Chevrolet One-Off

Information

1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray GM Styling Coupe 'GPV-57'

From RM Sotheby's:
'The base car was fitted with the L76 327 V-8, making 365 horsepower from its high compression and four-barrel carburetor, mated to the mandatory optional M20 four-speed transmission. It was fitted with an immediately distinctive and recognizable hand-built front end, with a reconfigured hood that prototyped that of the 1965 Corvette, with deeper vents and unique bumpers relocated higher, leaving room for an oversized egg-crate grille. This, too, was echoed in production, but not until 1967.

GM Styling ignored the car’s trim tag, which stated that it was to be finished in Silver Blue over Blue vinyl, and instead painted it in Du Pont FireFrost Blue, a 1964 Cadillac color, over body panels that were specially prepared, filled, sanded, and gel-coated to provide a perfectly smooth surface. Nothing but the best would do for the boss.

The same FireFrost Blue color was used for the interior paint and trim, accentuated by custom high-back white leather bucket seats, a leather console, and dark blue cut pile carpeting (also sourced from Cadillac) with polished toeboards. The dashboard is finished in blue-grained fiberglass with white coves, and unique door panels of white leather and stainless steel with four window switches were fitted. The steering wheel is a 1965-style unit, hand-built with a unique hub and teak trim.

Under the hood, the engine was largely stock, although Knudsen apparently specified a fair amount of custom chrome trim. Large side pipes, resembling the 1969 Corvette’s optional exhaust, were fitted, along with blue-painted shields and painted two-bar knock-off wheels, equipped with Goodyear Blue Streak HP tires with a FireFrost Blue stripe outside the tires’ narrow white stripe.'