Why This Car Is Special

The 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray is widely regarded as the peak of the C2 generation, and for good reason. By 1966, Chevrolet had refined the second-generation Corvette to a point where the styling, engineering, and available powertrains all lined up in a way that hasn't been replicated since. The split rear window was gone, replaced by a cleaner single-pane design introduced in 1965, and the hidden headlights and tapered fastback roofline — or in this case, the open convertible body — gave the car a presence that held up against anything the Europeans were building at the time.

This particular 1966 Corvette Sting Ray carries the L-79 option: the 327 cubic inch small block V8 rated at 350 horsepower. That engine code is significant. The L-79 used a high-lift, long-duration camshaft, 11:1 compression, and a Holley four-barrel carburetor to produce more horsepower per cubic inch than any other carburetor-fed small block Chevy offered that year. It was the highest-output carbureted 327 available in the 1966 Corvette — the only engine above it was the L-36 and L-72 big blocks. For buyers who wanted small-block manners with serious performance, the L-79 was the engine to order. Period road tests put the 0-to-60 time in the mid-four-second range, which was genuinely fast for a production car in 1966.

The VIN on this car decodes to confirm it as a 1966 Corvette convertible, built at the St. Louis assembly plant, with the 327 engine. Total 1966 Corvette production came in at 27,720 units across coupe and convertible body styles. Convertibles accounted for 17,762 of those — the body style that the majority of buyers chose that year.

This car presents in silver over a black leather interior and retains a strong complement of desirable period options. It is a driver-quality example with an honest, usable undercarriage and a well-sorted combination of original-style features and practical updates.

Features List

- 327 cubic inch L-79 V8, 350 horsepower - Close-ratio 4-speed manual transmission - Four-wheel disc brakes - Black soft top convertible - Black leather bucket seats - Wood rim steering wheel - Center console with 4-speed shift pattern plate - Tachometer (dashboard mounted, RPM x 100 redline marked) - Delco AM radio (console-mounted, original-style vertical display) - Dual exhaust with chrome tips - American Racing wheels with knock-off centers - Chrome bumpers front and rear - Corvette Sting Ray badges (trunk lid and dash) - Clean, painted undercarriage

Mechanical

The heart of this 1966 Corvette Sting Ray is its 327/350 L-79 small block V8, paired with a 4-speed manual transmission. The L-79 was not a common order — buyers who specified it knew exactly what they were getting. The high-compression rotating assembly and aggressive camshaft profile give it a distinctly different character from the base 300-horsepower 327. It pulls hard through the mid-range and rewards drivers who are willing to work the gears.

The four-wheel disc brake system is present on this car. Disc brakes became standard equipment on the Corvette beginning with the 1965 model year, replacing the drum setup that had been criticized for fade during hard use. Having four-wheel discs on a car with 350 horsepower makes a meaningful difference in real-world driving, and it is a feature that adds to both usability and value on any mid-60s Corvette.

The undercarriage photos tell an important story on a car of this vintage. The 1966 Corvette uses a fiberglass body, which means the frame, suspension cradle, and floor pans carry the structural load. This car's undercarriage has been cleaned and coated, and the photos confirm no visible rot, patchwork, or deformation in the frame rails or floor structure. The independent rear suspension — Corvette's fully independent three-link rear setup introduced in 1963 — is intact and correctly configured. Front suspension uses unequal-length A-arms with coil springs. The dual exhaust exits through the rear bumper chrome tips, consistent with how this car would have been built from the factory.

The American Racing wheels with knock-off centers are a period-correct aftermarket choice that suits the car's era well. These wheels were popular on late-1960s sports and muscle cars and continue to be associated with that generation of Corvette. They replace what would have been the original steel wheels or factory chrome option.

Interior

Step inside the 1966 Corvette Sting Ray and the cockpit layout is immediately purposeful. The dashboard is dominated by two large round gauges — a 160-mph speedometer on the left and a tachometer on the right — flanked by a fuel gauge and water temperature gauge. Below those sit an ammeter and an oil pressure gauge. The instrument cluster in the 1966 Corvette is driver-focused in a way that reflects the performance mission of the car. Every critical measurement is in front of the driver without requiring a scan of the dashboard.

The wood rim steering wheel is correct for the period and fits the overall aesthetic of the black interior. Chevrolet offered a genuine wood-rim wheel as an option on the mid-60s Corvette, and it remains one of the most visually distinctive features of the C2 interior. The three-spoke design and crosshatch spoke face are consistent with what Chevrolet offered on these cars.

The black leather bucket seats show wear consistent with a car of this age. The stitching pattern and bolster shape are typical of the 1966 Corvette's seat design. The center console runs the length of the cabin, integrating the 4-speed shifter with a brushed aluminum shift pattern plate clearly showing the H-pattern. The Delco AM radio sits vertically in the center of the console stack, the vertical frequency display and chrome knobs intact. A separate clock occupies the passenger-side pod on the center console — a detail specific to the C2 Corvette interior layout. The Corvette Sting Ray badge on the passenger-side dash fascia is present and legible.

Black carpet covers the floor throughout, and the door panels carry the correct chrome pull hardware and window crank handles. The overall interior condition reads as a solid, honest driver — not a show car, but a well-preserved example of what these interiors looked like when they were in regular use.

Exterior

The 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Convertible wears a silver exterior finish. Silver was not a common Corvette color in this era — the dominant choices among buyers were brighter hues like Nassau Blue, Rally Red, and Sunfire Yellow. A silver C2 Corvette has a more reserved appearance that lets the body lines carry the visual weight of the car, and those lines hold up extremely well in this color. The long hood, short deck proportion, the four horizontal side vents, and the flared fenders are all part of the original Bill Mitchell and Larry Shinoda design that debuted on the 1963 Sting Ray.

The chrome front and rear bumpers are in good condition based on the photos, maintaining the clean perimeter that Chevrolet used through the end of the C2 run in 1967. The convertible top is black, which works directly with the black interior and contrasts cleanly against the silver body. A black soft top on a silver C2 is a combination that reads as intentional and well-matched.

The Corvette Sting Ray trunk badge is present — the script Corvette lettering over the Sting Ray bar — and the chrome surrounding it is in presentable condition. The rear bumper treatment flanks the dual exhaust outlets, one of the more distinctive design elements of the C2's rear end. The American Racing wheels with knock-off centers fill the wheel openings well and give the car the period custom look that many 1960s Corvette owners were after when these wheels were new.

Conclusion

The 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Convertible represents the C2 at its most complete. The L-79 327/350 is the engine that performance-minded buyers specified when they wanted the small block taken to its practical limit without stepping up to a big block. Four-wheel disc brakes, a 4-speed manual, a proper driver-focused interior, and a clean undercarriage make this a car you can actually use. The silver exterior is uncommon enough to stand apart from the more frequently seen colors of this era, and the overall presentation is that of a car that has been maintained and cared for rather than sitting undriven.

For a buyer who knows what the L-79 option means and wants a C2 Corvette that can be driven regularly and appreciated for what it actually is, this 1966 Corvette Sting Ray deserves a close look.

To schedule a viewing or ask questions about this 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, contact Skyway Classics in Sarasota, Florida at 941-254-6608.

Disclaimer Information found on the website is presented as given to us by the owner of the car, whether on consignment or from the owner we bought it from. Some Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Skyway Classics does not warranty or guarantee this information. Skyway Classics is not responsible for information that may incorrect or a publishing error. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the vehicle or by a professional inspection service prior to offer or purchase being made.