1964 Corvette Sting Ray C2

People were still catching their breath after the amazing changes in the 1963 Corvette Stingray, so updates for 1964 were minimal. The biggest development was the elimination of the split rear window.

Below Left: Even those who advocated the split window concept admitted that it had drawbacks. Confirming that opinion were the many owners of 1963 Corvettes who proceeded to install the single rear window as soon as the parts became available. Today, you will not find the owner of a 1963 Corvette Stingray making the modification as the cars' value would plummet. But in 1964 it looked like the smart thing to do.

Above right: Also gone for 1964 were the fake hood vents. The hood indentations remained however although word is that the 1963 faux vents will not fit on the 1964 hood. Perhaps GM figured that the incredible performance the Corvette Stingray offered made enough of a statement.

Another change was the added functionality of the air outlet to the right of the driver's door on the coupe. For 1963 they were closed off, represented by a small indentation. A small fan was added to boost airflow but it was only minimally effective and the whole idea was dropped by 1966. Updated body mounting methods and other changes improved interior noise. The overall build quality, long a legitimate Corvette complaint, was improved.

Each of the mid-year Corvettes (1963 thru 1967) featured different fuel filler lids. Above, right to left, is 1963 and 1964. Below: 1965, 1966 and 1967.

Things seemed to get mellow in the GM marketing department for 1964.

Optional P48 Optional Cast Aluminum Wheels (RPO P48; $322.80) were first widely available in 1964 Corvettes. 806 or 3.63% of the total 1964 production were sold. While you may see the same Cast Aluminum Wheels on '63 Corvettes - they are a popular upgrade - they were not original to the cars as none were sold in 1963.

Above: Maintenance information card for the knock off wheels. Notice the instructions for the locking nut and adapter specified right and left sides. Following those instructions is an important safety step. The left side locking nut was a clockwise to tighten design while the right side was counter-clockwise to tighten. Not strictly following the procedure could cause the nut to loosen while driving.

There were engine improvements for 1964. The base motor (250 hp) and the upgrade L75 mill (300 hp) were unchanged but the L76 went to 365 hp (previously 340 hp) and the top dog L84 fuel injected model was now 375 hp, up from 360 hp due to revised heads, camshaft and bigger valves. All 1964 motors were 327 cubic inchers.

Above left: The Corvette had not had a conventional trunk since 1962. The coupe did have a fair amount of storage space and so did the convertible - as long as the top was up! A popular way to go for ragtop Corvette owners was to remove the soft top completely and take long trips with a hardtop. The hardtop could be removed easily and stowed (in a hotel room, for example) when open motoring was the way to go. Right: A new M20 four speed manual transmission. Built in Muncie IN. and a mid-year update in 1963, the "Muncie four speed" was a welcomed improvement.

A replacement for the conventional points / condenser system arrived in the form of a transistorized ignition system available as RPO K66.

It's easy to determine if a C2 Corvette has Air Conditioning by the vent above the clock. RPO C60 $421.60; 1,988 (8.94%) for the 1964 model year.

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The Z06 may not have been available as a Corvette Sting Ray package in 1964 but close examination of the order form revealed that most of the parts were. Competition brakes were available as RPO J56 and featured cerametalix linings, drum cooling fans, finned drums cooling ducting and a special power assist dual action master cylinder. A heavy duty suspension (RPO F40) featured stiffer springs and shocks and a thicker front stabilizer bar.

1964 Corvette: Official GM Photo.