Unlike other Chevrolets from the era, which were built by the millions, the second-generation Corvette spawned a little more than 20,000 units per year. Despite this, many C2 Corvettes still populate barns waiting for a second chance at life.
This 1965 coupe is one of those cars. But fortunately enough, it came out of storage in relatively good shape. If you ignore the modifications it went through of course, because it's no longer stock.
A one-owner car since 1971, this Corvette wasn't driven much, but it got a few race-inspired mods. The wider wheels are perhaps the most obvious, but you probably won't miss the side exhaust pipes. The latter is a common mod on C2 Corvettes, but this one also had its side sills removed, so it looks rather crude.
The front hood also seems to be of the aftermarket variety. It sports a big bulge and a vent toward the nose, a design combo that reminds me of the race-spec Corvette Grand Sport. But make no mistake, the Duntov's limited-edition racer has a different vent layout.
Finally, this Corvette got a rather unusual nose job. It takes a closer look to notice it, but it no longer featured hidden headlamps. The nose is sealer and lighting comes from the big round lights mounted on each side of the front fascia. A crude solution if you ask me, but a cool take if this Corvette was meant to become a no-nonsense road racer in the 1970s.
But perhaps the best news about this Chevy is that it didn't need a lot of work to run again. And not only does it fire right up, but the 396-cubic-inch (6.5.-liter) big-block V8 also purrs like a kitten while idling and roars like mad when the gas pedal hits the floor.
Is it the car's number-matching mill? Sadly, no, but the good news is that it's the correct engine for the 1965 model year. A one-year wonder, the 396-powered Corvette C2 was quite ferocious thanks to its 425-horsepower rating. This figure was matched only by the 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8 in 1966 and surpassed by only 10 horses by the 427 Tri-Power option of 1967.
Will this Corvette be restored to original specifications? Well, the folks over at Horsepower Depot plan on keeping it like that for a while. But knowing their passion for the Factory Appearing Stock Tire drag racing series, this C2 might just become a quarter-mile monster soon.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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