A ’65 Corvette Rescued From 30 Years as Stagnant Yard Art
By Fuelish Media – Images by the Author
There are Corvette guys, and then there are Corvette guys—and we bet you just imagined two completely different types of dudes when you read that. Just google “Corvette owner starter pack” and you’ll get the gist of the first type. Well, Fred Wann is definitely in the second category—hot rodder and lover of an American icon—no New Balance shoes required.
When Fred sold off his C4 ZR-1 a few years ago, he immediately regretted it. But what’s done was done, and there wasn’t much he could do about it at the time, except maybe mope around the house on the weekends. “My wife said she didn’t like my new hobby. I asked her what she meant by that, and she replied, ‘Indoor gardening. You come in the house and plant your butt on the couch!’ So, she told me to get a project.”
And so, he did. But why didn’t he just buy a finished car so he could get right to driving? Well, as Fred quickly pointed out, “All of my friends had money and bought nice cars, but I had to build my own.” Fair enough. Besides, with his wife’s full support behind him, he had ample time to dedicate to a full-on project—not to mention the satisfaction that comes with bringing a car back to life with your own hands.
Check it out: Big-Block-Powered Custom 1967 Chevy Corvette
It actually didn’t take Fred long to find the perfect restoration candidate, a ’65 Sting Ray. “I happened to know where one was sitting, as I had been inquiring about it for 30 years. It was parked in a front yard in Riverside, California, since 1974 with the windows rolled down and exposed to the weather. When the guy finally agreed to sell it to me, I almost passed on it due to being extremely ill with a 103-degree fever. My buddy Art [Holling] told me to get dressed and meet him there with the money, so I did!”
Much worse for wear than when Fred first saw the car decades earlier, it was going to take a whole lot of love to bring it back to its glory days, but he was up to the challenge. However, his wife’s enthusiasm definitely waned a bit upon seeing the ’Vette for the first time. “When I first popped the hood, cats jumped out of it. It reeked of cats, but the body was in decent shape. We delivered it to my house and unloaded it. As Tracee comes out to see it, she says, ‘You paid $15K for this pile of junk?’ I had to explain (she’s not a car person) just how rare this car was with its matching numbers, factory air conditioning, power windows, brakes, steering, and tinted glass.” Don’t worry, folks, she eventually came back around.
With the help of his best friend Holling (the guy who made him get up mid-fever and buy the car), Fred began the process of rebuilding the neglected C2. His goal was to restore the car aesthetically, with a few minor improvements underhood for the added fun factor. To that end, we think he nailed it and then some.
After removing the drivetrain, Holling delivered the L79 327 engine to none other than Clay Smith Cams (aka “Mr. Horsepower”) for machining, where the block was bored 0.060-over. Once that was done, Holling took delivery and stuffed the block with forged 9.25:1 pistons to make it more streetable on today’s pump gas, as well as a Clay Smith 0.510 lift/0.280 duration cam. Scorpion roller rocker arms and Clay Smith valvesprings cinch up the internals, with the restored Holley 2818A carb providing 600-cfm to the completed engine, which was finally turnkey ready again after more than four decades.
More Vette Love: Sam Smith’s 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Restomod
The original M21 four-speed was also rebuilt and now uses a McLeod clutch for improved feel and better engagement over the original, transferring the 327’s power to the 3.55 ring-and-pinion. The rest of the underpinnings were also restored to new condition, and just about the only clue that this Corvette is anything but 100 percent stock is the set of 15×7 American Racing Torq Thrust wheels shod in 215/70R15 BFGoodrich T/A radials. And with the car repainted flawlessly in its original Glen Green, restored trim by Schilling Metal Polishing, and a fresh interior by the legendary Ron Mangus, this Corvette was finally ready to hit the streets again.
Fred’s Sting Ray has seen its fair share of miles already and has earned plenty of thumbs up wherever he drives it, which is honestly the best response any car enthusiast can hope for. To top it off, the car is on the cover of Hagerty’s and Farmers’ 2024 Classic Cars calendar; how neat is that?
TECH CHECK
Owner: Fred Wann, Corona, California
Co-Builder: Art Holling
Vehicle: ’65 Corvette Sting Ray
Engine
Type: ’65 Chevy L79 small-block
Displacement: 327 ci
Bored: 0.060
Cooling: Factory aluminum radiator
Accessory Drive: Original V-belt
Carburetor: Holley 2818A carburetor
Fuel System: Original-style fuel system, Holley 2818A carburetor
Camshaft: Clay Smith hydraulic roller
Valvetrain: Clay Smith valvesprings, Scorpion roller rocker arms
Power: 350 hp, 360 lb-ft of torque
Drivetrain
Transmission: M21 four-speed manual
Clutch: McLeod stock-style replacement
Rearend: Original with 3.55 gear ratio
Chassis
Frame: Original Corvette
Steering: Original steering box/recirculating ball
Front Suspension: Original restored
Rear Suspension: Original restored
Brakes: Original restored four-wheel disc
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: 15×7 American Racing Torq Thrust
Tires: 215/70R15 BFGoodrich TA
Interior
Seats: Original bucket seats reupholstered by Ron Mangus
Gauges: Original restored
Steering: Original restored
Shifter: Original restored
HVAC: Factory air conditioning
Exterior
Bodywork and Paint by: Art Holling
Paint: PPG Glen Green
Polishing: Schilling Metal Polishing (Santa Ana, CA)
Click on this issue’s cover to see the enhanced digital version of Restored 1965 Corvette Sting Ray.
