[Milliwatt Rob]

Posting from Maple Syrup and ski country in southern Vermont.

When I was 19 years old, I bought a red 1964 Stingray convertible, two years old, that I drove for 200,000 miles. I sold it to put myself through grad school, and said that someday, I would buy another. Well, that someday may be coming up. I am coming into a small unexpected financial windfall, and a C7 Z-51convertible is in my sights when the ship comes in. I have visited MacMulkin just to see the cars in the flesh, and meet the staff.

So I am here mostly to learn, but if I can contribute something, I will.

Glad to be here.

 

[Ret9580]

Say Hi to Tommy from his California Red Sox fan.....and Bruins.....and Celtics

 

[Mobius]

When I was 19 years old, I bought a red 1964 Stingray convertible, two years old, that I drove for 200,000 miles.

Welcome Rob. It's great that you put your '64 through so much use - these cars are meant to be driven!

Over that 200,000 miles, how many times did you refresh the engine (rebuilds, swaps, etc.)?

 

[Milliwatt Rob]

My engine was the 365 hp 327, with solid lifters, and a 6500 rpm redline. In other words, the fuelie engine, with a Holley replacing the Rochester FI unit.

At about 100,000 miles, I had a leaky head gasket, and at that time removed both heads and did a valve job. The car was pretty robust, but routine maintenance intensive. It came with a conventional coil and points ignition system, and went through a set of plugs (back in the days of leaded gas) in about 6K miles. All we had back then was conventional AC plugs, Champions and Autolites. I later fit an aftermarket capacitive discharge ignition which only used the points as a triggering mechanism, and that improved the ignition a lot. Those cars came with metallic shields all over the ignition components, and I was probably among the few who kept them on the car at all times. I later needed to change out the aluminum radiator, replaced the Holley carb, and installed an electric fuel pump.

I never wore out the clutch, but I was never one for clutch slipping acceleration. Would you believe that the 64 came through with 2 ply Firestone Deluxe Champion bias ply narrow whitewall tires? I replaced them with Pirelli C72 radials. The Muncie 4 speed never gave any trouble.

Those cars were pretty spartan, and the crank up window mechanisms rattled like crazy. But who cared?

Before I sold the car, i was considering replacing the engine with a 370 hp 350, but a kid I knew really wanted the car, had enough money to pay a fair price, and as I was entering grad school, I sold.

 

[jsvette]

Welcome to our forum Rob! What a neat back story on your Red '64

 

[U.S. Marine]

Rob, welcome aboard and great story of years gone by. Any pictures of the 64?

SF
Rick

 

[smalltowngirl13]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

 

[Chip]

Welcome aboard Rob!

 

[Redc7]

I'm right next door in NH. When I was 19 I had a '66 coupe. Welcome!