With a total production of 117,964 units, the popular second-generation Corvette was the first to wear the “Sting Ray” name. It was also the first to incorporate large advancements in design, engineering and safety. Across the C2’s five-model-year lifespan, the 1966 models were the best sellers of the bunch, with 27,720 cars sold. And here is one of those cars today:
Featured on AutoHunter is this 1966 Chevrolet Corvette 4-Speed. It is being offered by a dealer in Heber Utah, and the auction will end Monday.
The car is said to be one of 3,366 from its year that were painted in Rally Red. Aside from its eye-catching paint, the exterior boasts a number of signature C2 features like chrome bumpers, vented front fenders, hideaway headlamps and a tapered rear end. The turbine-style 15-inch aluminum wheels are shod in Coker Classic redline tires for a proper period-correct aesthetic.
The C2 Corvette was sold between model years 1963 and 1967. The engineering team, including designers Larry Shinoda and Anatole Lapine, worked to incorporate some big changes with the car when compared to the first-generation Corvette. For the first time, the Corvette could be configured as a coupe. In addition, it received a new chassis, a revamped “recirculating ball” steering system, a more efficient alternator, an independent rear suspension and available four-wheel disc brakes.
In 1966 specifically, there were some subtle changes to design and equipment, like the replacement of the horizontal grille bars with an eggcrate-style rille. A television commercial for the 1966 Corvette said, “See if you don’t think this is the most exciting car in America today. Do you know what makes this car so exciting besides its obvious style? It’s the Corvette not-so-obvious engineering.” Car Life Magazine noted, “The Sting Ray has a chassis and suspension system years ahead of contemporary sedans: bold in concept, thoroughly tested and meticulously manufactured.”
The red vinyl interior of this Rally Red rocket has a largely stock look and feel to it, but an Alpine AM/FM/CD audio system is cleverly tucked away inside the glove compartment. The odometer shows 12,720 miles, although true mileage on the chassis is unknown.
The heart of the beast is a reportedly numbers-matching 427ci Turbo-Jet big-block V8 that was rated at 390 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque when new. It is fed via a four-barrel carburetor and is mated to a Muncie M20 four-speed manual transmission. That’s plenty of power on tap, so luckily the car boasts a set of four-wheel disc brakes to revert the car from “go” to “slow.”
I wonder how many of the 27,000-someodd 1966 Corvettes are left on the roads today – 59 years later. If you have ever wanted to join the community of devout Corvette owners, AutoHunter has just the car for you.
The auction for this 1966 Chevrolet Corvette 4-Speed ends Monday, February 24, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. (MST)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery