"There's no replacement for displacement." That's the motto of those who believe the way to more power is through an engine with a larger bore and stroke, instead of one that uses other means (like more or bigger carburetors, or freer-flowing cylinder heads) to achieve that goal.
That also applies to engine choices in the Midyear Corvettes, at about the mid-point of the C2's production history. In mid-March of 1965, RPO L78-the 425hp 396-joined the Corvettes' option list, with a sticker price of $292.70. It didn't take long for Vette buyers to do the math-the big-block delivered 50 more hp than the RPO L84 fuel-injected 327 did, for around $245 less. Though 2,157 '65 Vettes received the 396 during its 51/2-month stay on the option list, Chevrolet was committed to the then-new Mark IV big-block engine being Corvette's top performance engine beyond 1965. After that year, not only was the fuelie 327 gone as an option, so was the RPO L76 365-horse 327.
In later years, as second-generation Corvettes passed from owner to owner, big-block engine swaps were fairly common, thanks to the availability of factory parts like engine mounts, crossmembers, hoods, and stiffer front springs that enabled a 396, 427, or 454 to go where a 327 once resided. That's what happened to Del Kendall's '65 Sting Ray coupe, though at first glance you'd likely think this car was one of the late '65s whose 396 went in at St. Louis.
The rebuild/restoration of...
The rebuild/restoration of Del's '65 took place about a decade ago but you'd never tell that by looking at the car now.
But the engine you see here didn't go in there, nor is it a 396. "We put a 454 short-block in it and used the original '65 rectangular-port heads, solid-lifter cam, and original intake manifold," he says from his Estes Park, Colorado, home. However, he didn't swap out the original 327 that this Sting Ray was built with. "It didn't have the original engine in it when I got it," says Del. "So, I felt alright about changing a few things."
Those changes came after some needed repairs were performed. "It had a little bit of front end damage," he says of the C2 that he bought from a friend about a decade ago. "We replaced part of the upper surround and put new bumpers on it and some other odds and ends in the front end."
By "we," he means his brother Dan, who helped out with the bodywork and paint, and who built the 468ci (454 bored .060-inch over) powerplant. Del also says this project wasn't one that seemed to take forever from start to finish. "It took Dan two months to do the body, working on it full-time with a helper," he says. "It was not a frame-off restoration, but they stripped it completely, and they cleaned it up under the hood." Also going in under the hood was a Vintage Air HVAC system.
Change was also in the works for the Sting Ray's cabin, though not at first. "We put new Saddle leather upholstery in it, which was the original color, but I didn't like it," Del recalls. "So, we changed the interior to white leather. It looks great, and you don't see that very often."
Fender badges for Del's C2...
Fender badges for Del's C2 are correct for a big-block '65 give or take the extra 72 ci under this one's hood.
The chassis got a freshening to the suspension system, but the original front coils springs/rear leaf setup stayed in. "When I bought it, it had reproduction knock-off wheels and redlines," says Del of what was on each corner outboard of the four-wheel-disc brakes. "I remember those tires being a lot better than they were! So, I put a set of Michelin radials on it, and the car just drives completely different with them on."
It was Del's memory of a Vette in his past that prompted him to go the big-block route on his '65, while keeping its original styling intact. "I had one in 1965, a 396-powered convertible," he says. "I remember what they drove like." That memory stayed with him through the years, when he had over two dozen other Corvettes as personal cars (though not all at once), and he's bought and sold another 50-60 more over the years.
One of the Vettes he's kept is an ultra-rare Midyear: One of the 20 L88-powered '67s, which Del says he'll restore someday. "It was a race car that got beat around," he says. "I've turned down a lot of money for it, and it's really a basket case, but it has the original block and heads, and it's got the other stuff that would be impossible to find like the (radio/heater) block-off plates, and the original airbox hood. It's a neat old car to look at-but it's a basket case."
While the seat/door panel...
While the seat/door panel color changed, the interior restoration kept the new-for-'65 cabin features like door panels with integrated arm rests and bigger seats.
Del didn't like the original...
Del didn't like the original Saddle leather color of the '65's seats, even after he had Ray Joslyn restore them. So, he chose Corvette America's white leather seat covers to replace them.
It looks like a restored L78,...
It looks like a restored L78, but Del Kendall's '65 is powered by this 454-based big-block. The heads are correct '65-vintage rectangular-port.
During the build, a Vintage...
During the build, a Vintage Air HVAC system with a Sanden compressor went on
Whether or not that neat old Vette that you're dreaming about is a basket case, Del says that if you haven't bought or built before, it's important to find someone who really knows about Corvettes who can help you, especially with the generation and year that you're interested in. "It's critical to have someone look at it who's knowledgeable, who's in the business, to evaluate the car and to give you an appraisal of what the car is worth and what it'll cost to restore it," he says. "I've restored a lot of 'em, and it always costs a lot more than you think it's going to."
And that can help you determine which way you want to go with that Vette-whether to go the matching-number NCRS route, or build something else if you don't have the original engine (or a correct replacement). Something like Del's Glen Green '65, a Midyear that carries ample replacement for its original displacement.
The six-month build (including...
The six-month build (including a two-month body repair and restoration) included small details like the correct '65 fuel filler door
Del Kendall, Estes Park, Colorado
Body
Original '65 Sting Ray coupe body, with Corvette America reproduction '65 396 hood
Paint: Original Glen Green, done in PPG Deltron basecoat/clearcoat; Painting/paint prep by Dan Kendall, Greeley, Colorado
Chassis
Production '65 Sting Ray, with original frame
Suspension: Original '65 Sting Ray four-wheel independent suspension (Front) Coil springs with upper/lower A-arms, anti-sway bar and tubular Delco gas shock absorbers (Rear) Independent rear suspension with lateral struts, radius rods, transverse leaf spring bundle and tubular Delco gas shock absorbers.
Steering: Original GM/Saginaw recirculating ball, power-assisted
Brakes: Original, new-for-'65 GM/Delco four-wheel disc brakes, with RPO J50 power assist.
Wheels: Reproduction 15x6-inch aluminum knockoff wheels, with '65-style dark gray finish between the fins
Tires: Michelin X Radial P215/70R15 whitewalls all around look '65-correct and add modern tire tech to the classic C2 chassis.
To make the big-block swap...
To make the big-block swap complete on the outside, "396" fender badges and this reproduction '65-only big-block hood went on.
Chevrolet Mark IV big-block V-8
Engine built by: Dan Kendall, Greeley, Colorado
Modifications: 454 block bored .060-inch, rotating assemblies balanced
Displacement: 468 cubic inches
Compression ratio: 10.0:1
Cylinder heads: Chevrolet Mark IV V-8, rectangular-port with 2.19-inch intake/1.70-inch exhaust valves
Ignition: Original GM/Delco points-style with tach drive
Induction: Holley 750-cfm four-barrel carburetor atop a production '65 396 aluminum intake manifold
Camshaft: TRW hydraulic-lifter
Exhaust: Production '65 396 exhaust manifolds and mufflers with 21/2-inch diameter exhaust/tail pipes.
Horsepower: 450 @ 5,000 rpm (estimated)
Torque: 500 ft-lb @ 3,500 rpm (estimated)
Transmission
Original RPO M20 Muncie four-speed manual, with Hurst "Competition Plus" shifter
Rear end: Original '65 Sting Ray differential with RPO G81 Positraction and 3.36 rear gears.
Interior
Restored original '65 Sting Ray coupe interior
Restored by: Ray Joslyn, Estes Park, Colorado
Seats: restored original buckets with Corvette America reproduction white leather covers
Carpets: Corvette America reproduction black nylon loop-pile
Instrumentation: production '65 Sting Ray (0-160 mph speedometer, 0-7,000-rpm tach, plus fuel level, ammeter, coolant temperature and oil pressure gauges in dash, analog clock in center dash stack)
Sound system: Custom Autosound AM/FM Stereo/cassette head unit (with MP3 connection) in factory dash opening, Custom Autosound speakers
HVAC: Vintage Air