson Airplane". Top 40 singles on the radio still reflected the Conservative side of America with hits by LuLu ("To Sir With Love"), The Association ("Windy"),and The Box Tops ("The Letter"). Top selling albums were not sold by Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones but, The Monkees, The Supremes and Bobby Gentry!

The Anti-War Movement found Draftee's actually moving to Canada to avoid the draft or, protesting in organized demonstrations in New York City or San Francisco. This was the year of the Worst Race Riot ever in the USA. It took place in Detroit, killed 43 people and caused $200 Million in damage. Outside the Pentagon 647 people were arrested in Anti-War demonstrations, while overseas 17,000 soldiers died in Vietnam. Pontiac would introduce it's 'Firebird' AMC unveiled the 'Javelin' and Corvette issued the last of what would become known as "The Mid-Year Vette's". To this day some say-.... "It was the Best One Ever"!

There was a reason General Motors produced it's 100th Million Vehicle this year. They Made Great Cars! Most consider the 1967 model "The Finest Hour for Corvette". Especially unique as the 1967 Corvette shouldn't even exist. Built as a "hold-over model" Chevrolet had originally intended to offer the "Shark Body" Style but, couldn't get past production problems so, the 1966 Corvette Stingray was quickly refined, washed over with a few modifications and released for one more year. Normally, when that happens a catastrophe occurs but, in this case- the opposite happened. The car was simply 'cleaned up'. The changes included an oblong reverse light over the license plate, revised/ smaller conservative louvers on the sides, most emblems were eliminated, the door lock button was moved, and the Bolt-Up-Wheels replaced the Knock-off's ( for safety reasons). The emergency brake handle was moved to the center console and Vinyl was added to the factory hard-top.The engine section was essentially unchanged: you could still order from a broad range of 300 hp, 350, 390,400 but, now instead of 425hp , it was bumped up to 435. When you ordered the L-89 it jumped up to a whopping 560hp. The 1967 Corvette model also got a one-year-only hood scoop treatment, complete with 'a color stinger'. Most folks think that option was only available on Big Blocks but, it indeed was offered for a short time on small blocks as well. Additionally, the Vette got flat black rocker panels, rally wheels w/ glamour rings and hubcaps, replacing the full chrome Hubcap seen on other years. Despite the fact, the General Public was waiting patiently in the wings, ramping up for the "all new" 1968 model sales slipped to 14,436 Convertibles and 8,509 Coupes in 1967. Little did they know the 1968 model would be a horror and the long anticipated wait would all be for nigh. Whatever the reason, the 1967 is seen a The Most Collectible Model. In fact. Most Corvette's built between 1963 and 1967 are often written about as a single series but, The True Vette Pet Groups consider the 1967 Sting Ray to be in a group All by Itself.