1965 Sting Ray Convertible is the Right Car for Monterrey Car Week

Among the 174 lots in RM Sotheby’s Monterrey Car Week auction, this 1965 Sting Ray convertible is surf-and-sun-ready.

California and Corvettes go together like peanut butter and jelly. No matter if it’s a 1953 C1 or a 2019 C7 ZR1, the Corvette you choose is tailor-made for the sun, surf, and canyons along the California coast, as well as the streets and highways of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Palm Springs. You simply can’t go wrong with this combination.

The only thing better is a Corvette drop top in California, of course. If you happen to be in Monterrey August 22 through 25 for Monterrey Car Week, you might just get a glimpse at this 1965 Sting Ray convertible as it crosses the auction block during RM Sotheby’s annual visit to the California coast.

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Not much is known about the Sting Ray’s early days, so its known history begins at an estate sale in 2004 in North Carolina. The car was sent up to Cape Cod, Massachusetts for a restoration before going to California to live with its current owner.

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The restoration included a period-correct 327 V8 to replace the Sting Ray’s missing original engine. This single-carb 327 puts out 365 horses through the four-speed manual transmission to the back. Speaking of the four-speed, the current owner had it rebuilt with wider gear ratios by Canepa Design in Scotts Valley, California, along with upgrades like power steering, power brakes, new shocks and struts, etc. to better the car’s driveability.

All told, the Sting Ray received over $45,000 in upgrades and other work, money well-spent for this Milano Maroon beauty. The Corvette is expected to fetch between $75,000 and $100,000 on the block, and has no reserve price. No matter the price, though, for this is one Sting Ray that’s definitely ready to praise the sun. We only hope its new owner is as willing to praise the sun with their new ride.