There are few other cars that have meant so much to so many people as the Chevrolet Corvette. From Day One, the Corvette struck a chord with the American motoring public and things haven’t changed since. And as wonderful as the machines coming out of St. Louis and Bowling Green really are, it’s always been a Corvette tradition to personalize the cars, from the early white roadsters that were quickly repainted and fitted with a variety of go-fast parts to late-model C7s that are served by a thriving aftermarket. That kind of wonderful adaptability is what makes each Corvette unique, showcasing an owner’s unique tastes, and when they’re done right, they become much more than just the sum of their parts.

That’s the best way to describe this awesome 1964 Corvette coupe. Now I know there’s a significant number of you who are right this moment reaching for your Corvette Black Book and the nearest price guide to tell me how you disagree with how this car is presented. That’s OK, because this car isn’t for you. Instead, it’s one of the best Mid-Year ‘Vettes we’ve ever featured, and it proudly shows a few subtle modifications that make it more enjoyable to drive and even more appealing to look at (if that’s even possible with a Sting Ray). None of its original personality has been diluted—if anything, this car is razor-sharp today, embodying everything that Corvette engineers envisioned for their plastic fantastic. It’s been the recipient of a multi-year frame-off restoration to an extremely high standard and I’d wager that if you put a set of original-style knock-off wheels on it, nobody would guess that there are modifications underneath. There’s a huge amount of time and money invested here and it shows in every single component and with just over 1100 miles on the build, it’s broken-in but still extremely fresh and ready to show or drive.

The color is awfully close to Nassau Blue, one of the Corvette’s most enduringly popular colors. It wasn’t available in 1964, but does it matter when the results are this good? Experts will quickly spot the addition of a 1967 big block hood with a black stinger, and we have to admit it’s probably the best look for an early Sting Ray to wear. It’s aggressive without being radical. Fit and finish are exemplary, with gaps that are better than new in every way and a smooth finish that’s only the result of countless hours spent sanding fiberglass (and you know what a thankless job that is). The black stinger is painted on and buried under the clear, so it's seamless, and you'll note that the fit and finish around the headlight doors is way better than most. All the chrome was either restored (I've never seen Corvette bumpers this straight) or replaced with correct replacements, the emblems are new, and even the lenses are correct reproductions that lend the car a bright, vivid, finished look. There will be a lot of guys who sneer at this '64's not-quite-original look, but I bet none of them own a car this nice.

The interior was likewise fully restored and shows the efforts of a fanatical worker. Everything you can touch with your fingers is new. Everything you sit on or rest your feet on is new. Everything you rest your posterior on is new. Get the picture? Correct black upholstery looks well-tailored and sharp and has been professionally installed so the seats don't have the usual wrinkles, the door panels are exquisitely detailed, and the blending of original and a few aftermarket parts is almost invisible. Note the tilt steering column, the subtle A/C vents under the dash, and an original-looking AM/FM radio with an iPod interface. The gauges are all fully restored and show bright markings and clear lenses and even the clock keeps good time thanks to a quartz conversion. New pedal pads proudly advertise "Power Brakes" and the three-spoke steering wheel is the right choice. Every bulb works, lighting up the car the way the designers intended. There's a Hurst shifter for the 4-speed manual gearbox, complete with cue ball knob, and it's a joy to run it through the gears as the rev-happy 327 snarls away up front. On days when you don't need the ice cold A/C, the windows crank up and down effortlessly and nothing rattles or squeaks—a real achievement in an early 'Vette! Seat belts and embroidered floor mats round out the list, adding safety and practicality to the mix.

The engine is a date-code-correct 327 based on a 3782870 block and built to L76 365 horsepower specs, which was the top carbureted engine in 1964. There's a big Holley up top, correct Corvette finned valve covers, and, of course, Chevy Orange paint on the block that's as nice as the finish on a lot of other cars' bodywork. They took it easy on the aftermarket stuff, so it acts and feels like a vintage 'Vette, but you get things like modern A/C with R134a refrigerant, a giant aluminum radiator with an electric fan that keeps it nice and cool even in traffic, and an electronic ignition that fires the engine so quickly you'll have to practice taking your hand off the key faster. We thought about adding decals to the air cleaner, and you can do that if you want to make the illusion even more convincing, but ultimately decided that this car speaks for itself and there's no need to disguise that intent. It's awesome in every way, why not be proud of that fact? You'll also note a dual reservoir master cylinder for the 1967 Corvette 4-wheel disc brakes and a modern power steering pump and steering box from Borgeson, so the car has uncanny feel on the road that's unlike any C2 you've driven.

Underneath, it's pretty stock, with original-style suspension and steering, although there are upgraded tie rods that work with the Borgeson power setup to give the car great reflexes. Ceramic-coated long-tube headers dump into a custom stainless steel exhaust system with mandrel bends and a fantastic soundtrack that makes this one of the best-sounding small-block Chevys we've ever driven. Seriously, the sucker sounds heroic at full boot! There's a fiberglass leaf spring in back as well as a set of adjustable air shocks to smooth out the ride, and you'll note that the frame was sandblasted and painted with correct satin black POR-15 so it'll last forever. There are 3.70 gears in the rear pumpkin, so this car just rips off the line and always feels like it's on its toes, but highway cruising is still pretty comfortable. 17-inch chrome Torque Thrusts are a traditional look with modern performance, and they carry 225/55/17 front and 235/55/17 rear Goodyear radials with enough sidewall to look beefy in the Corvette's fender wells.

This is not a car for purists, but it's not too far off, either. This is what Corvettes are really about, though, and we seem to have lost sight of that by watching too much TV where pedigrees are all they talk about. Instead, remember that the Corvette was built to be driven, the purest distillation of fun GM could imagine, and this beautiful blue coupe totally gets it. If you want to race judging sheets, that's fine, but one rip through the gears in this car will probably convince you that you're missing out on what really matters when you own a Corvette. Call today!