seen at a car show is this a 64 or 65?

[Oss]

[f6john]

Hood is definitely not 64 but of course you can always change a hood to your liking. Not enough cues for me to zero in on the exact year from the picture.

[Serk]

I don't know the first thing about cars made before I was, just for S&G I asked Grok:

This car appears to be a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray convertible.

I then asked Grok how confident it was in the year specified:

My confidence in identifying the year as 1963 is based on the car's design features, such as the split rear window (unique to the 1963 model) and the overall body style of the first-generation Corvette Sting Ray. However, without a VIN or more detailed inspection, there’s a small chance it could be a modified or restored version from a nearby year (e.g., 1962 or 1964). I’d estimate about 90% confidence in the 1963 identification.

[f6john]

I don't know the first thing about cars made before I was, just for S&G I asked Grok:

This car appears to be a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray convertible.

I then asked Grok how confident it was in the year specified:

My confidence in identifying the year as 1963 is based on the car's design features, such as the split rear window (unique to the 1963 model) and the overall body style of the first-generation Corvette Sting Ray. However, without a VIN or more detailed inspection, there’s a small chance it could be a modified or restored version from a nearby year (e.g., 1962 or 1964). I’d estimate about 90% confidence in the 1963 identification.

Definitely a giggle, a convertible sure can’t be a split window which is a fixed roof fastback design. Good to know even at my age I smarter than Grok when it comes to cars!

Also these are not first generation cars, gen 1 cars ran from 1953 to 1962 which all had fixed headlights and solid rear axles.

[Rams]

I don't know the first thing about cars made before I was, just for S&G I asked Grok:

This car appears to be a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray convertible.

I then asked Grok how confident it was in the year specified:

My confidence in identifying the year as 1963 is based on the car's design features, such as the split rear window (unique to the 1963 model) and the overall body style of the first-generation Corvette Sting Ray. However, without a VIN or more detailed inspection, there’s a small chance it could be a modified or restored version from a nearby year (e.g., 1962 or 1964). I’d estimate about 90% confidence in the 1963 identification.

Definitely a giggle, a convertible sure can’t be a split window which is a fixed roof fastback design. Good to know even at my age I smarter than Grok when it comes to cars!

Also these are not first generation cars, gen 1 cars ran from 1953 to 1962 which all had fixed headlights and solid rear axles.

Although I don't pretend to be an expert on Corvettes, I immediately saw the convertible top and knew Grok was full of crap.   Might want to ask Grok about garden fertilizers, it seems to have an abundance.

Rams   

[Serk]

Definitely a giggle, a convertible sure can’t be a split window which is a fixed roof fastback design. Good to know even at my age I smarter than Grok when it comes to cars!

Again, just for S&G I fed the above back into Grok:

Haha, you got me there! You're absolutely right—a convertible can't be a split window, as the split-window design is specific to fixed-roof fastbacks, like the iconic '63 Corvette. No worries, I'm happy to take a backseat and learn from your car smarts!  Got any other automotive wisdom to share?

Heh, I think we broke it...

Fed it the pic again, with this prompt:

What make, model and year is this car? It can't be a 1963 split window because it's a convertible.

To which it got very confused and replied:

You're right—it can't be a 1963 split-window since this is a convertible. Based on the design, including the hood vents, chrome trim, and overall body style, this appears to be a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray convertible. The 1963 model year introduced the Sting Ray design, and while the coupe featured the famous split window, the convertible had a solid rear window. This matches the car in the image!




Continuing with the theme, I fed the image to ChatGPT (Which I generally don't prefer, but it does seem to have the edge here, maybe?)

The car in the image is a Chevrolet Corvette, specifically a C2 model (also known as the "Sting Ray"). This generation was produced from 1963 to 1967.

Based on the body styling — including the split front bumper, headlight shape, and overall design — this appears to be a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Convertible. Notable clues include:

The absence of split rear windows (introduced in 1963 only).

Fender vents styling used in the later C2 years.

The hood scoop and side exhausts suggest this may be a modified or high-performance version.

Let me know if you want help identifying the exact trim or engine details!


What's the exact trim and engine details?


To determine the exact trim and engine details of the 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray in the image, we can make an educated guess based on visual cues, but please note that without VIN or engine bay inspection, it's not possible to be 100% certain. However, here's what can be deduced:

[bassman]

They did make
a 63 Vette convertible…. https://mobile.corvettestory.com/specs/1963-Corvette-specs-options.php


Don’t recall ever seeing one in person

[Rams]

No worries, I'm happy to take a backseat and learn from your car smarts! 

In a Corvette?   Might be a bit breezy back there....................... 

I may have taken that quote out of context....   

Rams

[Oss]

funny 67 did occur to me but I dismissed it
something about the metal trim under the doors seemed off to me

I had once taken a pic of a similar vette on a road south of a WV town many inzanes ago (not marlinton)
somewhere in NW West Virginia  at a service station and I asked permission of the owner before taking my pic

During my travels I have found the simple act of askin  "is this your beautiful vette" and "would you mind if I took a few pictures of it" lead to wonderful conversations

Wish my memory was a bit better   His Was a 67 I was told

[f6john]

They did make
a 63 Vette convertible…. https://mobile.corvettestory.com/specs/1963-Corvette-specs-options.php


Don’t recall ever seeing one in person

Yet you would have a much greater chance of seeing a convertible 63 than a split window just due to shear numbers. 63’s had a distinctive hood with fake chrome hood vents rectangular in shape.

funny 67 did occur to me but I dismissed it
something about the metal trim under the doors seemed off to me

I had once taken a pic of a similar vette on a road south of a WV town many inzanes ago (not marlinton)
somewhere in NW West Virginia  at a service station and I asked permission of the owner before taking my pic

During my travels I have found the simple act of askin  "is this your beautiful vette" and "would you mind if I took a few pictures of it" lead to wonderful conversations

Wish my memory was a bit better   His Was a 67 I was told

The only way I can distinguish a 67 from earlier models quickly and definitively is the reverse backup light located in the center above the license plate.

[John Schmidt]

Here's what I know about that car: It's blue, has a black rag top, has at least two wheels, and a yellow license plate. Hope that narrows it down for y'all. 

Since sport cars don't come with lift-chairs for driver's seats, I'll never own one...sport car that is!

[sandy]

The hood scoop was on Vettes with a big block. '65 - '67 had the optional 396 - 427 engines.

[Jess from VA]

My '69 drop top Stingray was a 350/350 V8, but the previous owner put an L88 barrel hood on it which was fine with me.  

Almost the exact same color, same white top, black interior, no side louvers or luggage rack (yuk).  It also had Hooker headers and chrome sidepipes.

Got it on active duty in CA, and sold it before driving cross county to VA in the more practical El Camino.  (bummer)

A real L88.


The day I brought it home, the wife ran out in a pair of shorts and burned the skin off the back of her legs on the hot side pipes getting in... and kicked the car as hard as she could.    Hey!! This thing is made of plastic you know!

[Valker]

The two side “vents” behind the front wheel says 64. I had a 64 coupe and a 65 roadster.

[h13man]

Well I was pushing newspaper's as a kid in 67', I was allowed to sit in the showroom Corvette coupe a couple time's thus my total Vette knowledge.     Research says:

 A new fender treatment came in 1965, ditching the twin horizontal fender recesses for triple vertical “gills.” Small-block cars got a new hood that kept the tapered center bulge from ’63 and ’64 but lost the recesses. Big-blocks, which debuted in production Corvettes in 1965, got a similar hood with a flared bulge near the cowl that allowed for more engine clearance. If you see “396” engine badging on the fender, that’s another indication it’s a ’65, since it was the only year that engine was available.

[Robert]

Takes me back to the days of skinny tires, never ending burn outs, terrible steering, and suspension. I

love the looks of the older cars but the newer cars drive so much better and are faster. If they could make

a retro corvette I would be go for that. Same body newer design engine steering and chassis along with

some good ac and that would fit the bill. Had a fastback mustang and it was great but I would not

take it over a newer car. One car that comes to mind is the 70 Chevelle 454 with cowl induction. No tires would stay on the car.


Bullitt (1968) - San Francisco Car Chase Scene (4/10) | Movieclips
https://youtu.be/no7XR7s8Z7o?si=8WiN_GmAApJQqB0J