You and I both know that you’re looking at this 1964 Corvette because of the price. But I would like to invite you to look beyond the price tag and really see what this attractive Mid-Year convertible has to offer. It was restored in the 1990s but has been in storage since around 2006, so it’s an older restoration but it doesn’t have a lot of miles on it. It has been serviced, detailed, and freshened, and since it’s not a numbers-matching pedigree car, it remains a machine that you can drive anywhere, anytime, without worries. It’s the automotive equivalent of your favorite pair of jeans and a T-shirt—comfortable and casual, but not exactly something you’d wear to the big events. But that doesn’t mean jeans and T-shirts aren’t an important part of your wardrobe. That’s this Corvette—the rare collector ‘Vette that doesn’t care about being left in a parking lot or getting bugs on its face.

The restoration returned this convertible to its original code 912 Silver Blue, which 3121 Corvettes wore in 1964. That’s about 15% of them, so it will stand out among all the black and red and white ones at shows. Finish quality was quite good and still looks nice today, with a great shine that looks appropriate on the Stingray’s gorgeous shape. All the correct ’64 details are in place, including the hood depressions that no longer have faux vents, the crossed-flag emblems on the fenders, and the twin simulated vents behind the front tires. Body gaps are decent—not perfect, but probably no worse than when it was new, and the driver’s door is the worst offender which is common with C2s. On the plus side, the chrome is excellent, the various emblems are crisp, and there’s just no evidence that this car has ever been wrecked, damaged, or patched up. It’s led a good life, but it has also been used as a real car and sometimes those are the best vehicles to own.

The interior was likewise restored to its original code 491GE spec, which is white vinyl with blue carpets, and it’s simply gorgeous. The seat covers and door panels are in fantastic shape with very little wear and no splits or tears. New carpets were installed during the restoration and they don’t show any fading or significant wear today. The woodgrained steering wheel warms up the interior nicely and frames what appear to be the original gauges, all of which are operational save for the clock. The factory AM/FM radio with its unusual vertical orientation looks right in the center stack but it is sadly not operational, although the heater and defroster are. And, of course, what’s a Corvette without a shift-it-yourself gearbox? The headlights illuminate but the doors don’t open all the way; we have not investigated the reason. The white convertible top fits well and does not require any wrestling to secure it properly, and the rear window remains clear—more evidence of proper care and storage. No trunk, of course, but the carpeted area under the convertible top well remains in excellent shape.

The reasonable price tag is due largely to the fact that the 327 cubic inch V8 under the hood isn’t the original numbers-matching piece. It has a suffix code of SA, which is a 1963 327/250 horsepower block, so it’s at least from around the right period. It has been rebuilt and runs great, offering a wonderful V8 sound, a big whack of torque at any speed, and a no-fuss attitude. The finned aluminum valve covers wear “365 Horsepower” decals, but the 327/365 was a solid lifter engine and it sure sounds like this one is running hydraulic lifters, so we’re guessing the decals are just that—decals. On the upside, it starts easily, idles well (a little cranky on the choke, but that only lasts about a minute), and definitely pulls this ‘Vette around like it should. Wow, is this car fun to drive! There’s a correct 4-barrel carburetor on top, fresh ignition components, and factory ram’s horn exhaust manifolds, plus an original air cleaner and those finned valve covers to make it look right. We don’t know what’s inside the engine, but it doesn’t smoke or make weird noises, and as a small block Chevy, it’s still the most reliable machine ever conceived by man so you should be able to drive it without worries. It has been comprehensively serviced following those years of storage, including new ignition components, fresh fluids, new belts and hoses, and we just installed a new alternator and battery, so it’s 100% ready to rock. It runs cool, there’s plenty of oil pressure, and, well, you can probably drive this car every day without a second thought—isn’t that what it was designed to do?

This is a factory 4-speed car and it does carry its original, numbers-matching 4-speed manual gearbox, which is nice. It feeds the original rear end which feels like it has 3.36 gears inside—punchy but very streetable for regular use. The undercarriage was obviously restored but not to today’s show standards and yes, there are signs of use which you’d expect. But the frame is in excellent shape with no rust or rot in the usual places, even in the kick-up ahead of the rear wheels. Fiberglass floors don’t rust, of course, but these are not cracked or patched in any way and there’s no undercoating to hide anything. The brakes show recent service, including new hoses up front, and the car stops confidently. The exhaust system is a little amateurish but it sounds good with a soft V8 tone that doesn’t get annoying when you’re driving—leave the loud mufflers to the kids with their hats on backwards; you don’t need to scream when you’re driving a car like this. The only notable modification is a fiberglass leaf spring in back, but that’s a nice upgrade that improves ride quality a bit. Those are real knock-offs, not bolt-ons, and they’re in excellent condition with no curb rash or other damage. And someone has recently installed 205/70/15 General blackwall radials that look good and handle better than the original bias-plys.

There is no paperwork, which, again, is related to the price.

These are my favorite kinds of cars—they ask for very little but they deliver 100% of the fun of a pedigreed car that costs far more. If you’re an investor worried about returns on your dollar, well, we’d be happy to sell you a more expensive ‘Vette. It’ll drive the same, look the same, sound the same, smell the same, and to everyone who sees you driving it, it’ll be the same car just twice as expensive. Trying to please numbers guys at Corvette shows is often an exercise in frustration, so why not simply own a car that doesn’t care about that stuff and just wants to go out and eat up some pavement while putting a gigantic silly smile on the driver’s face? If you’re that kind of guy, give us a call, because this is the right car for you to own. Call today!